Let’s make some Martinis!

[stevej37]

That's why beer is so much better. Out of the bottle, out of a can, in a mug, in a solo cup, it's all good.

[blucille]

good advice so far, all I can add is if Hendrick's is your gin of choice (it is mine), a muddled cucumber is a great addition, a slice of cucumber on the rim of the glass helps, skip the olives.

[gtc]

Originally Posted by vash

...
Gin. I like tanqueray and Hendricks.

What about a dry vermouth? Are they all similar?
...

Vermouths can vary a fair amount, just like Gin. Try a few, but avoid the really cheap ones.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by stevej37

That's why beer is so much better. Out of the bottle, out of a can, in a mug, in a solo cup, it's all good.

The sound of logic and reason!

Beer is best! I would rather have a can of Coors Light or PBR or any cheap beer than the very best wine on the planet. But, yea, I am weird. I have never once tasted wine and thought wow, they is good. Same for Gin, Vodka, or a lot of liquor.

It is impossible to beat Erdinger Dunkle in my opinion and I have never had a Martini I liked.

[wdfifteen]

Tomorrow - there will be martinis.

We've been slowly finishing our media room for two years. All door trim and baseboards are stained and cut and fitted into place. We just need to get some trim screws tomorrow and touch up the stain and the friggin' room is finally DONE.

Oh yes, there will be martinis...

[mjohnson]

Originally Posted by gtc

Vermouths can vary a fair amount, just like Gin. Try a few, but avoid the really cheap ones.

... and they all play together differently. A bigger gin will need a bigger, or more, vermouth to balance it. Done properly it should taste of neither gin or vermouth. This takes much (moderately applied) practice.

And for gods sakes keep your vermouth in the fridge. It's perishable! Up your usage by using it in cooking - it can often be used in place of dry sherry as it's just a herbal-enhanced fortified white wine.

BTW you're all wrong and complete savages. Plymouth gin, Noilly Prat vermouth, 5:1, three shakes orange bitters. Stir until the tin frosts over. Serve up in a cocktail stem or champagne coupe. Lemon twist garnish.

Thrift shops and antique stores are great sources for cheap old "champagne" glasses (coupes) that work well for cocktails. You can grab mismatched sets for like $1/stem and never worry about breaking one. The 8oz+ "modern" cocktail glasses are better suited for plating a fancy dessert IMO.

[monoflo]

Old School Martin
5 parts Bombay Blue Saphire
1 part dry vermouth
3 olives
one shake bitters

I am a savage --I like mine on the rocks
There is no such thing as a vodka martini...............

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by monoflo

There is no such thing as a vodka martini...............

I wasn't going to bring that up.

No chocolate martinis either.

[mgatepi]

My apologies to the Martini purists.....
My fav;
3 shots Grey Goose
.25 shot Martini and Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth
Shaken then strained into a chilled martini glass.
Add 2 teaspoons of olive brine, garnish with a Jalapeno / garlic stuffed olive!
Delicious!

[David]

I prefer mine wet and dirty:

2 parts Khortytsa Platinum vodka (Ukraine and cheap)
1 part Noilly Prat dry vermouth
splash of olive juice
1 pimento stuffed olive

I'm usually too lazy to shake it, so I keep the vodka in the freezer and the vermouth in the fridge.

[vash]

i love a dirty martini.

probably because i like to say, "dirty".

[Yorkie]

So what are the good Vermouths? I have been guilty of using the cheap stuff (hangs head in shame) and could therefore use some education.

[island911]

Apparently there are a couple ways to do this...

[David]

Originally Posted by Yorkie

So what are the good Vermouths? I have been guilty of using the cheap stuff (hangs head in shame) and could therefore use some education.

I've only tried the few I can get at my local liquor store and they've all been relatively cheap. My favorite is Noilly Prat and second is Dolin. If all the store has is Martini and Rossi at least I know I'm supporting a company that supports racing.

[wdfifteen]

This could have been a fun thread.
Then Island had to crap on it.

Can’t we just talk about martinis?

[vash]

i'm gonna wait until i can go into some store to see martini glasses.

i think i want something with a 5oz capacity. so small.

and i will do a bar mixing glass, that cool spoon, and that strainer thing. i have a shaker cup thing if i deem that is the way i want to go.

when ready, we can all do a toast to good friends on ZOOM!

[LWJ]

An FYI. I read about people drinking and working yesterday. Though. Wow! I would never do that.

Poured me a glass of wine at 3:30 and I can say it was frickn genius!!!

(Not an alcoholic...)

[stuartj]

Disregard the (post deleting) cockwomble.

The Martini. Such a simple thing and yet so intricate.....

Done a lot of research on this subject. There are four elements to a Martini - gin, vermouth, botanical and - temperature. The flavour profile of different gins is complimented by different botanicals and vermouth. (Have found that better/more expensive gins do not neccessarily make better martinis.) The ratios of all these matter a lot. Using olives, add some of the olive brine. Lemon, wipe the finely cut skin around the glass impart lemon oil. Cucumber is another great variation. Vermouths. Traditional recipes call for 1 part to 4 or 5 of gin. Everybody has gone through the phase of just threatening the gin with vermouth - but we now use more, not less. Recommend both -quite different - Lillett and Noily Prat vermouth.

And then there is temperature. Glasses in the freezer, how the ice is crushed, time in the shaker.....dont bruise the gin.

Anyway, its a journey.... Mud in your eye.

[mjohnson]

Originally Posted by stuartj

And then there is temperature. Glasses in the freezer, how the ice is crushed, time in the shaker.....dont bruise the gin...

Excellent. Dilution is critical as well - water is another important component of the cocktail that people overlook.

And as to cheap gin... I think Gordons makes a fine martini, and the bottle bounces when you drop it!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stuartj

And then there is temperature. Glasses in the freezer, how the ice is crushed, time in the shaker.....dont bruise the gin. .

What is “bruised gin?” I put mine in a shaker and shake the hell out of it. I like the little slivers of broken ice. What am I doing to the gin that’s so bad?