Have we talked about Martinis?

[Not that Bob 739]

Let's do. I was a Beefeater Gibson fan, but am now enamored with Citadel and, well Noilly Prat just because that's what I have on hand. Let's talk about vermouth and what it adds. I know, I know...just wave the bottle over the glass. Let's talk "dirty" or not. What brand of olive and cocktail onion. I like shaken. Evidently I like the "bruising" because I like those tiny shards of ice. Tanquerey is just too antiseptic for me.  Tell me what your favorites are and why.  

[DoobieWah 1460]

Swirl a dash of vermouth in your chilled martini glass and pour it out.

To your shaker add one cup of ice, three ounces of gin, (I like Plymouth and Hendrick's). Shake vigorously until your hands freeze; (I like the ice chips also). Strain into your glass, add two olives.

Drain and repeat.

Lovely.

 

 

 

[Austinvines 318]

2.5-3 oz of Old Raj, Blue label (I keep it in the freezer. Its yummy but expensive)
Bar spoon of dolin/lillet/cochi americano blanc
Dash or 3 of orange bitters
Channel knife an orange twist over a chilled glass to express oil into it
Strain the shaken Martin into the glass.
Dip your bill until numb
Repeat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Any triple filtered Vodka, wave the cap of the vermouth bottle over the glass, small ice berg growlers floating in the soup, and use Blue cheese stuffed olives.

 

Repeat 4 x

 

End thread

[brown water 3778]

Not a big martini guy but props to you guys for making it 3 posts without mentioning vodka. 

[DalTxHornFan 3117]

The words "Vodka" and "Martini" do not belong in the same paragraph.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 minute ago, DalTxHornFan said:

The words "Vodka" and "Martini" do not belong in the same paragraph.

I'd disagree  I love a Bombay sapphire with olives and onions, but I like a vodka martini because I don't want to taste gin sometimes, especially when you add blue cheese stuffed olives.  

[closetojumping 62870]

2 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

The words "Vodka" and "Martini" do not belong in the same paragraph.

Go ahead, pedants, tell us all about how it was done before WW2, and I’ll continue to roll some vermouth and olive brine into the shaker with my Tito’s, shake vigorously, pour into a martini glass, and toast your didactic bullshit as I drink 2-4 in an evening and think how sad it must be for anyone using gin. 

[DalTxHornFan 3117]

2 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

I'd disagree  I love a Bombay sapphire with olives and onions, but I like a vodka martini because I don't want to taste gin sometimes, especially when you add blue cheese stuffed olives.  

Lovely that you enjoy your "vodka drink" but it isn't a martini.

[DalTxHornFan 3117]

1 minute ago, closetojumping said:

Go ahead, pedants, tell us all about how it was done before WW2, and I’ll continue to roll some vermouth and olive brine into the shaker with my Tito’s, shake vigorously, pour into a martini glass, and toast your didactic bullshit as I drink 2-4 in an evening and think how sad it must be for anyone using gin. 

Game on.

[DoobieWah 1460]

Drink what you want, call it what you want.

It's still a free country.

But if you offer me a martini, please put gin in it.

TIA

[NoRagrets 1125]

Vodka has no character. Gin tastes like flowers and rubbing alcohol. I love Gin and Vidka Martinis. Go figure.

[Zepol87 9191]

I'm a novice but Hendricks is what I was taught from alcoholic family

[Thetexashammer 1062]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Go ahead, pedants, tell us all about how it was done before WW2, and I’ll continue to roll some vermouth and olive brine into the shaker with my Tito’s, shake vigorously, pour into a martini glass, and toast your didactic bullshit as I drink 2-4 in an evening and think how sad it must be for anyone using gin. 

Sometimes your hate makes me feel good.

[Upgrayedd 5818]

I like to have a martinis.

Two at the very most.

After three I’m under the table.

After four I’m under the hostess.  

 

With apologies to Dorothy Parker.

[Superhero 8842]

4 hours ago, DoobieWah said:

Swirl a dash of vermouth in your chilled martini glass and pour it out.

To your shaker add one cup of ice, three ounces of gin, (I like Plymouth and Hendrick's). Shake vigorously until your hands freeze; (I like the ice chips also). Strain into your glass, add two olives.

Drain and repeat.

Lovely.

A good Hendrick martini needs a slice of cucumber on top.

I keep the olives for the Bombay Sapphire.

And I'm also a fan of bruising. Or was a fan anyway when my doc still allowed me to drink.

[DoobieWah 1460]

4 hours ago, Superhero said:

A good Hendrick martini needs a slice of cucumber on top.

I keep the olives for the Bombay Sapphire.

 

Again I say, "Have it like you like it";

(and "I" like gin soaked olives!) 😉

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4977]

Bunch of rich women on diets up in here.

[Parliament 14296]

If you put fruit in a martini, you better be a chick.

[tigol 2399]

 

[idahorn 26]

We were in LA for the USC game last fall; one of our other destinations was Musso & Franks restaurant.  Together, Esquire and GQ said it had the Best Bar in America and the other said it had the Best Martini (can't remember which said what). We were early for our reservation so we sat at the bar and ordered Martinis (mine was a Gibson). The older guy who was making the Martinis was right in front of us at the left end of the bar.  He used Tanqueray Gin and Noilly Prat vermouth and it wasn't the extremely dry version of current mythology.  He shook the contents (I prefer mine stirred to the extent the gin is not only bruised but also suffers slight abrasions) then poured.  As good as I've ever had.  I cannot say it is the best I've ever had because I mix them the same way-except for the stirring.

[Mack Tripper 696]

The Botanist is my current favorite gin. Damn good stuff from Islay.

 

[HookEm 2467]

I make them as described above. Tanq and Noilly Prat, shaken hard with olive garnish. If a bartender ever asks me if I want vodka or gin in my martini I immediately lose respect for them.

I can get on board with a vodka martini, but that is exactly what it is... a vodka martini, not a MARTINI. Same with chocolate martini, marshmallow martini, whatever. Those are something else served in a martini glass. I don't hate on anyone drinking them and will join in. But only a martini is a martini.

I hate a Gibson FWIW. Terrible.

Best martini I ever had was a restaurant in Denver. Served it in a glass that had a half inch thick layer of ice around the outside of the glass. It looked awesome and was COLD.

[DalTxHornFan 3117]

Beefeater and a splash of dry vermouth shaken violently with crushed ice. Strain this into an icy martini glass along with a lemon twist FTW.  Cheers!

[huge 3795]

I’m generally a Sapphire and twist kind of guy. Unless they have Botanist.

I also like Hendricks a lot but prefer that with fancy tonic and herbs

Also if you want vodka that’s fine. But that’s on you.

[SurlyORama 164]

7 hours ago, HookEm said:

I make them as described above. Tanq and Noilly Prat, shaken hard with olive garnish. If a bartender ever asks me if I want vodka or gin in my martini I immediately lose respect for them.

This.

[Stoogey 219]

Beefeater 24, Noilly Prat Extra Dry and two colossal Manzanilla olives with pimento. Stirred, straight up.

Death's Door gin is named after the strait between the peninsula and Washington Island, where the juniper is gathered. Treacherous waters originally Porte des Mortes (The Door of Death) which was shortened to encourage tourism. Definitely worth seeking out.

Read an interesting article regarding James Bond's drinks. More famous is the vodka martini, shaken not stirred. In the books by Ian Fleming, Bond orders a Vesper. 

 

Quote

Although the "average" Vodka Martini is better known in Bond's adventures, it is the Vesper Martini that is the "true" Bond Martini. It was the first mentioned and the one that he claims to have invented it (the only time he drinks one in the movies or novels).

The recipe for the Vesper is dictated in Chapter 7 as follows and is named for the lovely Vesper.

'A dry Martini,' he said. 'One. In a deep champagne goblet.'
'Oui, Monsieur.'
'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large slice of lemon-peel. Got it?'

https://www.thespruceeats.com/james-bond-drinks-760178

 

[thrillhammer 684]

big martini fan but haven't had one in a while due to this bourbon kick I'm on.  my standard is bombay sapphire.  i like a less than a splash but more than a drop of vermouth, and two olives.  have used all the different stuffed varieties, but unpitted, whole regular olives are what i find best for martinis.  i count to 40 when i'm shaking, the outside of the glass should be icy and frost and freezing your hand until it hurts before you stop.  i also keep two martini glasses in the freezer at all time, but not my gin.   

i like all the gins.  just finished tanq 10, and tanq rangpur before that.  love old raj, hendricks is too cucumber-forward and should be reserved for tonics.  love all the texas gins too.  waterloo is excellent.  there's a shitload of them out there now.  seersucker, genius, roxor, savvy, calamity, austin reserve, real ale makes one now, dripping springs, greenhouse, moody june, bone, etc.   

asking for a vodka martini is like asking for a ford mercedes.  it ain't a thing.  

[Orange&White 5539]

On 7/6/2018 at 9:45 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

Lovely that you enjoy your "vodka drink" but it isn't a martini.

Except that EVERY BARTENDER IN THE WORLD knows exactly what it is and will make it the exact same way and there will be no confusion on anyone's part. But, sure, there's no such thing.

[ohchaucer 1443]

Vodka vs. Gin.... only one is a proper martini, sure, but why not have both and make a Vesper.

[huge 3795]

During the summer I will sometimes add a little Fever Tree Elderflower tonic as well.  Lightens things up and tastes great.

[DFWTexEx 278]

I started off with Tanqueray, and moved on to Sapphire, very dry (Noilly Prat or whatever) and usually dirty, with whatever olives were around.

About a year ago at Jettison in Dallas, I was served a martini that changed everything.  It was with Botanist and Dolin Blanc with a tiny bit of orange bitters.  The vermouth was in the drink, not just swished or acknowledged as I was used to doing to get to the properly dry martini.  This was a martini, not a dry martini.  A lemon peel was squeezed over the drink to release the oils.  It was stirred for a good long while.  The whole thing was well balanced,  refreshing and magnificent.  That is what I have learned to do at home.

Edited July 10, 2018 by DFWTexEx

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

2 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

big martini fan but haven't had one in a while due to this bourbon kick I'm on.  my standard is bombay sapphire.  i like a less than a splash but more than a drop of vermouth, and two olives.  have used all the different stuffed varieties, but unpitted, whole regular olives are what i find best for martinis.  i count to 40 when i'm shaking, the outside of the glass should be icy and frost and freezing your hand until it hurts before you stop.  i also keep two martini glasses in the freezer at all time, but not my gin.   

i like all the gins.  just finished tanq 10, and tanq rangpur before that.  love old raj, hendricks is too cucumber-forward and should be reserved for tonics.  love all the texas gins too.  waterloo is excellent.  there's a shitload of them out there now.  seersucker, genius, roxor, savvy, calamity, austin reserve, real ale makes one now, dripping springs, greenhouse, moody june, bone, etc.   

asking for a vodka martini is like asking for a ford mercedes.  it ain't a thing.  

Yeah it is a thing. Its called a vodka martini.  James Bond says screw all of y'all.

[Not that Bob 739]

What is your ratio of Gin to Dolin?

 

[DFWTexEx 278]

17 minutes ago, Not that Bob said:

What is your ratio of Gin to Dolin?

 

Playing around with it but around 3 - 3.5:1.  Traditional is 2:1.  I am not there yet.

[Owlhorn 2]

On 7/7/2018 at 2:19 PM, Mack Tripper said:

The Botanist is my current favorite gin. Damn good stuff from Islay.

 

Yup

[elfenix 34332]

Perfect Martini, and if you ask me what vodka I want I will cut you

[HookEm 2467]

I thought Waterloo gin was absolute garbage, but to each their own.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

8 hours ago, elfenix said:

Perfect Martini, and if you ask me what vodka I want I will cut you

Make yer move brah........

[Jimbaround 975]

I pour Citadel at home with Noilly Prat.  3:1 ratio with a couple of dashes of orange bitters.  Stirred and served with a lemon twist.

Note, the purpose of the ice in the shaker is to add water to the cocktail and to chill the mixture.  Both of these reasons are why you shouldn't and don't need to keep you booze in the freezer.

[GreenspointTexas 9664]

Yall crack me up. Vodka? In a martini? Didnt know so many women post on surly

[captained 57]

bozo casanova and i were doing some drinking in lincoln, ne last night and a bartender poured some japanese gin (kyoto ki no bi) 3:1 with a splash of orange bitters dressed like a gibson (olive & onion). it was outstanding. 

in austin, I’ve gone to small victory a few times recently and they mixed me a similar 3:1 but added celery bitters and that may be my favorite take on a martini at the moment. 

[Bozo_Casanova 26554]

On 7/6/2018 at 9:44 PM, closetojumping said:

Go ahead, pedants, tell us all about how it was done before WW2, and I’ll continue to roll some vermouth and olive brine into the shaker with my Tito’s, shake vigorously, pour into a martini glass, and toast your didactic bullshit as I drink 2-4 in an evening and think how sad it must be for anyone using gin. 

Your nameless olive water drink is flat and flavorless and you should feel bad. 

[Orange&White 5539]

Let me get this straight...

Vodka in a drink makes a man into a  woman, but "The Botanist", "Noilly Prat", Elderflower, Orange Bitters and Lemon twists are men's drinks?

This is why there is such a debate about which bathrooms people should be using.

[Bozo_Casanova 26554]

My usual Martini:

In a rocks glass, in this order:

One each, onion and olive

Dash of onion brine

Dash Orange bitters

1 part refrigerated Dolin

2 parts Bombay Dry or Citadelle Gin chilled to 0º

Swirl very slightly and DO NOT SHAKE

 

[Not that Bob 739]

How we do love to fight here at Surly. Semantics and shit. I read a similar fight on a gin page I was reading.  The subject was vermouth or no. One fighter made an interesting, I thought, comment that if you insist that there be no vermouth you are simply drinking chilled gin, not a Martini. Nothing wrong with chilled gin, or chilled vodka for that matter. Personal preference, however, add some stuff to it. I enjoy the ritual...I even use fancy assed Bulgarian crystal glasses and mix/shake in a 60+ year old shaker I inherited from my peeps.  Part of the fun. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 hour ago, Orange^White said:

Let me get this straight...

Vodka in a drink makes a man into a  woman, but "The Botanist", "Noilly Prat", Elderflower, Orange Bitters and Lemon twists are men's drinks?

This is why there is such a debate about which bathrooms people should be using.

Pretty much this.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

50 minutes ago, Not that Bob said:

How we do love to fight here at Surly. Semantics and shit. I read a similar fight on a gin page I was reading.  The subject was vermouth or no. One fighter made an interesting, I thought, comment that if you insist that there be no vermouth you are simply drinking chilled gin, not a Martini. Nothing wrong with chilled gin, or chilled vodka for that matter. Personal preference, however, add some stuff to it. I enjoy the ritual...I even use fancy assed Bulgarian crystal glasses and mix/shake in a 60+ year old shaker I inherited from my peeps.  Part of the fun. 

If you don't have vermouth it's not a martini, gin or the vodka variety.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Onboard 2.0

[Hook1997 5402]

Vodka all the way!  Gin taste exactly like what’s it’s made of a evergreen tree berry.  No thanks

[relapse98 634]

On 7/6/2018 at 10:32 PM, NoRagrets said:

Vodka has no character.

Everyone has opinions, but yours is quite wrong.