How to FIX a cocktail - improving the Brown Derby
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- Thank you Still Austin for sponsoring today's video! Check them out: bit.ly/3XfikFQ
Today I'm showing how to fix a cocktail! The Brown Derby has always fallen flat for me, so I thought I’d show you a creative process for workshopping a drink. By addressing each ingredient, we’ll take little steps to get closer to our preferred version - all the while staying within the confines of the original recipe. This process can be used for any cocktail - original or classic. Of course what makes a drink better is subjective, so have fun with it - and find the perfect drink for you. Cheers!
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TIME STAMPS
Intro: 0:00
The History: 1:13
Still Austin: 2:43
Take 1: 3:32
Take 2: 4:10
Take 3: 4:54
Take 4: 6:07
Final Drink: 7:01
Sips & Sign off: 8:00
Outtakes: 8:43
THE BROWN DERBY RECIPE 7:34
1.5 oz. (45 ml) Still Austin “The Musician” Straight Bourbon
1 oz. (30 ml) white grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. (15 ml) cinnamon-infused honey syrup*
1/4 oz. (7.5 ml) fresh lemon juice
Expressed grapefruit oil
Grapefruit peel for garnish
*CINNAMON-INFUSED HONEY SYRUP
2/3 cup honey (I like a lighter honey)
1/3 cup hot water
2 cinnamon sticks (broken in half)
In a small sauce pan, combine honey and water. Add cinnamon sticks. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes (don’t boil!). Once cooled, remove cinnamon sticks.
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What’s best is subjective - that what’s fun. Happy mixing everyone 🥃
Thanks to Still Austin for providing the whiskey for today’s workshop! Go check them out 👉 bit.ly/3XfikFQ
Can't wait to try this. I like the Brown Derby but it's not a go to for me. The addition of cinnamon definitely peaks my interest. Thanks for the great content my dude. 🍻
Omg this is such a fun idea! Please do more of these! I love playing around with mixers and spirits, so this is SUCH a great format!
Doooooooogggg!
As someone who hasn't had a lot of alcohol in their life, my favorite part of these episodes is when Oz (sorry idk how to spell your name) comes in and tries the drinks. It brings it down to my level of being just a normal person and not an expert on the subject. Great videos man!
Love the fixing of cocktails videos (the Mary Pickford video is a fav of mine too). Being able to experiment and tweak recipes isn't always super intuitive for a novice such as myself, so I appreciate you breaking down the iterations.
As a local Austin resident I can say with 100% honesty Still Austin has some of the nicest young bourbon around and I can’t wait to see what they come out with and how they grow in the next couple of years.
You know it's friday night when Anders latest video comes out. It's so relaxing to watch one of these and then go to bed (it's 10:30 pm) thinking of what I've just learned. I get so many ideas from your videos. Cheers! PS. I would imagine even a hint of cinnamon would change the flavor of the drink pretty much?
The cinnamon does change the flavor profile, but works well with each component. It almost has a tiki element to it with the added spice
Lol this is exactly me right now as well . I always watch these right before bed and then lay there brainstorming new cocktail ideas
IKR? Same here. Like why are these cocktail videos so soothing? (I mean educational, Anders, educational. But also soothing.) Am I the only one re-watching these mostly because they are so nice to listen to? Or OK maybe I'm wierd...
Awesome video, Anders! Would love more of these videos where you walk through your process and improve classics. Cheers!
The great thing about this video is that you are doing the work and we can reap the benefits. Much appreciated Anders!
Really like this format and idea! I've been trying to find more resources for creating my own cocktails so this is perfect for working off of existing cocktails
Great format! This is just like what I do at home for allergen free baking recipes. Love to see how you draw ideas for the next step from all of your background expertise.
This was just what I needed, thanks! Quite recently started trying to make up a few cocktails of my own, and I’ve been going through iterations to improve them.
Your video helped me understand how to better balance each drink, so now I’m inspired to keep going and finish each idea
Absolutely love this video!!!! It's all about how you get there!!! Very inspiring! Keep these coming!
Great work on this one, Anders. I think this format of video lets your unique author's voice shine. Thoughtful, helpful, fun.
Thank you for doing this video. I have done something similar with multiple cocktails. It's definitely helpful seeing the steps of how you changed up the different components in the drink.
Missed the video drop on Friday, but this recipe was worth the wait. Great video.
Absolutely loved the progression… do more of these!
Can't wait to try this. We have fresh grapefruit and lemons. I love the touch of cinnamon!
Anders, please PLEASE come out with your own version of a (spiral-bound) recipe book! All these recipes you do are so good with the way you "tweak" them. Incredible.
Great video. Really fun and interesting to see you go through the evolution of improving a drink.
Love the intro and love the format of fixing unbalanced old cocktails, awesome vid!
I love this format!!! Can't wait to see you workshop the Martini! 😁 Cheers Anders and Az 🍸
That could be a great one
Yes, I second this suggestion!
I’ll third it! 😂
I absolutely love this channel. This is my GO TO cocktail resource
Excellent video Anders! Also very relevant to me right now as I am working with some friends to workshop and create an elevated Long Island iced tea. I am currently on my fourth iteration and just on the brink of the final build. Last step is to take that extra wild out there leap to see if that sticks. Thanks for this video which gives me some more ideas.
Oh this is definitely going to be a good reference point for the project I’m working on- I wrote up a bunch of descriptions for cocktails in a D&D game and I’ve been wanting to actually make the recipes for a while now, so we’ll see how that goes!
Happy Weekend everyone, remember enjoy! 😊
I LOVE a brown derby. Looking forward to seeing how you tweak it and playing with these recipes on my own.
PLEASE MORE OF THESE, this is exactly what im looking for in this channel
Fun video. I enjoy doing these exercises at home with friend for another set of taste buds and to stay upright. We typically grab a notebook, scale the cocktails down to 1/4 size and take notes on the ratios until we like it.
THANK YOU!!! So very cool to help in this respect. I love when bartenders have "worked" a cocktail to make it suit, best story is from NYC I hope to tell you some day, and that is artistry.....a craft.....an art. Thank you sir!!!!
I love Still Austin. They are actually what got me into cocktails all together. During the pandemic they produced tons of alcohol for hand sanitizing and gave it away for free, back when it was really hard to get ahold of. I went to get some and figured I would support them and bought a bottle of Whiskey and a pre-mixed Old Fashioned syrup (prebatched with bitters, etc). Anyway, I started making it and that opened my eyes to what a "grown up" cocktail could be. I stuck with that for a while then eventually decided to try to branch out to mixing my own when they stopped selling the mix. That's when I found you Anders, and you basically lead me on this cocktail journey. So thanks Anders, and thanks Still Austin.
Love this - thanks for sharing. Cheers!
Hi neighbor! I too love Still Austin. That reminds me, I need another bourbon.
I love Still Austin, glad to see them getting a shoutout. My best friend was sent a whole case of their products for winning a comedy competition in Austin, he shared them with me and I've been obsessed ever since. They've also got a gin that slaps
Curious to try the gin. Good to hear you liked it!
Love Still Austin. Just down the road from me, glad to see another way they're supporting the cocktail community!
Loved the video .. these experiments helps us learn a lot abt mixology ❤
Great video! Recently, I had one made with a grapefruit shrub, fresh lemon and bitters. It was delicious!! I think it was the shrub that made it nice and citrusy but with touch of tang from the vinegar that goes in the shrub. This is a really tasty cocktail!!
I love this concept
As someone who is working on a few orgional cocktails, this was an amazing video.
Thanks
Still Austin, so good! The cask strength is real nice…
I've workshopped a few drinks. It makes you appreciate a really well balanced drink.
Mmm absolutely love that cinnamon infused honey syrup idea. Also love the Don the Beachcomber inspiration
Yup, absolutely loved this. More workshopping vids please. Definitely great to get friends in to help "carry the load" - Cheers!
What a brilliant idea - well done!
Anders, you need to make more videos like this. This is definitely an enhancement. Really good cocktail. When we get closer to the spring, please make more minty, refreshing or floral cocktails (i.e. Lavendar Bees Knees, Frozen Daquiris, etc.). I really enjoy your quality cocktails, thank you!
That was fun. The final version can hardly be called "brown" anymore, but that's beside the point. When I tweak my recipes, I usually have to do over different days, else on the third or fourth try things tend to get messy.... and thanks for another Rye Whiskey to try out. See whether I can find this locally.
Great idea for a video. I’m a newbie and learning. I love your straightforward delivery of information. And your humor. Thanks for including the dog at the intro! I’ll have to figure out how to use angostura aromatics bitters, because I bought a bottle for a Tom and Jerry, but decided not to make that drink.
I tried this tonight. It started as a 4/5 and with every sip it when up a tenth of a point. So good! Now it is a 22/5. Yum.
This was a super cool episode!
I work at a Craft cocktail bar. We do version of this with jalapeno honey and an orange peel. Very popular it's not on the menu anymore but people still order it all the time.
Sounds tasty to me!
I made a traditional brown derby last year and it was fine but underwhelming. Just made your recipe Anders. Yes! Much better! Thank you.
I like how you ended up kinda recreating Donn's mix! Looking forward to trying this!
Tried out your version today, damn it's good. If this is not a series, it should be.
Great tips! Love the addition of doggo and bloopers. 🤣
Great content, Anders! Love watching your creative process. Would love to see you do more of these types of videos. Perhaps on an original of yours?
Hello ! Just a little comment from a french viewer. I have found your channel a few weeks ago and I diving into the cocktail"verse, and your videos are really great (the image, the format, the different part and explainations). Thank you for adding the milliliters and not only using oz, it's perfect ; ) And not related, but god, it's not easy to find Rye Whisky in shops in France, one day I will drink an Old Fashioned with something else than Schotch ! Well I wish you the best and I look forward for your next videos.
I appreciate this channel. More puppers, plz. ❤
Love this. Was wondering if he’d use dons mix at some point and was happy to see it
ANDERS!! This looks like a great way of improving/inventing a cocktail!!! I need to try this cocktail!!! Dont be like me and fail to write down improvements!!! CHEERS!!!
Haha great point Tim!! Always helps to document your progress
One strategy I use, typically for a first pass at this sort of thing is to reduce it all down to tsp. It obviously gets tricky depending on the methods/measures (how does one measure bitters this way?) but like I said, first pass.
Came here to say this! It’s a lot easier with stirred drinks that don’t need the citrus balance and agitation, but a sure fire way to get on the right track quickly without pouring $$$ down the drain.
This was great! I would love if you did a couple of these a year to keep getting new dead of how to adjust the drinks
A couple things that could help...
Use 1:1 honey syrup, as it's less sweet and not as honey-forward.
Use 2oz of whiskey instead of 1.5. It brings the whiskey forward so it doesn't get lost with the sweetness.
I agree with the white grapefruit, its delicious. And ripeness makes a huge difference.
Finally, add 1oz egg white and shake hard before adding the ice. This changes the mouthfeel and adds a delicious foam layer on top.
Overall, it is such an underrated gem of a cocktail!!
When I do this, I make the drinks at teaspoon scale, since you likely have measuring spoons for all the necessary fractions, and you go through booze much slower, but it’s enough to taste and iterate.
You cool man, thank you)
I well be use your mix)
Really cool to see the process! Just bought a bottle of Muyu Vetiver Gris that I am trying to build a cocktail out of so was really useful to see how you do it! Current idea I have in my head is to try to see it works on a Last Word Mezcal/Tequila variant in place of the chartreuse and with Grapefruit (maybe acid-adjusted) for citrus. Have no idea what to use in place of the Maraschino Liqueur (maybe will start with it and go from there)
A Dog??? Love this, We workshop stuff at work all the time. Good Vid!
Yeah it was time to get a bar dog. Thanks Uncle Pete!
I love this drink Anders, like a more mature version of the Greyhound. I prefer using a pinch of salt to temper the bitterness of grapefruit, and I garnish with grapefruit twist. Thanks for the video Anders, happy weekend.
Salt's a good call. Thanks David - Cheers to you!
I like the idea about using cinnamon with honey syrup😊very good with any bourbon // from Bangkok Cheers
Great video. One thing, the signature dessert at the original Brown Derby was a grapefruit cake, hence the grapefruit forward cocktail homage. Cheers!
WOW, that was interesting !!!
Great video and a really interesting insight into the process of cocktail creating. Because of your love for it, I'm surprised you didn't add any Angostura bitters to the improved version, even just a dash, to heighten the cinnamon-infused syrup.
Good koncept👍
I live in Texas and STILL have not tried Still Austin Whiskey! I will soon, though. I enjoyed the video and want to try your improved Brown Derby. By the way, your dog is adorable!
I love you energy
I just got a bottle of Still Austin Cask Strength on Wednesday 🔥
Just made it and yes, it does need a splash of lemon juice to lift the honey.
Anders, I don’t know if you know, but I want you to know that you are the best bartender/friend/teacher that everyone can have.
I love your channel, i learn so much and the way you teach things I know i’ll be here fooor a long time learning and learning and never being in boredom.
Thanks Deyse. Happy you're enjoying the vids - Cheers!
The first time I made a brown derby i actually couldn’t finish it cuz i thought it was so bad. It tasted like old candy to me but im excited to try this new and improved version 😂
I've done this to original cocktails. I created a wintery cocktail for a Christmas book anthology. I was not happy using my Chartreuse and it only doing well on one of the four versions, but I pulled out ten bottles worth. The final version really needs a spotlight somewhere but my bar doesn't have the ingredients for it.
I just bought a bourbon and i haf a Honey syruo and some grapefruit juice .... Only a red grape... But an awesome cocktail in the end! :)
Bloopers! Yay!
You should do a video on how to make your own balanced cocktail with what you have at home. I usually have some sort of juice, berry, limes, and maybe a sprite. It rarely goes well when try to ad lib a cocktail.
thanks for inspiring me to add weird stuff to a gimlet today Anders, Dubonnet Rouge turned out to be pretty tasty
Love it. Never know until you try - Cheers!
Love your music! I'd love to know what you're playing as background in your videos - maybe add it along with the other vid details?
That looks great. Gotta run to the store real quick, brb...
Cheers Mark!
This was fascinating and neat to watch. Great video as always!
Side note: I haven’t been able to find any of the Maison Rouge cognac and it isn’t listed on your Curiada either. What is another cognac that you’d recommend? Thanks!
I do a chai infused bourbon and pair it with pink grapefruit, lemon & honey. It’s delicious. I call it a Delhi Derby.
I think two dashes of grapefruit bitters would really add to the final version!
I just did something similar with friends and family making Manhattans and Perfect Manhattans. Trying to find the rye that I like to make it “my go to”.
I wondered, with the addition of lemon juice, is it still a Brown Derby? It seems if you change one ingredient the cocktail is called something else.
This was fun to watch, can’t wait to see what my Brown Derby drinkers think!
Get your hands on Still Austin's cask strength bourbon! Secrets out and it's great!
Another great video, Anders (as usual)… by the way, I love your bear logo with the coupe nose! I’m guessing Az is responsible for that! Well done, Az!
Great!
I found it’s best to write everting down when doing this. I keep a notebook, with lots of attempts scribbled out.
The difference between screwing around and science is writing it down.” ― Adam Savage
Now I want a Cobb salad. It's the most famous dish from the Brown Derby restaurant.
This is a menu drink at the bar I work at and I do 3/4 each of lime, pink grapefruit, and honey syrup with 2oz of Buffalo or whatever our single barrel pick is. It usually turns out pretty banger and is one of my favorites on the menu, tbh.
We also call it the "Derby Brown" which sounds fancier
Derby Brown sounds much better
I run a bar program in Los Angeles. When creating original cocktails, this is exactly what we do. There's a little more trial and error. Complicate, then simplify. If it doesn't work, complicate and then simplify again until you have something that makes your eyes light up.
Ohh also loved the new merch 🐻❄️… do send some here in India
I loved the cheeky "I know it works because I've already tried it"
This is awesome! Do you think you could do the bloody Mary? I know it's one of the cocktails with so many renditions. I'd like to know how you'd make it!
Love the multiple cocktail play/workshop idea! Also, I too can’t say brown derby without some laughter 🤭😅😉😏 All in good fun, right?!
Cheers, you guys!! 🥃♥️
1:25
Haha cheers, Rachael!
You make it look easy and fun. I just had a prickly pear margarita, it was sooo good. I’m obsessed with prickly pear syrup now. Do you use it on any of your drinks, if so hook me up with some recipes. Thx
Not on the regular, but now you've got me thinking it might be time to get some prickly pear
Just hand picked about 1000lbs of grapefruit (yellow) in the phx ax area from a friends place. Was liking for a recipe and this just might be the ticket. Now to get rid of at least 980lbs of fruit…….
Anders is showing us how to iterate, tweak and personalize drink specs - wonderful. Really great to see a pro attack a spec to make it better.
But curses Anders, white grapefruit is hard to find! Do you have any tricks to approximate white grapefruit's tart bitter profile? Pink plus lemon juice?
Definitely - the difference between the juices isn't massive. The lemon helped with the pink grapefruit too. Cheers!