Mixology Monthly is a monthly subscription box that brings you all the tools to make killer cocktails at the comfort of your home. For $35 per month, you’ll get the ingredients and recipes to make professional level libations. For $60 per month you can get the deluxe box, which includes home bar tools.
The theme for this month is Cranberry Sauced. The information card gives you details about each item, as well as their retail value.
DEAL: Save 15% on your first box with coupon code HELLOSUB.
Everything in the December 2016 Deluxe Mixology Box!
Besides tools and glassware, you’ll also get recipe cards and ingredients to make that perfect cocktail! They included recipes for three drinks, each based on a different liquor. I love that they don’t require any specialty liqueurs or exotic ingredients – other than the ones included in the box. In addition to the items provided in the box, this set of drinks needed vodka, bourbon, gin, champagne, lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, and sparkling water. This was the most extensive shopping list I’ve had for this subscription so far, but that’s mostly because we happen to be out our staple liquors. Most folks that entertain regularly would have these mainstays on hand.
Simply Baked by Christy Designs Cocktail Picks ($4): These picks are great for spearing olives or skewing a slab of zest. They are thicker than toothpicks (similar to wooden skewers), and they look a lot nicer, too! The black wooden bead is good for holding onto for playing with your garnish.
Viski Rosewood Strainer ($17.99): The built-in strainer on some shakers can get clogged easily, particularly with muddled drinks like the Tipsy Turkey. This strainer has a much better flow, with a slotted center and egg-whisk style coil along the edge to catch everything. The handle is made of durable Indian rosewood.
Viski Channel Knife ($4.99): I found this tool to be quite handy when garnishing my Tipsy Turkey. I forgot I had it out, and I started cutting a strip of orange zest with a knife. I messed up on two attempts before remembering to try the channel knife. What a difference! It cut a narrow, uniform strip 0f zest, and I was able to get it as long as needed without it breaking. Very handy!
Mad Maiden Cranberry Shrub ($7.99): Shrubs are making a major comeback. The vinegar laden drinks were originally a speakeasy invention to improve the taste of saltwater infiltrated bootlegged booze. The bright, crisp flavor of vinegar livens up the profile of a cocktail, really bringing the fruit flavors to the fore. This blend mixes the snap of vinegar with a not-too-tart cranberry.
The Mad Maiden came with a recipe card with even more drink ideas.
Bittercube Orange Bitters ($10): These have a great orange flavor, and they aren’t bitingly bitter or overpowering like orange oil itself.
A bit of coriander and cardamom gives this blend a bit of spice, making it perfect for holiday themed drinks.
Quince and Apple Apples and Cranberry Preserves ($9.50): Thick and chunky, these preserves have a nice balance of tart and sweet, with the sweet winning out slightly. The bits of fruit are actually sufficiently intact to require a bit of muddling when used in a drink.
Here are this month’s awesome drinks!
Tipsy Turkey: Obviously designed for use with Wild Turkey, but I substituted Evan Williams instead. This drink retained a very distinctive bourbon flavor, so it’s best reserved for bourbon fans. The preserves were the centerpiece of this concoction, adding awesome texture along with the fruity sweetness.
Cran-Orange Crush: This vodka drink is great for those who like juice-based drinks, as it had a nice balance of orange and cranberry, receiving a boost of orange with a couple ounces of juice. Probably the most palatable of the trio for those that like the alcohol in their mixed drinks somewhat masked.
Shrub 75: The classic French 75 is essentially a Tom Collins with Champagne. This twist uses the orange bitters and Mad Maiden to infuse some extra fruit into the profile. This one surprised me, and it was my favorite drink of the bunch. I used New Amsterdam gin, which has a citrus heavy profile and is light on the juniper – this went particularly well with the fruity additions to this drink. My sugar didn’t stay in suspension (simple syrup is probably better for this drink), but I think I liked the less sweet version better.
This subscription is a great way to get out of your cocktail rut. Every month has some unexpected combinations, and the high-quality tools are helpful for building up your home bar kit. It can be a little bit of work to gather and prepare the ingredients, particularly if you make them all at once, but it’s also a lot of fun! It’s great for anyone wanting to improve their home bar, and I think it’d be a fun subscription for roommates to split.
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