Tag Archives: cocktails

Happy Halloween! Try Our Spoooky Cocktails!

This Halloween we’re showcasing our most chilling concoctions with free downloadable printables–perfect for your next self-serve bar! Feeling a little Lovecraft-inspired? Try The Lurking Fear. Taking a nice walk through walls? Phantasma may be more your speed. Completely brain drained? Mix up the Re-Animator. All with just 3 ingredients in each!

printables, lurking fear, phantasma, re animator, cocktails, halloween, free

Download Cocktail Signs PDF here!

SELF SERVE BAR SET-UP
– Have an ice bucket with tongs, a cocktail shaker, bottle opener, bar spoon, and rocks glasses.
– For mixers, have Angostura bitters, simple syrup, ginger ale, club soda, tonic water, and ginger beer.
– Include handles of a few staple liquors like Bourbon, Vodka, and Rum.
– Pre-slice a bowl of garnishes (oranges, lemons, limes)

Let your guests play bartender! Everyone has variations on how they like their drink mixed. A self serve bar with helpful cocktail recipe signs lets them make the perfect drink to their own taste.

Ready for something with more than 3 ingredients? Check out this month’s Halloween cocktails below!

The Last Word

Ingredients
3/4 oz gin – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
3/4 oz green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur – Luxardo
3/4 Fresh Lime Juice

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks.

Corpse Reviver #2

Ingredients
1 oz gin – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lillet Blanc
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1-3 drops absinthe – Mata Hari

Directions
First, “rinse” your glass with a few drops of absinthe by swirling and coating the inside of the glass, discarding the extra. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour the rest of the ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Blood & Sand

Ingredients
1 oz blended scotch
1 oz blood orange juice or Stirring’s Blood Orange Martini
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz Cherry Heering brandy

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks. Garnish with an orange peel.

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.

Halloween Cocktails? Try the Corpse Reviver #2

Halloween Cocktail Idea - Corpse Reviver #2

What goes great with an adult Halloween party? A fantastic cocktail. One of our favorites here at Bottles is the Corpse Reviver #2, a medley of gin, citrus, Lillet, and enticing aroma of absinthe. Though ‘corpse reviver’ drinks are originally intended as ‘hair of the dog’ cures, this gin-based cocktail is enjoyable for brunch or any fine evening. You’ll need equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice, and just a dash of absinthe for a wonderful flavor and aroma.

Corpse Reviver #2

INGREDIENTS
1 oz gin – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Lillet Blanc
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1-3 drops absinthe – Mata Hari

DIRECTIONS
First, “rinse” your glass with a few drops of absinthe by swirling and coating the inside of the glass, discarding the extra. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour the rest of the ingredients over ice. Shake and strain, serve on the rocks. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Corpse Reviver 2 Cocktail Recipe

Looking for these ingredients? Stop by our liquor store in Providence, RI to browse our selection of classic cocktail ingredients, glassware, and barware. www.bottlesfinewine.com

The Last Word

A Chartreuse and gin concoction with Maraschino Liquer and fresh lime juice. A Prohibition era classic.

Blood and Sand

A devilish cocktail recipe for Halloween. One of the few cocktails that use scotch.

Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

apple cider and ginger beer bourbon cocktail idea

We’re excited for fall cocktails! And you’ll love this crisp, bubbly, and refreshing Apple Cider Bourbon drink. Feel free to adjust the recipe to taste, and then be sure to enjoy on an autumn evening.

Ingredients
*1 oz bourbon
*2 oz sparkling apple cider
*2 oz ginger beer

Pour cider and bourbon over ice, add ginger beer. Stir, and garnish with apple slice.

Looking for a party-sized cocktail recipe? Try this:
1 Pitcher (6-8 servings)
1/2 bottle W.L. Weller Antique 107
1 1/2 cans ginger beer
1/2 bottle sparkling apple cider

bourbon cocktail recipes
Cheers!
Visit our Providence, RI liquor store for all your cocktail ingredients.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tasty cocktail recipe ideas.
More Bourbon Cocktail Ideas:

The Lurking Fear – An Ode to Lovecraft

Here at Bottles, we’re answering the call of Cthulhu for this week’s Necromonicon Providence Festival celebrating the works of famed Providence author, H.P. Lovecraft! So put on your best Herbert West face and reanimate your gatherings with this literary inspired cocktail.

chartreuse, cocktail, tequila, lovecraft, st. germain, kah, herbert west, cthulhu

The Lurking Fear
2 oz Tequila
1 oz St. Germain
1 oz Chartreuse

Add all ingredients over ice in a rocks glass and stir. Enjoy!

chartreuse, cocktail, tequila, lovecraft, st. germain, kah

We used Chartreuse not only for its green color but it’s a fantastic blending of over 130 herbs, flowers and secret ingredients.

chartreuse, cocktail, tequila, lovecraft, st. germain,

Chartreuse’s multidimensional flavor profile ranging from cloves, rosemary, cinnamon and thyme parallels the complex universe Lovecraft created with the beast Cthulhu in 1928.

chartreuse, cocktail, tequila, lovecraft, st. germain

A little silver tequila for spice, rounded out with our flowery friend, St. Germain and you’ve got yourself a cocktail to set your mind at ease about Cthulhu rising.

chartreuse, cocktail, tequila, lovecraft, st. germain, herbert west, scientist, horror

So get out there and enjoy some Cthulhu films and more at NecronomiCon!


Providence Cocktail Competition Entry is Open!

Providence Cocktail Competition

Consider yourself a cocktail concocting genius? Enter the Providence Cocktail Competition! As part of the 2013 Providence Cocktail Week held by Providence Monthly, this contest is open to anyone over 21, and includes a great prize package. You’ll just have to read these guidelines, submit a cocktail recipe, and wait to see if you’re one of the 12 lucky competitors! Entries are due Friday, September 6th by 11:59pm, so don’t miss it! Tickets to watch the competition and taste the cocktails are coming soon.

Read More & Enter >

Providence Cocktail Week on Facebook >

How to Infuse your Booze


Infusing spirits is easy! Time and the ingredient do all the hard work for you. Infusing is also a great way to use seasonal herbs and berries, and a way to add that special touch to summer cocktails.

Simply pick a base alcohol (such as vodka, gin, or tequila) and add your favorite aromatic, such as fresh strawberries or basil. Experimentation is key! Once satisfied with how your infused booze tastes, strain it, and then use it in your favorite cocktail recipe.

1. Start with a Base Spirit.
  • You don’t have to spend a fortune on a base spirit! Vodka and Gin are classic choices, and White Vermouth is another great light slate to work with.
  • Add your spirit to a canning jar or closed, food-grade container or pitcher.
 
 

2. Add your ingredients.

  • Basil or cilantro are two of my favorites with vodka to create a delightful Bloody Mary. Another great spring herb is chervil, which adds a licorice flavor for a really interesting gin gimlet. 
  • Berry infusions take a little longer, about a week but the results are heavenly. Strawberries work well with reposado tequila to create a fresh margarita! Just chop them up before adding to the jar.
  • Jalapeños added to tequila also make great margaritas! Slice crosswise or lengthwise.
  • Experiment and try combining flavors! Cilantro and lime, cucumber and melon, chai tea leaves and basil…the possibilities are endless!

3. Shake or stir.

  • Give it good stir before closing your container and putting it in a cool, dark place (closets and cabinets work well).
  • Once a day, gaze at your creation, give it a good shake and put it back in the cabinet.

 

4. Strain when finished.
  • How will you know when your infusion is ready? Well you must try, try, try your infusions everyday. A very tough job! It’s remarkable the difference in taste between day one and day three. The flavors become stronger and really pop.
  • When your infusion is ready, take a coffee filter and be sure to pass the infusion through multiple times, straining out any solids.
5. Use it in cocktails for a new twist.
  • Strawberry Tequlia Margarita!
  • Basil Bloody Mary!
  • Chervil Gin Gimlet!
  • Lime Rum Mai Tai!

Looking for more ideas?

Our friends at Edible Rhody Magazine have provided a great basic recipe for infusions.

Sisters Alicia & Erin have a great blog “Boozed and Infused”, which has a ton of recipes and photos detailing the process.

Cheers!
-Joanna

Tiki is Back! Basic Bar & Drink Ideas for Summer Parties

vintage tiki drinks party idea

What’s old is new again…and tiki is back! There’s really no better way to enjoy summer outdoors and in the backyard than relaxing with a deliciously smooth tiki drink to sip. All you need are some funky tiki decorations like leis, mugs, and tiki torches, and of course, great tiki cocktails. Keep reading to learn how to create a basic home tiki bar that will last all summer long.

tiki cocktail ideas

A Basic Tiki Bar – Rum is essential! Since rums age very quickly in heat and humidity, even a 3 year old rum is comparable to a whiskey aged 6 years, resulting in a more mellow taste at an affordable price (pictured above are El Dorado rums).Beside a dark, gold, and white rum, you’ll also need some syrups. Below are 5 that make up many classic tiki recipes. Stock up on these for a solid start onto making your own delicious drinks at home!

*”Way back when, grenadine was made from freshly crushed pomegranate seeds…But over the years, this bold concoction has devolved into a cloying, artificial taste. Naturally, our version is the exception. Our Authentic Grenadine uses only pomegranate and pure cane sugar – no high fructose corn syrup – to produce the originally intended result: a pleasantly sweet pomegranate flavor as bold and potent as its distinctive red color.” – Stirrings 

Why All the Syrups? Well, in tiki drinks you are using several types of rum to create a cocktail with many dimensions of flavor. The syrups bind the sometimes disparate tastes in tiki drinks together, to create a smooth and sometimes deceptively strong cocktail. Yes, you will have to invest in a few new ingredients for your bar to recreate these vintage concoctions, yet the magic and fanfare you create by serving a Mai Tai in a festive tiki mug make a little bar stockage worth the while.

Basic Bartender Tools – Having a few basic bar tools will not only make you look like a pro, but help you construct great cocktails with ease. We first recommend investing in a cocktail shaker. Good cocktails are cold cocktails! Another great investment are ounce measuring cups, like these pictured in the photo below, to the right of the tiki statue.

vintage tiki party bar
Tiki statues add to the tropical party atmosphere!
Pineapple Corer
Easy, quick, and does all the hard work for you! Make an amazing edible punch bowl, create garnishes from the perfectly round pineapple slices, and add some extra fun to your Tiki party! What better way to celebrate the return of sunny, summer days than a glass of grog served in a pineapple?
pineapple corer edible punch bowl

Handheld Citrus Reamer

Nothing better in a cocktail than freshly squeezed juice! This handheld reamer gets every last drop out of your limes for a perfect Mai Tai. 

citrus reamer for tiki bar
 

Tiki Party Decor

Having a tiki party is pretty easy! Now that you have a basic bar, you’ll just need fun decorations to match the cocktails. Pick up variety of tiki mugs in which to serve your fabulous drinks, and choose colorful garnishes or straws. Leis can be party favors and an accessory for guests to wear.

making a tiki bar at home

Whether your tiki party is in the backyard, patio, or porch, luau themed decorations will set the celebratory atmosphere. Add grass luau skirts to the tables, get tiki torches for lighting, and sprinkle in fun accents like wooden tiki statues, hula girls, tropical flowers, and foliage.

summer tiki bar party

Classic Tiki Recipes

Have the recipe for a Mai Tai, Zombie, and Iuka Grogg on hand! We’ve made a free printable tiki drink recipe card to make home bar-tending a little easier. Click below to download the PDF file, and then print it on your home printer. For extra vintage flair, print it on ivory card-stock!

If you are having trouble opening the recipe card, make sure you have a PDF reader such as Adobe Reader, available here for free.

DOWNLOAD >
A free printable tiki recipe card! 

Tiki Cocktail Recipes

A World of Tiki Drinks

The Tiki + App

Though we’ve helped you out by picking classic tiki drinks to start out with, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry also has a extensive library of recipes. Download Jeff’s app, Tiki +, if you’re looking to expand your tiki drink repertoire. Take a simple backyard cocktail hour to the next level with over 150 recipes in the palm of your hand!

Visit Our Store
Pay us a visit at our Providence, Rhode Island store and stock up on your grenadine, orgeat, demerara rum, and tiki bar essentials. Once you have these basic building blocks for a quality tiki bar, the possibilities for different tiki drinks are deliciously endless. Just look for the large tiki display, we’ll have everything you need! Cheers!
    
(401) 372-2030
info@blog.bottlesfinewine.com

 

New Years Champagne Cocktail Ideas

Happy New Year everyone! We thought it might be nice to share some information about Champagne and Sparkling Wine, and super-easy, festive cocktail recipes you can make to share with friends and family. As your local wine store here in Providence, Bottles is here to help you find what you need for New Years! From beer that drinks like Champagne, to a huge range of cold bubbly, and to very large bottles of liquor, we’ve got you covered!
There’s no better way to celebrate than with a bottle of bubbly. Whether it is Cava from Spain, a Prosecco from Italy, or a Champagne from France, nothing else quites says a celebration like a bottle of sparkling wine.
Sparkling Wine types can be confusing; depending on where the wine comes from determines the name. For instance, Champagne comes from a specific region in France, and only wines that are made in Champagne can be called Champagne.
Prosecco is from northeast Italy, and is generally fresh, light, and has a lovely effervescence. If you are throwing a party and want the Champagne pop minus the Champagne price, try Prosecco. It pairs wonderfully with cheese plates, fruit plates, appetizers, chips & dip, and more.
A great value sparkling wine is Charles de Fere, which pairs with almost anything, and especially party foods such as dips, snacks, and cheese.

If  you need more help, feel free to stop by the store or contact us!

* New Years Cocktail Recipes *
Sparkling Wine is nice to begin with,
and even better paired with specialty liqueurs.
SPARKLING WINE + ST. GERMAIN Enjoy St. Germain, a lovely Elderflower liqueur, with Sparkling Wine. Pour 1/2 part St. Germain and top with Brut Champagne, Dry Sparkling Wine or Brut Rosé. Float half a strawberry as a garnish.
CHAMBORD + CHAMPAGNE Top off with 1/4 oz of Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur. Garnish with a raspberry.
BELLINI COCKTAIL Match with Stirrings Peach Bellini Mix. A cocktail classic, combine 1 oz. of Stirrings Bellini Mix with 3oz. of Prosecco.
We have a huge selection of sparkling wines from all over the world, both out warm on the shelves, and also cold bottles in our coolers.
There’s always a reason to celebrate!
Happy New Year!



Entertaining Advice & Party Tips for Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cocktails

Planning a party and need help and advice with drinks? Eric from Bottles in Providence has his tips and recommendations for wine, beer, liquor, and cocktails to make entertaining this holiday season easier & stress free.

First, get wine that you enjoy. If there is any leftover, you are going to have it for the next days or weeks ahead, so make sure you like it!

holiday wines party advice recommendations red white choosing

Keeping it simple works! Choose one white and one red, or if you want two whites and two reds, make sure you choose contrasting styles. For example, pick a light, crisp wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and a heavier wine like Chardonnay. For red wines, pick a lighter wine like Pinot Noir, and then to contrast, a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.

boxed wine bag budget parties

Boxed wine, or Bag-in-a-Box, are great for parties! The quality of these boxed wines has greatly increased in recent years. Bota Box or The Big Green Box by Pepperwood Grove are both great choices. Don’t want to serve guests wine out of a box? Simply decant the wine, or pour it into pitchers and place on your table, serving counter, or bar. With each box holding the equivalent of several bottles of wine, this is a great solution to stretch your holiday dollars.

wine guide holiday party planning advice tips

Need an idea of how many bottles of wine to get? Use this easy guide: 1 bottle of wine usually holds 4 good glasses of wine, and each person at a party drinks about 2 glasses. For example, if your party has 30 people, you’ll need about a case of wine.

beer amounts party holidays

Expecting beer drinkers? Again, keep it simple and get something light (like a Pilsner or Lager), and then something dark (such as a Porter or Stout). Have no idea what style of beer to get? Many breweries carry variety 12 packs, so that each of your guests can find something that they will enjoy. Also, look for special winter or Christmas beers. Most craft breweries make a special brew just for the holidays; these are usually dark, higher alcohol beers.

Finally, big bottles of vodka and bourbon are both great choices. They are versatile, and guests can have anything from Martinis to Eggnog, or simply on the rocks.

Wine & Beer Gift Baskets

Here at Bottles Fine Wine, we offer wine, beer & whiskey gift baskets to provide your family, friends or clients with a wonderful token of appreciation! Designed to meet any budget, a gift basket is a great idea for easy, stress-free holiday gift giving. All of our gift baskets are hand selected and wrapped by the folks at Bottles in Providence, Rhode Island. Keep scrolling down to browse a range of ideas for wine and beer gift baskets we can make for you.

We are more than happy to create custom gift baskets. Click on the link for details.
Introduction Beginners Wine Gift Basket Rhode Island
Intro to Wine Gift Basket
For those just starting a new appreciation of wine, or for those who are interested in learning more.
Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 Red Wine Glasses, Wine Wheel, Tasting Notebook.
Red Wine Gift Basket Budget Providence
Red Wine Gift Basket
A budget-friendly Red Wine gift that all wine enthusiasts will love!
Avia Pinot Noir, Choice of 3: Chocolate, Crackers, Wafers or Popcorn.

 

White Wine Gift Baskets RI
White Wine Gift Basket
Perfect for your gift recipients who prefer white wine over red wine.
Avia Pinot Grigio, Stemless Wine Glass, Choice of 2: Chocolate, Crackers, Wafers or Popcorn.
Chardonnay Wine Gift Basket Rhode Island
Chardonnay Gift Basket
Chardonnay Wine fans will appreciate this gift!
With treats, a pair of wine glasses, and De Loach Chardonnay, this is gifting made easy.
De Loach Chardonnay, Watercrackers, Tea Sampler, Chocolate Bar, 2 Wine Glasses, Wine Book.
Rhode Island Wine Store Gift Baskets
 Cabernet Sauvignon Gift Basket 
Is your gift recipient red wine or Cabernet enthusiast? Then we recommend this special gift basket.
Beaulieau Vineyards ‘BV’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Guide, Lindt Truffles, Tea, Chocolate Bar.
Craft Beer Gift Basket Rhode Island
Local Beer Gift Basket
Not every wants wine. For the craft beer enthusiast in your life, try this Local Beer Gift Basket,
which includes Pretty Things Jack D’Or and Horseneck India Pale Ale.
Horseneck IPA, Pretty Things Jack D’Or, Crackers, Beer Book.
Rhode Island Beer Gift Baskets
 Local Beer Bucket
The serious beer enthusiast gift basket: The Local Beer Bucket.
With 3 local New England craft beers in big-bottle size, this gift will put a grin on any craft-beer fan.
Horseneck IPA, Pretty Things Jack D’Or, Moby D, 33 Bottles of Beer Book.
Prosecco Sparkling Wine Gift Baskets
Prosecco Gift Basket
Calling all bubbly fans! This gift basket contains Prosecco and delicious St. Germain liqueur.
Prosecco, Popcorn, St. Germain.
Wine Glasses Red Wine Gift Baskets Providence RI
Wine for Two Gift Basket
What could be more romantic than a bottle of red wine?
This basket comes with 2 Red Wine glasses and extra treats to share with that special someone.
Fleur De Lyeth Red Blend, 2 Red Wine Glasses, Choice of 2: Wafers, Popcorn, Chocolate.