It's not often that you go to a government website and find record of a cocktail recipe.

Oppenheimer's own Martini doesn't whisper, it declares.

Oppenheimer vs the standard Martini

The standard Martini, a classic cocktail revered for its simplicity and elegance, typically calls for two ounces of gin. It's a delicate balance of gin and vermouth, often garnished with a lemon twist or an olive.

Oppenheimer's recipe introduces a honey-lime rim, a sweet and citrusy touch that perfectly complements the robust gin.

Recipe Notes

• The gin must be as cold as possible. If you often make Martinis, I recommend storing the gin bottle in the freezer at all times.
• If you do not have time to let the gin mingle in the freezer, pour the portion needed in a container and set it in ice to chill. Just like this.
• If you're new to gins, ask your liquor store clerk for any locally distilled gins. Otherwise, opt with the standard Tanqueray's, Beefeater, Plymouth. If making for parties, a Costco card does come in handy.

Preparation

1. Chill your glasses: The key to a good martini is its coldness. Place your martini and mixing glasses in the refrigerator (with ice as seen in the video) or freezer for at least an hour to ensure they are thoroughly chilled.
2. Prepare the honey-lime rim: Stir 1 oz honey and .75 oz of lime juice in a glass, then transfer to a medium size plate. Dip the rim of your martini glass into the mixture to create a sweet, citrusy rim.
3. Assemble the cocktail: Fill your mixing glass full with ice. Add 1 oz of vermouth, stir for 5 seconds, then pour out the excess, leaving only a coating on the ice.
4. Add the chilled 4 oz of gin and give it another quick stir to ensure minimal dilution.
5. Serve: Strain the cocktail into the martini glass.

Final Thoughts

But be warned, this martini is strong. Tread carefully, and enjoy responsibly.

In this guide, I will show you exactly how to set your keg, maintain it, give you my recipes, tips and tricks.

It may look intimidating, but it's not. I promise.

Why Nitro?

When customers asked us, whats cold brew nitro? One explanation seemed to hit home run:

It's like a Guinness but with coffee.

Why Set Up a Keg at Home or the Office?

The answer is ultimately between you and your pastor—or husband or wife. But's if you ask me, if you work at home—it begs the question, why not?

So if you have $800 to spare and want to execute a power move—continue reading this guide.

I have a friend with many excellent qualities. But one in particular always sticks with me—on social media, she doesn't share many memes or RT's, but when she does, they are bangers.

Last Friday morning...

The YouTube algorithm decided it was fitting to show a dj set from My Analog Journal titled "Songs that Will Cure Your Hangover" (no, I was not hungover)

Why am I sharing this with you?

I started listening to it and I had chills all the way through. Something this good must be shared.

It's a banger.

I hope you find this useful for:

1. Soothing-smooth-as-shea-butter work music.
2. Study /work background visuals.
3. Tunes while you cook this weekend.
4. Or, as intended, helps you get over a hangover (let me know if it works).

Please enjoy this stunning set from My Analog Journal by Ceylan Göksel.

**Play it loud.

As imbibers, if we choose to consume alcohol, we should be informed about the specifics of the damage our bodies take.

We all know alcohol is bad for us. But we still carry on and try not to get too crazy.

Common adage says that no more than 2 drinks a day is moderate and considered safe. False.

Current studies, as proposed by Dr. Huberman, point out that zero alcohol consumption is considered safe. At the most, two drinks a week is considered safe for minimal to no effects on the body.

I strongly suggest you listen to the podcast. It is dense with information so I listed 10 main takeaways.

If you want to know more, I listed 10 expanded takeaways.

10 Quick Take Aways

1. Alcohol affects different people in different ways, ranging from increased alertness to impaired judgment and motor function.
2. Alcohol travels to the brain and has indiscriminate effects on different areas involved in thinking and behavior.
3. Alcohol suppresses the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, leading to increased impulsiveness and reduced top-down inhibition.
4. Chronic drinking can lead to changes in neural circuits and result in increased impulsiveness, even when not drinking.
5. The effects of alcohol on the brain's neural circuits are not often discussed, but can lead to decreased top-down inhibition and increased impulsiveness and habit formation.
6. Chronic drinking can lead to changes in the brain's neural circuits and result in a reduction of inhibitory contacts within the circuits controlling behavior.
7. Changes in the brain's neural circuits can be reversed with a period of sobriety, usually ranging from 2 to 6 months, except in cases of heavy, long-term alcohol consumption.
8. Alcohol consumption has a significant effect on the release and activity of serotonin, a neuromodulator involved in mood and feelings of well-being.
9. Alcohol consumption can result in blackouts, where people perform actions but have no memory of them due to a shut down of memory-forming neurons in the hippocampus.
10. The gut-liver-brain axis refers to the communication between the gut, liver, and brain, and alcohol consumption can disrupt this axis and lead to increased drinking.

Now for the main takeaways and some points on each:

Inebriation: Top-Down Inhibition, Impulsivity & Memory Formation

1. Alcohol affects different people in different ways, with some feeling more alert and energetic while others experience impaired motor function and judgment.
2. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver and travels to the brain, where it has indiscriminate effects on different areas involved in thinking and behavior.
3. Alcohol's initial effect is a suppression of the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, leading to increased impulsiveness and reduced top-down inhibition.
4. Chronic drinking can lead to changes in neural circuits controlling habitual and impulsive behavior, leading to increased impulsiveness even when not drinking.
5. Regular drinking leads to an increase in the number of synapses in neural circuits controlling habitual behavior and a reduction in the number of synapses in those controlling behavior.

Long-Lasting Effects & Impulsivity, Neuroplasticity & Reversibility

1. The effects of alcohol on neural circuits, particularly in terms of decreased top-down inhibition and increased impulsivity and habit formation, are not often discussed.
2. Chronic drinking, even as infrequent as once a week, can lead to changes in the brain's neural circuits and result in a reduction of inhibitory contacts within the circuits controlling behavior.
3. These changes in the brain's neural circuits can be reversed with a period of sobriety, usually ranging from 2 to 6 months, except in cases of heavy, long-term alcohol consumption.
4. The effects of alcohol intake can vary greatly based on factors such as body weight, with two drinks per night being considered a lot for some people.
5. While there may be long-lasting impacts of heavy alcohol consumption, people who have struggled with alcoholism can still focus on their health and see improvement in brain circuits with sobriety.

Gut-Liver-Brain Axis: Alcohol, Gut Microbiome, Inflammation & Leaky Gut

1. The gut liver brain axis refers to the communication between the gut, liver, and brain through nerve cells, chemical signaling, and neural signaling.
2. Alcohol consumption disrupts the gut microbiome and increases the release of inflammatory cytokines, causing a leaky gut and allowing bad bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
3. This disruption also affects the neural circuits that regulate alcohol intake, leading to increased drinking and further exacerbation of the gut liver brain axis.
4. Replenishing the gut microbiome through fermented foods, probiotics, and prebiotics has the potential to repair the negative effects of alcohol consumption on the gut liver brain axis.
5. Regular consumption of two to four servings of low-sugar fermented foods per day has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve the gut microbiome.

Hangover: Alcohol & Sleep, Anxiety, Headache

1. Hangover is a combination of physical and psychological symptoms, including headache, nausea, and anxiety. The anxiety that follows drinking is caused by an increase in cortisol levels and a decrease in other stress hormones.
2. Poor quality sleep is one of the main causes of hangover symptoms. Alcohol disrupts the architecture of sleep, including slow wave sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement sleep, which are essential for a restorative night's sleep.
3. The gut microbiome is also impacted by alcohol, leading to leaky gut and other gut-related symptoms. Ingesting low sugar fermented foods, prebiotics, or probiotics can help support the gut microbiome and alleviate some of the malaise associated with hangover.
4. Headaches are caused by vasoconstriction, a rebound effect after a night of drinking, when the blood vessels constrict. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or Tylenol, can alleviate headaches but can have negative impacts on the liver and immune system.
5. Deliberate cold exposure, such as taking a cold shower, may help with alcohol clearance, but it is important to be aware of the dangers of lowering the core body temperature while inebriated. The central command centers of the brain that regulate temperature regulation are disrupted by alcohol, making it dangerous to engage in cold exposure activities.

Are There Any Positive Effects of Alcohol?

1. The idea that red wine is good for your health due to its high levels of resveratrol is not supported by peer-reviewed research.
2. Drinking any amount of alcohol, including low to moderate levels, has been shown to reduce the thickness of the brain and increase the risk of shrinkage in gray matter volume.
3. The best amount of alcohol to drink for health benefits is zero glasses per week.
4. Alcohol consumption can alter DNA methylation and gene expression, leading to an increased risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer.
5. The amount of alcohol in a drink and the size of the serving can vary greatly across different countries, making it difficult to determine the exact amount of alcohol consumed.

Personal Take

As someone who loves the taste of a great cocktail, cheap cold beer next to a body of water, a romantic day with a chill bottle of champagne—and who values cognitive performance every day—this is all a tough pill to swallow.

I successfully completed Dry January and felt great—super energized and got the most out of every day.

The first week of February came, my cognitive performance was low, and I had a two-day hangover. Wasted time.

There's a lot to say and consider, and I'll be sharing my notes and journey with y'all.

But for now, I want to share these notes from this podcast episode.

The Toddy System is what's used for making cold brew coffee at a large scale. It's the go-to choice for the majority of independent coffee shops.

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In this guide:

Opinions on Coca Cola vary, but one thing is certain: a sip of an iced-cold Coca Cola, the feeling of the sweet and crisp bubbles hitting the spot in such a magical way, feels almost as good as a sip of cold water in a blazing hot desert.

But this experience lacks one important thing—a respectable hit of caffeine and a confident note of coffee.

With this technique and recipe, you can skip the labor of muddling to make a great mojito. You will elevate a mojito from good to addicting.

What's the secret?

The Problem

In a traditional Mojito preparation, you take a tall glass, add mint leaves, granulated sugar and lime, then you incorporate the ingredients together with a muddler. This process requires a decent amount of elbow grease.

Why do people order Mojitos? Because they see other people ordering Mojitos.

But what if you are making Mojitos for a bunch of people? This muddling will get tiring quickly. And you better believe everybody won't be satiated with just one.

The Solution?

The secret to an improved and consistently better tasting Mojito is to make a specific mint syrup using fresh mint leaves.

You can make as much of this minty syrup as you want—prepare for a large party, save some in the fridge, or even batch and bottle Mojitos.

How to Make Mojito Syrup (Fresh Mint Syrup)

The secret elevating a Mojito from good to addicting is using this fresh mint syrup.

Deconstructed Drinks — Master Cocktails and Coffee at HomeEdd Siu

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Directions

1. Make sure you have mint syrup made. Recipe here.
2. In a shaker, add 0.5 oz  (15 ml) of fresh lime juice.  
3. Add 0.5 oz  (15 ml) of mint syrup
4. Add 1.5 oz (45 ml) of light rum
5. Add ice and shake.
6. Strain into Collins glass.
7. Add crushed ice.
8. Top with sparkling water (use barspoon technique like in the video)
9. Garnish with a bouquet of mint leaves and lime wedge.
10. I highly recommend these agave straws. They are up-cycled agave fibers, byproduct of tequila production.

Video Recipe

Final Thoughts

This is a great way to make mojitos without unnecessary extra work.

If you're looking for an easy and tasty cocktail recipe, this might be it. Give these tips a try next time you have a friend who needs to vent, or are throwing a party—or just want to have yourself a relaxing time.

Deconstructed Drinks is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

In this guide, we'll go over the following:

There's great satisfaction in enjoying a cocktail that has a nice strong fizz—one that you can hear and feel tingling around your palette.

But drinking, for example, a Tom Collins that is flat is a sad thing.

Carbonation is an important ingredient in a cocktail.

A good quality club soda, sparkling water, seltzer, etc., is as important as the rest of the ingredients in a cocktail. So knowing what types and brands to use is imperative.

So what's the best sparkling water for making cocktails?

First, let's get this out of the way...

The difference between Club Soda, Seltzer, and Sparkling Water

Soda water, seltzer, carbonated water, club soda, and sparkling water are all terms used to describe what is essentially the same thing: plain water with carbon dioxide. But with some subtle differences.

You can use any of these to make cocktails—though not all brands make the best fizzy cocktails.

Here's the gist of it:

Sparkling mineral water: spring water that is naturally carbonated and with naturally occurring minerals bottled close to the source. Think of San Pellegrino or Perrier. These minerals are what give the water a specific flavor.

Sparkling water or seltzer: plain water, artificially carbonated. No added minerals. It has a pretty neutral flavor. Examples of seltzers are Lacroix, Polar,

Club Soda: water that has been carbonated artificially by injecting carbon dioxide gas and added minerals for taste.

It has a slightly salty flavor because of the addition of potassium bicarbonate and potassium sulfate.

Think of plastic bottles labeled "Club Soda" at your grocery store.

It's all about the bubbles

The best sparkling water that you can use for cocktails is one with high, strong, and sharp carbonation.

When you add your base spirit, sweetener, citrus, etc.—you tend to thicken the consistency of your final drink, as well as dilute the carbonation.

Your goal is to use sparkling water with high carbonation so that after adding all your ingredients, you still have a respectable level of carbonation in your drink.

What are the best brands of sparkling water for cocktails?

Not all brands have strong carbonation; a lot of them have a weak fizz.

The brands with high carbonation that I've used previously and recommend for making fizzy cocktails are:

• 365 plain sparkling water cans from Whole Foods.
• HEB brand - Texan brethren take note.
• Trader Joe's brand plain sparkling water.
• Kroger brand sparkling water
• Polar
• Canada Dry sparkling seltzer water
• Topo Chico - I usually only for these on special occasions since it's pricier than those mentioned above. Also, it's a must for Ranch Waters.
• Mineragua from Jarritos - equally as potent as Topo Chico.

Using a Soda Stream for Cocktails

Also, if you have access to a Soda Stream, this works too for use in fizzy cocktails. Just make sure you are using good-tasting filtered water and that you're adding extra pumps of CO2 into the carbonating bottle. Some cities have tap water with a very particular (undesirable) flavor—if this is the case, get a gallon of spring water and carbonate it.

Another Soda Stream pro-tip: make sure that before you carbonate, your still water is ice cold. Carbon dioxide dissolves easier in cold water, which means better carbonation.

At my old coffee bar, we abused our Soda Stream, but it never failed us. Again, make sure to inject extra carbonation.

I have a Soda Stream at home, which I should be using more. However, I prefer to have cold cans in stock so that they are ready to go. Also, they are ready whenever I need to go make drinks elsewhere.

For a more contemporary (aka premium) looking carbonating device, check out the Aarke Carbonator.

What about Perrier and Pellegrino?

Perrier and San Pellegrino have very gentle carbonation, Perrier having more than Pellegrino. They are not ideal for making cocktails and are best enjoyed plain on the side.

The same goes for the abundantly available LaCroix, not ideal for making cocktails. The carbonation gets lost after you add your ingredients.

Cocktails made with sparkling water

Ditch the hard seltzers and mix up some real drinks and explore the world of sparkling water cocktails.

Here are a few excellent cocktails that benefit from really good fizzy bubbles:

• Ramos Gin Fizz
• Ranch Water
• Tom Collins
• Aperol Spritz
• Mojito (obviously)
• Whiskey Highball
• Paloma
• Gin and Tonic (when using a tonic syrup)
• Cold Brew Tonic

Sidenote: If you want to dive deeper into the science of carbonation, check out the Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold. In the book, also he shows how to build a carbonating rig.

Here's a list of websites to buy useful and unique (not tacky) cocktail glassware— along with other useful tools and accessories.

📌 Useful as a gift-guide as well.

Somedays, the sun shines so bright that your thermometer seems close to shattering.

Surviving when it's scorching hot outside is a struggle. It feels like it's easier to sweat than to produce a thought.

The cold mineral water will quench your thirst, the lime juice replenishes your electrolytes, and the tequila will take your mind off the heat.

Best sparkling water to use

Topo Chico is one of the most carbonated waters out there, so when you add tequila and lime, its fizziness will hold.

Topo Chico is the official water of Texas—so using it is a requisite.

But most importantly...

You'll stick get that thirst-quenching, bubbly smack in the throat.

Best tequila to use for Ranch Waters

The best tequila to use in Ranch Waters are those that are well rounded, full of flavor—aka artisanal, additive-free tequilas.

A good budget friendly tequila you can use is Espolon blanco. Another great budget tequila you can use is Cimarron blanco.

Other best-in-class tequilas you can use are Fortaleza, El Tesoro, or Tapatio (all blancos). All becomingly more widely available.

Recipe

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Alternatively, you can prepare Ranch Waters in a tall glass.

Here's how to make it:

Directions

1. In a Collins glass, add tequila and lime juice.
2. Top with ice cubes to the brim.
3. Top with soda water.
4. Stir gently with a barspoon.
5. Garnish with lime wedge.

Deconstructed Drinks is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

When everything seems to be going wrong - problems pile on top of problems, and that 'glass-half-empty' feeling starts taking over—a high proof cocktail can provide solace.

This cocktail is strong, dangerous, but yet somehow, comforting. And this is exactly what we need sometimes.

Using High Proof Tequila

Using a high quality tequila is essential. I'm not talking about the most expensive, I'm talking of something artisanal—with no additives.

In this Old Fashioned variation, the tequila remains the star of the show.

It's a great opportunity to source a bottle of Tapatio 110. It's one of the best tequila blancos out there that achieves a balance of high proof and distinct flavors.

Sidenote: 110 proof means this liquor is 55% alcohol by volume.

The agave, orange bitters and lime are there to accessorize and complete the look.

Video Recipe

Directions

1. Add clear ice rock into rocks glass. Stir for 10 seconds to "cool down". This prevents it from cracking when you add liquid.
2. In a mixing glass, add tequila, agave, and bitters.
3. Add ice.
4. Stir for 15 seconds. When using high proof spirits, you want to dilute a little more than usual.
5. Strain any water from the rocks glass in case the ice has melted a bit.
6. Strain cocktail into your glass.
7. Garnish with lime wheel.