Tag Archives: old fashioned

Mad River Distillers: Spirits With a Sense of Place

mad river barn

photo courtesy of Mad River Distillers

We’re mad about Mad River Distillers.

Maura Connolly, a co-founder of the Warren, Vermont-based craft distillery, visited Bottles on an unusually warm day in January to talk about and taste our team through the line of Mad River small-batch spirits.

Her distillery, a red-roofed, renovated horse barn, is cradled in the heart of the Green Mountains. In that quintessential New England structure, their craft Mueller still (designed specifically to make brandies, rums and whiskies) produces spirits that are distinctly of their place. That is, they are all made by hand and from scratch using raw materials from Vermont and neighboring regions. Nearly all ingredients — from the water drawn from a nearby mountain spring, to the corn in their bourbon and the apples in their brandy — are from local land, farms and orchards. And for those ingredients that aren’t indigenous, such as cane sugar, Mad River purchases from fair-trade certified, sustainable sources.
madriver_group
We started with their First Run Rum, which is distilled from fair-trade demerara sugar, and like their bourbon and rye, is aged in charred barrels. We all agreed that with its rich bourbon-like texture, and smooth, caramel finish, it was indeed how Maura described it: a rum for whiskey drinkers.

Next was the Mad River Maple Rum which is as good as it sounds. Like the First Run it has whiskey-like qualities. Its unmistakable maple flavor comes from a secondary aging in oak barrels that once held pure Vermont maple syrup. Maura suggested that it makes a terrific Old Fashioned on the rocks, and that it’s also great just out of the freezer, on ice.

The Mad River Bourbon is a four-grain wheated bourbon, made from a special strain of a non-GMO corn grown in VT just for the distillery, as well as wheat, oats and malted barley. We were all impressed with the strong though not overbearing corn flavor, and could imagine how great it would be served in front of a roaring fire with a bowl of popcorn.

The Mad River Rye made from 100% organic rye grown in nearby New York was a hit with the team as well. We all agreed it would make a great sipping rye, with classic pepper and winter baking spice flavors, all complemented by a surprising, subtle mocha note that we were told was from a dark chocolate roasted rye in the mash bill.

We ended our tasting with Malvados, Mad River’s flagship apple brandy. A wink and a nod to the classic French apple brandy Calvados, Mad River’s tart, sour and sweet version is made from eight varieties of Vermont-grown heirloom apples and cider. It recently won a highly coveted Good Food Award – we can see why.

Because Maura and her team are so focused on quality and small-batch production, their spirits are only available in three states. We’re so glad Rhode Island is one of them and are honored to currently be the state’s exclusive purveyor of the entire line of Mad River spirits.

Here are a few Mad River cocktail recipes that we love. Visit their website for others, and enjoy!

madriver_maple
Russell Warren Old Fashioned 
Created by Ashish at the Russell House Tavern, Boston
3 oz Mad River Maple Rum
.5 oz Honey Syrup
1 dash Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
Optional: Club Soda
Stir all ingredients with a pinch of mint. Serve over ice. Garnish with Mint.

madriver_campari
1794

1.5 oz. Mad River Rye
1.5 oz. Campari
1.5 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
Stir Rye, Campari and vermouth over ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange swath.

madriver_lux
Fancy Pants

2 oz. Mad River Bourbon
1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 dash orange bitters
dash Angostura Bitters
orange twist
Combine all ingredients except orange twist in a pitcher and stir. Pour over ice into a rocks glass and garnish with the twist.

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Super Bowl Drink Ideas & Printable Cocktail Sign

Our beloved Pats haven’t reached the Super Bowl, but you and your friends can still gather to watch the game. Serving cocktails during the football game or any party doesn’t have to be stressful – a self serve bar is a great idea where guests make their own drinks. What’s better than a DIY bar for a party, complete with drink ideas? Learn how to set one up, and use these free printable cocktail recipe signs. This download has 6 easy cocktails; all you have to do is set them at the bar! This is a great way to entertain for not only the game, but for birthday parties, bachelor & bachelorette parties, graduation, summer bbq’s, family reunions, and almost any celebration.

super bowl cocktails how to set up a self serve bar
 

What to serve with your jalapeno poppers, buffalo wings and famous spinach dip? Beer of course, but cocktails are great too! You can serve cocktails and not miss any crucial moments of the game. Drink mixing should be limited to time-outs or commercials, so you need something quick, classic and with as few ingredients as possible.  Greet your guests with a cocktail, but also set up a self serve bar in your home arena so as not to lose a minute of action.

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 limes. (Don’t forget the orange wedges for Old-Fashioned’s!)

It’s time to let your guests to 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.

COCKTAIL RECIPE SIGNS
Offering simple drink recipes gives your guests ideas for what they can make. Follow the directions below to make each these 6 quick & colorful “Help Yourself!” signs. They each have an easy drink idea with a basic recipe to get them started.

Directions:
 1. Click the link above to download the PDF file.
 2. Print out both pages on your home printer.
 3. With scissors, cut out each of the 6 cocktail recipe signs.
 4. Fold each in half, so that it forms a standing sign with the recipe on both sides.
 5. Place at your bar!

You need a PDF reader to open this download, click HERE if you need to download a PDF reader.

Now that you have assembled the tools and given your guests a quick playbook, all there is left to do is enjoy the game!

Things to do during a time-out:

– Check your ice situation. Good cocktails are chilled cocktails.
– Take out the trash (or just tie the bag and throw it on the back porch to be properly disposed later)
– Make yourself a drink!

moscow mule cocktail recipe printable sign

Moscow Mule

Ingredients
1-2 parts Vodka
1 part Lime Juice
2-3 parts Ginger Beer

Directions
Moscow Mules were first popular in the 1950s, and are so easy to make, smooth, & refreshing, that there’s no way they aren’t making a comeback! Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to Prairie Vodka, fresh Lime Juice, and Gosling’s Ginger Beer, and then stir.

free printable download cocktail recipe signs

Old Fashioned

Ingredients
2 oz. Bourbon
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
Orange Wedge

Directions
There are many variations on The Old Fashioned; here’s our easy version that’s simple enough for parties that uses Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Angostura Bitters. Add an ice cube or two and stir.

bourbon ginger ale cocktail idea recipe

Bourbon & Ginger Ale

Ingredients
1 part Bourbon
2 parts Ginger Ale

Directions
Bourbon and ginger ale go together like peas ‘n carrots! We are using Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey. Use your favorite ginger ale and serve this bubbly, refreshing drink over ice.

vodka tonic cocktail recipe idea

Vodka Tonic

Ingredients
1 part Vodka
2 parts Tonic Water
Lime Wedge

Directions
Almost everyone knows a Vodka Tonic. Combine Praire Vodka with Fentiman’s Tonic Water over ice, and add a lime wedge.

 
printable cocktail drink signs

 

Daiquiri

Ingredients
3 parts Rum
2 parts Lime Juice
1 part Simple Syrup

Directions
A rum-based cocktail, Daiquiris have many variations; this is a basic version. Fill a shaker with ice & all ingredients. Shake and strain into glass.

how to set up a self serve bar cocktails recipe


Dark and Stormy

Ingredients
1 part Gosling’s Rum
2 parts Gosling’s Ginger Beer
Lime Wedge
 
Directions
A type of highball, a Dark & Stormy is a popular cocktail in the Rhode Island area. Use Gosling’s Rum and Gosling’s Ginger Beer. Serve over ice.

 

What we recommend for liquors & mixers:

Prairie Vodka
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
Gosling’s Rum
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Fentiman’s Tonic Water
Angostura Bitters
Gosling’s Ginger Beer

*All available at Bottles Fine Wine in Providence. www.bottlesfinewine.com

CHEERS!

from the folks at Bottles