Cocktail Codex Quotes

“two parts demerara sugar to one part water, which deepens the richness already found in the spirit.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]

“Balance in an Old-Fashioned is achieved by bridging the core flavor (whiskey) with the seasoning (bitters), which is exactly what the sugar is there for: it curbs the high-octane nature of the base spirit and brings out the spice of the bitters.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]

“Corn creates a perception of sweetness, rye a distinct spiciness, and wheat a delicate softness.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]

“Our favorite mixing bourbons are those that spend enough time in oak barrels to develop rich flavor and texture, but not so much that the wood overtakes the spirit; we rarely mix with bourbons older than twelve or fifteen years.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]

“All American whiskeys are made in a similar fashion. Cereal grains, predominantly corn, rye, wheat, and barley, are malted—a process wherein grains are germinated, converting their starch into sugars—and then fermented and distilled in either pot stills or continuous column stills. Most are aged in oak barrels.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]

“Together, three areas of focus—core, balance, and seasoning—help illuminate the inner workings of cocktails.”
― Alex Day, Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions [A Cocktail Recipe Book]