PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 3 cardamom pods o ¾ ounce Johnnie Walker Black Label scotch o ¾ ounce Remy Martin VSOP cognac o ½ ounce St. Germain liqueur o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Angostura bitters Garnish o lemon twist o grated cardamom pod Method: 1. Muddle cardamom pods in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake to chill. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with twist of lemon and grated cardamom. Remarks: Looking for something different in your cocktail? Try cardamom. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire gin o 1 ½ ounces Lillet Rosé o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters o 1 egg white Garnish o lemon twist (optional) Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients without ice. 2. Add ice and shake again to chill. 3. Fine strain into a cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with lemon twist if using. Remarks: Unique. The egg white adds texture. The lemon tartness. The gin and Lillet bring their own flavors to the mix and bitters add a touch of class. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 7 mint leaves o 1 ounce Tullamore DEW Irish whiskey o 4 ounces Lindemans Pêche Lambic o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o mint sprig Method: 1. Lightly muddle mint in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and the remaining cocktail ingredients except the lambic and shake to chill. 3. Pour all into an ice-filled Belgian beer glass. 4. Top with lambic and stir lightly to combine. 5. Garnish with mint sprig. Remarks: A light, minty, and peachy concoction just like the name implies. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Flor de Caña Extra Seco rum o ½ ounce Drambuie o 1 ounce Lime Cordial, see: Syrups etc. or ½ ounce Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Serve up in a cocktail glass. 3. Garnish with orange peel. Remarks: This was named after the Deansgate area of Manchester, England. The recipe including Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice first appeared in print in 1937. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Crown Royal o ½ ounce Lillet Rosé o ½ ounce Rose Petal Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o champagne Garnish o lemon twist o rosemary sprig Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except champagne over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass. 3. Top with champagne. 4. Stir gently until you see the blush. 5. Garnish with a lemon twist and rosemary sprig. Remarks: Just when you thought you’ve tried all the tasty champagne cocktails that there are. Here is yet another reason to add champagne on your shopping list. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 10 mint leaves o 1 ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice o 1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire gin o 2 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer Garnish o mint sprig Method: 1. Muddle mint leaves with simple syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and gin and shake until chilled. 3. Strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass or copper mug. 4. Top with ginger beer. 5. Garnish with a mint sprig. Remarks: Surprise. This is better than we thought it would be. Is it better than a Moscow Mule? Possibly. More complex? Definitely. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ounce Bombay Sapphire gin o 1 ounce Lillet Blanc o 1 ounce Triple Sec o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 splash Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters Garnish o lemon twist Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Serve up in a martini glass. 3. Garnish with lemon twist. Remarks: As is often true, equal amounts of the spirits in a cocktail will make for a tasty drink. It will also make it easy to scale it up for your next Halloween party. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients:       Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Bombay gin o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o 1 ounce fresh lemon juice o 3 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Garnish o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry o lemon wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass. 3. Top with soda. 4. Garnish with cherry and lemon wheel. Remarks: The Tom Collins was written about in 1876 by Jerry Thomas. One assumes the name was derived from the Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ½ ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon o 1 dash Angostura bitters or to taste o 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters or to taste o ½ ounce Earl Grey Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o orange peel Method: 1. Stir cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with orange peel. Remarks: The term cocktail was coined in 1806 to describe a mixture of a spirit, a sweetener, bitters, and water. In 1882 that was known as the Old Fashioned Cocktail. Here syrup replaces the sugar, and the melting ice replaces the water called for in that recipe. A "new" Old Fashioned? Not so much. A delicious one? Definitely. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Johnnie Walker Red Label scotch o ½ ounce Lillet Blanc o ½ ounce Galliano o ½ ounce Simple Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 ounce Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda over cracked ice. 2. Serve over cracked ice in a collins glass. 3. Top with soda. Remarks: Feel like having a cool glass of something different? Sit back with one of these and throw on some Miles. After all wasn't it Miles who was responsible for the Birth of The Cool. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o salt o 1 ½ ounces Ilegal mezcal o ½ ounce grapefruit juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce Rosemary Syrup, see: Syrups etc. Garnish o grapefruit wedge o rosemary sprig Method: 1. Moisten rim of an Old Fashioned glass and invert it into a shallow dish of salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice until chilled. 3. Serve over ice in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with rosemary and grapefruit. Remarks: An easy to drink cocktail. The combination of rosemary and citrus with the smokiness of the mezcal makes a pleasant and unusual tasting drink. . . .

PH factor:  8.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Silver tequila o ¾ ounce yellow Chartreuse o 1 ½ ounces grapefruit juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce Cinnamon Thyme Syrup, see: Syrups etc. o Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Garnish o grapefruit peel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass. 3. Top with club soda. 4. Garnish with grapefruit peel. Remarks: A different Paloma to be sure. Some might say the syrup is a little too sweet. Others may say the Chartreuse provides some necessary depth and complexity. You be the judge. . . .