Thank you Wild Turkey® for partnering with Half Full on the Bartenders At Home cocktail video series.
What inspired you to create this cocktail? “I was inspired by what brings people together and our love and longing to be back in the outdoors.”
When would you serve this drink? “I would serve it when you are grilling on the patio for dinner or just unwinding on the porch at the end of the night.”
What music would you pair it with? “I would pair this cocktail with classic rock or anything loud and guitar driven. It’s a fun take on a classic cocktail. You can’t beat the classics. “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain has been my cooking dinner jam lately.”
What food would you pair it with? “Any sort of grilled food, like kabobs or even some shrimp or seafood. Use those steeped pineapples and throw them on your kabobs or with your grilled vegetables.”
Name the person (dead or alive) you’d like to make this cocktail for? “I think if I had to make this cocktail for one person, I’d make it for my Uncle John who always encouraged me to do my own thing and embrace my black sheep tendencies. Also, he lived a pretty exciting life and I would love to just listen to his stories sitting around a campfire sipping this cocktail.”
By Andrew Hutchinson
INGREDIENTS
- 2 parts Wild Turkey® Longbranch® (Order on Drizly)
- .25 part Seared Pineapple & Dried Chili Syrup*
- 2 dashes Angostura® Bitters
- 1 dash Liquid smoke
- Glass: Rocks
- Garnish: Seared pineapple slice and maraschino cherry
DIRECTIONS
Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a seared pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry.
Add 5 to 6 canned pineapple slices to a skillet over medium/high heat. Lightly dust with sugar and flip the slices occasionally. Remove from the heat once the pineapple is browned. Add the syrup from the pineapple can and half a cup of light brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk regularly until the sugar dissolves. Then add 3 browned pineapple slices to the syrup as well as 8 to 10 dried chilis. Bring the syrup to a slight simmer (wait until you see some tiny bubbles). Then remove from the heat and let the chilis and pineapple steep for an hour. Strain the syrup into a clean bottle and store in the refrigerator.
You can find more Bartenders At Home cocktail tutorials here!
Interview has been condensed and edited.