MxMo Hard Times, the Cheap Man’s Chauncey

Hard times are all around us right now.  The job market is slumping, real estate values are dropping, there’s a global economic crisis looming on the horizon.  What better time for a drink?  Come rain or shine, they ain’t called “spirits” for nothing, and I’ve got a real dandy drink made on the cheap for this Mixology Monday, Hard Times, hosted by my good friend Matt Rowley over at Rowley’s Whiskey Forge.

The cocktail that hit my mind instantly was the Chauncey Cocktail, a favorite of mine, as introduced to me at Teardrop Lounge.  In my research, the furthest back I’ve seen this referenced was in the book The Catering Industry Employee, Official Journal of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ International Alliance and Bartenders’ International League of America, published 1934.  I didn’t quite find this in time, and used the proportions from the CocktailDB entry, which is quite good.  This is an all-boozer; time is money and I haven’t the time to waste on mixers when spirits are in need of lifting.  As well, the booze involved can be found pretty cheaply, as it is all base spirits.  No flight of fancy liqueurs or rarities here, this one’s a mix Gin, Rye, Brandy, and Sweet Vermouth.  A damned good mix as well, I must say.

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Chauncey Cocktail

• 3/4 oz Rye
• 3/4 oz Gin
• 1/2 oz Brandy
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• dash Orange Bitters

Stir in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

I took a special note here to use the cheapest ingredients I could get my mitts on, and rounded up the cost for you.  Without counting ice, barware and glassware, this drunk will run you a kingly sum of $1.05, American.  I suppose the nickel over the greenback makes this a bit fancy of a cocktail (though not a “fancy” cocktail), and I could have gone a touch cheaper, but you’ve got to treat yourself every once in awhile.  Despite the low cost, this is a delicious drink that makes even the cheap stuff taste like heaven (well, bootlegger’s heaven).  If you do happen to find yourself back in dough, try it with the fancy stuff.  It gets even better.

Muchos Mahalos to Rowley for hosting this MxMo, and we’ll see you next round!

Tagged as: all spirits, cheap, classic, Sweet Vermouth