QKB

Name: QKB
Address: New York, NY, US
Telephone: +16464541187

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Exploring the history, craft, and culture of bars and cocktails, one story a day
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Drink with moderation & enjoy clean water

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10/29/2026

VODKA: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS!
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Think vodka is just made from potatoes or grain? Think again!

From its Eastern European roots to modern distilleries around the world, vodka has evolved into one of the most versatile spirits.

🌾 Wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, rice, grapes, sugar beets… even milk whey!

And some brands prove just how diverse vodka can be:

🌽 Tito’s — Corn, USA
🍇 Cîroc — Grapes, France
🍚 Haku — Rice, Japan
🥛 Black Cow — Milk whey, England

But here’s where things get interesting…

It’s not just WHAT vodka is made from. It’s HOW it’s made.

⚗️ Fermentation: Yeast converts sugars into alcohol.

🔥 Distillation: Column stills, pot stills and different rectification techniques influence the spirit’s character.

💧 Filtration: Activated charcoal and other methods can refine the spirit, although not every vodka is filtered.

❄️ Water: Purified water reduces the alcohol to bottling strength and contributes to the final result.

Two vodkas made from completely different ingredients can taste remarkably similar, while two made from the same grain can taste surprisingly different.

That’s the fascinating science behind vodka!

🥃 So here’s my question: Could you tell the difference between two vodkas in a blind tasting?

10/28/2026

THE MISSISSIPPI PUNCH: BEFORE JERRY THOMAS
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What if one of Jerry Thomas’s famous punches had already been documented twelve years before his legendary cocktail book?

According to historian David Wondrich, British Army officer Thomas Unett documented the Mississippi Punch in 1850, using brandy, Jamaican rum, and arrack.

In 1862, Jerry Thomas published a version featuring bourbon instead of arrack.

And in the posthumous 1887 edition of his book, the recipe changed again.

Three historical versions. One legendary punch.

🥃 1850 — THOMAS UNETT (AS REPORTED BY WONDRICH)

* 2 oz (60 ml) Brandy
* 1 oz (30 ml) Jamaican Rum
* 1 tbsp (15 ml) Arrack
* Lemon, sugar, water and ice

The earliest of these three documented versions. Exact preparation details are preserved in later nineteenth-century accounts.

🥃 1862 — JERRY THOMAS

* 2 oz (60 ml) Brandy
* 1 oz (30 ml) Jamaican Rum
* 1 oz (30 ml) Bourbon Wh***ey
* 1 oz (30 ml) Water
* 1½ tbsp Powdered White Sugar
* ¼ Large Lemon

Shake well with shaved ice. Serve in a large tumbler with a straw, garnished with small pieces of orange and seasonal berries.

🥃 1887 — POSTHUMOUS EDITION

* 2 oz (60 ml) Brandy
* 1 oz (30 ml) Jamaican Rum
* 1 oz (30 ml) Bourbon Wh***ey
* 1 tbsp Powdered White Sugar
* A little water to dissolve the sugar
* Juice of ½ Small Lemon

Fill with shaved ice, shake well, garnish with seasonal fruit, and serve with a straw.

Same three spirits, different balance.

The Mississippi Punch appeared in different published recipes over several decades, but its true birthplace remains unknown.

And here’s my question: would you try the 1850 arrack version or Jerry Thomas’s bourbon version?

10/27/2026

Jerry Thomas — The Father of American Mixology
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Before flair bartending became a spectacle, Jerry Thomas was already setting drinks on fire! 🔥

Born in 1830, Thomas traveled across America during the Gold Rush era, becoming one of the most celebrated bartenders of the 19th century.

Famous for his spectacular Blue Blazer, he was much more than a showman.

In 1862, he published How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion, a pioneering American bartending guide that preserved recipes for punches, juleps, sours, cocktails, and more.

Thomas didn’t invent the cocktail. He helped document, standardize, and popularize a drinking tradition that continues to influence bartenders around the world.

He died in 1885, but his legacy lives on behind every bar where classic cocktails are still made today.

Have you ever tried a cocktail from Jerry Thomas’s original 1862 book?

10/25/2026

THE BAR — FROM COURTROOMS TO PUBS 🍸🏴‍☠️🍍

What if the history of the word “bar” had more to do with justice than drinking?

A follower recently suggested that traveling judges once held trials in English taverns, and that this is where the courtroom’s “bar” originated.

Well… he was partly right!

⚖️ Courts really did meet in pubs! An 1845 parliamentary return documented inns, pubs, and hotels being used for local magistrates’ hearings.

Some historic courtroom spaces even survive today, including one at the Hark to Bounty Inn in Lancashire.

But here’s the twist…

The legal “bar,” the barrier separating parts of a courtroom, was already in use centuries before the drinking counter.

By around 1460, illustrated manuscripts were depicting the bar in English royal courts.

Meanwhile, the Oxford English Dictionary’s earliest citation for a tavern’s serving counter dates to 1592.

Both meanings share the same origin: the Old French barre, meaning a barrier.

And those gallows supposedly standing outside pubs? There’s no reliable evidence that this was a general practice.

What is documented is the tradition of condemned prisoners receiving a final drink at St Giles on their journey to Tyburn.

So yes, justice and drinking establishments share some fascinating history, but one didn’t give the other its name!

Which surprised you more: trials held in pubs, or the courtroom’s bar being older than the drinking counter?

10/24/2026

Why Is Tequila Made from Only One Agave?
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Wh***ey can be made from different grains, but tequila has one botanical requirement: Blue Weber agave (Agave tequilana).

So why this particular plant?

By the late 19th century, producers around Tequila, Jalisco, increasingly favored blue agave for its sugar content and suitability for cultivation.

In 1949, Mexico introduced its first official tequila quality standard. Then, in 1974, tequila received its Denomination of Origin.

Today, tequila production is restricted to Jalisco and designated municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.

Historically, tequila was known as a regional type of mezcal. Today, the two spirits follow separate regulations.

Even mixto tequila must obtain at least 51% of its fermentable sugars from Blue Weber agave. For 100% agave tequila, all fermentable sugars must come from that plant.

And the name Weber? It honors French botanist Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber, who published the species description in 1902.

From a preferred crop to a protected identity, blue agave became inseparable from tequila.

One plant. One protected identity.

Is this restriction a limitation, or the secret behind tequila’s identity?

10/22/2026

Pirates, Rum & the Origins of Cocktails
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Did pirates really invent cocktails, or is it just another maritime legend?

The famous “Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum” comes from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883). But real pirates also drank w**e and brandy, not just rum.

Rum’s history goes back to the sugar plantations of the Caribbean, built on enslaved labor. In 1651, an early spirit from Barbados was already known as Kill-Devil.

By the early 1700s, rum had become part of Caribbean maritime life. Even Blackbeard’s supposed journal, quoted in a 1724 book, mentions running out of rum.

In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon ordered British sailors to dilute their rum with water, helping establish the tradition of grog. The Royal Navy continued its daily rum ration until July 31, 1970, known as Black Tot Day.

Then there’s bumbo, associated with Caribbean sailors and pirates: rum, water, sugar, and spices.

And the legendary gunpowder test? Its history is far less certain than the stories suggest.

Grog, bumbo, and punch all belong to the long history of mixed drinks that preceded the modern cocktail.

So, pirates didn’t invent cocktails. But the maritime world helped shape their history.

What do you think: how much is history, and how much is pirate legend?

10/21/2026

FRUIT BRANDY vs FRUIT LIQUEUR
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Same fruit, different spirits!

Kirsch, Slivovitz, and Poire Williams are traditional fruit eaux-de-vie, distilled from fermented fruit and typically dry.

Fruit liqueurs, on the other hand, are sweetened and flavored.

But here’s where things get interesting!

🇬🇧 In Britain, names like Cherry Brandy and Apricot Brandy can actually refer to sweet liqueurs.

🇺🇸 In the United States, fruit brandy has its own legal definition.

And Schnapps? In Germany, it traditionally refers to a distilled spirit, while American schnapps is usually sweetened and flavored.

Even classic cocktails are affected. The Hotel Nacional Special calls for Apricot Brandy, but choosing a dry eau-de-vie instead of a sweet apricot liqueur can noticeably change the balance.

And here’s another twist: Laird’s Blended Applejack contains 35% apple brandy and 65% neutral grain spirits!

The lesson? Always read the label. Distilled, blended, or sweetened?

Which one do you keep behind your bar?

10/20/2026

WHO INVENTED THE TIKI MUG?
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Who invented the tiki mug? And when did these iconic ceramic vessels become part of cocktail history?

It all started with the rise of tropical cocktail culture.

In 1933, Donn Beach opened his Hollywood bar, serving exotic drinks in traditional glasses, hollowed-out pineapples, and coconuts. But no tiki-shaped mugs yet!

By 1944, according to Trader Vic’s own history, ceramic skull mugs, bowls, and the famous Fog Cutter mug were already being featured.

During the 1950s, carved tiki mugs began appearing in American bars, eventually becoming symbols of tropical cocktail culture. But who actually made the first one? The question remains debated.

Interestingly, New Zealand may have been ahead of the trend!

The Māori-inspired Ruru and Weku ceramic mug, designed by Harry Hargreaves for Crown Lynn, has been dated to around 1949, although that dating remains uncertain.

Over the following decades, tiki mugs became increasingly popular, with designs inspired by Polynesian carvings, Easter Island statues, and tropical imagery.

In 2003, collector Duke Carter published Tiki Quest: Collecting the Exotic Past, documenting vintage tiki collectibles and helping inspire a new generation of enthusiasts.

Today, some rare vintage tiki mugs can sell for thousands of dollars.

No confirmed inventor. No single moment. Just decades of creativity and cocktail history!

So, what would you choose: a classic tiki mug or a simple cocktail glass?

10/15/2026

Sambuca vs. Sambuco: What’s the Connection?
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It all started with an interesting Instagram exchange with Lindsay about a Hugo Spritz supposedly made with Sambuca!

But the Italian menu actually said sciroppo di fiori di sambuco — elderflower syrup.

So, is there a connection between Sambuca and sambuco?

🇮🇹 The Italian Connection

According to the Italian dictionary Treccani, the name Sambuca has been linked to sambuco, the Italian word for elder. Historical explanations even mention elderberries, not elderflowers.

But there’s another fascinating theory!

1851 — Luigi Manzi and the First Sambuca

In Civitavecchia, Luigi Manzi introduced his Sambuca decades before Molinari.

According to one historical explanation, its name came from the sambuchelli, traditional water sellers associated with Naples and Ischia who served water flavored with anise.

This origin remains debated, but it’s an interesting part of Italian liqueur history.

What Is Sambuca Today?

Under European regulations, Sambuca is an anise-flavored liqueur containing at least 38% alcohol.

Elderflowers and elderberries are not required ingredients.

Traditionally, Sambuca can be served con la mosca, with three coffee beans.

And the Hugo Spritz?

A completely different story!

The Hugo combines Prosecco, elderflower syrup or liqueur, soda, fresh mint, and lime.

So despite their similar names, Sambuca and elderflower syrup are two very different ingredients behind the bar.

Sometimes, one simple cocktail question opens the door to centuries of history!

Did you know about this possible connection?

10/14/2026

TRIPLE SEC, CURAÇAO & SHRUBB
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Three orange liqueur traditions, three different histories, and one important detail: the spirit behind the orange!

🇫🇷 TRIPLE SEC — FRANCE

Emerging in the 19th century, Triple Sec is traditionally associated with neutral alcohol and the peels of sweet and bitter oranges.

Combier dates its Triple Sec to 1834, while Cointreau introduced its famous orange liqueur in 1875, using neutral alcohol derived from sugar beet.

🇳🇱 CURAÇAO — DUTCH ROOTS, CARIBBEAN ORANGES

Named after the Caribbean island of Curaçao, this liqueur tradition developed around aromatic bitter orange peels, particularly the Laraha orange.

Unlike what many people assume, Curaçao doesn’t necessarily mean brandy!

Some fascinating examples:

• Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao (40% ABV): Grape eau-de-vie, brandy and cognac, with Laraha orange peels.

• Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao (30% ABV): A combination of cognac and rum.

• Bols Blue 1575 (29.5% ABV): A modern Curaçao made with botanical spiced rum and orange peel distillates.

🇲🇶 SHRUBB — MARTINIQUE

A Caribbean orange liqueur tradition particularly associated with Martinique.

Créole Shrubb typically combines rum, orange peels, sugar and sometimes spices.

Clément Créole Shrubb (40% ABV) blends white and aged agricole rums with orange peels and spices.

It can be understood as a Caribbean cousin of Curaçao, with rum at the heart of its identity.

SO WHAT’S THE REAL DIFFERENCE?

Neutral spirits, grape spirits and rum help us understand these three traditions.

But they’re not strict categories! Their ingredients, techniques and base spirits often overlap.

The name on the bottle doesn’t always tell you what’s inside.

When choosing an orange liqueur for your cocktail, do you consider its base spirit, or only its orange flavor?

Address

New York, NY

Telephone

+16464541187

Website

http://qkb.com.co/, https://youtube.com/@quixotickingbar?si=QsFG_MIyIeBYCB7T, https://www.instagram.com/dna_kangenwater?

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