Giant Cocktails: A San Francisco Giants Baseball Podcast

Did Bob Melvin and his staff make Farhan's roster better? The brothers are discussing the coaching staff today including why fans can never truly understand the dark art of MLB coaching, where the 2024 Giants needed the most coaching, and the one area that definitely needs to get significantly better. Finally they discuss why the 2025 staff will be a lot different not matter what the internal evaluations will be.

Our new cocktail podcast The Perfect Sip is in full swing even though Giants bats are not. You can find it here:

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking the Amen Corner while Ben is bringing back thew new and improved Orange & Black. Recipes below.

Amen Corner

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1 oz Aperol
• 3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
• 4-5 Mint Leaves
• Gently muddle the mint in a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients, plus ice, then shake until chilled. Double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with mint leaves or cocktail cherries.

Orange & Black

• 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey
• 1/2 oz Mr. Black coffee liqueur
• 1/4 oz orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
• 2 Dashes orange bitters
• Garnish with orange twist
• Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until the desired dilution is reached, then strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Express an orange twist over the glass, rub around the rim, and drop into the drink.

Well, that sucked. The brothers gamely break down the Angels series including the resurgence of the starting rotation, the return of David Villar, and Ryan Walker's first blown save. They then take a deep breath and look at the big picture by breaking down the the strengths, weaknesses and unknowns of the 2025 Giants.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking a Fruit Punch to the Nuts while Matthew is drinking a Bitter End (aka Limelight). Recipes below.

Fruit Punch to the Nuts

• 1 part Cognac
• 1/2 part Banana Liqueur
• 1/2 part Amaretto
• 2 parts Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 part Lime Juice
• Ginger ale for splashing
• Combine cognac, banana liqueur, Amaretto, pineapple juice and lime juice in a container and stir aggressively. Chill until cold. Serve over ice and provide ginger ale for an optional splash on top.

Bitter End (aka Limelight)

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
• 3 Dashes Orange Bitters
• 1 oz Campari
• Pinch of Ground Cinnamon for Garnish
• Add all ingredients but the Campari and cinnamon to a cocktail shaker with ice. Meanwhile, prepare a rocks glass by pouring in the Campari and then adding ice. Next, shake the cocktail shaker for 10-12 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass by pouring it over a bar spoon to float it on top. Add pinch of Cinnamon. Enjoy.

#doitforginny

We admit it; it's our fault they were swept. The boys break down the dismal offense, the good pitching and the outstanding play of Heliot Ramos in the Twins series. Then they declare that its "Not Early Anymore" and take overdue stands on the first base situation, the Birdsong and Harrison miss-use, and the closer controversy. (Wait, I thought Ben said there isn't a closer controversy?)

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Ben is drinking a Big Mama Osa's Magical Elixr while Matthew is drinking a Negroni to pay for his Cardinals/Goldschmitt jersey crime. Recipes below.

Mamma Osa’s Magical Elixr

• 3 oz Orange Juice
• 3 oz Sparkling White Wine
• 1 shot vodka (or whiskey, rum, gin, brandy, moonshine, etc.)
• Add spirit to a champagne flute. Top with chilled orange juice. Top with chilled sparkling white wine. Imagine a world where you don’t have to cook dinner or pick up dirty socks. Wouldn’t that be nice.

Cocktail

• 1 oz London Dry Gin
• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• Large Orange Twist for garnish
• Combine gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until just chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large single chunk of ice. Express orange twist over glass and put twist in glass. Good luck.

#doitforginny

There is no closer controversy! Our worrywarts break down the Brewers series (Birdsong! Doval! WILMER! Adames? Hicks? WALKER?!) and then ask the questions:

• Are the Giants fielding their best roster?
• What will it take for young starters like Hayden Birdsong, Kyle Harrison and Carson Wisenhunt to get a shot?
• Why are the Giants using Sean Hjelle to dominate washed up AAAA players?
• Will Christian Koss become our new closer? (OK, maybe not that one.)

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking a Wounded Tiki while Ben is drinking a Nasty Brew. Recipes below.

Wounded Tiki

• 1 oz Aged Rum
• 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 1/4 oz Allspice Dram
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Orgeat
• Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 12-15 seconds. Strain into a tiki or Collin’s glass with crushed ice. Garnish with mint and a lime wheel.

Nasty Brew

• 1 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Benedictine
• 3-4 oz Ginger Beer or Club Soda
• Combine the tequila and benedictine in a highball glass with no ice. Stir well to combine. Add ice and top with the ginger beer or soda. (Don't use the ginger beer, it's too sweet.)

#doitforginny

OK, it's a cross post with The Perfect Sip. Mostly. The boys do talk some baseball at the beginning. Oh, and they'll be back on Monday to talk about how the Giants definitely aren't signing Soto. In this episode they have ridiculous discussions about olive loaves and Ben makes a joke about eating a national icon. It's your typical mayhem really. The cocktails are good though. Recipes below. (Didn't have Randy Winn as VPPD on my bingo card.)

White Picket Fence

• 3 oz Spiced Whiskey Milk Punch
• 2-4 oz Sparkling Cider
• 0-2 oz Club Soda
• Pour the milk punch into a highball glass over ice. Top with sparkling cider. For a less sweet cocktail, replace a portion of the cider with club soda.

Spiced Whiskey Milk Punch

• 8 oz Spiced Whiskey
• 3 oz Toasted Powered Milk
• 1 oz Maple Syrup
• pinch of salt

1. Combine the spiced whiskey, maple syrup, and salt. Stir to combine.
2. Toast powdered milk in a pan on the stove, in the oven, or in a toaster oven. Monitor closely as it can burn quickly. Some light browning on the edges and surface is expected, but do not scorch.
3. Boil enough water to rehydrate the milk, then use the hot water to make the milk according to the package instructions.
4. While the milk is still hot, measure 3 oz into a large container, then pourthe whiskey mixture into the milk. You should see curdling happen immediately. Stir gently to help it along.
5. Let the mixture sit for a minute or two, then filter through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Once some curds have collected in the filter, move the filter to a new container and re-strain the first portion of the final product.

Spiced Whiskey

• 750 ml of Whiskey of you choice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise pod
• 4 cloves
• 1/4 cracked nutmeg
• Combine whiskey and spices in a sealed bottle or jar. Let sit for 24 hours to 3 days, tasting every 24 hours. Remove spices when desired.

Autumn’s Kiss

• 2 oz Brandy or Cognac
• 3/4 oz Allspice Dram
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
• 1 Dash Cardamom Bitters
• 1 Dash Orange Bitters
• Absinthe for rinse
• Start by preparing a coupe glass: coat the inside with absinthe and discard any excess. Add the remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled. Double strain into the prepared coupe glass and garnish with a star anise.