Home Stretch: Mint Julep and ‘I Feel Alright’ by Steve Earle

By Dave Pezza

Welcome back to Home Stretch, assuaging those Wednesday blues with tunes and booze. This week's edition features two southern classics that set the mood for fast-approaching summer nights: mint juleps and Steve Earle’s 1996 country-rock album “I Feel Alright.”

I’ve been looking for the right album to pair with mint juleps ever since finally making one on my own during the most recent Kentucky Derby. Mint juleps have always struck me as fancy, high-maintenance cocktails, similar to mojitos. Perhaps this stigma comes from its unmistakable association with that famous Louisville–based race. But it is surprisingly easy to make, and impressively refreshing on a hot and muggy evening.

This week’s album, “I Feel Alright” by Steve Earle, is just as refreshing, not to mention relaxing. Its laid-back, ‘90s-style country rock calls to mind Tom Petty’s “Wallflowers,” and is damn near perfect for dropping the needle, kicking off your shoes, and sipping a sweet and minty bourbon-based cocktail.

What you’ll need:

• 2 oz. Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey 
• 1 oz. simple syrup
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of water
• Six to eight fresh mint leaves
• Crushed or shaved ice
• Pewter cup or highball glass

Promoted at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby since 1938, the mint julep is a southern mainstay. The cocktail is essentially a way to sweeten and chill bourbon with a little bit of flair. Even if you’re not a big bourbon fan, you’ll find mint juleps sweet and mild.

The same goes for Earle’s sixth album. He possesses a suave veneer that protects a vulnerable storyteller whose style is steeped in equal parts blues, folk, and country. This combo should put a smile on your face and ease you through the week’s final pitfalls.

1 oz. of simple syrup/”I Feel Alright”

You can buy pre-made simple syrup at many liquor stores, but it’s easy to make, and it’ll last a month or so in the fridge, saving you a step in the near future. Grab a cup of sugar and a cup of water and throw them in a medium saucepan. Set heat to medium.

While the syrup is heating up, I suggest starting with the album's title track, “I Feel Alright.” What a jam! If you are a fan of “The Wire,” you might remember this song from the Season 2 finale. A quintessential Steve Earle hit, “I Feel Alright" is smooth, a little ballsy, and shoots bravado through you like a stiff shot.

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, then simmer for three minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Let that cool while you prepare the rest of the cocktail.

Six to eight fresh mint leaves/”Hard-Core Troubadour”

Flying high from track one? Prepare for a one-two punch with “Hard-Core Troubadour.” It’s a head-bobbing, Latin-tinged rock song that keeps the easy-going feeling from the album’s opener. Take the pewter cup or highball glass and add about four or five mint leaves. Lightly bruise the leaves with a muddler or spoon. Try not to mash; the idea here is to only bruise them, allowing the mint flavor to slowly seep into the bourbon.

You should be able to find fresh mint at the local supermarket, but may I suggest growing some your own. A number of terrific summer drinks are made with mint, and it grows easily in your garden or even in a small pot on the windowsill.

Crush or shaved ice/”Poor Boy”

Ice is important in this drink. It needs to be crushed or shaved so that it melts quicker than cubes would. This slowly waters down the bourbon, sweetening the cocktail the more you drink it. If you have a blender, put in two handfuls of ice and blend until crushed. Even better, but not super convenient, pick or shave ice off of an ice cube if you have one ready in your freezer.

“Poor Boy” is the album's middle track, and it alters the album’s tempo to an upbeat, rockabilly tempo. The album’s best ballads follow this tune, and “Poor Boy” attempts to ease you into the heavier mood. Disclaimer: listening to this song has been known to bring about fits of swaying, finger snapping, and unstoppable foot tapping.

Bourbon/”Billy and Bonnie”

I’ve saved the album’s most folk/country song for the bourbon. Earle tells the story of an unlikely couple that keeps the thrill of their love alive by breaking bad. Bourbon shares a similar story with anyone who has ever imbibed that sweet, sweet brown liquid.

While shaking your ass to “Billy and Bonnie,” grab the Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Please don’t use your top-notch bourbon here! Jim Beam White Label, Wild Turkey 81, Four Roses, or even Old Grand-Dad (if you’re feeling squirrely), are all acceptable mixing bourbons. Maker’s Mark is usually considered the end of the line when mixing bourbon. Any higher quality bourbons should be consumed straight.

Add 1 oz. of the now cooled simple syrup to the cup/glass, the shaved ice, 2 oz. of bourbon, and the remaining mint leaves for garnish. Mix with a spoon and take her easy. The album will play out with some bluesy tunes as the ice melts, mixing with the whiskey, mint, and sugar into a refreshing and potent remedy for your Wednesday night blues.

Cheers!

More Happy Hour Posts

Home Stretch: Corpse Reviver #2 and “Too Far to Care” by Old 97’s

(Corpse Reviver #2 photo courtesy of urbanbohemian)

By Dave Pezza

It’s Wednesday evening and holy shit you could really use a stiff cocktail and some good tunes to lull away the fact that two more days of legal torture stand between you and sweet, righteous freedom.

Per usual, Writer’s Bone has got your back. Welcome to “Home Stretch.” Here you’ll get a cocktail and an album pairing to help you through the week’s last leg. Why cocktails? Why albums? Both are endangered species slowing making comebacks. And because it’s my weekly column, and imma do what I want.

For the commencement of this new series I’d like to introduce two personal favorites that share an undercurrent of devil-may-care attitude masked in a banal packaging that makes them strong contenders for these mid-week, almost-summer nights: Corpse Reviver #2 and “Too Far to Care” by Old 97’s.

An old school cocktail, the Corpse Reviver #2 is precisely what its name suggests. It is the second variation in a family of drinks that were traditionally used as hair-of-the-dog cocktails. In the beginning of the 20th century, the social norm included drinking, constantly (so much so that they outlawed it…unsuccessfully, of course). So you can imagine the hangover as the scourge of the early 1900s. Thankfully, hangover cures were not limited to acid-heavy Mimosas and eye-watering Bloody Marys. Gilded Age drinkers had an entire repertoire of drinks to combat that pesky problem associated with weekday drinking. That being said, I’d recommend this cocktail as a competent evening drink that can easily substitute for a martini, gin and tonic, or vodka soda. Ingredients and paraphernalia upfront:

• 1.5 oz. dry gin
• 1.5 oz. Kina Lillet (which is not vermouth)
• 1.5 oz. Cointreau (triple sec will do in a pinch)
• Dash of Absinthe (yeah, that’s right)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• Cocktail glass
• Cocktail shaker
• Bar jigger (Just buy one already! It really brings the best out of a cocktail if it is properly proportioned)

This week’s album, “Too Far to Care,” is Old 97’s most successful and most encompassing of their diverse sound. The band is probably best known for their single “Question,” which plays during the proposal scene on the sitcom “Scrubs.” Old 97’s have been plugging away since the early 1990s, killing Texan rock and alt-country for decades. An album that is easily to sing along to, “Too Far to Care” grabs you with guitar riffs of first love, whaling of love lost, and all the alcohol infused musical meanderings in between. Both of this week’s choices will lull you into a false sense of ease before hitting you hard when you need it most.

1.5 oz. of Gin/”Timebomb”

The album kicks off with “Timebomb” a head rocking, body swaying anthem to those first dates that rock you to your core, kind of like the first ingredient in this week’s cocktail: gin! To all you gin haters out there, this might be the least ginny (Weasley) gin drink out there. Gin is the base alcohol here, the alcohol that sets the flavor profile for the rest of the cocktail. Gin will make this drink easy on the pallet, effervescent, and accented with citrus and other fruity undertones. It’s perfect for a Wednesday night: Karen from HR has been on your ass about 401k contributions, and you just want to relax with a soothing, but strong drink. I like dry London gin like Beefeater’s, but this is your Wednesday night. Fill a quarter of the cocktail shaker with ice, and, while you’re there, place your cocktail glass in the freezer (you’ll need it chilled for later). Add an ounce and a half of gin to your shaker.

1.5 oz. of Cointreau/”Barrier Reef”

The album’s second track, “Barrier Reef” is a crooning ode to drunken rebound sex. He’s drunk, she’s had better-looking lays, but they’re both glad they’re not still at that bar drinking to forget someone else. Cointreau works better wherever triple sec works, even though it technically isn’t triple sec. Cointreau is the alcohol that helps round the sharp flavors of the alcohol it accompanies: tequila in traditional margaritas, vodka in a cosmo, or bourbon in a Seelbach. Here it masks some of the saffron/herbal taste typical of gin with an orange tang. Go ahead and add an ounce and a half of Cointreau to your shaker.

1.5 oz. of Kina Lillet/”Big Brown Eyes”

“Big Brown Eyes” is a subtle song that quietly steals the show in this album. It’s a rumpus ballad about a drunk stumbling for a phone to make ill-advised calls to that girl with big brown eyes. Kina Lillet is the phone in this cocktail, always found enabling stronger liqueurs. Kina Lillet is an aromatized white wine used in a shitload of old school cocktails. It’s most famous for its use in the famous Vesper Martini from Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. Lillet fell off the face of the earth for a while when the manufacturers retired the “original” recipe. But it is back and should be stocked at any decent liquor store. Add an ounce and a half of Lillet to the shaker. Quick tip, once open, like any wine, Lillet will go bad. Lillet Blanc (which is what you are using here) is a white wine and will hold up decently if properly re-corked and stored in the fridge.

1 oz. of Lemon Juice

Quickly add an ounce lemon juice to the shaker. I don’t have a clever song pairing for lemon juice, it’s just lemon juice…

Dash of Absinthe/”Niteclub”

Shake that bad boy up until your hand starts to freeze. Grab the cocktail glass from the freezer, pour a dash or two of absinthe into the glass, and slowly turn the glass so as to coat the entire inside with absinthe. “Niteclub,” gathers all the album’s emotions and releases it in a display of frustration and regret, shedding inhibition and giving in to the deep-seeded emotional response called “fuck it.” The alcoholic equivalent of this emotion is absinthe. Yes, it’s legal in the United States, and, yes, it’s expensive. Pernod absinthe is the bee’s knees, but it’ll run you $80 for 750ml. I’d opt for a brand like Absinthe Ordinaire: it is more affordable at half the price, especially for a drink that requires only a dash of this magic green liquor. Having an open bottle on your bar top will be worth it come Friday night. A shot of that stuff will get your weekend started right quick.

Drink

Pour and enjoy! The albums back half will play out with some mild bluegrass and country toned tracks that are sure to set your nerves at ease. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or a lemon peel if you will.

Saluti.

More Happy Hour Posts