Spirit of Albany: The Centennial Tini

This delicious cocktail comes from Albany's oldest restaurant. A favorite of locals, visitors, and celebrities, Jack's Oyster House brings you their 2015 Spirit of Albany cocktail, the Centennial Tini!

The inspiration behind this fruity beverage: 

Jack's has been a staple in Albany since it opened it's doors in 1913. This champagne based cocktail celebrates the centennial of not only one of Albany's great landmarks, but also celebrates a family that embodies the true spirit of the city it calls home.

So head to 42 State Street in Albany to try this drink, eat some delicious food, and see what this 102 restaurant is really all about.

See how to the Centennial Tini is crafted:

Editor's note: We asked some of Albany’s best mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that embody the spirit of Albany, and we compiled those recipes into our 2015 Spirit of Albany Recipe Guide. (The ACCVB does not, in any way, condone drinking and driving so please designate a driver as we did for this series.)

Food Truck Fun Downtown this Summer

We got word today that the Downtown Albany BID is calling for food truck vendors to participate in their “Fork in the Road” event. In conjunction with 1st Friday Albany, “Fork in the Road” will take place at Tricentennial Park (Broadway and Columbia Street) in downtown Albany from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM on May 1, June 5, August 7, September 4, and October 2, 2015. The vendor application is available online at downtownalbany.org.

These monthly events will align perfectly with 1st Friday Albany, the monthly arts and culture event. During the family-friendly “Fork in the Road”, Tricentennial Park will become host to evenings with unique food and music against the backdrop of Downtown’s history and architecture.

Stay tuned for more info on Fork in the Road!

Spirit of Albany: Ironweed Old Fashioned

For this 2015 Spirit of Albany cocktail, you'll have to skip the restaurant and come straight to the horses mouth... or something like that. The Ironweed Old Fashioned can be made for you at Albany Distilling Co. The inspiration behind this cocktail? 

The Albany Distilling Company supplies the Capital Region and beyond with craft spirits one batch at a time. The Ironweed Old Fashioned is in celebration of just that, keeping with tradition of Albany and their devotion for finely crafted liquors, this cocktail remains a classic. The main ingredient being the Distilling Company's own Ironweed Rye whiskey, which they are most known for.

Albany Distilling Co. features this delicious cocktail on their drink menu so stop in, sit, and smell the distilling process which is actually deliciously aromatic. Oh, and if you stop in, be sure to say hi to Cooper, the official Albany Distilling greeter and mouse catcher.

You could also stop in to the distillery and pick up the rye whiskey to create this beverage for yourself at home. 

Want to see how Albany Distilling creates this tasty beverage? 

Spirit of Albany: Apple Cider Sangria

For the 2015 Spirit of Albany campaign, The Ginger Man concocted this mouth-watering cocktail that reflected everything we love about Albany!

What inspired the mixologist at The Ginger Man when trying to create this cocktail?

This cocktail celebrates and embodies New York’s favorite time of the year: Autumn. With the beautiful foliage and favorite activity, apple picking, it’s no wonder why residents and visitors alike love the Fall. The Apple Cider Sangria embodies all that comes with that dazzling time of the year. Along with the abundance of apple products, the Hudson Valley and Capital District are known for their local wineries.

This refreshing beverage pairs nicely with a lighter entrée such as a salad or simple chicken dish! Although this drink can be enjoyed all year long, autumn best compliments this cocktail because of its apple-cinnamon roots.

See the recipe and order your own 2015 Recipe Guide by visiting this page.

See how they created the sangria in this “how-to” video:

Editor's note: We asked some of Albany’s best mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that embody the spirit of Albany, and we compiled those recipes into our 2015 Spirit of Albany Recipe Guide. (The ACCVB does not, in any way, condone drinking and driving so please designate a driver as we did for this series.)

Spirit of Albany: Tri-City Martini

As part of our 2015 Spirit of Albany campaign, Reel Seafood Co. created this delicious cocktail!

The inspiration behind this colorful concoction?

The Tri-City Martini reflects the close association Albany has with the neighboring cities of Troy and Schenectady. The three layers in this cocktail represent the individuality of each city. Each layer adds something unique to the cocktail just like each distinct city makes up the Capital Region.

This fruity martini would be the perfect after dinner treat, or even an "after lunch on the beautiful patio" treat! Enjoy this drink at Reel Seafood Co. at 195 Wolf Road, Albany NY.

See the recipe and order your own 2015 Recipe Guide by visiting this page.

See how they create this layered drink in the "how-to" video:

Editor's note: We asked some of Albany’s best mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that embody the spirit of Albany, and we compiled those recipes into our 2015 Spirit of Albany Recipe Guide. (The ACCVB does not, in any way, condone drinking and driving so please designate a driver as we did for this series.)

Taste the Spirit of Albany

One city, 400 years of history, and 11 great cocktails...

What could I be talking about? The 2015 Spirit of Albany recipes, of course!

The 2015 Spirit of Albany recipe guides featuring eleven original cocktail recipes from restaurants and culinary attractions throughout Albany County is available now! For the third year in a row, we've encouraged local mixologists to create original cocktail recipes that they feel embody the true spirit of Albany.

This year’s recipes include ingredients from local producers like Nine Pin Cider Works, the Albany Distilling Company, the Underground Alchemy, and Harvest Spirits. Many also make good use out of apples, New York State’s official fruit! 

The 2015 cocktails are as follows: 

• The Tri-City Martini – Reel Seafood Co. 

• Apple Cider Sangria – The Ginger Man

• Ironweed Old Fashioned – Albany Distilling Company

• Centennial Tini - Jack’s Oyster House

• ‘Old Lansing House’ Cosmo – The Hollow

• Roff Old Fashion – The Century House 

• The Warehouse District – Nine Pin Cider Works

• Empire State Apple Manhattan – Wolf’s 1-11 Arena Sports Grill

• Albany Apple Knocker – New World Bistro

• Dark & Spicy – 677 Prime

• Passion Fruit Caipiroska – Texas de Brazil

This year, along with the Spirit of Albany recipe cards, we are producing a video series that features each cocktail with a step by step “how-to” by the mixologist! The eleven videos will be released each Friday beginning April 3 and will be available on the Discover Albany YouTube page and on the Culinary Capital blog! 

Read the inspiration behind each cocktail, view the recipes, or order your our free recipe guide online by clicking this link. 

Recipe guides may be picked up at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center for free, or at any of the participating restaurants/locations.  The Spirit of Albany is a special promotion of The Culinary Capital.