OnMilwaukee.com and Maker's Mark® have partnered for a special promotion all October called "Paint The Town Red." We selected 10 of Milwaukee's best mixologists, asked them to share their trademark bourbon recipes, and now, we're giving you a chance to vote for -- and win $50 from -- one of their respective bars. Our job during this month was fun, too: we sampled each of the cocktails and are happy to tell you all about them.
To enter to win, just click here and vote for your favorite recipe. And make sure to visit these 10 bars and try these most unique of Maker's Mark cocktails, too. You'll be glad you did!
My Red Right Hand
2.5 parts Makers Mark® Bourbon
.75 parts Luxardo® Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
.25 part fresh squeezed Orange Juice
Pinch of Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
Small pinch of Clove
Small piece of fresh Ginger
Black Cherry Juice
Shake all ingredients, with the exception of cherry juice, into a martini glass. Add a swirl of black cherry juice. Enjoy.
"Red Right Hand" is a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds song that came out in 1994, and in October of 2010, Clint Sterwald, who pours at Branded at the Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St., introduced a cocktail of the same name.
Because of the cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger, Sterwald’s concoction is the spiciest of the lot. This works both for and against the drink. All of the flavors mix together well and are identifiable by the palate, but the strong taste becomes a bit overpowering about halfway through.
It’s also sweet to the taste, which, again, makes this cocktail one that works for the first few sips but eventually becomes quite powerful. However, I could totally see myself drinking this on a special occasion, like Christmas Eve, when I’m open to very rich and / or decadent indulgences.
And one final note: the Cave song is about "the vengeful hand of God," so keep this in mind while drinking these potent potables. Otherwise, that same vengeful hand might shake the sober right outta ya. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
