YELLOW JACKET COCKTAIL RECIPE

Love our Standard Dry Gin? Then this Yellow Jacket cocktail by Cardinal bartender Stella is just for you. It's a fall twist on the classic Bees Knees.

YELLOW JACKET

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce cinnamon-honey simple syrup*

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe class.

*To make cinnamon-honey simple syrup: In a saucepan, simmer 1 cup water, 1 cup honey and 6 cinnamon sticks for 5 minutes. Cool completely then remove cinnamon sticks before using.

SPICE ISLAND COCKTAIL RECIPE

Today's secret ingredient: Nutmeg.

Cinnamon, cloves and other baking spices really hit the spot in cocktails this time of year, don't you think? For Cardinal bartender Baylee Pruitt, nutmeg is the real winner. It's one of her all-time favorite garnishes for fall drinks — she takes a whole seed and gives it a few passes on a fine grater right over the glass, letting the spice fall like snow.

"I like the look of it, I like the smell of it. I like the texture. I like everything about it," Baylee says. 

Pass on the powdery, pre-grated stuff and buy whole nutmeg seeds instead — they're right there in the spice aisle, or sometimes in the bulk area. It smells so amazing when you grate it fresh, and you'll get a whiff of it every time you take a sip of your drink.

Try freshly grated nutmeg as a garnish in Baylee's lovely fall cocktail called Spice Island, which crisply combines tart apples with flavors of cinnamon, raisin and brown sugar.

SPICE ISLAND

By Baylee Pruitt

Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce raisin-brown sugar simple syrup*
1 dash cinnamon bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
4 slices of Pink Lady apple
Freshly-grated nutmeg, for garnish

1. Place apples and syrup in a shaker and muddle.
2. Add rum, lemon juice, both bitters and ice. Shake vigorously.
3. Double-strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. 
4. Grate fresh nutmeg on top of the cocktail to garnish. 

*To make raisin-brown sugar simple syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup raisins. Heat until simmering, muddling the raisins as it's cooking. Cool completely and strain before using.

MEET OUR CREW: CHRIS RESNICK

We've got a spectacular crew here at Cardinal Spirits, and we'd like to introduce you to everybody one by one. Today, meet Chris Resnick, head bartender at Cardinal and one half of our talented Tiki Tuesday team. Here, Chris answers some Cardinal Qs.

CHRIS RESNICK

HOMETOWN
Bedford, Ind.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN BLOOMINGTON?
17 years

BEST PART ABOUT LIVING HERE?
I like the small town/but not TOO small town feel. Right now I'm loving the fall leaves.

HOW DO YOU TRAVEL ABOUT TOWN?
I used to walk but now I drive a pretty bitchin' mini van.

FAVORITE THING TO DRINK
Jamaican rum

GO-TO DRINK AT CARDINAL
The Stirred Bird is amazing.

FIRST JOB
My first job was at Little Caesars. I was in the pizza game for like 14 years.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO READ?
I read every cocktail book I can get my hands on. Aside from that, I do biographies and some fiction.

BEST ADVICE FOR MAKING BETTER DRINKS AT HOME
Always use fresh ingredients and always watch your proportions. Even a little bit more or less of anything can drastically change the balance and flavors of a drink.

FIND CHRIS
On Instagram  |  On Facebook

---

MEET MORE OF OUR FLOCK:

ALEX UTTER

ALYVIA CAIN

CRAFTPACK, VOL. 6

Links that make you go Hmmm.

This is such an interesting read about "The Sniffer," a woman whose job it is to smell liquor from craft distilleries. 

What it's really like to work at a hip Brooklyn beer bar (which serves ale in wine glasses).

Stylish DIY cocktails stirrers, if you're into that sort of thing. (And, if not, some ones to buy.)

Salmon-safe beer is a thing in Portland.

In case you missed it: Our very best spiked apple cider recipe for tailgating, camping, bonfiring this fall.

MORE CRAFTPACK:
VOL. 1  |  VOL. 2  |  VOL. 3  |  VOL. 4  |  VOL. 5

HOT SPIKED CIDER RECIPE

This weekend is homecoming at Indiana University in Bloomington, and we've got some tailgating in our future. And you know what feels awesome in your hand on one of those sunny yet brisk fall days? A warm drink to keep you toasty.

We asked our bar manager Logan Hunter to share his favorite apple cider recipe to make for a crowd — something we could spike with our delicious White Oak Whiskey and pour into a thermos or two to share on the go with friends. And trust us, when you roll in with spiked cider, you make a lot of friends.

We are running a special Saturday and Sunday at the distillery: Buy a bottle of White Oak Whiskey or Honey Vanilla Vodka + a half gallon of Musgrave's Apple Cider + a pack of spices for $28. We only have 24 half-gallons so this will go quick!

This recipe of spiked apple cider makes a big batch — enough to fill about 16 mugs — but it's easy to halve if that sounds like too much. (Hint: it's never too much.) Make it at home in the morning, pour it into a few thermoses or one big guy, and head out. 

HOT SPIKED CIDER

By Logan Hunter

Makes about 16 servings

1 gallon apple cider (We love the cider from Musgrave Orchard in Bloomington)
4 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves
12 allspice berries
1/2 ounce vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 cups Cardinal Spirits White Oak Whiskey (about 2/3 of a bottle)

1. Combine all ingredients except for the whiskey in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let the cider cool slightly, then strain if desired.
3. Add the whiskey and stir to combine. Pour cider into thermoses or a large insulated beverage container, working quickly to keep it warm. If you don't need it to-go, keep it warm on low heat on the stove or in a slow cooker.  

Variation: This cider is also stellar with our Honey Vanilla Vodka instead of White Oak Whiskey. Omit the vanilla extract and sugar if using Honey Vanilla Vodka. 

SLOW HAND COCKTAIL RECIPE

This Slow Hand cocktail by Cardinal bartender Jake Cifuentes is like a liquid version of Mexican chocolate — rich, smooth, spicy. Even though it's served over ice, it's naturally warming thanks to a kick from the cocoa-cayenne syrup. So good for fall.

SLOW HAND

By Jake Cifuentes

1 ounce cocoa-cayenne simple syrup*
2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur
2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Whole coffee beans for garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice; shake and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a few coffee beans.

*To make a the cocoa-cayenne simple syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve ingredients. Remove from heat and let cool before using. Add more cayenne to taste if you like more heat!

Want more Cardinal cocktail recipes? Find them all right here. 

CRAFTPACK, VOL. 5

Links that make you go Hmmm.

This big index of simple syrup recipes is a handy thing to bookmark.

How to make a cocktail video, haha.

Cardinal Spirits cocktails and dining by candlelight? This is a dinner you don't want to miss.

Any food/drink bloggers out there? You might find this helpful:  39 blogging tools that'll make you work faster and write better. 

Is there a more perfect drink for Halloween than this?

MISSED A CRAFTPACK? CATCH UP HERE:
VOL. 1  |  VOL. 2  |  VOL. 3  |  VOL. 4

MEET OUR CREW: Alex Utter

We've got a spectacular crew here at Cardinal Spirits, and we'd like to introduce you to everybody one by one. Today, meet Alex, one of our wonderful servers.

ALEX UTTER

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Kansas City, Missouri

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN BLOOMINGTON?
6 years

BEST PART ABOUT LIVING HERE?
I like that Bloomington is such a diverse and welcoming place.
This town also celebrates uniqueness and creativity, which I love.

FAVORITE DRINK
A cappuccino

GO-TO DRINK AT CARDINAL
It's a tie between the Pineapple Bottom Jeans and the classic Salty Dog

ANY HIDDEN TALENTS?
I'm really good at baking treats for people,
and mixing up song lyrics whenever I try to sing them.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
My first job was at Ransburg Scout Reservation on Lake Monroe, as a Ranch Counselor.
I got to teach merit badges, ride horses through the woods everyday,
and work with some pretty fantastic people.

WHAT ARE YOU READING?
These days, I like to read books that can teach me something applicable to my everyday life and interests. The most recent book I enjoyed reading was Being Peace, by Thich Nhat Hanh.

FAVORITE CEREAL
Honey Nut Cheerios

ON INSTAGRAM
@raravis90

Photos by Anna Powell Teeter

#NAILEDIT: KING CARDINAL TIRAMISU AT KING DOUGH

Just when you think you couldn't love King Dough any more, with its perfect pizzas and magical meatballs, and its beautiful wood-fired oven and lovely owners Adam and Alicia Sweet, they go and do this.

King Cardinal Tiramisu, made with Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur. Genius! 

You know tiramisu. You love tiramisu. It's that elegant Italian dessert with layers of espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookies and decadent mascarpone cheese — and it's often spiked with a little brandy or rum or coffee liqueur.

But you haven't had tiramisu like this. King Dough puts a modern twist on the classic version. 

All the traditional flavors are there, but it's been reimagined. Instead of making it in a big pan and portioning out slices, all of the layers are loaded into single-serving mason jars. Italian grandmothers will be like, "Whaaat?" but we're digging it. King Dough's version feels relaxed, and it's built for sharing. It is something you devour — everybody's spoons are clanking and scraping up the sides of the jar to get every last bit. 

A perfect bite? We think so.

We headed over to King Dough — a wood-fired pizza spot that opened a few weeks ago on the Square in downtown Bloomington — and checked in with Brenden Eade, who makes the tiramisu among other things at the restaurant.

Eade gave us the scoop on how the tiramisu comes together. A chocolate sponge cake that has been roughed up into crumbles goes in first. Then comes a generous drizzle of sauce made with Cardinal Spirits Songbird Craft Coffee Liqueur, sweetened condensed milk and espresso. Then, a decadent mixture of mascarpone cheese, whipped cream and more coffee liqueur is piped in with a whipping siphon, which gives it a lighter, airier texture. Aaaaand repeat all of that until the jar is filled to the top. 

But wait, there's more.

The dessert is topped with shards of chocolate, then dusted with cinnamon. Eade points out that the peaks of chocolate kind of look like a king's crown.  #nailedit!

Brenden Eade fills jars with tiramisu.

MORE WAYS TO DRINK SONGBIRD CRAFT COFFEE LIQUEUR:
Coffee liqueur + caramel milkshake 
Coffee liqueur and tonic cocktail
Cafe a l'Orange cocktail

LOGAN HUNTER: BLOOMINGTON DRINK SLINGER

Look who is in the latest issue of Edible Indy magazine: Cardinal's own Logan Hunter! Read all about our bar manager in this story: The Bloomington Drink Slinger.

Logan is the real deal when it comes to bartenders — so knowledgeable about classic cocktails, so skilled at developing original ones. He's friendly and will always make time to chat about what you're drinking, or what you want to be drinking. If you're at Cardinal when he is behind the bar, plant yourself on a stool and get to know him. If you've been in Bloomington for a while, you might recognize him from his days at the Irish Lion and Uptown Cafe. 

The crew from Edible Indy — a magazine all about the food scene in central Indiana — stopped by to see us this summer, and Logan shared these two gin cocktail recipes with them:

THE MARTINEZ

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Place all ingredients into a tall glass. Fill with ice. Stir gently, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with orange twist.

NEGRONI

Watch Logan make this cocktail

1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
Orange peel

Add Campari, sweet vermouth and gin to a tall glass with ice, then stir. Strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. Squeeze an orange peel over the cocktail to release the oil, then twist the peel and use as garnish.

Want more cocktail recipes? You got it. Find all of our recipes right here.