A few years back, I was bartending at a pretty nice restaurant. It was my job to walk around at the end of the night and find out what everyone wanted to drink before I closed up. There were quite a few staff, but most of the guys in the kitchen settled for cheap beer, and the Front of House crew wanted shots or anything strong, really. So I would end up walking around handing out Bud Lights, tequila shots, shooters, or the like. One of the dishwashers was a quiet, older man. He rarely spoke during the shift, just kept his head down and worked. I remember the first day, asking him what he wanted for his shift drink, and without hesitation he said, "A Brandy Alexander." I was surprised, but happy to make a proper cocktail for a fellow staff member. It was the highlight of many nights to walk past all of my co-workers (drinking crappy drinks) with a Brandy Alexander in a stemmed glass balanced neatly on my tray . . . and to deliver it . . . to the dishwasher.
@@BehindtheBar Thanks! I ALWAYS think of him whenever I see or hear anything about Brandy Alexanders, even though it was years ago, that restaurant closed, and we all went our separate ways.
There’s two staples in every behind the bar episode with cream in it. Cara being annoyed by cream classifications by country. And Cara making a high level joke about not wanting anything creamy exploding all over you.
I really appreciate hearing about the history of each cocktail, the drink inventor, how the area the drink was born in influenced it, etc. I really commend you for your knowledge and passion. Your channel is killing it right now!!!
I’m with you on the coffee liqueur, especially during the Christmas season. I like my coffee in the morning and my brandy at night, and it’s a good reminder that I’m on holiday when I have both at the same time 😊 Merry Christmas!
I studied ballet in the 70’s and our ballet teacher coaxed the class out for drinks one evening after class. Most of the students of this class were barely legal drinking age and knew nothing about cocktails. Teacher’s fav cocktail was Brandy Alexander so we all had to try one too. It’s been one of my favs since but it’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed one. I will set out to buy your suggested ingredients this weekend and revisit this classic. Cheers!
Just finished making (and am currently drinking) your eggnog cocktail. It came out perfect. Gonna give this one a go. I just so happen to have all the ingredients on hand for once!
Thanks for sharing. This channel is an awesome source of information for a cocktail fan like me :) One thing I notice; the camera you're using for video has some issues I guess. It doesn't always keep focus on your face. If you watch this on YT, at around 3:05, the focus is on your dress, especially around the scissor on your neck collar. I am not complaining, both your face and dress are beautiful. The way you explain the concepts/ideas, my eyes always try to stay on your face, but because of such out of focus issues, sometimes my eyes get tired. Stay Safe! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Bless you! This is my mother's favorite and I've always wanted to find out how to make it for her. We are in Chile so we've made the Christmas equivalent which is Cola de Mono but I know it's not the same. Merry Christmas!
I’ve loved and made these since the 90s. Not with Coffee liqueur though, so going to try that now. Get to use my Christmas presents, new Hawthorne and fine strainers. :)
Just to add to the trivia... the Brandy Alexander is the drink that Jack Lemmon uses to get Lee Remick interested in drinking in "The Days of Wine and Roses".
Merry Christmas Cars, my present to myself was a bottle (huge bottle they don't come small) of Compari. Negronis for all!!!. There are mo small bottles.
Marry Christmas. My wife just handed me a drink when I came home. Home made hot chocolate with 3 oz of the sugarland shine orange cream. It taste like the chocolate oranges you see here around Christmas. The orange cream taste like a melted orange cream popsicle. I saw you up load as I sat down watchec it. And just wanted to let you know some of what we were trying on this side of tge pond. Thanks for your videos And have a happy holidays.
Oh forgot whish there was some way I could get some satsuma to you. One of my buddies that grow them commercially. Saves a few trees to let them get frost on them. When there picked there sweeter but go bad quickly. For a few of use. One of the few binifets of living out in the woods near farms.
I was watching the new video with scotch and Irish. Mixed. With using different type mixes And it made me think of something. Besides the satsuma rum. Is there any drinks that use satsuma juice? You like it and to me its a bit sweeter than on. If there's not any drinks that call for it. I was thinking or wondering what combo using it could you invent?
No egg in this one but there was a visual of me cracking an egg in something else- I was just be discussing that some people like to add egg white and it does make it even fluffier but it’s not necessary 😊
Hi and thanks Cara. Hope you enjoyed a lovely Christmas. I'm back home from my family visit which was nice. Thanks for the drink info, appreciated. Been meaning to ask the significance behind your scissor pin. Curious, as scissors go with my profession .. hair! 😉 cheers!
Hay thanks for a great vid! I know what you mean about all the types of cream... it being xmass I whiped some cream for mums Pav today ... it took way 2 long.... anyway the up shot of this is that I'm going to go and buy a cow ... it's the only way! :-)
Frankly, I don't recall seeing this video, much less posting. I do know i was into half a dozen large and strong christmas bandy old-fashiones. Your channel is the best boozy history on the youtube, thanks. :-D Happy New Year!
I am drinking these now and WOW are they good! I didn't get to try with the coffee addition though. My state in the U.S. is populated by heathens and liquor stores here don't keep up with new good spirits, so I can't get Mr. Black. Is there another coffee liqueur you'd recommend? We have a few here that aren't Kahlua, somehow, even though we don't have this specific one.
Kahlua is definitely still a good option, otherwise it would be a matter of seeing if there are any good local craft ones? I’d assume there must be some good ones in the States as well!
@@BehindtheBar There is *a* local craft one! Though if it's actually good, I'm not sure. I can give it a go though! Thank you! Yeah Mr. Black is available elsewhere - just not specifically my state.
Have been looking forward to this one, mostly because of the song Brandy Alexander by The Walkmen (as featured in the movie In Bruges). Looks amazing. Loving these vids from lockdown in New York, please keep up the good work! (Have been experimenting with the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and my old favourite the White Russian). Happy Xmas! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-q3wvB_2sVAk.html
What would you say are some of the best liquor shops in Melbourne for getting good obscure spirits and liqueur? I know Nillumbik Cellars has a good range, but I'm keen to find more in the North East.
Nick’s Wine Merchant has an amazing range, they are just online at the moment. Casa de Vinos in the Southside for obscure bottlings of whisky, tequila and rum. Bitters Lab on Smith St for cocktail ingredients. Really depends what you’re looking for!
I don’t really know the North East in particular tbh - sorry, missed that part! We have a fun range at Samuel Pepys in Northcote, it’s not massive but try and keep it interesting/stuff you can’t buy in Dan’s, but you do have to pop in store as most isn’t on the website. Blackhearts and Wine Republics usually have some cool stuff too 😊
@@BehindtheBar Thank you. I did recently get some really nice Mauritian rum from Nick's and once we can move more than 10km from home I'll have to check out those others. Hops and Vine in Warrandyte is another one I love for their craft beer selection, and they have a lot of local craft spirits too, but I haven't tried any yet.
Not sure if you've tried it yet, but Cafe Patron in my opinion has a pretty could balance of coffee and tequila flavor without being overpowering. Should mix well depending on what the other ingredients are
When God had an idea for "WOMAN" He had you in mind Cara, though he got distracted before you and after, or all us men would be blessed with a version of you and not all the others.
Hey Juan! Thanks for the feedback, generally most of our viewers enjoy the history and product information aspect, but we do have a playlist of quicker makes for those that are impatient 😉: ru-vid.com/group/PLq4QDlrfTBk2WTqmT1PD_vSTY20dK8GH5
Hey Susan! Thanks for the feedback, generally most of our viewers enjoy the history and product information aspect, but we do have a playlist of quicker makes for those that are impatient 😉: ru-vid.com/group/PLq4QDlrfTBk2WTqmT1PD_vSTY20dK8GH5
