It’s Happy Hour! Ben & Matthew discuss muddling, layering, and bubblification. And probably not for the last time, Ben tells you how not to make a bomb. Then they present a layered and a muddled cocktail, with mixed results.

Ben muddles his way through an attempt to layer the Vertigo cocktail. It doesn’t go well, but the cocktail still tastes great with a refreshing kola and ginger vibe. To make up for it, he also gives a bonus recipe for a pretty but boozy Indigo Gin and Ginger Beer cocktail.

Matthew, on the other hand, deftly lays down a perfectly muddled Mojito. It’s the classic cocktail done right. He even throws in a bonus technique: the swizzle, to make it extra frosty.

(00:00) Opening—Matthew gets vetoed and wet-willied. Rough start

(04:05) Matthew is the life of the party

(08:00) Bubblification wins in a landslide

(12:30) Measure bubbles with your heart not jiggers

(17:53) Ben lays bricks

(19:49) Cocktail: Vertigo

(25:16) Cocktail: Mojito

(32:30) Swizzling: bonus technique

• 2 oz Averna
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 4 oz Ginger Beer
• Add lemon juice and ginger beer to a highball or collins glass with ice. Stir gently to combine. Using the back of a bar spoon, slowly layer the Averna over the top of the ginger beer and lemon juice. Your mileage may vary in successfully layering this cocktail. Try packing the glass tightly with ice and floating the Averna on the ice.

• 3-5 mint leaves
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 2 oz White Rum
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• Club Soda, to top
• Garnish: Mint Sprig and Lime Wheel
• Gently muddle mint leaves and simple syrup in the bottom of a highball glass. (If you prefer not having mint leaves in the drink, build it in a cocktail shaker.) Add rum and lime juice, then fill with ice. Stir to combine. Top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and/or lime wheel.

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We own and recommend these books:

The 12 Bottle Bar: Make Hundreds of Cocktails with Just Twelve Bottles by David Solmonson, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail by Dave Arnold

Imbibe! by David Wondrich

Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, David Kaplan

Products we own, like and use:

• Measuring tools
• OXO Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup, 2 Oz capacity
• OXO Metal Angled Measuring Cup
• OXO SteeL Double Jigger
• Shakers
• This shaking set is sold as two separate items on Amazon, you will need both
• Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Small Weighted Shaking Tin
• Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Large Weighted Shaking Tin
• Mixing Glasses/Tins
• Viski Crystal Mixing...