GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn--Offering cocktails on Super Bowl Sunday sound like too much work?
6Smith bartender, Ben Kippley, disagrees. And, he has tips for making drinks for the big game or for any occasion that will ensure you don’t get stuck behind the bar during an important play.
Some of tips from the pro? Focus on just one or two cocktails. Make them in large batches well in advance and let guests help themselves! He joined us in studio to demonstrate two of his favorites: one cold, a Moscow Mule; and one warm – perfect for a chilly winter night – gløgg, a mulled wine that hails from Norway. #SKOL!
For more information on 6Smith follow them on @6Smithrestaurant (Facebook & Twitter) or @6SmithWayzata (Twitter), visit: http://www.6smith.com/, or call: 952.284.6700.
Both batch cocktail recipes make about a dozen servings.
6Smith Moscow Mule: Large Batch
• 750 ml Vodka
• 1 ½ cup Ginger simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 1 cup Fresh Lime Juice
• ¼ oz Angostura bitters
• Soda Water
Garnish Lime Wedge serve in a copper mug over ice, and top with soda. Shelf life 2 days if refrigerated.
Ginger Simple Syrup:
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 cups Water
• 1 cup Fresh Ginger (peeled and chopped)
Combine sugar and water in small sauce pan and bring to low boil to dissolve the sugar. Add ginger and bring mixture back to simmer. Remove from heat and steep at least 30 minutes. Strain syrup through fine mesh, and discard ginger. Shelf life 5 days if refrigerated
Gløgg
• 1 cup Infused vodka (recipe below)
• 750 ml Dry Rosé (Preferably French )
• 750 ml Dry Sauvignon Blanc
• ¾ cup Sugar
• Approx 2 tsp Vanilla extract (to taste)
• Garnish: Orange peel, and star anise
Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven (5-6qt), add one rose, sauvignon blanc, and one cup of your infused vodka. Heat the pot and bring to a simmer (roughly 200 degrees). Reduce the mixture for 20 minutes at this temperature; then add 3/4 of a cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Stir for one minute and taste. If the drink is too strong, reduce for 5 more minutes, and add 1/2 a cup of water, and 1/4 cup more sugar. When satisfied with the taste, pour the Gløgg into an insulated air pot or thermos. Serve in a snifter, or coffee mug and garnish with an orange peel and a single one star anise to really brighten up the beverage.
Gløgg Vodka Infusion
• 1 cup Vodka
• 5 sticks Cinnamon Sticks (crushed )
• 2 tsp Green Cardamom (crushed)
• 1 TBSP Orange zest
• 12 Whole Cloves
• ½ cup Ginger (peeled and chopped )
Directions:
In a small container with a lid, combine all ingredients and stir for about 30 seconds. Place the lid on your container, and store the vodka in the refrigerator for 24 - 48 hours. After infusing the vodka, filter it into a clean container and discard the other ingredients.
Tips: Use a mortar and pestle to crush cinnamon sticks, until each stick is broken into about 4 or more pieces. Crush cardamom, until each pod has been cracked open.