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Help me create a signature cocktail


Hornius Emeritus

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Rather incredibly, a craft cocktail company has approached me about  a signature cocktail that they want to invent for Traces of Texas, one that would be called the Trace of Texas.  I have free reign to include whatever ingredients I want.  I'd like y'all to help me and, when this Covid is over, we're going to have a party to introduce the drink. I'm sure there will be plenty of Surly specials (read: free booze) for those who help me invent this thing.  As I think about it, these are things I think are important:

1) It has to be created with ingredients sourced from Texas: whiskey, vodka, tequila, sotol etc... plus whatever other ingredients might be in there 

2)  it has to be a good hot weather drink

3) I'd prefer it to be on the more  manly side i.e. no pink umbrellas, not too sweet

4) Simple is better than complicated.  If possible, I'd like the cocktail to be made with ingredients that you can find in most bars.

5)  I can't stand gin, so no gin


Of course, it could be a normal/regular drink that has Texas spirits as the "active"  ingredient.  Like, for example, I could take the standard Old Fashioned recipe (bourbon, sugar, bitters, water), specify that the bourbon be Balcones, and call it the Trace of Texas, but that seems like a cop out.

One thing I thought about doing is finding an old drink guide and using one of them as a pattern/guide.  Example:  One of Houston's first bars (1850s) was the Bank and Bacchus, owned by Dick Dowling. The signature drink there was called "Kiss Me Quick and Go." I'm guessing that most of the ingredients (spirits excepted) were locally sourced in Houston.  If I could find that recipe, maybe I could tinker with it.
 

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Just looked through our older cookbooks.  "The Texas Cookbook" by Mary Faulk Koock (of Green Pastures in South Austin Fame) includes a bourbon cocktail called the "Bayou Bend Special" attributed to Ima Hogg, the daughter of Gov. James Hogg, and apparently "a long sought secret" often served at her River Oaks estate.

Bayou Bend Special

  • 1 thick-skinned seedless orange
  • 1 Tbs. honey
  • 1 fifth Bourbon

Slice orange and add honey to orange slices.  Put in top of a double boiler and let steep for 5 or 10 minutes.  Transfer orange slices to a jar, cover with a fifth of Bourbon, and let stand for at least 12 hours, but after 24 hours remove orange slices (if left too long, Bourbon will be bitter.)

Per Drink

  • Half orange slice
  • Stemmed cherry
  • Jigger of mixed orange and lemon juice
  • Dash bitters
  • Dash orange-flower water
  • 2 jiggers of the above prepared Bourbon, all served over ice

Cheers.

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12 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Just looked through our older cookbooks.  "The Texas Cookbook" by Mary Faulk Koock (of Green Pastures in South Austin Fame) includes a bourbon cocktail called the "Bayou Bend Special" attributed to Ima Hogg, the daughter of Gov. James Hogg, and apparently "a long sought secret" often served at her River Oaks estate.

Bayou Bend Special

  • 1 thick-skinned seedless orange
  • 1 Tbs. honey
  • 1 fifth Bourbon

Slice orange and add honey to orange slices.  Put in top of a double boiler and let steep for 5 or 10 minutes.  Transfer orange slices to a jar, cover with a fifth of Bourbon, and let stand for at least 12 hours, but after 24 hours remove orange slices (if left too long, Bourbon will be bitter.)

Per Drink

  • Half orange slice
  • Stemmed cherry
  • Jigger of mixed orange and lemon juice
  • Dash bitters
  • Dash orange-flower water
  • 2 jiggers of the above prepared Bourbon, all served over ice

Cheers.



Wow.  I could actually make this with what I have on hand, with the exception of the cherry.  Of course, cherries aren't grown in Texas. I wonder if a lime or grapefruit wedge would work. The one thing, though, is that it requires some "fore-prep."  I am hoping that somebody would be able to walk into a bar and say "give me a Trace of Texas."  When the bartender says ... "uh, what?"  Then the patron whips out the recipe on his phone and the bartender makes it for him. That's not going to happen if bourbon has to stand or if a double boiler has to be used.  But I love this idea.

Edited by Hornius Emeritus
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12 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:



Wow.  I could actually make this with what I have on hand, with the exception of the cherry.  Of course, cherries aren't grown in Texas. I wonder if a lime or grapefruit wedge would work. The one thing, though, is that it requires some "fore-prep."  I am hoping that somebody would be able to walk into a bar and say "give me a Trace of Texas."  When the bartender says ... "uh, what?"  Then the patron whips out the recipe on his phone and the bartender makes it for him. That's not going to happen if bourbon has to stand or if a double boiler has to be used.  But I love this idea.

Muddled orange slices and honey added to Bourbon and then strained would likely get you to the same place.  Basically an Old Fashioned with some arguably Texas roots (Ima Hogg).  Sounds like you'll enjoy researching this project! 

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3 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:


You mean like a Sazerac that used something like Balcones Rye Whiskey (which is delicious, by the way) as the base? 

 

That should work pretty well. I’m sure there’s some Austin hipster manufacturing bitters.  

Edited by billfromlaketravis
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4 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Maybe a sazerac with some pecan flavoring of some sort?

I'm not real good at coming up with drink ideas, but I'll be happy to volunteer as your taste tester.


I have actually seen a pecan liqueur somewhere, and I know that there is also a pecan whiskey but I don't know if either of them are made in Texas.

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How awesome that they came to you for inspiration. Really great idea.

I'm not super knowledgeable about mixed drinks, but there's one that my husband has made that uses bourbon and grapefruit? I think it's called a sidecar or something along those lines. IMO, the best grapefruit comes from Texas so that might be an ingredient to play around with. Also, perhaps using agave syrup as a sweetener or in the simple syrup?

Another line of thought is using chili peppers for a hint of spice.

 

I've never been a rum and soda drinker, but Dr. Pepper is Texan. Don't know what you'd pair with it though. I take my Dr. Pepper straight.

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15 minutes ago, Hornius Emeritus said:


I have actually seen a pecan liqueur somewhere, and I know that there is also a pecan whiskey but I don't know if either of them are made in Texas.

There's Pecan St rum made in Pflugerville. Honestly though, I'm not a huge fan of it.

I had a drink at Geraldine's a couple of years ago that used pecan orgeat, but that 's not an ingredient the average bar would carry.

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11 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

How awesome that they came to you for inspiration. Really great idea.

I'm not super knowledgeable about mixed drinks, but there's one that my husband has made that uses bourbon and grapefruit? I think it's called a sidecar or something along those lines. IMO, the best grapefruit comes from Texas so that might be an ingredient to play around with. Also, perhaps using agave syrup as a sweetener or in the simple syrup?

Another line of thought is using chili peppers for a hint of spice.

 

I've never been a rum and soda drinker, but Dr. Pepper is Texan. Don't know what you'd pair with it though. I take my Dr. Pepper straight.

After 50 years of trying, i can assure you that no alcoholic beverage mixed with Dr Pepper meets with my taste buds’ approval

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Well, my offering would be what I call a Coco-tonic:

Titos doesn't make coconut flavored Vodka (Coconut vodka or coconut rum is my go to for this drink) so my set up would be 

generous vodka pour over ice, and a squeezed lime in a tall glass.

Splash of coconut milk (flavor only)

Splash of Fresh OJ

Top with tonic, it should be a very very very  translucent orange color, and the coconut flavor should come forward taking you to a beach in the Caribbean.

It's not very sweet at all if you don't use more than a just a splash of OJ. It's been my go to Summer beach drink for a few years now.

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26 minutes ago, Horn Draoi said:

I have to try that Texas Jalapeño!  Thanks-

i have not tried it, but it's available at Specs, Total Wine etc.  Reason I suggested it is a friend of mine said he mixed a shot of that, a shot of tequila, Topo Chico and some lime, and it was pretty good.  Don't know if he added any grapefruit juice or agave.  But I would think it would make a pretty badass drink combined with the right stuff.

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1 hour ago, Horn Draoi said:

Texas vodka, Valley grapefruit juice, dash of jalapeño juice, few drops of rosemary bitters.  May need a few drops agave syrup, too.

I like the sound of this. I had mentioned the grapefruit in my earlier post because when it comes to citrus and Texas that's always what I think of, even though other types are grown. My dad was from Texas and although I didn't grow up in Texas, every fall he'd place a big order and some time later several cases of grapefruit would arrive. We would feast on that and feel like royalty.

 

Another type of ingredient I can think of with a Texas homage but might be ruled out by your 'summer/heat' qualification  would be a beef stock of some sort, kind of like a bullshot (vodka and beef broth). My husband used to make it when we lived up north but I think of it as a winter cocktail not summer. I also don't know if bars keep stuff like that around. Some folks call the bullshot a type of bloody mary because it replaces the tomato juice with the beef, but if you mix the two together and use bourbon instead of vodka, and some spice and Liquid Smoke it might be an interesting 'chili' drink. Adding back the tomato juice allows it to be chilled for summer.

 

 

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1 minute ago, PantsTent said:

Incorporate prickly pear somehow?

 


That's what I was thinking about last night. Maybe as a garnish?     I almost couldn't fall asleep as my mind was just swirling with half-formed ideas.  

I think Dripping Springs makes a lemon-flavored vodka. Seems like that could be incorporated into something.

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The base spirit absolutely needs to be Sotol. Its the only spirit/plant native to Texas. Anything else is hogwash. Lol vodka?

 

Desert Door doesnt make the best sotol, but they are a Texas brand and make sotol with plants only grown in Texas. 

 

1 oz Sotol

0.5 oz Prickly pear syrup (Cheris brand or gtfo)

0.5 oz Aperol

0.5 oz lime

top with Topo Chico (can be regular, or lime/grapefruit flavor if u want something a lil different)

 

 

Youre welcome

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2 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

The base spirit absolutely needs to be Sotol. Its the only spirit/plant native to Texas. Anything else is hogwash. Lol vodka?

 

Desert Door doesnt make the best sotol, but they are a Texas brand and make sotol with plants only grown in Texas. 

 

1 oz Sotol

0.5 oz Prickly pear syrup (Cheris brand or gtfo)

0.5 oz Aperol

0.5 oz lime

top with Topo Chico (can be regular, or lime/grapefruit flavor if u want something a lil different)

 

 

Youre welcome

And it makes the most interesting cocktails. Some of the best cocktails I've had ever, came from Desert Door tasting room using their product. 

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