A cocktail enthusiast whose goal is to have fun and inspire others with tasty libations
An Antibiotic Cocktail — The Penicillin
Just as alcohol can provide temporary relief from some conditions, e.g. sobriety (ha!), antibiotic drugs can cure all sorts of nasty physical conditions. Sam Ross is not a doctor, but he is a legendary New York City bartender who created the Penicillin. I’m sure Dr. Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin in 1928 (and no relation to Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels), would approve.
The Penicillin
2 ounces blended Scotch (I prefer Monkey Shoulder) .75 ounces honey syrup Ginger (see below for options) Juice from 1/2 lemon .25 ounces smoky Scotch (I used Laphroaig 10)
Combine everything except the smoky Scotch in a shaker with ice, shake with the force of penicillin destroying bacteria, strain into a chilled glass, then float the smoky Scotch on top (hold a spoon upside down over the glass and pour slowly). Candied ginger or lemon garnish optional.
You have two options for the ginger. First, use .5 ounces of a ginger liqueur such as Barrow’s Intense (full disclosure — I am a small investor). Second, muddle two or three small pieces of fresh ginger in the shaker before adding the other ingredients. I prefer the first option because Barrow’s Intense gives you a strong and consistent ginger taste with slightly less effort.
Speaking of effort, making honey syrup doesn’t take much of it. Just follow the recipe I used for A Thief In The Night. The smoky Scotch, which is a key ingredient in cocktails such as the Fireside Chat, helps bring everything together to make the Penicillin a tasty and warming cocktail.
