u/MastodonFarm

I saw an ad for James May’s American Mustard gin while I was at a concert on Wednesday night and ordered a bottle from my phone before I really knew what I had done. It showed up less than two days later. Unexpectedly impressive logistics.

As to the gin: On its own, it’s kind of wild. It starts off with just a straight-up London Dry juniper character. You don’t really get the mustard at all. Then, after a few seconds, the mustard hits and then you can’t get it off your lips or out of your mouth. It's like finishing a hotdog and not having a napkin around.

Mixed with vermouth and some slightly smoky pickle juice, though, the mustard tones down and the effect is reminiscent of a backyard barbecue.

Now I need more ideas for what to do with this stuff. In my initial (mod-deleted) post, someone mentioned pairing it with a Chicago dog, which has me thinking about a Chicago-dog-themed cocktail. I had a Dragged Through the Garden Margarita recently that was riffing on the same idea. Maybe tomato water, this gin, a little pickle relish, celery bitters...

Recipe (also shown in the second pic): 2 parts gin, 1/2 part dry vermouth, 1/2 part pickle juice.

Instructions*: 1) pour the aforementioned ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass. 2) Add 127g ice. 3) Stir 61 times with an 11-inch mixing spoon. 4) Double strain into martini glasses (no other glassware will work! Don't risk it!). 5) Impale two pickle slices on a metal pick and rest on edge of glass. 6) Open mouth,. 7) Lift glass and tilt--not too far!--so that its contents flow in a stream into mouth. 8) Return glass to level before mouth overflows. 9) Close mouth and swallow. 10) That's it! Your body will do the rest from here on its own. (For more information about what happens next, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristalsis). Isn't science amazing?

*The mods (truly special people) deleted my first post of this drink for lack of instructions. I am fully confident that readers of r/cocktails know how to assemble a martini. Alas, the mods apparently take a dimmer view of our intelligence.

I vote yes, if you include a shot of tequila. I omitted the liquor for these because it’s 3 pm here. In any case, it’s the perfect daytime watching-soccer companion.

What’s everybody’s spec? These were 12 oz beer; 3 oz Clamato; 3 oz tomato juice; Maggi, lime juice, and hot sauce to taste. Rimmed with chamoy and tajin.

There’s just something about a michelada—savory, tart, comforting, and crushable.