10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS AND THE BOOTLEGGER’S VERSIONS! Our Story... This story began during Prohibition in Charlotte, NC. Frank Ratcliffe, a dapper and handsome young man with a quick smile, recognized a need within the community and sought to fill it. (Okay, let’s face it: he was a bootlegger) But unlike many “moonshiners” of the era, Frank focused on more than just “corn liquor”. He developed his own versions of wine, vodka, rum, whiskey… even brandies. Before he passed away, he buried his knowledge in seven mason jars in a secret location. His lovely wife Velma didn’t know exactly where. We didn’t find them on the first try, or the second… and that’s how we learned that sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper. Now we invite you to enjoy his time-honored recipes. To learn more about Frank Ratcliffe and the Seven Jars, visit our website… www.sevenjarsdistillery.com or better yet, visit us in person at our Charlotte Distillery. sometimes you have to dig a little deeper BOOTLEGGER VERSION FRANK’S OLD FASHIONED (A simple substitution of Seven Jars Apple Pie Whiskey transforms this classic into a bootlegger’s favorite!) Ingredients 1.5 oz Seven Jars Apple Pie Whiskey 2 tsp simple syrup 1 tsp water 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Procedure: Combine water, simple syrup and bitters in a lowball whiskey glass. Add ice and stir. Add Seven Jars 10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS Apple Pie Whiskey. Garnish with cherry and orange slice. OLD FASHIONED Ingredients • 1.5 oz Seven Jars Preamble Straight Bourbon Whiskey • 2 tsp simple syrup • 1 tsp water • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Procedure: Combine water, simple syrup and bitters in a lowball (whiskey glass). Add ice and stir. Add Seven Jars Preamble Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Garnish with cherry and orange slice. Our Story... HISTORICAL ORIGIN Many people don’t realize that Mecklenburg County was essentially under Prohibition from 1909 until 1947, a full 25 years longer than it lasted in most of the country. The first use of the name “Old Fashioned” for a Bourbon whiskey cocktail was said to have been at the Pendennis Club, a gentlemen’s club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky. BOOTLEGGER VERSION VODKA MARTINI Ingredients 2 oz Seven Jars Vodka 1 Oz Dry Vermouth 1 Dash Angostura OR Orange Bitters (This one is entirely optional) 1 Green Olive Procedure: Frost a martini glass in the freezer or refrigerator. (alternatively fill martini glass with ice, add water while mixing drink) In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the Seven Jars Vodka, bitters and vermouth. Shake vigorously until the drink is thoroughly chilled. Pour the ice water out of the martini glass and shake any excess water from the glass. Strain the drink into the martini glass. 10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS Garnish with olive and serve. MARTINI PICKLED MARTINI (Gin & Vermouth) This is one of two classic drinks presented in this book where we don’t have This is one you HAVE to try - it will change the way you think about “dirty” a Seven Jars product as the main ingredient (yet!). However, the Bootlegger’s Version of this drinks. We take the classic Dirty Martini recipe and substitute Seven Jars classic actually contains TWO versions, each featuring a differentSeven Jars Vodka. There are Pickleback Vodka for the Vodka! two things to note in the Classic Martini recipe; the ratio of Gin to Vermouth, and whether the Vermouth is truly a “Dry” Vermouth or a “Sweet” Vermouth. One thing that is NOT up for debate is how the drink is served; it must be as cold as possible (thus James Bond’s insistence that his Ingredients martini be “Shaken, NOT Stirred”) In keeping with the more traditional recipe that was popular 2 1/2 Oz Seven Jars Pickleback Vodka during the time frame of the Flamingo Club, we offer the following classic recipe: 3/4 Oz Olive Juice (just the brine from an olive jar) 1 Dash of Dry Vermouth Ingredients 3 Green Olives • 2 Oz Gin We prefer Cardinal Gin, made by our friends at Southern Artisan Spirits right here in North Carolina Procedure: Same as Vodka Martini but • 1 Oz Dry Vermouth garnish with THREE olives instead of one. • 1 Dash Angostura OR Orange Bitters (This one is entirely optional) • 1 Green Olive Procedure: Frost a martini glass in the freezer or refrigerator. (alternatively fill martini glass with ice, FrankOur Ratcliffe Story... based his operation out of add water while mixing drink) In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the gin, vermouth the Hotel Charlotte, delivering “tax paid” and bitters. Shake vigorously until the drink is thoroughly chilled. Pour the ice water out of liquor to speakeasies and liquor houses the martini glass and shake any excess water from the glass. Strain the drink into the martini throughout Mecklenburg County glass. Garnish with olive and serve. BOOTLEGGER VERSION HONEY MANHATTAN Ingredients 1.5 oz Seven Jars Preamble Rye Whiskey 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth 2 tsp Honey 1 dash Angostura Bitters 2 tsp water 1 Maraschino Cherry Procedure: Combine bitters, honey, water and cherry in 10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS a stainless shaker. Muddle, then add ice. Pour Seven Jars Preamble Rye Whiskey and Vermouth over ice and MANHATTAN shake. Strain into a martini or lowball glass. Garnish with cherry. Ingredients • 1.5 oz Seven Jars Preamble Rye Whiskey • 3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth • 1 dash Angostura Bitters • 2 tsp water • 1 Maraschino Cherry Procedure: Combine bitters, water and cherry in a stainless shaker. Muddle, then add ice. Pour Seven Jars Preamble Rye Whiskey and Vermouth over ice and shake. Strain into a martini or lowball glass. Garnish with cherry. HISTORICAL ORIGIN ProhibitionOur Story... ended for Charlotte residents in 1947 when the Mecklenburg County ABC Commission was formed. Soon thereafter Frank opened a nightclub in uptown The original “Manhattan cocktail” was a mix of American Whiskey, Italian Vermouth and Charlotte at 110 W. Sixth Street, where Discovery Place now stands. The Flamingo Club Angostura bitters. During Prohibition (1920–1933) Canadian whiskey was primarily used offered live music, Filet Mignon for $4.50… and a full casino in the upper portion of the because it was available. building. BOOTLEGGER VERSION BANANA DAIQUIRI Okay, here is one instance where the Bootlegger’s Version truly differs from the classic cocktail in a big way. We still use our elite Seven Jars Rum, but we also break down and use a blender. The original recipe calls for mashing a banana, adding shaved ice and the other ingredients; while you can certainly still do that, virtually everyone has a blender these days, so why not take advantage of it? You will note that this is actually a close cousin to the Pina Colada, but instead of pineapple juice this one uses lime juice, keeping it in the Daiquiri family. Ingredients 10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS 2 oz Seven Jars Rum 1 Large Banana 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk DAIQUIRI 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice A Daiquiri is one of the easiest drinks to make, and our Seven Jars Rum (made from 1 Oz Simple Syrup Blackstrap Molasses) provides the perfect base. This classic Daiquiri recipe features our Seven Jars Rum and is easier to make than even the Bootlegger’s variation because it does not require a blender. Nothing wrong with a blender at all, BUT it Procedure: is true that few, if any of the truly classic cocktail recipes require a blender. Add all of the ingredients into a blender. Fill approximately 1/2 way with ice. Blend until smooth, usually about 1 minute. Ingredients Pour into a tall highball glass and serve. The amount of ice • 2 oz Seven Jars Rum • 1 Oz fresh lime juice • 1/2 Oz Simple Syrup you use will actually dictate how much end product you create; if you fill the blender all the way up with ice, be Procedure: sure to double the ingredients. Frost a daiquiri glass in the freezer or refrigerator. (alternatively you can substitute a large martini glass or even a margarita glass) In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the Seven Jars Rum, lime juice and Simple Syrup. Shake vigorously until the drink is thoroughly chilled. Strain the drink into the daiquiri glass. SIDE NOTE We have a truly FANTASTIC recipe for a Banana Rum. Like all of our products, the banana AOur young singerStory... named Velma Corey was hired rum recipe uses real fruit (in this instance bananas, obviously); but real fruit provides a to perform at Frank’s Flamingo Club; after he challenge. It absorbs the alcohol, making the end product much lower proof. There are heard her sing for the first time, they were ways around this, but in the instance of banana flavor there is one major impediment: you married within 5 weeks and stayed happily cannot juice a banana. The banana rum recipe left to us is outstanding, BUT we have not married until his death 27 years later. been able to reproduce the flavor, keep the proof where we want it AND not have a good bit of the banana pulp in the rum; so keep in mind that we are still working on this one. In the meantime, this banana daiquiri recipe should hold you banana lovers over. BOOTLEGGER VERSION PICKLED MARY (A simple substitution of Seven Jars Pickleback Vodka transforms this classic into a bootlegger’s favorite!) Ingredients (Bloody Mary Mix) 2 Oz Seven Jars Pickleback Vodka (per glass) 3 Cups Tomato Juice 1/3 Cup Pickle Juice (ONLY for true pickle lovers - be sure to test without adding pickle juice first) 3 TBS Lemon Juice 1.5 TBS Worcestershire Sauce 1 TBS Prepared Horseradish 3/4 Tsp Tabasco Sauce 10 CLASSIC COCKTAILS 3/4 Tsp Celery Salt 1/2 Tsp black pepper (Fresh ground, course is best) BLOODY MARY Procedure: Mix all ingredients (except Seven Jars Okay, so there are two ways to do this one; you can make it from scratch, or Pickleback Vodka) into a non-reactive (no aluminum, cast iron you can buy a mix.