JK Grence

I love a good Moscow Mule. But then, who doesn't? It's more interesting than your average vodka drink (i.e., ridiculous flavored vodka and soda or 7-Up), but accessible enough for mainstream mass appeal.

See also:
- Stop the Reduced-Calorie Vodka Madness!
- How to Make a Great Moscow Mule
- Mojito Season Is Open

Though the Moscow Mule is refreshing and delicious, it is are, after a while, like a pop song repeating endlessly on the radio: It just sort of blends into itself until you barely notice what's happening. I find myself wanting a drink with a little something . . . extra. A dash or two of je ne sais quoi, if you will. That's where one of my heroes of modern bartending, Audrey Saunders, comes in.

More »

JK Grence

Just say no.

Part of writing this column, and of bartending, is keeping abreast of booze trends. One would have to live under a rock to not know that flavored vodka is massively popular. Take a look at almost any back bar in town, and there's a wide array of flavors from classic (vanilla, citron, orange) to creative (passion fruit, cucumber, huckleberry) to "Are you fucking kidding?!" (PB&J, glazed donuts, Swedish Fish). Who the hell comes up with these? Do they start focus groups by getting everyone stoned out of their minds?

See Also:
Tony Abou-Ganim & Adam Seger: On Vodka, Vermouth, and Cocktail Culture in Russia
How To Make a Great Moscow Mule

Pardon me, I'm getting a little tangential. This week, my booze screed covers what I believe to be one of the most insidious marketing ploys I've seen in a long time: Reduced calorie vodka. French brand Voli was the first on the scene a couple of years ago, but they barely made a splash. Now, spirits giants Diageo and Beam both have energized their marketing juggernauts.

More »

JK Grence

Here I go again with drinks with weird names. Hanky Panky? It manages to be hopelessly outdated, yet still carries a lurid aura with it. The origin of the drink's name is a bit more innocent. It goes back to the early 20th century, at the American Bar in London's Savoy Hotel.

See Also:
- Corpse Reviver: Bringing a Cocktail Back from the Dead

Ada "Coley" Coleman was a pioneer in bartending. She was one of the first well-known female bartenders in a profession that was long dominated by men. She later woulx hand the reins of the Savoy's American Bar to Harry Craddock, who would go on to write the Savoy Cocktail Book, still considered essential reading for anyone with a taste for classic cocktails.

More »

JK Grence

This weekend, brace your livers for impact. Sunday is Cinco de Drinko Mayo. Thankfully, I already have that base covered with how to make an awesome margarita. But first, it's time to get out your ludicrously oversized hats for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. If it's time for the Derby, it's time for mint juleps.

See Also:
- 10 Favorite Summer Cocktail Tips from Chow Bella's Resident Bartender, JK Grence
- Five Fashionable (and Booze-Filled) Kentucky Derby Parties in Metro Phoenix

While reading up on mint juleps, I discovered two things: First, everyone is convinced that their method of making a mint julep is the best and only way to do it. Second, no two bartenders make theirs the same way. Naturally, I have my own way of doing things, mostly courtesy of Gary Regan and his excellent book The Joy of Mixology.

More »

JK Grence

The Sidecar

For more than a year now, Shady's bartender and regular Chow Bella contributor JK Grence, has been providing invaluable advice to the alcohol-infused masses with his "Last Call" column. Considering this grand milestone, we decided to take a look back at some of his best tips as we head into the summer.

Read on to see some of our favorite summer cocktail recipes and drinking advice, courtesy of Grence.

More »

Heather Hoch

I just took a look at the calendar, and realized that Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. Never mind that it's barely a blip on the radar in Mexico; around here, it's become Cinco de Drinko, where it's socially acceptable to get wasted on crummy margaritas and horrible Mexican beer. If you're going to have some margaritas, you might as well make them right.

See Also:
- 3 Tips for Avoiding Beer Tragedies of the Mexican Variety
- 10 Best Margaritas in Metro Phoenix

More »

JK Grence

Around the bar, it seems that this season's official cocktail is the Moscow Mule. Over the past few weeks, its popularity has skyrocketed. I'm a little surprised that people often say I make a really good one. It's such a simple drink, anyone should be able to put together a good one.

See Also:
Drink Like Hemingway with a Josie Russell Cocktail
How To Make (and Pronounce!) Great Caipirinhas

Alas, bartenders the world over feel like they need to dress up the Mule. In goes a dash or two of bitters. Sometimes they'll use a squirt of simple syrup. It's time to get back to basics, and reclaim the simple elegance of the Moscow Mule.

More »

JK Grence

Certain times of the year call for certain beverages. You have your Christmas egg nog, margaritas aplenty for Cinco de Drinko, and countless other excuses through the year to knock back a drink. One day that needs no excuse is, of course, April 15. The mere mention strikes dread in the hearts of Americans -- even more than Friday the 13th.

See Also:
Corpse Reviver: Bringing a Cocktail Back from the Dead

It just so happens that almost a century ago, someone created a salve for this week's woes. It is, of course, the Income Tax cocktail. It's one of the more obscure vintage cocktails, but it deserves to be hoisted this weekend, all through Monday . . . Heck, it's great any time of year.

More »

JK Grence

Ring the bell -- it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column.

Names are a funny thing. Names get even funnier when it comes to cocktails. In the late 1970s, the introduction of sweet liqueurs like Peachtree schnapps ushered an era of candy-sweet drinks with lurid names like Fuzzy Navel, Woo Woo, and (of course) Sex on the Beach. With names like those, nobody cared that the drinks tasted horrible. Though the trend has abated some with the vintage cocktail renaissance, it still continues with such concoctions as the Adios Motherfucker, or AMF for short.

See Also:
Last Call Spring Break Special: Adios Motherfucker!

Cocktail purists may scoff at these drinks, but giving a drink a salacious name is hardly new. Take, for instance, this week's drink, the Corpse Reviver. Who could resist a name like that? Apparently, several different libationists thought they were pretty original when they came up with it; older cocktail books list several different Corpse Revivers, all of which are completely different.

More »

JK Grence

Instant party, just add cachaça and ice!

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column.

The folks who come in to the bar lately have been all abuzz over the warm weather. Everyone is clamoring for lighter, brighter cocktails. I know I have been in that mood, too. This week, the cocktail trail takes us to tropical Brazil.

See Also:
Hemingway Daiquiri: Frozen Isn't Always Frou-Frou
French 75: Not French, But It's So Good, Who Cares?

The caipirinha is a bit like another popular Brazilian tradition, soccer: It's wildly popular around the world, but only barely gaining traction in the United States. I'm glad to see it getting more popular here, because it's a really swell drink. Even better, it's easy to make, with just three ingredients.

More »