Think for a moment of a pink drink in a bar. Normally it has a bit too much grenadine in it or some other sweet flavored drink that is made cheaply. Most places, the nature of just seeing a pink drink is enough to emasculate a man on the spot. Apparently this isn't the case in Silicon Valley when cosmos are being sold for $2, two nights a week (I've seen many a guy order them... and this isn't San Francisco).
Now, the classic pink drink is made to be a rather sweet flavored drink that has only the slightest hints of alcohol. It is meant to go down easily and be drunk again and again.
For a moment consider a pub seeing someone with a drink in
a glass. It looks like a pink drink but it didn't seem like one
for some reason or another - maybe the color pink is off or
something from what is classically seen.
People will occasionally order 'one of what he is having'. In discussing this with the bartender (who found the idea of it most amusing) the idea is to make a drink that is pink in color and something quite different in flavor.
Ages ago, when my parents, my brother and I would drive through McDonald's we had a problem. I drank root beer, my father and brother cola, and my mother iced tea. In the dark, these can be hard to distinguish and sometimes you would get the wrong drink - drinking cola when expecting root beer bad - but not as bad as drinking iced tea when expecting root beer. I switched to drinking orange soda to avoid such confusion.
For this pink drink to work, you need a clear alcohol base - this is not too much of a problem. Furthermore, the alcohol must have a distinct flavor of its own that is good when drunk. Vodka and tequila are both described as 'like water' when a good brand is drunk and thus these are not good choices. The best, is that of gin.
- 4 parts gin (2oz)
- 1 part chambourd (1/2 oz)
Thats it. Nothing more (well, maybe - more on that later). Gin has been described as drinking pine-sol. Its really not that bad, but it is fairly juniper-ish. In these portions, the juniper of the gin is very distinct and strong (in a good way, for those who are expecting it). Before going too far, the proper gin for this is Tanqueray being a more mild gin. One does not want to drink a more potent gin straight or have a poor quality gin.
So, one night I had this drink - the bartender that knew the reason behind it and likely what it would taste like mixed it. Another bartender who was familiar with my experimentation (mostly along alternatives of classic drinks) took a taste (pipette action with a straw). The expression on her face was priceless - one of "I thought it would be sweet and drank pure gin!"
It has been suggested to add other components to this drink - that of dry vermouth. This makes the drink into a a more martini based drink.
- 4 parts gin (2 oz)
- 1 part chambourd (1/2 oz)
- 1 part dry vermouth (1/2 oz)
- (splash of lime?)
This is a good drink - especially for someone taking their first steps into drinking gin. The biggest 'problem' is that the flavor of the
chambourd is the most noticeable one and only hints of juniper behind the
raspberry flavor. The shock value of a person drinking this isn't quite there as it would be with the juniper so much more enhanced.
Ouroboros is responsible for planting this idea on all too fertile ground prior to April 1.