Posts tagged bitter
Baby Guinness
Baby Guinness

Just a wee-Guinness for this St. Patrick’s Day 🍀

2-INGREDIENT COCKTAIL REVIEW | EP. 3 | BABY GUINNESS 🍀

I already had a feeling that I’d like this one. It’s literally coffee and cream so you can’t go wrong. It’s a bit on the sweet side so I’d maybe add some Irish whiskey to this if I made it into a full cocktail. I’d also probably whip shake the Irish cream too to put on top. Also, don’t skimp on the coffee liqueur, Mr. Black is a staple at my bar and always recommend going with that, Creme de Moka by tempusfugit or Espresso Liqueur by @luxardousa.

Check out my review above and let me know what I should make next!

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Cocktails, VodkaMiguel Buencaminococktail, stirred, syrup, bitterComment
Deepfake Irish Coffee
Deepfake Irish Coffee

It’s like an Irish Coffee, but not.🍀☕️ This enhanced version of the classic is still very easy to make and only takes a few more ingredients to execute. Chicory and coffee have always been a match made in heaven but together with an eight year old Irish Whisky like thequietmanwhiskey it just brings it to a whole other level. The notes of sweet vanilla and oak that is imparted from the barrel is on full display in this version of Irish coffee, only to be accentuated with a salted caramel foam to balance out the bitterness from the coffee.

Now cheers, and #HappyStPatricksDay.

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Cocktails, Whiskey, Coffee, Irish WhiskeyMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitter, coffee, creamy, chicoryComment
Zombie
Zombie

Hey at least I can admit when I f**k up, right?

In an effort to do a bit more research, I want to share the incredible history behind an iconic tiki cocktail: the zombie. Created by Don the Beachcomber (and NOT Trader Vic — thanks to everyone who pointed that out). This classic tiki cocktail is as full of history as it is rum. I hope y’all found this video as informative as I did.

Now… who wants to know the recipe to Don’s Mix? Should I make a zombie in the next video? Comment below.

Cheers y’all.

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Cocktails, VodkaMiguel Buencaminococktail, stirred, syrup, bitterComment
Lily Pad
Lily Pad

Spring has sprung, so lets celebrate with a delicious and floral spring themed cocktail with my friends over at @bentlyheritagedistillery.

I’ve partnered with @sourceonevodka to produce an easy sipping cocktail created with a local ingredient to pair with their small batch, single estate vodka. I landed with an Earl Grey syrup from Charleston Tea Plantation and combined it with delicate but floral ingredients to create a well balanced cocktail perfect for any spring day. Check out the recipe below!

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Cocktails, VodkaMiguel Buencaminococktail, stirred, syrup, bitterComment
Fuerza
Fuerza

A smokey, coffee-forward tequila cocktail… say less.

The recipe was created by my dude Dalton Bedard (@intent_to_imbibe) at @eattheordinary here in Charleston, SC. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Dalton placed in the Top 5 US Bartenders for @worldclassus in 2024. But good news y’all, he’s back at in 2025 as a finalist for the East Coast and we’re all pulling for him to take it all home this year.

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Cocktails, Tequila, ScotchMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitter, chocolate bitters, lemonComment
Ferrari
Ferrari

2-INGREDIENT COCKTAIL REVIEW | EP. 2 | FERRARI🏎️

A while back I made the M+M (Monte + Mezcal) and asked y’all what your favorite 2 ingredient drinks are and y’all delivered. This first one had me a little skeptical but this one seemed like they shouldn’t ever belong together, check out my review above.

Llet me know what I should make next!

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Cocktails, Campari, FernetMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitterComment
Up the Chimney
Up the Chimney

🎅🏻🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS! I’ve been wanting to smoke a Holiday themed cocktail for a while now and I think I found the perfect vessel for it. I saw this at @target and immediately thought it was for smoking my cocktails… is that weird? Anyone know what this is really for? …either way it doesn’t matter because this drink ended up being delicious.

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Cocktails, Whiskey, VermouthMiguel Buencaminococktail, bitter, stirred, strong, orange, christmasComment
Freezer Door Maple Old Fashioned
Freezer Door Maple Old Fashioned

Is it safe to assume you’ll be hosting or attending a Holiday Party this year?

Need some tips on what cocktail to make? Well how about we batch it? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. The best part about this recipe is you can make it ahead of time and that it does NOT freeze, so keep it in the fridge or freezer until your guests arrive and have them serve themselves over a large clear cube so you can enjoy the party instead of making drinks all night.

Now try this out and go be hero at the next party.

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Cocktails, BourbonMiguel Buencaminostirred, strong, bitter, old fashioned, maple syrup, orangeComment
Trois Jours À Cognac
Trois Jours À Cognac

Let’s do drinks…

This one goes out to one of my inspirations for @holycityhandcraft, my homie @apartment_bartender. Me and Elliott go back to the infancy of @instagram. Back when it was all about pretty, curated photos and baked in filters via the app.

Elliott was one of the first people on Instagram that made home bartending approachable and look cool as hell doing it. Back when there were only a handful of cocktail accounts, he was one of the firsts who picked up a real camera and truly took cocktail content on social media to the next level. I’m almost positive he came up with the term ‘#boozemail’ which is ubiquitous among creators these days. I feel like brands didn’t even know what to do with us back in the day because the term ‘influencer’ wasn’t coined yet.

Fast forward a couple years later, I get a phone call from Elliott while we’re both at our real office jobs, telling me he’s going to quit his sales job and do AB full time - I was completely blown away at even the thought of that. I don’t think I knew anyone at that point who quit their job to pursue a career in social media/content creation. But I remember him telling me, ‘you’re next!’ and at that point in my life, I just couldn’t even fathom that happening but always appreciated his hustle and his endless support. I loved following his growth and journey as he paved the way for other creators in the cocktail space.

I’m sitting here, writing this over 4 years since I quit my office job and pursued HCH full time. While I probably would have gotten to this point eventually, I don’t think I would have been here as fast without Elliott. I’m proud to call him a friend and can’t be more proud of him for releasing his first book ‘Let’s Do Drinks!’. So I figured what would be a more fitting way to celebrate then by making a recipe from the book.

Moral of the story is: everyone needs an Elliott in their life. Someone who supports you and you can draw inspiration from. Someone who inspires you to be your very best and do what you’re good and and just fucking hustle.

Cheers to you E, let’s do drinks soon.

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Cocktails, CognacMiguel Buencaminostirred, strong, bitterComment
The Strangest Thing
The Strangest Thing

What better way to combine two things I love (craft cocktails and @strangerthingstv) than the #StrangerThingsAB cocktail contest held by my dudes @apartment_bartender and @keifermadness. Inspiration comes from THE UPSIDE DOWN and a bit of that fall flavor all is basic girls love 💁🏻
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Cheers y’all, make sure to tune into Season 2 of Stranger Things on @netflix TOMORROW!

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Cocktails, Rye, AmaroMiguel Buencaminococktail, bitter, spicy, halloween, holidayComment
Lazy River
Lazy River

It’s the cantaloupe life raft garnish for me….

Up next on Charleston’s tour of #NegroniWeek with @campari_southcarolina is my buddy Megan Deschaine (@meganmakesdrinks) at @eatbarcopa with her take on a classic.

“A bright, tropical inspired Negroni featuring a briny, sea breeze like Martinique Agricole, playing with the bitter Campari and lightly sweet herbal notes of the infused vermouth. Best enjoyed with sunshine and friends”

Just a reminder that this week, I’ll be featuring five of Charleston’s finest bartenders to show us their take on a Negroni. The cool part about this if you’re local, they’ll actually be serving these up at their respective bars THIS WEEK ONLY, so make sure to go to @eatbarcopa to give this one a try and support the cause!

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Cocktails, Campari, Negroni, RumMiguel Buencaminostirred, campari, negroni, melon, foam, bitterComment
A Rose By Any Other Negroni
A Rose By Any Other Negroni

Brb… gotta clean some peppercorn off my lens…

Up next on Charleston's tour of #NegroniWeek with @campari_southcarolina is Fabiana Pinillos (@fabiliciousssss) over at Dalila's (@dalilas_on_spring)

"Dalila's would not be the bar it is without the Negroni - it is one of the first cocktails we think about and play off of when designing menu changes. This takes all those traditional components that we love and amplifies them in a floral, but non-pastiche way, toasting the pink peppercorn to bring out some richness and citrus notes, matching that with Italicus, a rose and bergamot liqueur that's light on its feet, and putting an underrated classic gin like Gordon's at the helm to steer the beverage in the right direction. A bit of seasoning ties it up all nicely - a pinch salt, an expression of lime oil, and just a dash of a rich simple syrup add body to make this Negroni delicious."

Just a reminder that this week, I'll be featuring five of Charleston's finest bartenders to show us their take on a Negroni. The cool part about this if you're local, they'll actually be serving these up at their respective bars THIS WEEK ONLY, so make sure to go to @dalilasonspring to give this one a try and support the cause!

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Cocktails, Campari, Negroni, GinMiguel Buencaminostirred, campari, peppercorn, italicus, bitter, limeComment
Iranic
Iranic

EXTREMELY 👏🏽 FLAVORFUL 👏🏽

Up next on Charleston’s tour of #NegroniWeek with @campari_southcarolina is Stephen Blackmon (@stephenblackmon) over at Doar Bros. (@doarbros) - make sure to stop by and give this one a try in person!

“I was inspired by one of my favorite Indian restaurants, Chai Pani in Asheville, NC owned by Chef Meherwan Irani. The backstory of his great grandfather running one of the only Irani Cafes in his hometown along with what it must have been like hanging out there on a regular basis painted a vivid picture for what I wanted to share with others. The combination of culturally driven flavors and lively but chill vibes are what incited me to produce this very special cocktail riff.

I knew I wanted to have three things come out of this cocktail’s production: tea, spices, and savoriness in homage to Meherwan and his family’s heritage. By using the specific barrel-aged gin with big notes of Indian spices, infused for further complexity with malty Assam Tea along with traditional Masala Chai, I was able to ground the base idea around those bold flavors. I then chose to infuse a commonly found Italian aperitif white wine with spiced orange tea to play off both the infused gin and also tie it to both the Campari and Grand Mariner rather than use the typical sweet vermouth. I chose to do a “fat washing” process using traditional brown ghee along with coconut oil to round out the entire cocktail with a lingering silky and savory finish.”

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Cocktails, Negroni, GinMiguel Buencaminostirred, negroni, gin, strong, bitterComment
Cucumber Negroni Sbagliato
Cucumber Negroni Sbagliato

As if the Negroni Sbagliato couldn’t get more refreshing 🥒

Together with my friends over at @empress1908gin, we made a refreshing Negroni Sbagliato riff inspired by the ingredients in their Cucumber Lemon Gin. The brightness of the lemon and refreshing/vegetal aspects of the cucumber play perfectly well with the ‘Bianco’ version of this classic cocktail.

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Cocktails, Gin, NegroniMiguel Buencaminostirred, spritz, strong, cocktails, frizzy, bitterComment
The Springteen
The Springteen

TIKI-inspired Boulevardier? Yep.

Together with coopercraft, my good buddy Jordan aka @highproofpreacher and myself have teamed up to create two takes on a Boulevardier. Both recipes will be using similar ingredients in pineapple and sherry but they will be vastly different in flavor and texture but very similar in that they’re both absolutely delicious.

This is my take on a tiki-inspired cross between a Boulevardier and a Jungle Bird. This recipe is both SHAKEN and STIRRED. The initial base is a Boulevardier-riff that combines Oloroso sherry and the 100-proof coopercraft Barrel Reserve to provide something familiar but not overly sweet to compliment the topping (think Garibaldi). This orgeat, salted-pineapple foam is literally the icing on the cake. This topping is shaken to showcase the pineapple’s natural ability to foam when aerated (shaken) providing for light and fluffy top and a strong, complementary base to match. You NEED to make this recipe this week and make sure to head on over to @highproofpreacher to check out his coffee/pineapple riff!

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Aperitivo, Gin, RumMiguel Buencaminococktail, foam, bitter, shakenComment
Near & Dear (Batched Recipe)
Near & Dear (Batched Recipe)

Here’s your new favorite “Freezer Door” cocktail.

Just wanted a quick second to feature my dude Joey Goetz of lastsaintchs. He’s doing us a favor by showing us how to make a batch of SIX bottles of liquid gold - aka a chocolate + coconut-fat washed Negroni. My god, this was so good.

“Coconut and Chocolate visit a classic Negroni in an updated take on everyone’s favorite gin cocktail.

We build our standard house negroni, add Cacao Nibs and Coconut Oil to fat wash and infuse the entire cocktail. Freeze it and then strain everything off. It give you a classic negroni backbone but with wonderful notes of coconut and chocolate to compliment.”

Cheers y’all!

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Cocktails, Gin, Campari, Cocchi Torino, NegroniMiguel Buencaminostirred, bitter, coconut, negroniComment
La Lousiane
La Lousiane

Meet the Vieux Carré’s American Cousin, La Lousiane.

Here’s another stirred cocktail with roots in Louisiana. This recipe first appeared in 1937 and was the house cocktail at the historic New Orleans restaurant of the same name. It’s a rye-forward cousin to the Vieux Carré and still maintains the delicate balance despite the addition of rye and absinthe.

This is one you’ve got to try, cheers y’all.

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Cocktails, Whiskey, Rye, VermouthMiguel Buencaminostirred, Maraschino, cherry, bitter, benedictineComment