The hip flask is one of the great advancements in civilized rule-breaking.
Passed down — and around — for centuries as man’s clandestine, booze-filled companion.
Aliases: the liquid handshake. The personal nightcap. The ire of authorities everywhere.
To pay proper homage, we hit up seven of the nation’s best drinkmakers for their favorite “flask cocktail.” This is The Cocktail Quarterly, Vol. X.: Shoot from the Hip.
Refined flaskmanship for the vagabond drinker, if you will.
Now, before you dig in, a few steadfast guidelines on flask-cocktailing to keep in mind:
Citrus is out. Any stirred cocktail will work … so long as you stay away from anything perishable.
Account for dilution. No ice, no problem. But general rule of thumb: if you make a cocktail without stirring it over ice, that cocktail will lose the expected dilution that ice typically lends it.
Must taste good warm. When you commit to the flask, remember it’ll be on your person. Losing the chill crisp taste is a given, so plan accordingly.
Pack a punch. Standard flask size: six ounces. Be economical with your mixers. Obviously a cocktail won’t get the job done as well as, say, anything straight up — but the object here is taste, not just buzz.
Share and share often. It’s what a gentleman would do.
We’ve also got seven flasks to pair with whatever beverage tickles your fancy, and all the hooch inside is shoppable — in under an hour, no less — thanks to our booze-peddling pals at Drizly (check out their coverage map to see if they deliver in your city).
