I first heard about this via Complex City Guide’s 25 Best Cocktails in New York Right Now, in GIFS. The Stout and Stormy came on and the GIF made a Stout look refreshing. I had to have one.

I made it for some friends with two different beers to compare. First, Duck Rabbit’s Milk Stout, to give the North Carolina brewery some love. This is a solid milk stout, no doubt, and the drink was successful…or so we thought. We then tried it with the recommended Southern Tier’s 2x Milk Stout, the beer that Goat Town uses for their recipe. The deeper flavor of this stout made the ginger flavors shine much stronger than the Duck Rabbit did, and made the drink much more well rounded. The Duck Rabbit masked the ginger flavors a tad, but brought out more lime flavor. Try it with both, or some other milk stouts, and see what you think!

So, onto the recipe…

The Drink: Whip up some ginger syrup. Shake 1oz of the syrup and 3/4oz fresh lime juice with ice. Stain into a chilled pint glass, float the stout (we recommend Southern Tier’s) on stop, stir a tad, garnish with a lime wedge.

The Glass: From Red Brick Brewing.

The Attire: Kristen in Patagonia’s Better Sweater.

The Drink: We both have had Bacon Old Fashioneds, but we thought a touch of chocolate would take it to another level…and it did! First, infuse your bourbon with bacon. We infused Four Roses via the Fat Washing method. In a few hours, you’ve got bacon bourbon! Next, put 3/4oz simple syrup, 2 dashes chocolate bitters (we used Fee Brother’s Aztec Chocolate), and 2oz bacon infused bourbon in your glass. Add a large ice cube (we love Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds) and stir. Garnish with an orange peel.

The Glass: Bormiolo Rocco Selecta Old Fashioned glass.

The Drink: Jamie wanted to make a Rum & Coke that was way better than the kind you get when you ask for one at a wedding and that wasn’t a Cube Libre. Thus, the Tuco Salamanca Libre was born. Muddle 1/4 lemon and 1 mint sprig. Add 2 oz Spiced Rum (we used Kraken) and top with Mexican Coke in a highball. Garnish with mint and lemon slice.

The Glass: Heavy Sham Highball from The Boston Shaker.

96% of what Jamie Clayton and I talk about is photography, music, and cocktails. We thought the new “Drink This” series was a perfect opportunity to combine parts of our bars together and make some goodness. So, we settled on some recipes, set up a bar in the back room of my BFF’s house in Nashville, and got to mixing (and dancing).

Today through Friday, we’re taking over the blog with the four drinks we made. First up…

KISS KISS BANG BANG; or, The Val Kilmer

Jamie bought me a bottle of Smoked Spiced Orange syrup from Nashville’s Bang Candy Company, so we wanted to use it in a cocktail. While digging online, we came across the bar menu for Founding Famers in D.C. (a place I’ve been to and loved). Their “Founders Smash,” listed on the menu, reads: Founding Farmers Rye, muddle lemon and orange syrup, bitters. Thus, the inspiration for our very own cocktail was born. I call it the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Jamie calls it The Val Kilmer, but we both call it delicious.

The Drink: Muddle 1/4 lemon with 3/4oz Bang Candy Co.’s Smoked Spiced Orange Syrup and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Add 2 oz Rye (we used Rittenhouse), ice, and shake. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a lemon twist.

The Glass: Coupe from The Boston Shaker.

The Drink:
We love St-Germain and are always trying to find news ways to use it. Until now, I’d only mixed it with bourbon in a Traditional Elderfashioned (a drink that’s been a hit in our house). I saw the Elderflower Manhattan recipe on Slash Food and made it immediately…and loved it. Put your 2 oz Bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace), 1 oz St-Germain, 1/2 Dry Vermouth (Dolin), and 2 dashes Angostura bitters in a shaker, add ice, shake it up, and strain into a chilled glass.

Now, here’s a way to spice it up…use Cinnamon St-Germain. When Jamie suggested I make some, this was the first drink I wanted to try it in. I picked up a mini bottle, so not to tamper with my main bottle, added 3 cinnamon sticks, and let it sit for 24 hours before tasting it. And wow…is it good. It’s not too overpowering, but just the right hint of cinnamon mixed with elderflower. In this cocktail specifically, it adds a nice cinnamon smell with a faint cinnamon taste, and takes it to a whole new level of delicious!

The Glass:
Crate & Barrel martini glass.

The Attire:
Monogrammed L.L. Bean flannel pajamas…because sometimes we drink in our pajamas!

The Drink: Half Andygator (our favorite Abita beer) and half Purple Haze. The first time I had one was at The Chimes in Baton Rouge. See some more Abita beer mixes here…but try a Barney first.

The Glass: Andygator glass we picked up at the brewery in November.

The Attire:

• CPO Parson jacket from Urban Outfitters.
• J.Crew jeans.

Welcome to a new series, Drink This. If you follow the Tweets and/or ‘Grams, you know that we often share delicious beverages that we come across, or make ourselves. It’s time to extend the beverage love to the blog. Here, we’ll be sharing favorites from beers to bourbons, and classics to new creations. Cheers!

The Drink: I had my first Toronto on Saturday at Leon’s Full Service in Decatur, GA. Every night since, I’ve made one at home. A few months ago, I impulsively bought a bottle of Fernet-Branca and hadn’t opened it…until now. Ignore the Canadian whiskey that this was originally intended for and use 2 oz American Rye (I’ve been using Sazerac). Add 1/4 oz simple syrup (take it up a notch with Demerara), 1/4 oz Fernet, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir for about 20 seconds in a mixing glass filled with ice, strain into your cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.

The Glass: $2.19 mallard glass found antiquing in Jasper, Georgia.

The Attire: 

• Ralph Lauren OCBD and cable knit sweater.
• Jack Wills khakis (from the Charlottesville shop).
• OPI San Tan-Tonio nail polish.