Beverage Blog India

Indian Sommeliers are making our country proud by excelling in different part of the world.  Some of them even find the time from their tannic schedules to post on Instagram and inspiring the world to drink wine or for people to pursue the profession. Here the instagram accounts of Indian Somms to follow. We considered accounts that had activity on them insterspersed with wine inspiration once in a while if not always. Follow them, Seek advice, Drink better, Work better !
(The article is written by Ajit Balgi, WSET Educator, BNIC Cognac Educator, Wine Judge.)

If you still aren't following us on Instagram: ​https://www.instagram.com/thehappyhigh/
Find out more about our wine courses and our  Bartending Academy by clicking on the links.

Bracing for Impact is what anyone should be doing right now. With loss of business in all sectors and uncertainly of a bounce back in the economy, job losses are on the anvil.  Non-Essentials like Luxury dining, leisure travel which has come to a screeching halt will take much longer to get started which means that it will be the survival of the fittest for businesses and survival of the fittest employees within the business. 
The fittest businesses in case of this event are the ones with deep pockets with an ability to burn cash and keep their employees with them for the dawn that will eventually happen.  But most in the restaurant businesses will not have that depth and hence they will have to let go of people in the interest of the greater good. So here I am speaking for entry level , rank and file employees  in hotels and restaurants, retail services. 

What do you do if you lose your job because of this lockdown?

• Be prepared for it, ensure you work on your resume in the lockdown
• Once without employment, upload your resumes on various job portals
• Don't panic now as you have done what you could so utilize your time. Take up a course and upskill your self for the job that you wish to take up in the industry or outside. 
• Network with colleagues who know your work from the past, they will be your lowest hanging fruits. 
• Seek short internships, even if unpaid in the workplaces/industry you aim to work in. 

We at The Happy High announced our full time 6 week bartending course and this could be one of the skills one  could acquire which could or rather have led to globe trotting careers. Our bartending institute in Mumbai looks to admit students from any discipline with a minimum education of 12th Pass and a good conversational level of English.  Bartending is a skilled job and it take years to learn the skill which translates to better jobs each time. So if you have lost your jobs as a waiter, flight attendant, retail store associate, travel desk associate then this may be the course you want to upskill with.  Even fresh graduates who are coming out of colleges in this difficult times, may consider this.  You can find more detail on this vocational course  in bartending here  
https://www.thehappyhigh.com/bartending-academy-mumbai.html

1) Cognac Summit
4 ginger slice + Muddle + 40 ml Cognac +  build + 60 ml lemonade to top + Lime zest + Cucumber peel
2) Sidecar
•2:1:1 60 ml Cognac + 30 ml Cointreau + 30 ml Lemon Juice + Shake + Coupe + Lemon peel + Sugar rim optional
3) Sazerac
Sugar Cube + 3 dashes Peychaud’s + 45 ml Cognac + Stir + 15 ml Absinthe rinse for Rocks glass + Lemon Peel
4) Vieux Carre
20 ml Cognac + 20 ml Rye + 20 ml Vermouth + 5 ml Benedictine + 2 dash Angostura and Peychaud each + Stir + Rocks Glass + Lemon Twist
5) Between The Sheets
4:4:4:1 20 ml Cognac + 20  ml White Rum + 20 ml Cointreau + 5 ml lemon juice + Shake + Coupe + Flame Orange peel and discard

6) Brandy Crusta
60 ml Brandy + 7.5 ml Curacao/Triple Sec + 5 ml Maraschino liqueur + 2 dash Angostura + 15 ml Lemon Juice + 15 ml Rich syrup + Shake + Sugar Rimmed Cocktail glass + Lemon Twist
7) Brandy Alexander
45 ml Brandy + 30 ml Crème de Cacao + 30 ml cream + Shake + Coupe + Nutmeg (original Alexander contains Gin)
8) B&B
30 ml Cognac + 30 ml Benedictine + Stir + Rocks Glass + Lemon Twist
9) Corpse Reviver No 1
40 ml Cognac + 20 ml Apple brandy + 20 ml Sweet Vermouth + Stir + Cocktail glass + lemon peel
10) Brandy Daisy by Jerry Thomas
60 ml Brandy + 5 ml Gomme Syrup + 3 dashes Orange Liqueur + 5 ml Gold Rum + 10ml  Lemon juice  + Shake + Cocktail/Coupe +  45 ml Soda to top 

Seems like an nouvelle relation, but it exists and the Swedish have embraced it as a colonial gift. Let's decode this a little better. 
What is an Indonesian Arrack aka Batavia Arrack?
A spirit that predates rum, Arrack was a spirit made out of sugar cane molasses and red rice  in the 17th Century Dutch colonized island of Java, the capital of the Java was Batavia and hence the name. It was very popular in Punches in the 18th and 19th centuries  but emergence of other spirits including Rum and import taxes pushed  Batavia Arrack out of fashion. 

1) Margarita
2:1:1 60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Cointreau + 30 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Coupe + Salt rim + Lime Wheel
2) Picador 
60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Triple Sec + 30 ml lime Juice + Shake + Coupe + Lime Wheel 
3) Toreador
60 ml Reposado Tequila + 30 ml Apricot Brandy/Liqueur + 30 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Coupe
4) Tommy’s Margarita
60 ml Tequila + 30 ml Lime juice + 15 ml Agave syrup + Shake + Rocks Glass + lime wedge + Salt rim (optional)
5)Paloma
60 ml Tequila + 60 ml Grapefruit juice + 10 ml Sugar Syrup + Dry Shake + Collins + Salt rim + Soda to top

6) Matador
30 ml Reposado/Anejo Tequila + 30 ml Vermouth Bianco + 30 ml Cointreau + Stir + Cocktail Glass (Cafe Royale Cocktail book,1937)
7) Batanga
60 ml Tequila + 15 ml Lime Juice + 2 pinch salt + 100 ml Cola + Build + Tumbler + Salt Rim + Stir with Knife
8) EL Diablo
45 ml Tequila + 15 ml Crème de Cassis + 15 ml Lime Juice + Shake + Collins + 90 ml Ginger Beer to top + Lime Wedge
9) Sangrita
60 ml Orange Juice + 30 ml Lime Juice + 30 ml Pomegranate Juice + Chili Powder (other spices) + Build + Tumbler
10) Tequila Sunrise
60 ml Tequila + 120 ml Orange juice + 7.5 ml Grenadine + Build + Highball + Orange slice

1) Pinacolada
60 ml White Rum + 45 ml Coconut Cream + 45 ml Pineapple Juice + 15 ml Lemon Juice + Shake + Hurricane + Pineapple Slice
2) Mai Tai
45 ml Aged Agricole Rhum/Cachaca + 15 ml Orgeat + 22.5 ml Curacao/ Triple Sec + 22.5 ml Lime Juice + shake lightly + Rocks Glass + Crushed Ice + 15 ml Aged Jamaican Rum to float + Mint Sprig + lime wheel
3) Daiquiri
60 ml White Cuban Rum + 30 ml Lime Juice + 15 ml Rich Syrup + Shake + Coupe
4) Mojito
12 mint leaves + Muddle + 60 ml White Rum + 22.5 ml  Lime Juice + 15 ml Simple Syrup + Crushed Ice + Build + Soda to top + Mint Sprig
5) Dark & Stormy
60 ml Dark Rum (Gosling’s) + 15 ml Lime Juice + Ginger Beer to Top + Build + Collins  + Lime Wedge

6) El Floridita (Hemingway Daiquiri)
60 ml White Rum + 15 ml Maraschino Liqueur + 22.5 lime juice + 15 ml Grapefruit Juice + Shaken + Coupe + Lime Wheel
7) El Presidente
45 ml White Rum + 22.5 ml White Vermouth + 7.5 ml Orange Liqueur + 2 dash Grenadine + Stir + Cocktail  
8) Planter’s Punch
60 ml Dark Rum + 40 ml Lime Juice +20 ml Rich Syrup + 3 dashes Angostura +  Shake + Tall glass + crushed Ice + Mint Sprig
9) Hurricane
60 ml light Rum + 60 ml Dark Rum + 30 ml Lime Juice + 30 ml orange juice + 15 ml Passion Fruit Puree + 15 ml Simple Syrup + 15 ml Grenadine + Shake + Hurricane Glass + Cherry + Orange Slice
10) Hot Buttered Rum
60 ml Dark Rum + 2 Sugar Cubes + Hot water + Mug + 5 g unsalted Butter + Coffee mug +Grated nutmeg