+ Don’t make a regular Espresso Martini, make this instead…

We’re going to #ElevateWithEspresso by making one of my favorite twists on a Espresso Martini using Luxardo’s Espresso Liqueur. Today I’m using a local Rhum Agricole as my base spirit since the tropical flavor profiles pair so well with this espresso liqueur which contains notes of sweet vanilla and chocolate. Luxardo Espresso liqueur features a thirty-day infusion of coffees from Brazil, Columbia, and Kenya. Pair all this with some orange notes, enhanced with saline and you’ve got yourself one of the best espresso martinis you’ve ever had.

Cheers y’all.

Let’s put that strawberry syrup to good use! 🍓

Amaro and strawberries are a flavor combo you need to try. The balance of sweet, bitter and fruity is always incredible. I used Cardamaro for this recipe but feel free to use an Amari of your choice. You can’t go wrong.

Cheers y’all.

Here’s a cozy Old Fashioned to curl up to this season

A julep in December? Yes please.

We’re making a drink before we head to a holiday party. Who says a julep is only a spring cocktail, this one combines the traditional with some winter elements to make a fun, refreshing and seasonal variation on a classic.

We’re getting a little dressed up for this one too, so make sure to stay till the end to see how I can transform this casual/cozy combination to something that is a bit more elevated and easy to pull off.

Happy holidays! Cheers y’all.

#EDSFTG#vineyardvines

Let’s do drinks…

This one goes out to one of my inspirations for @holycityhandcraft, my homie @apartment_bartender. Me and Elliott go back to the infancy of @instagram. Back when it was all about pretty, curated photos and baked in filters via the app.

Elliott was one of the first people on Instagram that made home bartending approachable and look cool as hell doing it. Back when there were only a handful of cocktail accounts, he was one of the firsts who picked up a real camera and truly took cocktail content on social media to the next level. I’m almost positive he came up with the term ‘#boozemail’ which is ubiquitous among creators these days. I feel like brands didn’t even know what to do with us back in the day because the term ‘influencer’ wasn’t coined yet.

Fast forward a couple years later, I get a phone call from Elliott while we’re both at our real office jobs, telling me he’s going to quit his sales job and do AB full time - I was completely blown away at even the thought of that. I don’t think I knew anyone at that point who quit their job to pursue a career in social media/content creation. But I remember him telling me, ‘you’re next!’ and at that point in my life, I just couldn’t even fathom that happening but always appreciated his hustle and his endless support. I loved following his growth and journey as he paved the way for other creators in the cocktail space.

I’m sitting here, writing this over 4 years since I quit my office job and pursued HCH full time. While I probably would have gotten to this point eventually, I don’t think I would have been here as fast without Elliott. I’m proud to call him a friend and can’t be more proud of him for releasing his first book ‘Let’s Do Drinks!’. So I figured what would be a more fitting way to celebrate then by making a recipe from the book.

Moral of the story is: everyone needs an Elliott in their life. Someone who supports you and you can draw inspiration from. Someone who inspires you to be your very best and do what you’re good and and just fucking hustle.

Cheers to you E, let’s do drinks soon.

What do you get when you cross a Grasshopper with an Espresso Martini?

Let me show you an interesting one I’ve been making lately with my friends at canteranegratequila. This recipe is a cross between a grasshopper and an espresso martini. Since we’ll be using #CanteraNegraCafe, we’ll already have those notes of cocoa and rich coffee in this liqueur. Both flavors should play perfectly with the fresh mint and Fernet Mente in this recipe #ad

For the base spirit today, we’ll be using Cantera Negra’s own Reposado, an additive free tequila that’s just as good a sipper as it is in this cocktail. Next time you’re at the store, you may as well go home with both bottles as they are a match made in heaven 😉
It’s a great recipe to bust out during your next get-together, let me know what you think!

Cheers y’all.

Give me a Negroni by candle light all dayyyy 🕯️🥃

It’s here! negroniweek is starts tomorrow (9/16-9/22) and I’ve got something special planned for the week here in Charleston with some talented friends of mine and @campari_southcarolina. If you havent already, make sure to register at negroniweek.com and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

Don’t drink an espresso martini, drink this instead 🍊☕️🍫
We’re here in Palm Desert, CA with my friends at almaveto create a non-alcoholic riff on a Carajillo. This recipe utilizes their Ambar, which is their agave-based spiritless ‘blue agave spirit’. Similar to tequila, #Almave is made from the same blue agave but skips the fermentation process where the liquid becomes alcohol. In addition to the notes of chocolate and orange, Almave adds the rich agave flavors that pair perfectly with this cocktail. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Cheers y’all.

Here’s your new favorite “Freezer Door” cocktail.

Just wanted a quick second to feature my dude Joey Goetz of lastsaintchs. He’s doing us a favor by showing us how to make a batch of SIX bottles of liquid gold - aka a chocolate + coconut-fat washed Negroni. My god, this was so good.

“Coconut and Chocolate visit a classic Negroni in an updated take on everyone’s favorite gin cocktail.

We build our standard house negroni, add Cacao Nibs and Coconut Oil to fat wash and infuse the entire cocktail. Freeze it and then strain everything off. It give you a classic negroni backbone but with wonderful notes of coconut and chocolate to compliment.”

Cheers y’all!

Ever paired salted dark chocolate with an ańejo? 🤯

We’re here in Palm Desert and together with my friends at tresgeneracionestequila, I’ve created a take on a modern classic in the Oaxacan Old Fashioned by adding elements of dark chocolate
and sea salt. #TresGeneraciones Añejo stands well on its own but since we’re making an Old Fashioned here, I figured chocolate would pair well with the rich toasted oak notes in the ańejo as well. Adding just that pinch of salt also accentuates the flavors of chocolate + citrus and brings out more of the roasted agave with each sip. If you’re looking for an Old Fashioned recipe for the summer, this might just be your new go-to.

Cheers y’all.

I’ve put together a twist on a traditional Egg Cream. Never heard of one? Well, it it originated among Eastern European Jewish immigrants in New York City. It usually consists of cream, chocolate syrup and seltzer/soda water. Thats right… it contains NO EGGS... until now. I’ve combined this classic with a similar technique to a Ramos gin fizz and the results were pretty epic. See the recipe below.

An espresso martini crossed with a mint chocolate Irish coffee? Sure, I got you

’Tis the season after all, I’ve come up with the perfect recipe to go along with this bottle of Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey. This single grain, Irish whiskey is first aged in oak then finished in Oloroso sherry casks.

Let’s make a cocktail I didn’t think I’d like.

I always thought the lemon and chocolate sounded awful together but this was actually perfectly balanced and I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. Is it my new favorite cocktail? No, but will I make it again? Absolutely.

Well, it wouldn’t be a Valentine’s Day cocktail if it wasn’t pink, right?

This cocktail makes 2 servings for the occasion. OH, and if you like these glasses or are just in need of some new bar or glassware, head over to the link in my bio or viski.com and use code ‘HOLYCITY15’ FOR 15% off your purchase!

Cheers y’all.

A cocktail to match this weather ⛈️

I’ve never made anything with this liqueur before.

Heck, I had not even heard of it until I picked up a bottle a couple weeks ago. This is creme de noyaux, it’s a liqueur made from bitter almonds, apricot pits and a couple other botanicals… as it turns out, it’s delicious. VERY similar to amaretto but with a dark cherry twist to it. Last week, I asked y’all what I should make with this cocktail and the overwhelming response was this Pink Squirrel, an easy equal parts cocktail.

Honestly, this recipe is like a cheat code for a dessert cocktail. It legit tastes like a dark cherry, vanilla ice cream. It’s rich, sweet and drinks like a milkshake. Enjoy this one sparingly friends :)

Cheers y’all.

You really can’t beat a Rum Old Fashioned… especially not this one 🥃

Together with my friends at rondelbarrilito, we’re going to show you how to make their signature Barrilito Old Fashioned but with a [flamed] twist. The orange and chocolate bitters in this recipe in lieu of aromatic bitters really plays on the notes of vanilla and raisin in this particular 3 Star offering. If you’re not familiar with #RonDelBarrilito, it is Puerto Rico’s oldest rum and the distillery has used the same method of crafting this rum since 1880 — with no aritificlal ingredients or coloring. Each small batch is distilled with rainwater and then aged for 6-10 years in Oloroso white oak barrel, providing a rich, full-bodied rum.

Cheers, y’all!

For those asking about a smaller format batched Espresso Martini recipe, I got you!

Always been a big fan of batching, especially when hosting a party. Freezer door martinis have become a thing as of late and I figured why not an Espresso Martini? So here we are. This should speed up your process of making one and it still provides you with a thick head of foam after shaking. Again, perfect for that #NYE party!
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Another holycityhandcraft original coming at ya! Playing with a couple different flavors here, I’ve always been a big fan of medium-roast, fruitier coffees since they tend to taste like dark cherries and chocolate. So why not make a cocktail based on those flavor profiles, right?

🎅🏻🎄 Its the holiday season and that means I get to come up with THREE craft cocktail recipes for our Christmas party this weekend! Allow me to introduce the first one, if you like mint-chocolate and Old Fashioned cocktails then this is the recipe for you! PS. Huge thanks to jimbeamofficial for partnering up with me this year!

Chocolate cookie + single malt whiskey? Yup, I’ve got you covered.

Together with stranahans, I’ve created a seasonal recipe made with their new Blue Peak American Single Malt Whiskey. This Manhattan riff features all the flavors of this single malt, paired with a biscotti cookie and cocoa bitters, making for an easy and well balanced sipper. Cheers y’all!