Cock Cape

Cock Cape

 

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What are some really good well drinks?

Please tell me of some good well drinks I can order at a bar.

The ones I already know are screwdriver, cape cod, rum and cock.

Also....is a hurricane a well drink?

The term "well drink" refers to the liquor used, not the type of drink. A well brand in what the bar uses in their basic drink when the customer does not request a specific brand.

In most, not all, cases...the well brand in the cheapest the bar carries. So your rum & coke may be a Mr. Boston brand of rum at best. You will probably never in your life ever hear someone in a bar request a Mr. Boston Rum & Coke.

But, to answer your question as to which is the best to order...do your experimenting at home...it will be a lot cheaper. For example, the absolutely worse thing most young drinkers do is mix a bunch of different types of drinks during the same night. They will have that screwdriver, then have a rum & coke, then try a bourbon & coke, then maybe some different shots. All you'll do is end up sick.

Buy yourself several different pints or half-pints...get a decent rum, then a good bourbon, a blended whiskey and maybe even some gin & vodka. Get yourself some good mixers and try some different ones at home. You'll pay as much for a half-pint as you would for one drink in a bar, so it will cost you a lot less this way...and if you don't like something, then it's not that big a deal to just pour it out and to go on to another. This is also another excuse, as if anyone needs another, to have a party.

Rum goes best with coke, but you can try some tropical mixers like pineapple, coconut, etc. i don't care what the folks at Coca Cola say, even a drink made with coke from a real glass bottle will taste better than a can...but the coke from a can tastes better than the large plastic bottle.

Bourbon and/or a Blended Whiskey also goes best with coke, but a lot of people will drink it will ginger ale or just a splash of water.

Vodka can go with almost any kind of juice; club soda or tonic; with a slice or twist of lime. Gin can also go with most juices, club soda or tonic, and again with the slice or twist of lime. Either can be in a bloody mary. When mixing with orange or grapefruit juice, make sure you use only the fresh stuff...never from a can and a good national brand is better than the store brand.

Tequila...I'm not much on tequila, but keep a bottle of Petron on my bar for guests. Most just take it as a shot, or in a maragrita. But, if you're going to make a big batch of maragritas, then don't buy the most expensive brand...not the cheapest, just don't waste your money on the top shelf stuff.

I'm also not a scotch person, but I keep a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black on the bar at home for guests. Most scotch drinkers will just take it on the rocks or with a splash of water. Once in a great while, with a little soda.

Some more tips on mixers: Canada Dry is the best ginger ale for mixed drinks. Use either Canada Dry or Schweppes for Tonic or Club Soda. When possible, use the small bottles (usually comes in a 6-pack). While they will cost you more than the large bottle, you'll end up keeping any leftovers longer as the large bottle will go flat vs. the smaller ones that you only open as you need them. For water, if your local tap water tastes like crap, then use bottled water.

Eamonn Coyne, Clare Mann, Aaron Jones - Dennis Ryan's/The Cock and Hen


 

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Three Dollar Bill
Every now and then, over the 14 years I've been writing this column, someone will inevitably ask me if I'm really straight. Seriously.