A friend of mine at the Reef in Washington, D.C. concocted this for me one night last spring and I've never looked back. Almost every time I order this, no matter where I go, I convert a skeptical bartender or fellow bar-goer. My buddy Patrick at Bar Pilar (also in Washington) ingeniously suggested I substitute ginger beer for the ginger ale; I would recommend the same if you happen to have that handy. But ginger ale works just as well. While I have specified Angostura bitters here, that just reflects my personal preference. There are many varieties of bitters available, but I find the Angostura really amplifies the citrus in the vodka and the ginger in the mixer. But whatever your choice, use it judiciously--a little goes a long way. —Chris Hagan
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