PH factor:  9.0 Recipe (Serves a Crowd) Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ cup peach slices fresh or canned o 1 ½ cup apple slices o 3 ounces Pedro Domecq Fundador brandy o 3 ounces Boulard Calvados VSOP o 1 750 Ml. bottle Lindemans Pêche Lambic o 1 350 Ml. bottle of champagne Method: 1. Combine brandies and fruit in a pitcher. 2. Let stand for at least 20 minutes. 3. Add ice, lambic, and champagne. 4. Pour into ice-filled Old Fashioned glasses. 5. Garnish with peach and apple slices from the pitcher. Remarks: This recipe is for a party sized pitcher which makes sense as this is a cocktail that is perfect for partying. Enjoy. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o ¼ ounce Pernod Absinthe Supérieure o 1 ounce Bombay Sapphire gin o 1 ounce Lillet Blanc o 1 ounce Amontillado sherry o ¼ ounce Pierre Farrand Dry Curaçao Garnish o lemon twist Method: 1. Swirl absinthe in chilled Old Fashioned glass and discard the excess. 2. Stir remaining cocktail ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. 3. Strain mixture into the prepared glass. 4. Serve either up or over a single large ice cube. 5. Garnish with lemon twist. Remarks: Are you looking for the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts? Greetings pilgrim, your search is ended. . . .

PH factor:  9.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 fresh mint sprig o 3 slices fresh ginger o 1 ½ ounces Bombay Sapphire gin o ½ ounce St. Germain liqueur o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce agave nectar o Splash of Fever-Tree Premium Club Soda Garnish o 1 fresh mint sprig Method: 1. Muddle the leaves from a sprig of mint and the ginger in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients except the soda and shake. 3. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 4. Top with a splash of soda. 5. Garnish with a mint sprig. Remarks: Although attractive to look at, we think it’s the flavor that sets this drink apart. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o salt o cayenne o chili powder o ½ ounce 1800 Silver tequila o ½ ounce Monte Alban mezcal o 1 ounce St. Germain liqueur o ¾ ounce grapefruit juice o ½ ounce fresh lime juice Garnish o lime wheel Method: 1. Moisten the rim of an Old Fashioned glass and invert it into a shallow dish containing a mixture of salt, cayenne, and chili powder to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Serve over ice in the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lime wheel. Remarks: Great for Cinco de Mayo or for any other excuse you can dream up to drink more tequila. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o salt o 2 ounces Ilegal mezcal o ½ ounce Cointreau liqueur o 1 ounce fresh lime juice o ½ ounce agave nectar Garnish o lime wedge Method: 1. Moisten the rim of an Old Fashioned glass, invert it into a shallow dish of salt to coat the rim of the glass. 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Serve over ice in prepared glass. 4. Garnish with lime wedge. Remarks: A drink for mezcal lovers. As margaritas go, it is smoky. If you’re trying to cut down on your smokiness, reduce the mezcal by half and replace it with silver tequila. Either way we think you’re going to like this margarita. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 3 blackberries o 2 ounces Bombay gin o 1 ounce Crème de Mûre liqueur o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 splash agave nectar Garnish o 1 blackberry o ½ lemon wheel Method: 1. Muddle 3 blackberries in a cocktail shaker. 2. Add ice and remaining cocktail ingredients and shake. 3. Fine strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 4. Garnish with a blackberry and lemon wheel. Remarks: Recipes for this cocktail either muddle fresh berries or use a flavored liqueur. We tried each. We also combined the two and found that to be delicious. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o Demerara sugar o 2 ounces Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey o ¾ ounce Crème de Mûre o ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice Garnish o blackberry o lemon peel Method: 1. Moisten the rim of an Old Fashioned glass and invert it into a shallow dish of Demerara sugar to coat the rim of the glass. Add ice and set it aside 2. Shake remaining cocktail ingredients over ice to chill. 3. Strain into the prepared glass. 4. Garnish with a blackberry and lemon peel. Remarks: As with all bramble cocktails you’ll definitely taste the fruit. But with this bramble the Irish whiskey is also apparent. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 1 ½ ounces Mount Gay XO rum o ½ ounce Tia Maria o ½ ounce fresh orange juice o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce orgeat syrup o 1 dash Hella Citrus bitters Garnish o ground cinnamon o orange peel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with orange peel and ground cinnamon. Remarks: Second Choice Coffee? Say you wanted a coffee but you’ve had too much caffeine already, have we got a great second choice for you. . . .

PH factor:  10 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Heaven’s Door Straight Rye whiskey o 1 ounce Cointreau o ½ ounce Lillet Rouge o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o 1 dash Angostura bitters o 1 dash Hella Orange bitters Garnish o orange peel o Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherry Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with cherry and orange peel. Remarks: The original recipe did not call for bitters. It was good but we thought it was one dimensional. We felt the bitters made it more interesting and helped provide balance. . . .

PH factor:  8.5 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail o 2 ounces Chivas Regal scotch o ½ ounce St. Germain liqueur o ¾ ounce fresh lime juice o 3 ounces Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer o 1 dash Angostura bitters Garnish o lime wedge Method: 1. Combine cocktail ingredients in an ice-filled double Old Fashioned glass and stir gently. 2. Garnish with lime wedge. Remarks: This is a little more complex than it’s Russian counterpart and feels more like a cocktail and less like a Mule. However, the Moscow Mule did help introduce vodka to America and all we can say about that is За здоровье! . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 1 ounce Johnnie Walker Red Label scotch o 1 ounce Aperol o ½ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ teaspoon maple syrup o 1 dash of Angostura bitters o Fever-Tree Club Soda Garnish o ½ lemon wheel o mint sprig Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients except soda over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled double Old Fashioned glass. 3. Top with soda and garnish with lemon and mint. Remarks: Spritzes tend to be light and refreshing cocktails. In this spritz, the maple syrup and the bitters, add nuance to the mix. . . .

PH factor:  9.0 Recipe Ingredients: Cocktail       o 2 ounces 1800 Añejo tequila o ½ ounce Lillet Blanc o 1 bar spoon Campari o ½ ounce grapefruit juice o ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice o ½ ounce maple syrup Garnish o lemon wheel Method: 1. Shake cocktail ingredients over ice. 2. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. 3. Garnish with lemon wheel. Remarks: Why a Mourning Dove cocktail? Well, first is the lovely color and the fact that it’s not too sweet or too tart. If you still need another excuse to try it, don’t forget that it’s packed with Vitamin "C.” . . .