Thursday, September 8, 2011

Thursday Drink Night (TDN)

I'm back.

Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Many people I've heard from said that I died in a booze related incident on the plane. I've heard a few "they didn't have scotch so he had a heart attack" stories. Lies. The most embarassing is a story that I got cut off and in a desperate, lurching attempt to steal a few bottles of Glenlivet off the booze cart, was subsequently aerated by a Glock 17 firmly in the grasp of an Air Marshall.

All slanderous lies.

I am indeed in fine form and fiddle. All of the booze that I smuggled onto the plane in my checked bag not only made it through Customs but made it in one piece. My cigar collection remains in it's blissfully humidified state as well. I'm actually reconditioning my humidors to store these delicious little bad boys. Life is sweet for the time being. And it's about to get even sweeter.

One of the traditions I take part in is the bi-weekly or weekly Thursday Drink Night. It is a conglomeration of internet chat room and online Tales of the Cocktail. It involves a lot of cocktail geeks getting together and mixing up drinks based on the theme selected. Some of the past ones have been sponsored events (like the Mandarine Napoleon one) or just straight up silly ones like Charlie Sheen. Only those that have put in their chops get to set the coveted topic: a topic based on your persona. There have been many TDN in the past devoted to the lovers of shaken lore and stirred magic. Last week, Rumdood had the fortunate opportunity to have a cocktail named after him. A few years ago, an entire TDN was devoted to creating cocktails for all the cocktail nerds, geeks, and dweebs going to Tales of the Cocktail. While I haven't put in my chops, heavy and significant bribing of Sean Mike Whipkey of Scofflaw's Den resulting in the greatest of honors falling into my lap.

So here's the nitty gritty:

Next week, Thursday, September 15th from 8pm until whenever you feel like passing out is...

THURSDAY DRINK NIGHT: IN WITH BACCHUS

That's right. You too can participate and make cocktails that mock my sense of pride, self-dignity, and weight. You too can take part in the ribaldry. To do this, follow a few simple directions.

Step 1: Go to your local liquor store and stock up your home bar. Recipes for all of the cocktails are posted in an online chat room and it is your job, at home, to recreate the cocktail and denote whether or not they need adjustment (either in ingredient list or technical work) or if they're spot on. Some of the people there choose the craziest ingredients so don't feel bad if you don't have everything. Feel free to sub out. If you don't know what to sub out for, ask.

Step 2: Invest in a lot of beer. Ice cold. Put the kids to bed. Gonna be a long night.

Step 3: Go to bar.mixoloseum.com and sign up for an account. It's easy, it takes 10 minutes, and it'll last you for a lifetime. Pick a good name otherwise I'll probably get drunk and make fun of it. So make like Indiana Jones and choose wisely.

Step 4: Next Thursday, log in and participate. Feel free to submit cocktails, chat with the folks there, and just shoot the shit. It's fun.

Now, if you have decided to join us, know that you will be rewarded for your creativity. I've managed to finagle (BRIBE AND BLACKMAIL) a few prize sets. The firm categories will be:

Best Name
Best Cocktail
Most Representative of In With Bacchus

For your troubles, the prize packages are...

1 Momokawa / Moonstone Sake set courtesy of SakeOne. A sweet sake glass, a t-shirt in your size, and a few bottles of Momokawa and Moonstone sakes (good stuff) to fiddle around with at the bar or just to drink.

1 SakeOne G set. A bottle of the SakeOne G sake (their equivalent of a cask strength scotch) along with a shirt in your size.

More prizes will be added as I blackmail my way through my contact list. Just kidding, I don't have any dirt on anyone I've chatted with. Or do I...

Also, if you want to iron out the whole TDN thing early, tonight from 8 - whenever is TDN: Football. Sign up for an account and get a taste of the mayhem!