Tis the season to trim the tree, celebrate with loved ones, and raise a glass to our freedom to drink! As if this month wasn’t already filled with awesome festivities, allow us to add one more: The 80th anniversary of National Repeal Day, the day Prohibition ended and Americans could legally get their crunk on again. It’s very fitting that National Repeal Day falls just a few weeks before the holidays, a time when “taking the edge off” is a necessity.
In honor of this glorious occasion, we collected your questions from Twitter and jumped on the phone with “King Cocktail” himself, Dale DeGroff. Not only is Dale a master mixologist, he’s also the Founder and President of The Museum of the American Cocktail. Needless to say, this guy knows his spirits.
DeGroff took some time to answer your questions. He also shared a few Prohibition-style cocktails of his own. Check it out!
@HerSweetSweat: What single drink (one cocktail) in his experience makes women lose control?
The answer is (and he said it with conviction): The cosmopolitan! Dale recommends making this classic drink with fresh cranberry juice and lime juice – just like he did in his days at The Rainbow Room.
@JimSias: I’d love to know what, if any, cocktails he’s made that use Guinness.
Dale recommends combining champagne and Guinness beer, poured together very slowly in a cold glass (a flute would work best). This recipe has been around for centuries and was created when England’s beloved Prince Edward died. During this time, everything was draped in black – even their champagne.
@katlyncarlson: What’s his go-to “lazy” cocktail? Like, say I want something a little fancy, but I don’t want to bust out a million ingredients?
Dale’s pick is a play on the classic Italian Negroni. This recipe is only three simple ingredients: 1.25 oz American Bourbon (he likes Bulleit), 1 oz sweet vermouth (try to find an Italian brand), and 1 oz Campari. Slice an orange, squeeze it over a glass of ice, add the orange peel to garnish, and stir.
READ: George Dickel Whisky And Some Serious BBQ Made By Celebrity Chef Adam Perry Lang
Here are our two favorite Repeal Day cocktails that Dale recommended:
George Dickel Rye Old Fashioned
1.3 oz. George Dickel Rye
1 maraschino cherry
0.25 oz. bitters
1 sugar cube
1 splash water
1 slice orange
1 lemon twist
Preparation: In an old-fashioned or rocks glass, muddle sugar, bitters, and water. Add ice cubes and George Dickel Rye. Garnish with lemon twist, orange slice and cherry.
Crown Royal Black Manhattan
1 oz. Crown Royal Black
0.25 oz. Cragganmore Distiller Edition
0.25 oz. sweet vermouth
1.25 oz. simple syrup
0.25 dashes of bitters
1 piece maraschino cherry
Preparation: Stir all the ingredients and Crown Royal Black together in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.
For the holiday Dale also recommends one of his original recipes the Dale Holiday Old Fashioned, which includes Pimento Aromatic Bitters from his recently launched brand developed with renowned absinthe distiller Ted Breaux.
1.25 oz George Dickel No. 1
1 dash DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters
0.25 oz Dale’s Cherry Liqueur
0.5 oz Simple syrup
2 orange slices
2 cherries
Preparation: Muddle a cherry and orange slice with the syrup and liqueur and the dash of bitters in a bar mixing glass. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass add the whiskey and ice and stir Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Let us know how you like these classic cocktails by tweeting us @Man_Unplugged and remember to drink responsibly!
Cheers!
Tags Dale DeGroff George Dickel George Dickel Whisky King Cocktail Liqueur Mixologist Prohibition Repeal Day Whiskey Whisky
