Tune so Nice - Cocktail with Spice:
During the coldest time of the year it's wonderful to be able to create a cozy environment and cuddle up to your loved one(s). A feeling of joy sweeps over you as you're going through the linen closet and spot that particular blanket that has kept you comfort on many a winters night. Pine and cinnamon wafts across your nose as you light the candles from last season. For music a familiar duo will do. A melodic Batman and Robin if you will. Born and raised in the NYC area, Simon and Garfunkel were both touched by the city's magical, magnetic charm and you can certainly feel it in the song "Bleecker Street." The warm tone of vocal harmony and strummed acoustic guitar will certainly set the warm and cozy ambiance you're looking for. You've thoughtfully set out the English toffee, peanut brittle and biscoff cookies. You're almost set, yet there's still one more thing you remember that makes this all complete; the top hat to your snowman, the ribbon on your present or the star on your tree. You need a toasty warm beverage with all the winter spice to take this experience to a new paradigm.
"$30 pays your rent..."
East River Fog:
When those "New York winters are bleeding [you]," one of the best comforts to be had is a hot cup of cheer. As the fog rolls in off the East River bank and settles over Bleecker Street, it feels as though Creeping Death approaches the city. The only deliverance from this dreary chill must be that of ancient ritual. The lambs blood painted on your door is transposed into the scent of cloves and cinnamon in your apple cider. Hearing the gentle simmer begin, you know your spirits will soon be lifted. The ideal spirit to enliven you in this ceremony is the distinct characteristics of añejo tequila. To round out the imperious voices in this liquid poetry, you'll need a sacrament sized pat of (unsalted) butter. Stirring together the creamy, rich rhymes of this benediction in a mug deliver you from the shroud of gloom.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz añejo tequila
6 oz apple cider mix*
1 tbsp (unsalted) butter
Garnish: candy cane
*Cider mix: Gently simmer 1 gallon apple cider with 10 cinnamon sticks and 2 oz whole cloves for 20 min or until fragrant. Take off heat. Add 2 cups orange juice (fresh squeezed if possible). Strain solids (grab a hot pad first).
We hope you cozied up with this song playing as you enjoyed this cocktail.
Here's to all the forgotten folk music out there that still has a strong hold on our hearts when we let it in.
The party vibe has dwindled, everyone is fast asleep, but you feel well dressed, alive and sexy. Now it's just the two of you, ready for a slow jam and a nice cocktail to bring you even closer together. You drop the needle on your favorite Prince album, squeak the cork off the cognac and light the candles. The sweltering chemistry in the room will be impossible to interrupt, making for the ideal 'Gold Experience'. Heavy breathing, touching and sipping ensue without hesitation. The cocktail sweats in a curvy, bulbous glass and the crackles from the vinyl act as fireworks in the surreal, dreamy background. Wailing guitar, floaty vocals and a steady rhythm section coax you further into this indulgent sensual seduction.
Prince Alexander
Deep ruby color of Port, sultry taste of Cognac, robust flavors of Chai and Earl Grey and the lingering sweetness of Vanilla bean and cream forge an experience unlike any other... One to remember... It coats... It stays with you... You won't ever want to interrupt the flow and will always be wanting more. A perfect sensual delight with many layers and a legacy of flavor that whispers music in your ear that will rock your world. When sipped it will break it on down into your private affair of captivating melodies from your wildest dreams.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Cognac
.75 oz Ruby Port
.75 oz vanilla bean chai tea infused honey syrup*
1 oz cream
Garnish with nutmeg
*Honey Syrup infusion
Steep 4 tea bags of vanilla bean chai tea in 6 ounces of hot water for 15 min. Discard tea bags. Pour 6 ounces of honey into the warm tea and stir until honey is dissolved.
Method:
Pour Cognac, Ruby Port and honey syrup into a shaker. Add ice. Shake (or thrust) and strain into a coupe or snifter. In a clean shaker add 1 oz cream. Put the spring from your hawthorne strainer into the shaker and procreatively shake. Strain cream over the back of a spoon on top of the cocktail. Garnish with nutmeg.
Here's to the late and great Prince. Your music will always influence the music of this world to come.
Thirty years ago the album "Master of Puppets" was released. Next week Metallica will be releasing their latest album "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct." When "Master of Puppets" was released, Metallica was staying true to themselves, "following [their] instinct, not a trend" and playing music that, at the time, was unlike anyone had ever heard. The band would go on stage with no makeup or costume (which was the trend in the 80's) and "go against the grain until the end." With the albums driving, virtuosic music and drug addled mind control lyrics, it drew praise from critics outside the metal community. The album is considered the band's strongest effort of the period and is one of the most influential heavy metal albums. Metallica did some damage to what the public knew as metal. We are excited about the new album coming out next week and wanted to pick a song from "Master of Puppets"to celebrate 30 years of kickin' ass and to welcome the new record.
"Damage Inc." begins with an ominous series of reversed bass chords based on the chorale prelude of Bach's "Come Sweet Death." The song then plunges into a rapid rhythm with a pedal point riff in E. The whiplash tempo, face melting guitar riffs and the lyrics in the chorus "blood will follow blood" might get your mind in the alcohol will follow alcohol mood. What adult beverage should be present while listening to the intense, complex ideas?...
Razorback
Cut deep by something held so dear, blood follows blood flowing down your throat as the double kick cracks like an M-60 bringing death, destruction and damage. "Sight and smell of this, it gets me goin'..." At first glance this cocktail is toxic green with a bloody underbelly. Upon listening, this 1986 ripper has demanding vocals that pierce your ears whilst the needle spines of the cacti tickle your nose as you sip the glowing green concoction. Like coal to a freight train, the Razorback gives you that which you desire, fuel & fire!! Into the pit you go with inhibitions tossed aside and fervor for the 4 individuals on stage you've not felt for any other band. After all, this is Metallica. The original Bay Area thrashers. The Four Horsemen.
Whole ice
Ingredients
2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
.75 oz cactus juice
2 brandied cherries
2 lemon wedges
1 cube sugar
.25 oz Herbsaint
Damaged ice
Method
Place lemon wedges, cherries, cactus juice, sugar, Herbsaint into your favorite jar, because it's more metal to drink out of mason jars. Muddle those together with your best bludgeoner. Add vodka then damage some ice and throw it in. Garnish with a spike filled cactus leaf. Give it a pinky finger stir, lick the excess and enjoy.
"Go against the grain until the end"
Rage on fuckerz!!
Big thanks to Moxie for turning our post up to 11 with her fire!!
You've been up, you've been down. The rollercoaster of monetary emotion is unnerving. You've put it all on this hand just to get it over with. The steady hum of chatter and slot machines is almost meditative as you look at your hand. Two fives... What to do? Split this hand and take two chances on winning with a 15 or reach into your pocket and pull out the money, that was going to get you home, to double down and come out ahead? Sitting at the felt table, the smooth texture feels calming on your finger tips as you mill over your options. The other players are getting impatient. Just as you're about to turn your cards up to ask for a second hand, you hear a raspy British voice that feels almost like a quiet, all knowing angel on your shoulder. It instructs you... "double down, mate". Not knowing exactly who or where the voice came from you quiver as you reach into your pocket to double your bet and ask for one more card. Your heart jumps into your throat as the card flies across the table like a B-52 bomber and hits the felt at 126 decibels. To your unbelieving eyes you look down and see nothing other than the ace of spades...
King of Kings
As the dealer slides your mountain of chips across the table, you collect yourself. With a huge grin, you wonder where the expert wisdom came from. You soon realize that the voice wasn't in your head. Quickly, you whirl around to see a man adorned in a World War II era hat who has a woman on each arm. He has thick mutton chops, he's smoking a cigarette and is holding a tumbler of what appears to be whiskey. Rock n Roll embodied. You want to thank him, but you don't know how. "I just wanted to say thank you for telling me to double down... can I get you a drink?" He replies after exhaling a drag of his cigarette, "it was the Ace of Spades that saved ya, mate. Not me. I like a Jack and Coke now and then." "Sure thing!" you exclaim. "Can I get your name?"...
Lemmy
Infinitely famous the world over but made only in Lynchburg, Tennessee, Jack Daniel's delivers the wonderful balance of a spirit mellowed through sugar maple charcoal. Coca-Cola or "Coke" provides the sweet notes of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Together, they're effervescent like the vibrancy of Rock 'n' Roll. Why not add a little citrus? Enter lemon peel, stage left. Like the exuberance of Lemmy along with the quiet desperation that is the English way, the Jack & Coke is the perfect gambling buddy. Ingredients: 2 oz Jack Daniels 4 oz Coca-cola 2 dashes bitters lemon twist Method: Order from your favorite cocktail waitress as your having a cig and betting twenty on black. Make sure to throw your waitress a chip or five.
Everything Louder Than Everything Else Crunchy, greasy, punky, bluesy, gutsy Rock 'n' Roll... that was Motörhead. It didn't matter if you were a punker, a metal head or a blues guy. Motörhead played something for everyone. The band is often considered a precursor to, or one of the earliest members of, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which re-energized heavy metal in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Despite this, founding member and frontman, 'Lemmy' always dubbed their music as simply "Rock 'n' Roll". They played LOUD, they played mean, and most of all, they played with heart. With lyrics covering everything from war, good vs evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse and, most famously, gambling, they were the absolute epitome of Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Known to produce no less than 126 decibels in their live performances, Motörhead's music not only reached eardrums far and wide, but aspiring musicians as well. They released 23 studio albums, influencing bands including, but not limited to, Metallica, Guns 'n Roses and Foo Fighters.
Born to Lose... Lived to Win Born Ian Fraser Kilmister, but known to the world as simply 'Lemmy', he was an English musician, singer and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band, Motörhead. He was known for his appearance (including his friendly mutton chops) and his distinctive gravelly voice. When people think of having a drink for Lemmy, Jack Daniel's is the go-to. He was rarely seen without a glass of the Tennessee spirit, and one or more women in tow. Whether you're doubling down at the Black Jack table, playing all 3 lines on the one armed bandit, shooting craps or putting it all on black, gambling also comes to mind wherever Motörhead can be heard. One card in particular, the Ace of Spades was the subject of their biggest hit. Whiskey and Rock 'n' Roll have always gone hand in hand. So we decided to honor Motörhead's 40 year legacy and the kick ass, speed & whiskey addled, lady lovin' life that Lemmy lived, with an ice cold glass of Jack Daniel's. Cheers, Lemmy...
We dedicate this Motörhead influenced blog to the late, great Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister. He lived Rock 'n' Roll like nobody could. 40 years wasn't nearly enough music, but we're glad he gave us everything he did.
This one's for you, Lemmy.
Cheers, mate!!
We apologize for the hiatus, and we're thrilled to make a strong comeback!! So we suggest that you turn this one up to 11 and rock until the sun comes up. Eat the Rich!
Vision
Soaring high in a world of clouds
Every direction a vast endless blue
Floating through pillows cascading through your hair
Your world filled with tranquil air
Gushes of wind flow past
A cool floral scent kisses your nose
The enigmatic waft a puzzle of ages
Now a dreamy descent to school even a sage
Through monumental palisades of cumulus and cirrus
A glimmer of gold flickers in the distance
Closer views reveal the sliver of time where sun meets the seashore
There waltzes a brunette beauty adorned in white clutching her spirited tea
Mother's Bouquet
The potion an ode to all the beauty within the world. From the depths of the blue ocean and all it's exotic creatures to the grand heights of the vast blue above. In the middle the passion, give and take, the inspiration and generosity of all who possess it. The mother who oversees all... watcher and giver of life... omnipotent power within and around. So mighty and unrestricted yet vast, enveloping all, that it's almost hidden from the imperceptive passerby. Watch the rich unadulterated colors from top to bottom slowly meld together as the gallant beat of the waltz captures the mind. Just as every human on this tiny rock flying through the universe with their individual personalities and customs meld together to create a magenta masterpiece of oneness. Sip and learn as the bouquet of color and flavor dance upon your tastebuds until you reach enlightenment. Ingredients:
1 oz white rum
1 oz gold rum
1 oz Mother's Bouquet tea*
1 oz pineapple juice
.75 oz key lime juice
.75 oz Blue Raspberry Jolly Rancher syrup*
3 dashes Orinoco bitters
Method:
Fill your favorite tiki glass with pellet ice. Layer all ingredients into the glass as follows:
Blue Raspberry Jolly Rancher syrup, key lime juice, white rum, pineapple juice, gold rum, Mother's Bouquet tea, Orinoco bitters.
*Mother's Bouquet Tea:
1 cup water
4 Tbs Mother's Bouquet tea leaves
8 whole all spice
3 whole cloves
Add spice and cloves to water. Bring to a boil. Take off heat, add tea leaves and steep for 20 minutes.
*Blue Raspberry Jolly Rancher Syrup:
8 Blue Raspberry Jolly Ranchers
1/2 cup water
Simmer water on low heat with Jolly Ranchers, stirring frequently until completely dissolved.
Caribbean Blue
This is a dreamy waltz that makes one flow to and fro just as Boreas, Afer Ventus, Eurus and Zephyrus, the ancient Greek wind gods mentioned in the song. The whirling tone that the music sets is perfect to swizzle down this colorful libation. Watch the colors swirl together in one hand as you take your loved one in the other and pirouette through your living room transforming it into your own private sandy ballroom with an ocean breeze.
Enya
Enya began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to perform solo. She gained wider recognition for her music in the 1986 BBC series The Celts. Shortly afterwards, her 1988 album Watermark propelled her to further international fame and she became known for her distinctive sound, characterized by voice-layering, folk melodies, synthesized backdrops and ethereal reverberations. She has performed in 10 languages.
At such an alluring time of year where mother nature is brimming with color, dance through the outdoors with this cocktail and help bring all your fantasies and dreams to reality.
Fight For Your Right To Party
How many of you have had the chance to make it to the 'coolest' house party on the block? You know, the one that all the hippest kids in school go to? The one full of the jocks and the cheerleaders. Popularity is key, unspoken dress code and the chicks are all up ons. Always wondering what's been going on in that castle down the street, but never had the 'in' or felt you rolled with the right crew that was hip enough to get the invite. You've fought for this time and time again, but to no avail. But then, after so many stories you've heard, the great times had in that pad, you got the request. Incredibly jazzed to go, you show up and it's nothing like you thought. It's a drag. The girls ain't all that, the tunes are stale, tonic is flat, even that dude's shirt is wack! Girlies ain't wantin' none, the Aqua Di Gio clouds the fun. The shindig was mild to medium on the scale and you felt like you needed to do something to turn that party out! Wouldn't it have been nice to have had something up your sleeve to make that party rock? Something so fresh and new that it flips that vibe like a flapjack. Well we've got just the trick. Something easy breezy that'll turn up the bass and kick it into cyberspace. Just a couple seconds and you'll be ready to rock the block party till your hair turns gray. Mix Master Mike, what cha gots to say?...
Cheeky Chimp
Just like the three MC's and one DJ, you'll be sippin' this with no delay. With a brassy color and house party spirit, this Cheeky Chimp will have you spittin' game with expert wit. Bring this tonic and you'll be cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce. The second you fill the punch bowl with this cheeky delight, the girlies get down and the suckas hit the road. You grab your back street friend and get loud. Bust open the freezer and grab the only thing that's cooler than this party... iiiicccceeee. At this point, everybody's awesome ape is chillin' like Bob Dylan and the dj starts spinnin' that sax on wax. The place is jumpin', the beat is bumpin' and you decide to step up the cocktail in yo' Grandma's punchbowl. You grab a flask full of Spanish Fly from your track jacket and spike the Monkey. Before you know it, you're waxin' and milkin'. There'll be no sleepin' until you're back in Brooklyn. You're offered Möet, you don't mind whiskey, but this fly monkey's got the ladies so frisky.
Cheeky Chimp Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 ml) Brooklyn Republic vodka
1 bottle (750 ml) Kraken Black spiced rum
1 qt orange juice
1 pint lemon juice
As much Spanish fly as you think your party goers can handle
Method:
Throw it all in a bowl. If you want it to taste def... pour it on ice. When it's time to get ill, pour it on your face.
Spanish Fly
The Spanish Fly is an emerald-green beetle in the family Meloidae, Lytta vesicatoria. It contains a powerful blister-inducing substance called Cantharidin. This substance is claimed to have aphrodisiac properties, as a result of its irritant effects upon the body's genitourinary tract, and can result in poisoning if ingested. As it passes through the body, Cantharidin irritates the genitals resulting in increased blood flow that can mimic the engorgement that occurs with sexual excitement. The ease of toxic overdose makes this highly dangerous, so the sale of such products as Spanish fly has been made illegal in most countries. Nevertheless, there are many historical examples of it's use:
In Roman times, Livia, the scheming wife of Augustus Casesar slipped it into food, hoping to inspire her guests to some indiscretion with which she could later blackmail them
Henry IV is known to have consumed Spanish fly
It was slipped into the food of Louis XIV to secure the king's lust for Madame de Montespan.
It is claimed the Marquis de Sade gave aniseed-flavored pastilles that were laced with Spanish fly to prostitutes at an orgy in 1772. He was sentenced to death for poisoning and sodomy, but later reprieved on appeal
"Spanish Fly" is an instrumental solo played on a nylon string acoustic guitar by Eddie Van Halen. It was featured on the 1979 album 'Van Halen II'. The track is viewed by many as a follow up to the electric guitar instrumental "Eruption." Guitarist Steve Vai has said that "Spanish Fly" is his favorite Van Halen song
The compound was mentioned in the 1986 Beastie Boys song, "Brass Monkey", as being mixed in the title drink as an aphrodisiac between the narrator (Ad-Rock, Mike D, MCA) and a girl at a party
Here at TnT we don't like to mess with anything that can kill us any quicker than alcohol so we found a different recipe for this alluring, funky-fresh aphrodisiac. The herb Damiana also has historical use as an aphrodisiac. Damiana has a strong spice-like odor somewhat like chamomile, due to the essential oils present in the plant.
Spanish fly Ingredients:
750 ml brandy
4 ounces Damiana herb
2 ounces lemongrass
4 cinnamon sticks, broken
4 whole cloves
1 cup honey
Method:
3 days before a rager, put all ingredients in a large mason jar. Shake it up to incorporate everything. Let it sit for a few days. Strain out with cheesecloth or if you're after that "treeeee whiiiifffff" then find a shitty white t-shirt you have lying around the house and strain it through that. Insta-hippie.
Brooklyn Republic Vodka
First, the finest grains from the American Midwest are selected to undergo an initial 6-column spirit distillation right near where they're harvested. Each still is designed to remove a specific impurity. They chose 6-column distillation over traditional still processing because of its highly refined ability to make exceptional raw spirit. It's in Brooklyn where the magic of small batch vodka making begins. The vodka is blended from several grain spirits, including organic wheat and sweet corn, with purified local Brooklyn water, which is known for it's distinct sweetness.
Kraken Black Spiced Rum
Kraken is a 94 proof black rum. Named after the mythical giant squid-like sea monster, it was introduced in 2010. The base rum used in the spirit is from Trinidad and Tobago, distilled from naturally sweet molasses made from locally-grown sugar cane. The rum is aged 1-2 years and then blended with a mix of 11 spices, including cinnamon, ginger and clove. The liquid is black, revealing hints of brown when held up to the light. The bottle is styled after a Victorian rum bottle, with two hoop handles based on the tradition of hanging a bottle to prevent breakage.
Brass Monkey Once a pre-bottled mixed drink sold in stores by the Heublein company throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's, this now defunct libation has found life after death through pop culture sources such as this Beastie Boys song. The drink had a The bass, sax and scratch grab your attention like a good lookin' babe at a party. Then comes the beat and the rhymin' scheme. Drink your Brass Monkey, here's how you feel... you put your left leg down, your right leg up, tilt your head back and finish the cup. The Beastie Boys take turns on the mic with rhymes so fresh you feel like there's no other place to be than right here dancin' and drinkin'. They keep rappin', get hammered and have their manager pay for the bill. Now we just need girlies!! This brass-colored elixir will get you right where you want to be. The sweet rum and fresh orange juice greet you first, the vodka then delivers a warming sensation to which the fresh lemon juice answers with a squeeze of the tongue. The herbal notes finish it off nicely. Delicious, refreshing and simple!
"We got the bottle, you got the cup, c'mon everybody let's get ffffffffff"...
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys were an American hip hop band from New York City, formed in 1981. For the majority of their career, the group consisted of Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass) and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar). Originally formed as a four-piece hardcore punk band, the Your Aborigines, in 1981 by Diamond (vocals), John Berry (guitar), Yauch (bass) and Kate Schellenbach (drums), the band appeared on the compilation cassette New York Thrash, before recording their first EP, Polly Wog Stew, in 1982. Berry left shortly thereafter, and was replaced by Horovitz. After achieving moderate local success with the 1983 experimental hip hop 12-inch "Cooky Puss", Schellenbach dropped out and the group made a full transition to hip hop, releasing a string of successful singles. The Beastie Boys toured with Madonna in 1985 and a year later released their debut album Licensed to Ill.
With seven platinum or better albums from 1986-2004, the Beastie Boys were one of the longest-lived hip hop acts world wide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2012; the third rap group to enter the Hall after Run-D.M.C. and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. The following month, MCA died of cancer of the parotid salivary gland. In June 2014, Mike D stated that the Beastie Boys would not continue their careers as a group, as a promise to Adam Yauch.
Here's to 31 years of rappin' and a rhymin, schemin' and a climbin', up to the top of that wall known as Rock n Roll. Mix up a Cheeky Chimp, put your left leg down, your right leg up. Tilt your head back, let's finish the cup.
"So he found the heart in barren land, it was beating still alive... he held it gently in his hand and looked up to the sky..." A Battle Cry Heard
Trudging through the highlands in search of the ultimate secret weapon to make this victory your own, you notice something glimmering in the distance. As you approach, the gleam fades in and out. You ponder what this thing in the distance could be. Just a piece of a shattered helmet, remnants of a previous battle?... A gem that possesses the powerful magic you've been searching for?... Maybe it's your mind playing tricks on you... You can't overlook the possibilities that lay ahead! To the next mountain peak you dash, assailing any obstacle in your path as your heart beats faster and faster, triumphant images racing through your mind. Your army's morale is dwindling. The numbers stagger. You need something powerful to fend off the foes ahead. Something they'll never suspect. As you scurry up the last bit of the peak and look over the majestic land before you, you can't focus on anything in the vast distance, for before you lies something curiously radiant. At first glance, it merely looks like an old drinking horn. After looking closer, however, you can see what was shimmering in the light from afar. The drinking horn is covered in dirt and blood, but on one end a protruding jewel has nothing to camouflage it's brilliant shine. As you begin to wipe it with your pelt, you notice how ornate it is. The engravings on the kantsi read an ancient language you haven't seen in many moons... a language reserved for the uttering of spells. Your eyes widen when you realize what you've stumbled upon...
Viking Blod poured for the Father of The Baby Wolf
Beowulf
I† glistens in the Nordic sun. Your spirits lift. You crouch to pick up this gift from the Gods. You bring the kantsi to your lips for an un-knowing taste. As it flows through the bristles of your unkempt, element-battered mustache you realize this is Beowulf, the forgotten ancient mead potion. With a recipe lost centuries ago, you begin to wonder how this made its way here. This desolate peak upon these towering cliffs is the last place you'd expect to find something this rare and magical. You remember your father drinking Beowulf with his closest compatriots. They would laugh of tales from previous battles and ambiguously practice sword techniques. You must somehow unlock the recipe of this rare elixir. You wish to bring it back to life, like the witch you saw die in flames all those years ago. Your calvary deserves to toast to battles won with a horn full of the mighty...BEOWULF!!
Ingredients:
1 1/2oz Montelobos mezcal joven
1oz Viking Blod mead
3/4oz sweet vermouth
1/2oz lemon juice
5oz Skull Splitter Orcadian Ale Method:
Place mezcal, mead, sweet vermouth and lemon juice in a shaker tin. Add Ice. Give it a short vigorous shake. Pour Skull Splitter Ale into the shaker with the rest of the liquid. Strain into a pilsner glass or your favorite Kantsi. Garnish with hammer of Thor.
5,000 years in the making
Skull Splitter
Skull Splitter is an 8.5%abv wee heavy beer. Skull Splitter won the award of Supreme Champion Winter beer of Britain 2001 at CAMRA's national winter celebration of beer. Skull Splitter takes it's name after Torfinn Hausakljuv who was nicknamed "Skullsplitter". Hausakljuv was the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney circa 950 AD.
Skull Splitter was in the center of some controversy over it's name with The Portman Group. Dubbed "the alcohol watchdog group", Portman carried out an investigation based on complaints that the ale had an "aggressive theme". The Portman Group decided on December 23rd 2008 (Henry's 22nd birthday) not to uphold the complaint after the brewery launched a strong campaign to save this 20-year-old beer, informing the group of the beer's namesake.
"the first blow makes the helmet crack, the axe cut to the teeth"
"the last with Pagan blood"
Viking Blod Mead (Roughly translated Danish)
To create this mead they have combined the traditional brew with different spices and dried hibiscus. In addition to the color adds this mead one kryderet, aromatic and floral aftertaste, as a good Madeira. Based on a recipe that dates back to the year 1700.
Nordic honey wine with added hibiscus and hops
19%abv
"seek the wolf in thyself"
Montelobos is an artisanal mezcal made in Santiago Matalán Oaxaca produced with 100% organically certified agave espadín. This mezcal is meticulously crafted by world renowned agave expert Iván Saldaña. It is made according to his vision and passion for agave and artisanal mezcal with respect for traditional production methods, sustainability, and the quality of life in the communities and families who have produced mezcal for generations. Montelobos achieves extraordinary balance and complexity through a bold integration between agave, fermentation notes and smoke. Montelobos Mezcal is proudly produced by Casa Montelobos, a Mexican company based in Oaxaca and Mexico City.
Of Wolf and Man
Father of the Wolf
Complete with HD mini-movie, this battle-hymn has you ready to charge into enemy shields. In the past, alcohol has been dubbed "liquid courage" and we feel this tune will fill your kantsi with a similar fortitude. When paired with the mead and mezcal-laden Beowulf, this song will transform you into a goliath of viking strength and valor. The syncopated opening guitar riff kicks your heart into gear much like the hiss that can be heard when opening a "Skull Splitter." Johan Hegg begins to growl, as your revered Herse would, just before a battle making you thirst for blood. The face-melting guitar solos fill you with a pre-mature feeling of victory, though this crusade with Loki has not yet begun. You then find yourself stampeding down the mountainside to the relentless Thor-hammering pace of the double kick drums. With Oden on your side, ready to split skulls, you grip your sword and charge into the chorus...
"Serpent's kin, born of sin, dark within, FATHER OF THE WOLF!!"
"twenty ships with Norsemen"
Amon Amarth is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, founded in 1992. The band takes it's name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Vikings, their mythology and their history, leading to the band often being labeled as Viking metal. The band comprises of vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg and bassist Ted Lundström. Amon Amarth has released nine studio albums, one compilation album, one EP, one video album and eight music videos.
A Kantsi is a traditional Georgian drinking horn. In drinking culture, typically made from ram or goat horns, sometimes also from bull horns. \,,/
We hope you crush this tonic with your favorite Vikings.
Ingredients:
