Skip to main content

The anti-artisanal movement: Cocktails for drinkers

the anti artisanal movement cocktails for drinkers
Image used with permission by copyright holder
We know that many of you love indulging in a high-end craft cocktail. You know the sort — fresh ingredients, muddled this, frothy that, a twist of something and an endless list of elements that result in a complex drink that costs, oh around $15 a drink. Now there’s a book for those of you who actually like to drink. Jennifer McCartney came up with the idea for the cheeky, yet clever Cocktails for Drinkers: Not-Even-Remotely-Artisanal, Three-Ingredient-or-Less Cocktails That Get to the Point.

Sold as the, “The anti-hipster drink book, perfect for hipsters and their haters,” the book’s description goes like this: “Homemade pineapple-Sriracha syrup, giant spherical ice cubes, gin made from herbs picked by Armenian nuns and distilled with holy water . . . all for the low low price of $16 (in Brooklyn dollars). The artisanal cocktail movement is, let’s face it, not for everyone. What about drinks for the rest of us? The boozers who just want a good, stiff cocktail we can make at home after a day at work? What if you don’t own an ice-shaving kit or grow organic rosemary in your backyard? What if you’re using a mug with your hand over it to mix your gimlet instead of the bespoke copper cocktail shaker you see at every joint in Bushwick? Rejoice, this book is for you.”

Recommended Videos

Cocktails for Drinkers goes back to the basics, with recipes of drinks that don’t contain any fancy ingredients. The book tells you how to make cocktails with only three ingredients or less, so you don’t have to go make trips to your local speciality store or ship in exotic ingredients from who knows where. It’s the drink for people who like to imbibe the easy way.

Cocktails for Drinkers: Not-Even-Remotely-Artisanal, Three-Ingredient-or-Less Cocktails That Get to the Point, $11.58 at amazon.com.

Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
Tequila and coffee make the perfect pair in these seasonal cocktails
How to combine these two powerful flavors into one drink
tequila coffee seasonal cocktails caf  helado by cantera negra 1

If you love a cup of coffee in the morning, and you love a cocktail in the evening, then why not combine the two into a late-night caffeinated treat? Coffee cocktails are having something of a moment, spurred on by the enormous popularity of the Espresso Martini. But many variations of the Espresso Martini have upped the syrups used, and many of the drinks inspired by this tend toward being sweet. And while there's nothing wrong with a rich, creamy dessert cocktail, that isn't the only way to make use of coffee flavors in your drinks.

As well as fitting with cream and caramel, coffee also goes well with more bracing, bitter flavors. It's often overlooked now, but the Irish Coffee is a classic for combining the hearty bitterness of black coffee with the fruity depths of Irish whiskey. And another spirit which pairs extremely well with coffee is tequila, especially those tequilas which lean toward smokey or savory agave flavors. The darkness of coffee and the mineral and floral notes of a tequila set each other off extremely well.

Read more
We love these fall cocktails from The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
An Asian take on fall flavors and a cozy apple spritz
fall cocktails ritz carlton san francisco lucky 8 1

Fall is a time when pumpkin spice is everywhere and the flavors in vogue are apple, caramel, and cloves. But when it comes to fall cocktails, you can capture the spirit of the season without being entirely literal, and get creative with some lesser seen ingredients.

The cocktail menu from The Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, shows ideas of what a fall drink can be beyond a pumpkin spice latte, making use of flavors that are seasonal but distinctive. The Lucky 8, shown above, is inspired by San Francisco's Chinatown district and makes use of Asian ingredients like Baijiu, a popular style of Chinese liquor that's something akin to gin. The category is wide and varied though, so different Baijius can have very different flavors. The drink includes gin as well, plus citrus juice and a syrup made with Chinese-style five spice and persimmon.

Read more
Try these candy-inspired peanut butter cocktail shots
Peanut butter whiskey plus chocolate and caramel, for the candy lovers out there
candy peanut butter shots skrewball inspired cocktails

If you can't get enough of candy, then you might enjoy some sweet candy-inspired shots. While the thought of party shots tends to send most of our minds spinning back to vodka jello, there's no reason you can't create a fun and tasty dessert style shot by mixing your ingredients carefully. As with many dessert cocktails, the key is to get the texture right -- you'll want to use thicker syrups or dairy ingredients to give your sweet drinks a rich, creamy texture that feels fun and indulgent rather than thin and overly sweet.

Another great trick to elevate your sweet cocktails is to add just a tiny dash of salt, as this helps to balance out sweet flavors. Peanut butter whiskey brand Skrewball has suggestions for two candy-inspired shots that blend the salty and nutty flavors of peanut butter with classic sweet ingredients like chocolate syrup, caramel, and a fun candy garnish to create party shots that capture all the fun of candy but with an adult edge, perfect for the season of indulgence.
Nutty Nougat Shot

Read more