Batch, Sip, Repeat: Hotline Highlights from the Cocktail Frontlines

What do you get when you mix bourbon, a rotary phone, and a season known primarily for mud? A fresh episode of Cocktails with Friends: Hotline Edition with Bob Cutler, that’s what.

Caller one wanted three easy-batch cocktails for summer soirées. We gave ‘em

The Manhattan (think NYC’s 212 area code)

– 2 oz spirit

– 1 oz vermouth

–  2 dashes bitters

Plus, the always classy Negroni, and the suave Boulevardier. The secret sauce? Add 20% water post-mix for freezer-ready perfection. You’re not just batching—you’re brunching with style.

Next up, a bourbon lover flirting with mezcal and gin. To bridge the smoky divide, we recommended a split margarita (mezcal + bourbon = magic). And for gin-curious minds? Try Bar Hill’s Tomcat in a Negroni. Trust Bob, it’s like a bourbon in a floral tuxedo.

Then came the stout cocktail ask, and boy did we deliver: a Stout Espresso Martini starring bourbon, espresso, simple syrup, and maybe even a dash of tiramisu liqueur. It’s like dessert and a wake-up call in the same glass.

Finally, for those trudging through Maine’s beloved “mud season,” we offered shoulder-season sips: gin with elderflower and ginger beer for the zingy crowd, and berry-muddled tequila or bourbon cocktails for those craving a fruity kick in their rain boots.

Call the Cocktails with Friends hotline: 207-814-0177
Subscribe to the podcast, share, sip—repeat.

See you at the bistro. Cheers!