The Tennessee Titan - Whiskey

Welcome back fellow mixers to Mixers for your Mixer! Now we’ve dealt with mixed drinks that revolve around Vodka. Now we’ll take a trip to the heart of the American Appalachians where we’ll get into one of my favorite spirits for any occasion, Whiskey.

A Brief History of Whiskey

The distillation of Whiskey can be dated as far back as 2000 BC in Mesopotamia.  However, aromas and perfumes were distilled instead of alcohol. The distillation of whiskey as an alcoholic spirit didn’t occur until around the 15^th century in Ireland and Scotland. Whiskey during this point in time was created for medicinal purposes. During this time, the distillation was still in infancy; therefore, the spirits that were produced were very raw and potent.

Over the centuries, the process of distillation has evolved into something marvelous. Now, even though most whiskey is still very potent in nature, it’s now more refine and smooth in texture.

There is a large variety of Whiskey out there. The following is a  list of the different types of Whiskey available:

• Malt Whiskey  - Made primarily from malted barley
• Bourbon Whiskey  - Made from any other type of grains
• Corn Whiskey – Made from a mash that contains 80% corn
• Rye Whiskey – Consists of  at least 51% rye
• Wheat Whiskey – Consists of at least 51% wheat

These varieties, when distilled in America, must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume and must be aged in new charred-oak casks.

Crown Royal, a smooth and tasteful Canadian Whiskey

Well, I hope you enjoyed the small history lesson on Whiskey. I’m very excited to dive head first into this wonderful alcoholic spirit. Until next time mixers…Happy Mixing!

The Cranberry and Vodka

Welcome back fellow mixers to Mixers for your Mixers! For today's delicious drink, we will visit the simple mixture of Cranberry and Vodka. This simple yet delicious cocktail is usually famous for being consumed by women during "that" time of the month and for the low calories that it has. Another name for this mixture is a Cape Cod (when garnished to a lime).

For this mixed drink you need the following ingredients:

1 oz. of your favorite vodka (for me....Smirnoff Blue Label)
4oz of OceanSpray (or preferred brand) Cranberry juice
1 Lime (optional)

Step #1:
Pour 1 oz. of vodka into a glass filled with a few cubes of ice.

Step #2:
Mix in 4 oz. of cranberry juice

Step #3 (optional):
Place a small wedge of lime on the small rim of the glass to add a little decal to your drink

After mixing the proper ingredients together, you wind up a great addition to any mixer. Once you get a taste of it, you'll experience a great beverage that is memorable yet semi-sweet. This cocktail suitable for those who prefer a solid drink of liquor and those who prefer a fruity drinks. A great addition to this mixed would be to add a cranberry-flavored 7-UP soda twist into this. You simply split the amount of cranberry juice and then add the difference with the 7-UP. It helps put a little extra zing to the mixture. I hope that this post helps you all with your mixer needs. Until next time, HAPPY MIXING!

The Russian Riot - Jello Shots

Welcome back everyone to Mixers for your Mixer! For today's mixture, I've decided to go with a classic staple that will be a great addition to any mixer. Today, we discuss the creation of Jello Shots. For this recipe, you'll the following ingredients:

• 1 6 oz. of your favotrite flavor
• 3 - 3 1/2 cups of water  (2 cups boiled, 1 cup chilled)
• 10 oz. of you favorite brand of vodka, chilled

Follow the steps below to create your own batch of Jello shots:

Step #1:
Add two cups of water to your pot and set it on the burner.

Step #2:
Once the water has come to a boil, take the pot off of the burner. Then add to it your favorite flavor of Jello gelatin and slowly begin to stir. Stir the mixture until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

Step #3:
Once the gelatin has completely dissolved in the water, add in 1 cup of chilled water into the mixture. Still for a least one minute.

Step #4:
Add 10 oz. of your favorite vodka and stir into the mixture.

Step#5:
Pour 1 oz. of the mixture into a 2 oz. ramekin (or preferred size of serving container).

Step #6:
Place tops on the containers and place them in the freezer for 4 hours or until solidified.

After following these steps, you should wind up with delicious jello shots. These scrumptious delights should be a blast at any social event regardless of what flavor you choose to use. If you feel like getting crazy with this mixture, you could always try layering a few of favorite flavors on top of each. All you need to do is repeat the above and slowing layer each one at a time. Thank you for visiting this post and I look forward to any suggestions that you may have for future mixers.

Until then, HAPPY MIXING!!!

The Russian Riot - Vodka

Vodka, good for all occasions

Welcome back everyone to Mixers for your Mixer! Today, we step outside of the realm of rum-based mixed drinks and move ourselves into the world of Vodka. Vodka can be described as a distilled beverage that is composed of primarily of water and ethanol. Through the process of distillation, Vodka can be produced from such substances as grains, potatoes, fruits, and sugars.

The History

The name of Vodka is  diminutive form of the Slavic "Voda", which roughly translates into water. The first record of the term "Vodka" was in 1405 in Akta Grodzkie. Very few details are known as to Vodka's date of origin. Various sources put the first production of the spirit in an area in present day Russia during the 9th century; while others put the date and location during 8th century Poland. However, the first documented distillery, which can be found reported in the Vyatka Chronical of 1174, wasn't recorded  until over three hundred years later.

The Production process

Vodka may be distilled from any starch- or sugar-rich plant matter.Despite this fact, most of the vodka today is produced from such grains as sorghum, corn, rye, or wheat. Among these grain vodkas, rye and wheat are generally considered superior. Some vodkas are made from potatoes, molasses, soybeans, grapes, rice, and sugar beets. Some are even byproducts of oil refining or wood pulp processing. Even though it seems that vodka  can be made from all of these ingredients, only those spirits made from grains, potato, sugar beets, or molasses are allowed to be branded as "vodka.

During the distillation process, the master distiller is in charge of distilling the vodka and directing its filtration. During this filtration; ethyl acetate (known as "fore-shots"), ethyl lactate (known as "heads"), and the fusel oils (known as the "tails") are removed to "purify" or to produce the usual clean taste of the spirit.

Some well known brands of Vodka are:

• Smirnoff
• Absolut Vodka
• Grey Goose
• Everclear

Now that we have a basic understanding of this spirit, I look forward to bringing you interesting mixed-drink recipes involving this smooth but potent spirit. So until next time! Happy Mixing!

Upcoming attraction: Jello Shots

Rum Runners - Rum and Coke

Welcome back everyone to Mixers for your Mixers! Today we will be focusing on a more simplistic mixer that will guarantee to stimulate your taste buds. Today's drink is the famous Rum and Coke. This mixer is, by far, one of the most common and best Rum-based mixers in bars today. The best quality of this drink is that any rum brand or type of rum (overproof, premium, Gold, dark) can be  used in this mixture and  the difference in quality is small. So let's get started with our mixer!

The following ingredients are involved in the mixture of this drink:

1 8 oz. can of Coca-Cola
1 1/2 oz. of preferred rum

Step #1:
Pour 1 1/2 oz. of your preferred rum into a glass

Step #2:
Pour  1 8 oz. can of Coca-Cola into the glass

Step #3:
Stir ingredients together for a few moments and serve "on the rocks" (with ice).

A simple, yet exquisite, mixer

When properly mixed,the beverage should have anywhere from a very sweet to semi-sweet flavor. It all depends on the type of rum that was used as the liquor base in this concoction.  Lighter rums, alongside some premium rums, tend to deliver a more sweet, vanilla flavor than compared to those made with stronger rums. With  stronger rums, such as Bacardi's 151, the drink will still possess that vanilla flavor, however, it will be of a semi-sweet nature compared to the others. A nice little addition to make this a little more interesting is to add a small splash of Malibu Coconut rum to add a little sweetness to this concoction.

Add a splash to  put a little more flavor in to the drink

 I would like to thank you for reading the article and recommend reading other posts for fun mixer ideas.  Also, please remember to drink responsibly. Happy Mixing!

Rum Runner - Caribou Lou

Welcome back happy mixers. Today we're going to take a look into a rum based drink known as Caribou Lou. Caribou Lou is a

Highball class drink, meaning that its a mixed-drink that composed of an alcoholic base spirit (liquor) and a larger portion being contributed from a non-alcoholic drink. Caribou Lou is best known form it's musical counterpart  of the same name "Caribou Lou", a song made famous by the mid-west Hip-Hop/Rap artist Tech N9n3. Although the difference being the amount of 151 that is to be placed into the concoction.

So let's get started!!

Ingredients:

Barcardi 151 Rum (Overproof Rum)
Malibu Caribou Coconut Rum (Flavored Rum)
Dole Pineapple Juice(Non-Alcoholic Mixer)

Sweet but, strong combination

Step 1:

Begin by pouring 1 oz. of Barcardi 151 rum. *WARNING: Barcardi 151 is very flammable. It's an overproof rum. It's 75.5% alcohol. Any liquor with a alcohol content 60% and over is considered flammable. Please pour this liquor away from any open flames or heat sources.

Step 2: Pour 1 1/2 oz. of Malibu Coconut Rum into your glass.

Step 3: Pour 1 1/2 6 oz. cans of Pineapple Juice

Step 4: Serve mixture with ice for a more refreshing taste

When finished, Caribou Lou makes for a smooth and mild tropical drink. The 151 helps in balancing the sweet taste of pineapple juice. It also works in combination with the Malibu Coconut Rum to produce the mild tropical taste.

There are few ways to enhance your tasting experience with this drink. One way is to add a few pieces of pineapple chunks. A real good enhancement is to use Appleton Jamaican Rum (Gold Rum) as an alternate to Barcardi 151. It further enriches the coconut/pineapple sensation you experience. I strongly recommend this drink for your next tropical/beach-themed events. Drink responsible and Happy Mixing!!

Here a link to Tech N9ne's track "Caribou Lou":