Kyle Jones of Young's Fine Wine, otherwise known as @mr.Sazerac on Instagram and our resident cocktail expert, is at it again! First Kyle brought us the High Tea, then the Cascara Fragaria Sour, followed by the Mar Verde. This time Kyle transforms cold brew into this beautiful boozy libation he calls Breakfast at Camillo's.

I am excited to share Kyle's cold brew cocktail recipe with you today for a number of reasons. The first being that this beverage is so insanely delicious and refreshing I kept sneaking sips of it after the photo shoot was over. Shhh... don't tell anyone! Secondly, Breakfast at Camillo's features cold brew made from beans roasted by a new coffee company out of Nassau, Bahamas called Island Nation Roasting Co. Given that specialty coffee is relatively new to Nassau, it is very exciting to have a specialty roaster emerge on to the coffee scene. Keep your eyes on these folks!

Without further ado please enjoy a Q & A with Kyle and his recipe for a Breakfast at Camillo's...

tLBCC: What is behind the name of this cocktail ?

Kyle Jones: Count Camillo Negroni is said to have invented the Negroni and this cocktail is a distant cousin of the Negroni. 

tLBCC: How would you describe the flavor of Breakfast of Camillo's?

Kyle Jones: If this cocktail, had a not so distant cousin it would be The Boulevardier and let’s say a third cousin of the Negroni. Where The Boulevardier calls for a bitter such as Campari or my favorite, Cappelletti, I substitute that with some of this beautiful Island Nation Roasting Co. cold brew coffee. While you won’t get as sharp of a bitterness as you would from the Campari, you still get a hint of it in a more mellow manner.

As far as the rye goes, there is no better one on the market than Michter’s. They are at the forefront of the American whiskey world right now because of the quality of spirits they produce. Some are turning into unicorn bottles nearly as much as Pappy Van Winkle!  I used their barrel-strength rye here. By replacing the bitter with cold brew, you loose a little bit of the alcohol kick. The barrel strength pushes the proof back up to par. The fig bitters add an ever so light fruitness to the backend to round it out. 

BREAKFAST AT CAMILLO'S

Ingredients: 

• 1 oz Cocchi sweet vermouth
• 1 oz Island Nation Roasting Co. cold brew   (HERE is a cold brew recipe I used) 
• 1 oz Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye
• 3 dashes Brooklyn Hemispherical Black Mission Fig Bitters

Method:

This is a super simple one to make at home as it is equal parts of each spirit. An easy 1:1:1 ratio of vermouth, rye and cold brew with a touch of bitters.  You can add all ingredients to a mixing glass or tin filled with ice and stir until cold.  You also could simply build this in your glass if you wanted as well, but I always like pouring over fresh ice when serving.

tLBCC: How do you know when a cocktail should be stirred and not shaken?

Kyle Jones:  I would say when it is a spirit driven drink, it should be stirred. It creates a silky feel and gives the drink a perfect clarity that shaking takes away.  With that said, if your cocktail includes egg whites, cream and any fruit juice, especially citrus, you need to shake it. Shaking helps incorporate or bind these ingredients in a way that stirring simply cannot. If you stir when those items are included, you run the risk of the ingredients separating over time in your glass—and nobody likes a sip of egg white!  Shaking also adds aeration, which creates a different texture for mouth feel.  

tLBCC: Is there a trick to cutting lemon peels for cocktails?

Kyle Jones:  I wouldn’t say there is much of a trick, maybe just a little extra attention to detail. I like to cut big thick twists to maximize the oils from the lemon. A sharp pairing knife will do the trick, but you can also use a vegetable peeler. When you cut, try to cut as much of the pith (white part) off of the lemon as possible. This is where a lot of bitterness comes from. If you are putting lemon in the cocktail as a garnish the pith can change the flavor of the cocktail—especially as it sits through your drinking experience. The best thing to do is lay the twist flat on a cutting board and take a pairing knife parallel to the board to remove the pith in one slice. You don’t need to get every little tiny bit of pith off, but you should at least begin to see the circular pores after the cut. 

When you twist on your cocktail, the outside of the lemon is what you want to point toward the glass.  If you look close when you do, you will see all oil shoot off and float on top of your glass. You can rub the oil on the lip of the glass for a bit more immediate impact on the sip.

tLBCC: Can you tell us a little bit about Island Nation Roasting Co.?

Kyle Jones: I always love to support local and Island Nation Roasting Co. is a fantastic local roaster. Steven Kemp is the man behind the beans and he is a coffee diehard. He is very meticulous in the way he prepares and roasts the beans and that shines through in the flavor of his roasts. The coffee we are using is a Santa Cruz Barillas from Huehuetenango, Guatemala and has tasting notes of caramel, dark chocolate, and dried cranberries.

tLBCC: Where would you serve this cocktail?

Kyle Jones:  I think this could be served in a wide range of places—from your cocktail focused bar to a cafe that adds adult medicine to their brews. It's an easy drinking cocktail that can be served any time of the day.

tLBCC: Is there a story behind that vintage Barclay's glass?

Kyle Jones: I just love vintage finds, especially barware. I know this glass is pretty old—not sure of it's exact date—but I like the idea of a glass having a bit of a history.  When I watch old westerns and see the cowboys get passed a bottle of whiskey down the bar and pour it into those small glasses and shoot it back, I always think, "I want that!” I think this is as about as close to becoming a cowboy that I am going to get!

Connect with Kyle Jones: Instagram | kyle@youngsfinewine.com

Connect with Island Nation Roasting Co:  Instagram | steven@inroastingco.com

Connect with Young's Fine Wine: website | facebook | Instagram