Broderick Roadhouse – Best Cocktail in Yolo County

Whiskey Sour, Broderick Roadhouse, West Sacramento, 2019

Broderick Roadhouse – The Review

Taste (6/10) – Good. Sweet, nice sour component. A subtle smokiness. Jim Bean is always nice.

Presentation (3/5) – Correct glassware. Nice cloudy lemonade color, garnished.

Balance (4/5) – Nice tasting cocktail. Sweet with a smoky, sour finish.

Correctness (3/5) – No egg white. Good house made sour mix. Two garnishes. Lemon peel instead of orange. Splash of smoked bitters instead of normal. Bartender asked if I wanted to try that.

Delivery (3/x) – Very friendly. Talked with me about the drink and the bar.

Total (19/25) – This wasn’t an absolutely correct Whiskey Sour, but unlike many of the other incorrect sours I’ve had since starting this project this one tasted good. And, that’s always the most important part of your cocktail, Does it taste good? If it doesn’t you need to go back and start over. This was a nice stop and a nice drink.

Whiskey in a Jar, Broderick Roadhouse, West Sacramento, 2019

Preserve – Best Cocktail in Yolo County

Whiskey Sour, Preserve, 2019

Preserve – The Review

Taste (9/10) – This is good. Sour on top with a smooth, sweet finish. Tastes great. The mouthfeel is there.

Presentation (4/5) – In the correct glassware, asked if I wanted it on ice. Had the garnish (mostly.)

Balance (4/5) – Good balance. Everything works together to make an enjoyable drink.

Correctness (4/5) – Correct! Whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, with a protein binder! The bartender asked if I wanted an egg white or their vegan alternative – aquafaba (chickpea water.) Only thing missing was the orange peel.

Delivery (3/x) – Spoke with me about the drink. How he was making it, if I wanted to it with aquafaba or egg white, what aquafaba was. Had a taster straw and tasted the drink throughout.

Total (24/25) – Finally, an actual Whiskey Sour. Finally, a drink I’d order again! This was the perfect drink for a hot late summer day. Cool and refreshing with a nice sour tang. The score might be inflated, but that is only because this is the first actual Whiskey Sour I’ve ordered since starting this!

La Tienda, Preserve, 2019

Preserve is a great restaurant in Winters, CA right on the western edge of Yolo County. Their menu always has something delicious on it and you can’t order anything until after you have the fresh bread and jalapeno jelly. Their bar is well stocked and staffed by knowledgeable tenders. Which must be why when I ordered my Whiskey Sour they knew how to make it and how to alter it. I already like Preserve but now, after this cocktail, I love it.

Links

Preserve
The Project
The Criteria
The Bars

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen – Best Cocktail in Yolo County

Sophia's Thai Kitchen Whiskey Sours
Whiskey Sours, Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 2019

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen – The Review

Taste (4/10) – Tastes like cheap whiskey and sour mix. Strange acerbic aftertaste that lingers.

Presentation (2/5) – Cloudy straw. In actual glassware, a little too much ice and no garnish.

Balance (2/5) – Too much liquor. There is some sour, but I wouldn’t call it lemon.

Correctness (1/5) – Incorrect. This was equal parts liquor and sour mix. No egg, no garnish, not shaken.

Delivery (1/x) – Nothing. Bartender was friendly but just poured the drinks.

Total (10/15) – Again, just a terrible drink. Not a whiskey sour.

I’ve always enjoyed Sophia’s. I have several fond memories centered there from my time in college, from competing in their trivia night to just hanging out with friends. The food is good, the location is nice, and the bartenders and staff have always been friendly.

But, they don’t know how to make a Whiskey Sour.

Links

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
The Project
The Criteria
The Bars

Green River Brewing & Taproom – Best Cocktail in Yolo County

Whiskey Sour
Whiskey Sour, Green River Brewing & Taproom, 2019

Green River Brewing & Taproom – The Review

Taste (3/10) – Could smell some whiskey but that was about it. The drink tastes like sour mix.

Presentation (1/5) – A cloudy, strawish yellow. Sort of looks like grapefruit juice. Lots of ice.

Balance (1/5) – Lemon juice with a hint of sugar. A real lip-pucker!

Correctness (1/5) – No egg, no garnishes, not shaken. Can’t tell if using pre-mix or made their own sour syrup.

Delivery (1/x) – Nothing.

Total (7/25) – Another disappointing cocktail from a really cool place.

Green River has an excellent space right next to Putah Creek outside of Winters. The whole thing is clearly a labor of love. There is music space, a park with seating, cornhole, and horseshoes. Even outdoor grills and taps!? The food is simple but delicious. But this cocktail, it is so bad! This cocktail is supposed to taste good! When you make it according to the recipe it tastes great! But no, all we got was some whiskey splashed with bad sour mix.

Good thing they had plenty of great beer on tap.

Links

Green River Brewery & Taproom
The Project
The Criteria
The Bars

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