And One More For The Road

Professor Thomas, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Cocktail

2014-04-08T13:25:00.002-07:00

Now that we’ve clarified that Prohibition did considerably more harm than good, we can trace the evolution of mixed drinks and bartending techniques back even further.

Drink-makers from the late 1700’s until the 1830’s had to work with fairly archaic tools, serving punches, nogs, slings, and the like using hot pokers, toddy sticks, and tumblers or mugs. Ice was not only scarce but difficult to work with, so hot water was a more common mixer. Fruits were common in cities and rare in the country, and conversely the country had readily available dairy and clean water. Single-serving Punch became all the rage by the turn of the 19th century, as did the Julep and the Cock-Tail, though the quality of your drink was very dependent on where in the country you were ordering it.

In the 1830’s, ice became a much more regular commodity, changing drinking habits forever. Cold drinks became expected, straws became popular, and bartenders had to learn ice-handling skills and tools. This included the invention of the barspoon, with which to stir the ice, and the shaker to shake it. By the 1880’s, the drinks themselves had become as fancy as the bartender’s tools, including fruit, bitters, liqueurs and cordials, wines, and more readily available spirits. Presentation become paramount to the craft.

“Professor” Jerry Thomas is not confirmed to be the ‘best’ bartender at the time, but he was well-known and mixed drinks in many cities across the U.S. for thirty years, at one point supposedly having a higher income than the President (at the time ~$100 per week). Why he is important is mostly because he wrote what is considered the first comprehensive book on bartending and mixing drinks, aptly titled “How To Mix Drinks, or the Bon Vivant’s Companion” in 1862. It contained information on tools of the trade, techniques, and a wealth of recipes. With the turn of the 20th century being the summit of cocktail culture’s popularity, and arguably no better book on bartending being published until the 1930’s, this makes Jerry Thomas the most important bartender of all time.

As bartenders today, we have to understand how drinks were made when they were made best. This is not just geeking-out on history; the more drinks you make the more you realize how important the details are. The quality of ice, the proper tools, the right balance in taste, and the best products possible are the keys to making the best drinks, just as they were 150 years ago. Bartenders need to understand why these things are important before trying to push the envelope, reinvent the wheel, or some other suitable cliche.

For those of us most interested in classic cocktails, the story stops in that time period. We believe bartenders had it right before Prohibition. We are most interested in the drinks from that period and have no desire for the aforementioned cliches. We also believe that the greatest challenge is to make a perfectly balanced but incredibly simple drink.

Lastly, enjoying and making a classic cocktail is the excitement of tapping into the history of that time. Personally, this is why I find bartending so rewarding. Well… that and alcohol is awesome.

Prohibition Killed The Cocktail

2014-04-05T12:09:00.001-07:00

It is a common misconception that American Prohibition created the cocktail. I hear this working behind the bar, reading blog posts and books, and have even encountered it during historical walking tours. This inaccurate tale is usually told like so:

Once alcohol was criminalized, bathtub gin and watered-down, bootlegged spirits became the unavoidable drinks of choice. This booze was such poor quality that drinkers started to mask the flavours with juices, liqueurs, and herbs - the inception of what we know today as classic cocktails. There are such stories of specific drinks as well - the Southside, for example. In the 1920’s, Chicago was split into two zones (South and North) ruled by two different gangs (Al Capone in the south and Dean O’Banion in the north). The North Side Gang, being closer to Canada, cornered the market on bootlegged whisky, forcing the South Side Gang to rely more on the sale of bathtub gin. This gin tasted so awful, adding citrus and mint to it was the only way to make it palatable.

Unfortunately, almost none of this is true.

The mixed drink actually dates back hundreds of years before Prohibition in the form of punch, which constituted simply a large volume mixture of liquor or wine with fruits, juices, or dairy, and ice if it was handy. The “Cock-tail” as a singular drink (containing spirit, bitters, sugar, and water) dates to sometime in the 18th century, still almost 200 years earlier than the 18th Amendment. The “Golden Age of Cocktails,” the name given to the heyday of the saloon from about 1860-1919, saw the evolution of the single-serving punch and the original “Cock-tail.” This is essentially the true birth of what we know today as classic cocktails. Most of the popular, old drinks we still enjoy today come from this time period (Manhattan, Sazerac, Martini, Martinez, Negroni, Old Fashioned, and so on).

So what exactly did Prohibition do to cocktail culture? It actually had the reverse effect of what many seem to think. American Prohibition, for all intensive purposes, destroyed classic bartending. It wiped recipes, techniques, and ingredients from existence. It took previously high-standards of drinking culture and flushed them down the proverbial toilet. It raised an entire generation on bad-quality liquor and trained them to expect nothing more (a tradition proudly carried through the 1970’s-90’s).

Once alcohol was outlawed, many producers either went out of business, sold their remaining stock and evolved, or in the case of European companies, simply stopped supplying any product to the U.S. Many popular ingredients disappeared, only to be resurrected over the last ten years during the classic bartending revival (e.g. creme de violette, Boker’s bitters, Abbott’s bitters, amari, etc).

By the turn of the century, bartending techniques and tools were perfected, and the finest establishments and hotels had access to good-quality ice. During Prohibition, the only bars were speakeasies, hidden in back rooms and basements with no refrigeration, tools, or even bartenders most of the time, making cocktails next to impossible to actually make. (Keep in mind, no refrigeration meant no juice).

Bartenders, who were in the 19th century both respected and revered, either had to completely change careers (many became soda jerks) or flee to Europe to continue their craft. It is in Paris and London through the 1920’s and 30’s that bartending does continue its story, no thanks to anything that was happening in the U.S.

After the repeal in 1933, bartending returned slowly but (arguably) never to the same level of quality and seemingly without the same sense of history. With the improvement of technology bringing us the blender, ice machines, and column stills to mass-produce liquor, the focus on profit margin and bad taste became too much to bear by the 1950’s, and classic cocktails were all but forgotten. (Another misconception is that the 50’s and 60’s were great eras for the cocktail, when in fact they were the decades when it finally withered away and passed quietly in the night while old purists watched in sorrow.)

So as you can see, we can blame Prohibition for killing the cocktail, not creating it. Today, as so many bars are returning bartending to its 19th century form, where do we find inspiration and technique? Stay tuned...

Lost & Found: The Seelbach Cocktail

2014-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Every hotel, bar, or restaurant used to have a signature drink. In fact, for a few hundred years from the peak of punch through the heyday of plain and fancy drinks in the mid 19th century, all alcoholic beverages were named after either their ingredients or the establishment that created them. Some famous examples include the Manhattan, Brooklyn, Clover Club, Pegu Club, and Sazerac. One of the many sad consequences of U.S. Prohibition was that any business relying on selling alcohol had to be shut down, and often with it went an interesting history and a signature drink.

The Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, is a great example. Built in 1905 by the Seelbach brothers, this hotel was an attempt to recreate the beauty and decadence of western Europe. Located within was The Rathskeller, a 400-seat capacity nightspot whose menu claimed that “every essential, artistic detail is a reproduction of the underground drinking and council hall of one of the famous castles on the Rhine.” Most impressively, this was one of the very first air-conditioned rooms ever built, requiring forty tons of steam-produced refrigeration every twenty-four hours to maintain at least a ten degree cooler temperature than the hot Kentucky air outside.

Theatre-goers and socialites spent evenings here, likely enjoying the signature cocktail, The Seelbach – a light, spicy mixture of bourbon, Cointreau, Champagne, and a hefty dose of both Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters. Though unconfirmed (as most of these stories are), the tale of its inception involves a bartender opening a foaming bottle of Champagne and grabbing a nearby customer’s Manhattan to catch the spill. This patron enjoyed the combination and a new drink was born.

Most famously, the Seelbach Hotel was frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who at the time was writing “The Great Gatsby,” and supposedly based some of the novel on his experience there. The female lead, Daisy Buchanan, was from Louisville, so perhaps he found inspiration in a particular guest? Perhaps for Gatsby as well?

Once the 18th Amendment was passed, the bars inside were closed and The Rathskeller became simply an extended dining room. Part of this space was even leased to Walgreen Drugs. The Seelbach Cocktail, now illegal, was forgotten.

In the 1930’s a new bar was opened that offered its own theatre and musical entertainment, and though many ownership and design changes have occurred over the last eighty years, the Seelbach still stands and parts of the original Rathskeller designs still remain. The story goes that in 1995 when ownership was undergoing another renovation of the hotel, a manager discovered (I like to think it was physically found in the basement) a recipe for the Seelbach Cocktail and again made it the house drink, though the specifics were guarded. Thanks to Gary Regan, who convinced the Seelbach Hotel to allow the recipe to be published in his “New Classic Cocktails” book, we can all share in the drink’s history and unique flavour.

At Pourhouse, we’ve altered the recipe slightly to suit our tastes, so come try our version and tip your glass to Fitzgerald, Gatsby, forgotten cocktails, and air conditioning.

[originally published on pourhousevancouver.com/blog]

A Beginner's Guide to Scotch

2014-02-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Scotch is without a doubt the most complex and diverse of whiskies. Despite being geographically small, Scotland is home to over a hundred distilleries - more than the rest of the world put together (though this is likely about to change as more and more open every year). For historical, practical, legal, and geographical reasons, there are a range of flavours, aromas, and production methods involved - so many that whisky writers have overflowing websites and books with only their favourites. I felt compelled to do another whisky post just on Scotch alone. It’s a daunting prospect to enter a world of so many different great but expensive whiskies, so here are some things you should know.

How many kinds of Scotch are there?

While whisky can be separated by region, there are also some legal definitions:

Single Malt: a product of one distillery, made from only malted barley, yeast, and water.

Blended: a combination of single malt and grain whiskies from one or a number of distilleries that have been matured separately before being combined.

Blended Malt/Vatted Malt: a blended whisky containing a mixture of only single malts from multiple distilleries.

Grain: whisky made from one or any number of grains other than malted barley, usually by column still, and used for blending.

How is single malt made?

The most important of Scotch (not just because they’re considered the best, but because blends don’t exist without them) is the single malt. These are made by first soaking barley in water, which tricks the grain into growing. The husk breaks down as shoots are produced, giving access to the starches and enzymes within. This process is called “malting.” The growth is halted by drying out the barley using a heat source, historically by burning peat moss (giving the whisky a smoky flavour and aroma), later by coal ovens, and now usually by electric ones. The dried barley is ground into flour and mixed with hot water to remove the starches and enzymes into solution. The grains are removed, and yeast is added to convert the starches to sugars and the sugars to CO₂ and alcohol. After a few days, what’s left is essentially a sour beer, which is then distilled (usually twice). The first compounds to distill not only taste bad but can be poisonous, and the last ones are unpleasant as well, so it’s the middle run that is kept. This is put into barrels and matured for a minimum of three years, usually ten to eighteen. This is where most of the flavour of the whisky is created and honed, and the end products are usually blended to achieve consistency.

What kinds of barrels are used?

There are no barrel regulations for Scotch, so you will see a range of woods being used, sometimes even on the same whisky. American or French oak, new or used, sherry or bourbon, and all manner of combinations. Over time the whisky will absorb compounds from the wood, adding flavours like vanilla, toast, butter, spice, smoke, caramel, tobacco, as well as colour. The wood also softens the alcoholic edge. Because most Scotch barrels have been previously used and are rarely toasted or charred, the absorption process tends to take longer than other types, such as American. This is why single malts are aged typically at around twelve years, whereas bourbon is aged at around half that.

How does Scotch differ by region?

While these are generalizations, there are flavours and methods consistent with where the whisky is made. Here are the major regions and their characteristics:

Highlands: due to climate, barley is historically more difficult to grow in this region, so less whisky was produced. It was also illegal at one point to distill here, so smaller stills were both sufficient and necessary. These smaller stills allow more compounds and oils to pass through, yielding a thicker and more flavourful malt.

Ex. Ardmore, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Oban.

Lowlands: the invention of the column, or continuous still, allowed for considerably faster production. These were built first near the city ports, such as Glasgow, where there was a better climate and therefore larger supply of barley. Bigger stills mean more surface area of copper for compounds to be removed, making cleaner, lighter, and smoother spirits.

Ex. Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, Glenkinchie.

Speyside: this is technically part of the Highlands, but about two thirds of all Scottish distilleries reside here so it is considered a region of its own. Close proximity to the Spey River allow distilleries easy-access to a water supply for whisky-making. Easier production meant higher volumes, so Speyside distilleries adopted not just larger stills but faster methods of drying the barley than peat, such as coal, then oil, gas, and so on. Speyside whiskies tend to be sweet, fruity, soft, and approachable, with typically less or even no smoke. Most of the distilleries here are younger and are used for blending and don’t even sell single malts.

Ex. Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Aberlour, Aberfeldy, Balvenie, Cragganmore, Glenfarclas, Macallan, Mortlach.

Campbeltown: the Mull of Kintyre was at one time the main export point to North America and had a large number of distilleries. Now there are barely a handful left and this is not considered a Scotch region as it once was.

Ex. Springbank.

The Islands: The invention of trains, railways, and coal-burning brought to the mainlands more efficient methods of drying barley than burning peat. The trains weren’t able to travel to the islands, however, so the traditional methods lived on and today peat is both a historical and defining characteristic of island whisky. The most prolific and famous of the islands is Islay, home to eight distilleries all producing a range of big, peaty, smoky malts.

Ex. (Islay) Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, (other islands) Talisker, Highland Park, Jura, Arran.

Where should I start my single malt journey?

If you’re new to whisky, the most approachable place to start is the Lowlands or Speyside. These are approachable, soft, and often sweet-tasting whiskies. Speyside also produces the top-selling and cheapest of single malts, Glenfiddich 12 and Glenlivet 12. These are the Scotches you’ll encounter most often, but spending a little extra will get you a much warmer welcome to the party. Try the Balvenie Doublewood, Glenfiddich 15, (fruit, wood, vanilla), or Macallan 12 (fruitcake, spice, citrus, toffee). If you can spend a little more, try Aberlour A’bundah (dried fruit and spice), or the Highland options Dalwhinnie 15 (honey), and Glenmorangie Original (citrus, oak).

If you like sweeter and softer spirits like higher-priced bourbon or rum, Speyside is, again, a good start.

If you like more rustic and harsh spirits, like cheap whiskey or big-bodied bourbons, try some Highland malts from Dalmore (wood, cocoa, citrus), or Oban (honey, peat, dried fruit). Also look into some non-Islay island whiskies, such as Highland Park 12 (honey, oak, fruit, spice, peat) or 18 (amazing balance of everything Scotch).

If you are adventurous and like the idea of drinking smoke, or if you like a good mezcal, try the Island whiskies. If smoky spirits are new to you, start with Arran 10 (butterscotch, mint, fruit), or one of my favourites, Talisker 10 (pepper, cocoa, oak), which have more balanced levels of peat. If you want to jump into the peatiest, Lagavulin 12 (citrus, smoke) and Bowmore 12 (seasalt, fruit, spice, smoke) to start and if you’re ready for that slap to the face of brine, medicine, and smoke, try Ardbeg 10, Bruichladdich 10 or 16, and Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

Like any spirit, be wary of heavy marketing and trust whisky writers, bartenders, and your own research. Higher price-points don’t signify higher quality.

Should I try some blends?

Absolutely, but be warned that there is a lack of regulation on them, so on average you’re getting lower quality products. The worst blend is an astounding difference from the worst single malt. You often get what you pay for, so avoid anything cheap. BlackGrouse is a fine cheap blend, while Johnnie Walker Gold, or Compass Box are fine choices at higher cost. However, at this point you could arguably spend the same amount to get a great single malt. The blend experience can be just as rewarding, but because there is a quality risk, I suggest starting your adventure with single malts and doing research before spending too much on a blend. If you’re new to Scotch, avoid cheap blends at all costs and don’t make any rash judgments because of them.

For tips on how to enjoy your whisky, see the previous post - but I highly recommend you don’t add anything but distilled water. Considering the cheapest single malts are $55 (in B.C. where I’m from anyway), it’s not worth it to remove any flavour by means of ice and (god forbid) soda. I also recommend finding local Scotch tastings, which happen more than you realize and many are free. This is a great opportunity to find out what you like and don’t like without making any financial commitments.

Cheers!

[originally published on www.shakestir.com]

The Cold, Hard Truth About Ice

2014-02-13T23:25:00.002-08:00

How much does ice really matter?

While the average person might say “not much,” the average cocktail bartender will – with eyes widened – exclaim: “SO MUCH.”

So allow me, as a bartender, to nerd-out and give a full explanation as to why this is the case.

Ice, for all intents and purposes, should be considered an ingredient in the creation of a mixed drink, and like any other ingredient should be of the highest quality. A drink is only as good as its lowest-quality ingredient, so yes – ice quality matters a lot.

In the golden age of cocktails (the mid to late 19th century) ice was harder to come by as refrigeration technology was new to non-existent (depending where you lived). Only the best of establishments had the best of ice, usually delivered in large, very cold blocks from which the bartender would chip off clumps with an ice pick. This made well-crafted cocktails much more of a valued commodity than they are today. As ice became a taken-for-granted part of everyday life, and as the skill and art behind making cocktails disappeared, bars just began to use whatever was cheapest and easiest. This meant small, watery ice, and the drinks suffered (and still do) because of it.

To understand exactly why, let’s consider the purpose of ice in mixing drinks:

- it dilutes, softening the edge of the alcohol by lowering the proof, allowing flavours to combine with each other more easily

- it chills, lowering the perception sweetness, bitterness, and viscosity, all contributing to a better-balance of flavour, and a dry rather than sweet drink

and less importantly,

- in the case of egg or cream, it emulsifies ingredients, creating texture that both mutes the flavour of alcohol and increases the perception of sweetness, allowing for less added sugar

Given the above, ideally the ice should chill the drink as much as possible before over-diluting it. This means the optimal ice is as big, cold, and hard as possible to allow for the longest shaking or stirring time before the perfect amount of dilution is obtained. (Never trust a drink that only gets a few shakes or stirs before being served). Skimping on ice is the equivalent of skimping on ingredients – using the lowest quality of what’s available to save on costs means the drink quality will suffer. In fact, it’s even more important, because a Manhattan with a great whiskey, for example, can be ruined by adding too much water.

So what can be done about this to ensure the best ice? Most of the best cocktail destinations use a Kold Draft machine, which ensures large cubes that are colder, higher density, and more pure than any other machine. The high-pressure water injection system freezes out impurities, the cube-shape and cold temperature help make drinks as cold as possible, and the density of the cubes allows for slower dilution – again helping with temperature and allowing us more control when mixing. This also means anything enjoyed on the rocks isn’t a watery mess.

Nerdy, right?

Yes, but attention to detail is what makes the best food and drink, and ice-quality is an extremely important but often overlooked detail.

[photo: ice harvesters, circa 1912, New York State Archives]

[post originally published on pourhousevancouver.com]

Mexican Spitfire: The Actress, The Temptress, The Suicide... The Cocktail

2014-01-27T14:00:00.001-08:00

Today's new cocktail is a tip of the glass to an exotic Hollywood star of old, Lupe Vélez.

Vélez had the distinction of being the first (or at least one of the very first) Mexican actresses to break into Hollywood. She was feisty from a young age, a deviant child sent to a convent at thirteen – which only made matters worse. By her late teens she showed a passion for the theater and vaudeville, and left Mexico to make her Hollywood silent-film debut in 1927. She transitioned to talkies and starred opposite the likes of Jimmy Durante, Gary Cooper, Lon Chaney, and Edward G. Robinson. Many films and a Broadway-stint later, she became as well-known for her exotic image on the screen as for her strong and passionate personality off it.

In the late 1930′s, she was making comedies, most notably as a fiery Mexican girl in the aptly named “The Girl From Mexico,” a role she reprised six more times in films named, “The Mexican Spitfire.” It was a fitting persona that revitalized her career and quickly became her nickname (though she apparently wasn’t happy about it).

On the other side of the camera, her life was just as torrid, including affairs with numerous co-stars (such as Gary Cooper - about whom she said 'he had the biggest member in Hollywood, but not the buttocks to use it'), a rocky marriage with “Tarzan” actor, Jonny Weissmuller, and an out-of-wedlock pregnancy with actor Harald Maresch. This was seemingly her reason for suicide. Vélez took her life and that of her unborn child on December 14th, 1944, and named Maresch as the father in her suicide note. She was 36 years old.

It’s the circumstances of her death that are even more controversial. The photos and files on her crime scene mysteriously disappeared, leading to a wealth of founded and unfounded gossip. On the positive end, the first story had her dying in a peaceful sleep in an expensive gown on her silk-covered bed after overdosing on Seconal sleeping pills. Sadly, the most prominent story was the rumour that she was found drowned in her own toilet (and vomit) – hardly a glamorous end for a Hollywood star. It was only last year – seventy years later – that a crime scene photo of a deceased Vélez was discovered and validated, showing her lying peacefully on the floor in a beautiful floral dress.

In remembrance of the lovely Miss Vélez – her talent, passion, and Hollywood suicide – we raise a glass with the “Mexican Spitfire.” It’s a tart, fiery strong, but fruity and refreshing mix of tequila blanco, fresh lime, pineapple juice, Green Chartreuse, and a touch of habanero pepper tincture (courtesy of Scrappy's Firewater).

1.5 oz tequila blanco
0.5 oz green chartreuse
0.75 oz pineapple juice
0.5 oz lime juice
dash Scrappy's Firewater (to taste)

Shake with ice, double strain.

Things You Should Know About Whiskey

2014-01-20T17:30:00.001-08:00

I consider myself lucky to work in a bar frequented by so many knowledgeable drinkers. Many know not only what they want, but exactly how they want it made and are quality-checking my every move. On the other hand, many have no idea what they want, so my responsibility is to find something new and exciting, thereby encouraging a little education.

There are also those who know what they want, but know little about it. The best way to learn is by experiencing, but most of these customers will pick something they recognize off the backbar rather than asking for some advice. We trust what we know, but this can be limiting - usually to products that care more about being recognized than being good-quality!

Whiskey is my drink of choice, so I feel compelled to share some general knowledge for those who are interested but can use some facts along with their dram. These are common questions and what I consider important information.

What is it?

Whiskey by definition is fermented and distilled grain. There are numerous sub-categories defined primarily by geography and the grains and production methods used. These categories are legal definitions, some very simple and loose (ex. Canadian), and some very strict and specific (ex. American). Here are the most common types and their general definitions (I am, of course, paraphrasing):

Scotch: whisky (no “e”) produced in Scotland from malted barley (and often other grains), aged in wood barrels, and can contain colouring. Scotch has a wide range of flavours, many being earthy and smoky due to the burning of peat to dry out the malt. It also has a range of quality, with “single malt” regulations guaranteeing a good product, and “blended” guaranteeing nothing.

Bourbon: produced in the U.S. (not specifically Kentucky) from at least 51% corn and aged in newly-charred oak barrels. Tennessee whiskey is bourbon produced in Tennessee including the extra step of filtering through maple charcoal after distillation. Bourbon is fuller-bodied, sweeter, and more approachable than most whiskies.

Rye: produced in the U.S. from at least 51% rye and aged in newly-charred oak barrels. Rye tends to be dry, light, and spicy. It was the most commonly used whiskey in classic cocktails (bourbon came much later).

Irish: produced in Ireland from any number of grains and blends (though often malted and unmalted barley) and aged in wood barrels. These whiskies tend to be more soft and subtle than Scotch with no smokiness.

Canadian: produced in Canada from any grain, aged in any barrel, and can contain colouring and flavouring. Despite being called and labelled “rye” for historical purposes, most Canadian whiskies are made from corn and contain no rye at all. This lack of regulation is why Canadian whisky is typically poor-quality. They tend to lack flavour, and with a couple exceptions should be avoided altogether.

I am often asked questions like “what’s the difference between Scotch and whiskey?” or “can you make my Whiskey Sour with bourbon instead of whiskey?” So, let the above be the lesson. These are all types of whiskey.

While Scotland, Ireland, and the U.S. have the most history and reputation, many other countries around the world are producing great products, including Japan, New Zealand, England, India, Australia, and Belgium, just to name a few. Their production methods and regulations vary, but we won’t get into that now as you won’t encounter them as often.

How are they labelled?

Most producers only reveal what they have to on a label, which varies by country. There are certain words to look for, like “straight” with American whiskey, which legally claims it has been aged for at least two years, and “single malt” for Scotch, claiming it has been produced only from malted barley at one distillery. The word “blended” refers to the whiskey being a combination of multiple products, usually from multiple distilleries. Having words like “bourbon” or “Scotch” on a label is verifying a certain level of quality - by law - whereas “Canadian Straight Rye Whisky” means basically nothing. That’s where category knowledge will help you out.

Age labels refer to the youngest whiskey in the bottle. This is to stop producers from adding a drop of 20-year old whiskey to 3-year old and labelling it as the former.

What does “blended” mean? Should I avoid it?

Blended whiskey just refers to the product being a combination of multiple distillations. This isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, basically all whiskies are blends unless specifically labelled “single barrel” or “single cask.” Whiskey can be a blend of multiple barrels, years, grains, or even distilleries. When discussing, “blended” usually refers to Blended Scotch Whisky, which is made up of 50-90% grain whiskies (ones made from individual grains) along with single malts. Blends make up for about 90% of Scotland’s whisky production, and are some of the top-selling spirits in the world (including the #1-selling whisky, Johnny Walker). Like everything else, there are good and bad ones.

If I don’t like one brand, should I avoid everything they make?

No! Basically every distillery has multiple products made in multiple ways. Just because you don’t like one particular product doesn’t mean that the single barrel or sherry-casked version isn’t much better. For example, Johnny Walker Blue, Black, and Green are all considerably higher quality than Red. For a broader example, Jim Beam White Label is produced by the same company as Booker’s, Baker’s, and Knob Creek, which is a diverse range of bourbon.

How should I be drinking it?

There is no “right” way to drink it. It’s your drink and you can enjoy it any way you please. Just know that diluting it too much or chilling it will both reduce aroma and flavour. Lowering the temperature of your mouth essentially numbs the palate, so you will experience less if you have it on the rocks or with a chilled whisky stone. (I’m sure I don’t need to mention that adding any kind of soda or mixer will mask the flavour of the whiskey entirely).

There’s nothing wrong with adding a little water. In fact, it can often enhance flavours by lowering the proof, allowing your smell and taste receptors to find more behind the ethanol. However, it’s best to only add a little and to always use distilled water rather than tap or sparkling, both of which can affect flavour. (Many whisky purists insist on adding regional spring water, but if you’re unsure or unable, just go with distilled). Spirits over 50% ABV will benefit from a little water.

Also, a quick rule for bartenders: no one should water another’s whisky - always serve water on the side.

And of course, if you’re in the mood for a cocktail, a properly-made Old-Fashioned (spirit, bitters, sugar, water) is the simplest, purest, and oldest drink there is. It’s the best way to enjoy your whiskey if you want to mix it, with the Manhattan and Sazerac to follow.

Does higher price mean higher quality?

No - though this is a better bet than a lot of other spirits (particularly vodka and brandy). A general rule is that the product price should match the difficulty of its production. That is why whiskies produced in small volumes or old-ages cost more than young whiskies mass-produced across multiple distilleries. Some companies slyly take advantage of this and market their products as “premium” or “top-shelf” and price them higher, when they’re actually just selling average (or sometimes poor-quality) spirits. Trust your taste-buds before you trust a price-tag!

Bigger reputation doesn’t mean better quality either. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. The brands that advertise the most should make you wonder why they’re not spending these resources on developing and improving their products. If you’re not sure where to start, get some advice from a bartender, friend, or do a little research on your own. Don’t just choose what you recognize on a shelf.

Who should enjoy it?

Everyone! Whiskey isn’t “an old man’s drink” (In fact, no drink should be gender specific, but that’s another rant altogether). It’s not always harsh and dark brown and high-proof. In fact, many whiskies are soft, approachable, and sweet. A bad product or bad experience can be off-putting, but remember that there is a lot of diversity by type, style, region, and quality. Some whiskies taste like you ate the remains of yesterday’s campfire, some taste like honey and tree fruit, and some taste like buttery toast and vanilla. Try every style you can and find what you like.

Golden Ratios: The Red Hook

2013-11-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

The second cocktail to examine is the Red Hook, created only ten years ago by Vincenzo Errico at Milk & Honey. This is the most popular of Brooklyn variations (something we discussed last post), with Punt e Mes playing the role of both vermouth and bittering agent for Amer Picon. To bartenders, the beauty of this drink is more its balance than its flavour. Given almost any three ingredients (within reason), applying a Red Hook structure will surprisingly often make a dry, balanced flavour. Some bartenders like to push the maraschino to half an ounce, but I implore you to add no more than a quarter lest the drink become sweet, cloying, and the liqueur dominate the flavour. Here is the ratio:

2 part spirit

½ part fortified wine

¼ part liqueur

Like the Negroni, there are numerous options just with the above ingredients, but swapping similar ingredient-types gives a mind-boggling number of options. A fun experiment is to randomly choose a spirit and any two ingredients off the backbar and add them together in Red Hook ratios (using your judgement) and you’ll be surprised at how well these drinks tend to turn out. Keep in mind that the spirit is your drying element, the ½oz ingredient will add flavour but also soften edges and strong flavours, and the ¼oz ingredient is potent and therefore requires only a small amount. Reserve strong flavours, like Chartreuse or Fernet, for the ¼oz.

Below again are just a few variations, the first two from Pourhouse in Vancouver, and the last again from yours truly.

Name Spirit Fortified Wine Liqueur Additions

Red Hook rye Punt e Mes maraschino

Crit Milano Booker’s bourbon Averna Strega

Wilhemsen’s Linie Akvavit (1.75) Bitter Truth EXR Campari

Gun For Hire Elijah Craig bourbon Averna Y. Chartreuse Bitter Truth

Aromatic bitters,

Ardbeg rinse

The Red Hook ratios also lend themselves extremely well to classic cocktails, some of which may seem unbalanced to our modern palates. Try some of the below and you’ll be inspired to scour old cocktail books looking for old ideas to update.

La Louisiane rye sweet vermouth Benedictine Angostura, Peychaud’s,

absinthe rinse

Martinez gin sweet vermouth maraschino Boker’s bitters

Toronto rye Fernet Branca simple syrup Angostura

The next time you find a drink you think might be unbalanced or you come up with a combination of ingredients you want to try, look to classic structures. They’re classic for a reason.

Golden Ratios: The Negroni

2013-11-17T13:28:00.000-08:00

To finish off the concept of ‘golden ratios,’ we are going to examine two more influential structures. One is a true classic perhaps more popular today than ever, and the other is a contemporary classic, young in age but old in sensibility and inspiration.

Beginning with the former in 1919, Florence, Italy, the story goes that Count Negroni requested a stronger version of his favourite cocktail - the Milano Torino (later known as the Americano - you can see a more detailed discussion here). This drink is a mixture of three elements - Torino vermouth (what we now typically call simply “sweet”), Campari, and soda water on the rocks with a lemon garnish. Swapping the soda for gin and the lemon for orange created one of most enduring classics there is, aptly named the “Negroni.” The beauty of the drink is that each ingredient - spirit, vermouth, amaro - are present in equal parts and balance together perfectly. It is the perfect aperitif: dry enough to stimulate the palate, not too sweet, not too bitter, and not too strong. Variations came about quickly, showing in print as early as 1927 from Harry McElhone’s American Bar in Paris. This most famous twist, called the Boulevardier, swaps gin for bourbon, and in American fashion, is served up rather than on ice. Swapping bourbon for rye and sweet vermouth for dry gives us the Old Pal, and the list goes on. Given how many spirit, fortified wine, and amaro options there are, the possibilities are numerous, but being creative about the structure itself can allow you to create some truly interesting and unique tasting cocktails.

The Negroni is defined not so much by looking at the ingredients this way:

1 part spirit
1 part fortified wine
1 part amaro

but rather this way:

1 part dry
1 part sweet
1 part bitter

Below are some classic and contemporary examples. The newer additions include the Negroni Sbagliato (meaning literally “mistaken” because the bartender grabbed a bottle of sparkling wine instead of gin) from mid 20th century Milan, the Hoighty Toighty from Amor y Amargo in New York, the Stenson (named after influential bartender Murray Stenson) from Pourhouse in Vancouver, and The Black Rider, from yours truly.

Name Dry Sweet Bitter Additions

Negroni gin sweet vermouth Campari rocks, orange twist

Boulevardier bourbon sweet vermouth Campari orange twist

Old Pal* rye dry vermouth Campari

Negroni Sbagliato sparkling sweet vermouth Campari orange twist

Hoighty Toighty genever sweet vermouth Cynar orange twist

Stenson bourbon Calvados Averna Boker’s bitters

The Black Rider** mezcal brandy Cynar (¾)

* for the Old Pal, while the original recipes call for Canadian rye whisky, be aware that due to lack of regulation, the majority of Canadian whisky today contains no rye at all. This drink should be made with American rye for good results.

** for The Black Rider, use a softer mezcal like Fidencio, and a big, fruity brandy like Torres 5-Year Old.

Next time we’ll look at some applications of the Red Hook.

Golden Ratios: The Brooklyn

2013-10-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Last post we looked at the concept of using basic cocktail structures to make a range of classics and even come up with new ideas. By learning the role of each ingredient in a drink, classic ratios can be used for a wide variety of cocktails by swapping out different agents. For example, a Daiquiri, Margarita, and Whiskey Sour can all be made with the same recipe just by swapping the base spirit, sweetening agent, and sour/acidic agent.

This time we will look at a commonly used cocktail structure that does not contain any juice, that of The Brooklyn Cocktail. This Manhattan variation is a more complex and dry alternative to its forefather and made its first appearance in print in 1908. It is a favourite among bartenders and aficionados mostly due to the lack of availability of one defining ingredient: Amer Picon. This amer, or French bitter like the Italian amaro, was invented in 1837 and made from dried oranges, quinquina, and gentian, then sweetened and coloured with sugar and caramel. While it is most often enjoyed as an aperitif or with beer in Europe, it is most commonly used in the U.S. in cocktails, namely the Brooklyn. What it makes it so sought after is not just that it is so rare to find, but also that its recipe was changed twice - once in the 1970’s and once in the 80’s - to reduce to proof. This makes the currently available Picon noticeably sweeter. Jamie Boudreau at Canon in Seattle actually developed a recipe to recreate the original Picon using a combination of Amaro Ramazzotti, orange tincture, and blood orange bitters (a recipe that can be found here http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2007/09/09/amer-picon/). This makes for a considerably drier and more accurate Brooklyn.

Like every drink, there is not just one recipe and of course some will argue which one is “right.” The right one is the one you like best, but for the purpose of this discussion I will be looking at the the most commonly used and agreed upon recipe as it is a very balanced and easily translated structure. (Please note that only cocktails containing egg, juice, or cream should be shaken so from here on out all these drinks should be stirred).

Brooklyn Cocktail

2 oz straight rye whiskey

½ oz dry vermouth

¼ oz maraschino liqueur

¼ oz Amer Picon

This is a very dry recipe, and if you are using Boudreau’s less sweet Picon, I even suggest going for about 1.75oz of whiskey instead of the full 2oz. Note the role and ratio of each ingredient:

- The base is (around) 2 oz

- The vermouth, which softens the base, helps blend the ingredients, and adds some herbaceous character, is ½ oz

- The sweetening agent (maraschino) is ¼ oz

- The bittering agent (Picon) is ¼ oz. It will also have a slight sweetening property.

The inability of bartenders to procure Picon led many to start substituting other amari or similar ingredients, such as Cynar, Punt e Mes, or simply a combination of bitters. Many of these drinks are so good and well-received that they became modern classics, such as the Bensonhurst, Red Hook, and Greenpoint (all named after Brooklyn neighbourhoods). This makes the Brooklyn not just useful as a basic structure but also in a creative sense as it is the progenitor of a whole family of drinks.

Creativity here is simple as the sweetening agent can be swapped for any liqueur, syrup, or even amaro, the dry vermouth can be swapped to sweet or even an amaro, and the base can be any spirit. The bittering agent has fewer options if swapped directly, as you may be left with a bitter vermouth or another amaro, unless it is viewed as two components. As I mentioned, the Picon both bitters and slightly sweetens the drink, so this can be replaced by two ingredients, such as a liqueur and some bitters. Try a mezcal base, or a rum base with Chartreuse for sweetness, or a bourbon base with two amari instead of just one. Below are some popular modern Brooklyn variations.

Bensonhurst (Milk & Honey, New York)

2 oz straight rye whiskey

½ oz dry vermouth

¼ oz maraschino

¼ oz Amaro Cynar

Carroll Gardens (Death & Company, New York)

2 oz straight rye whiskey

½ oz Punt e Mes

½ oz Amaro Nardini

¼ oz maraschino

Grand Street (Death & Company, New York)

2 oz gin

½ oz Punt e Mes

¼ oz maraschino

¼ oz Cynar

Grapefruit twist

Coin Toss* (Death & Company, New York)

2 oz dark rum

½ oz Carpano Antica

¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse

¼ oz Benedictine

2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

That Old Feeling (Pourhouse, Vancouver)

1½ oz Martin Miller gin

½ oz Carpano Antica

¼ oz Carpano Bianco

¼ oz Fernet Branca

3-4 dashes Angostura Bitters

For conceptual purposes, here is the above list in chart format:

Drink Name Base (2oz) Vermouth (½oz) Sweet (1/4oz) Bitter (¼oz) Addition

Brooklyn rye whiskey dry maraschino Amer Picon

Bensonhurst rye whiskey dry maraschino Amaro Cynar

Carroll Gardens rye whiskey Punt e Mes maraschino Amaro Nardini ¼ Nardini

Grand Street gin Punt e Mes maraschino Amaro Cynar GF twist

Coin Toss dark rum sweet Y. Chartreuse [Benedictine]* Peychauds

That Old Feeling gin sweet bianco Fernet Angostura

[* - the Coin Toss has mostly sweet components, so using Punt e Mes instead of Carpano or a more potent aromatic bitters instead of Peychaud’s are simple ways to make the drink more appropriately dry]

One of the most famous and well-crafted Brooklyn variations is The Red Hook, which has the same concept and a similar flavour profile but a different structure containing only three ingredients. It is possibly the easiest and most useful structure to use for stirred drinks and I will discuss it in detail next post.

Golden Ratios: The Sour

2013-09-29T13:46:00.001-07:00

When I'm behind the bar I often get asked how much time I spend memorizing drink recipes. The answer is basically none. Most cocktail bartenders would likely say the same thing. The reason is not because we as a group have photographic memories or peek at cheat sheets before making every drink, it's because mixed drinks as a whole tend to share one of a few classic structures (except Tiki, but that's a different story altogether). While everyone may have slightly different recipes for specific drinks and for this reason there is no right recipe for any drink, they can all be grouped into certain categories using common ingredient ratios. From there, ingredients can be swapped to create different drinks or to create original ones. For example, a Margarita, Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, and Clover Club can all be made by using the same ratio and just swapping out specific ingredients. The best way to understand these structures is to understand the history of mixed drinks and to be familiar with the classics. Any bartender interested in making quality cocktails should learn this history, as the majority of all modern drinks are variations on old ones.

The easiest place to start is the Sour. By definition, this drink is simply a combination of a base spirit, a sweetening agent, and a souring or acidic agent, usually citrus juice. First a brief history...

Long before the "Cock-tail" or "Bittered Sling" the Punch was the king of the mixed drink world. Appearing first in at least the mid 16th century, Punch became a staple in home and tavern drinking from the mid 17th century until the mid 19th. It consisted of simply a collection of local spices, seasonal fruit, liqueurs and spirits, and later - if one was so fortunate to have any - a block of ice. It was in the the mid 1800's that sitting around a bowl of Punch for hours on end lost its appeal and drinkers preferred something smaller and quicker. So, Punch shrank from bowl-size to glass-size and thus birthed the Golden Age of Mixed Drinks. The simplest of Punches became the simplest of juice drinks - The Sour - and variations ensued, including the Fizz, Fix, Collins, Smash, Daisy, and so on. Changing the presentation or ice, adding a little or a lot of soda, and adding cordials and liqueurs created new drinks with new names, but the basic idea remained the same.

Later bartenders such as David Embury in the 1940's took an analytical approach to mixing and designed a system of categorizing drinks and their ingredients. This is very useful to understand as a bartender for remembering recipes, balancing flavours, and creating original ideas. The system is evident by looking at even the oldest recipes, but Embury is worth reading (and you can see my post on him here). Here is a generalized idea:

- The main ingredient of your drink is the "base," which should in almost all cases be a spirit (using a liqueur as your base would make much too sweet a drink). The other ingredients are added to accentuate the flavours of your base.

- The acidic ingredient, "souring agent," or "modifying agent," is present to both soften the alcohol and enhance or add flavour to the base.

- The sweet ingredient, or "sweetening agent," is present mainly to balance the acidity of the souring agent but will also soften the alcohol and can add flavour.

Once you understand the role of each ingredient you can learn the basic structure. As I mentioned, each bartender has his or her own favourite recipe. The best one is the one you like the best - but I warn you not to make your drinks too sweet! Embury, for example, gives a ratio of 8:2:1 for his Sours - that is 8 parts base to 2 parts sour to 1 part sweet. The oldest recipes tend to be on the much sweeter side, sometimes with double the sweet to sour. At home I often prefer a 4:1:1. However, where I work, for the purpose of consistency we all use the same Golden Ratio, a starting point I highly recommend: 6:4:3 for base to sweet to sour. Translated to measurements, this is:

1.5oz base spirit

1oz sweet

0.75oz sour

This will undoubtedly give you a very balanced drink. You may prefer something a little different for your own palate, so find what you like, though I recommend not going much sweeter than this.

Now we have the ingredient types and a ratio to use for basically all sours. Let's refer back to our list of variations at the start, using our ratio to separate our ingredients.

Drink Name Base (1.5oz) Sweet (1oz) Sour (0.75oz) Addition

Margarita Tequila Cointreau Lime

Whiskey Sour Whiskey Simple Syrup Lemon (Egg white)

Sidecar Brandy Cointreau Lemon

Clover Club Gin Raspberry Syrup Lemon Egg White

Others would follow suit:

Tom Collins Gin Simple Syrup Lemon Soda

Golden Fizz Gin Simple Syrup Lemon Egg, Soda

Jack Rose Applejack Grenadine Lime

Daquiri Rum Simple Syrup Lime

The list goes on and on.

Perhaps your bar is limited at home. You want to make Margaritas but you have no triple sec of any kind, but you do, however, have St. Germain. Being a liqueur, it will act as a sweetening agent, so use it in place of the triple sec for a tequila-elderflower sour. You can make Whiskey Sours with lime instead of lemon, or a Clover Club with a different kind of berry cordial. The options are endless. Creativity begins when you recognize similarities in ingredients and pair new products with old structures. Try pairing more than one sweetening agent, souring agent, or base spirit together. As long as you still follow the overall ratio, it will still work (for example, 0.5oz lemon and 0.25oz lime, or 0.5oz of two different liqueurs). Try adding a dash of complimentary bitters, such as celery bitters with gin, or aromatic bitters with dark rum. You can even get really creative and use orange, grapefruit, amaro, or home-made flavoured syrups as sweeteners, or vinegar and shrubs for acidity. You will start to notice changes in dryness due to varying sweetness in the liqueurs, varying proofs in your spirits, and varying acidity in your citrus (for example, lime is more acidic than lemon). You’ll start making minor adjustments and come up with your own signature drinks while developing your palate.

The possibilities are endless and that’s the fun of making drinks. Learn a little history, understand the role of ingredients in a drink, and memorize only some basic structures and you won’t have to memorize pages and pages of ratios and recipes.

Touch of Evil

2013-08-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

August is film noir month at the Pacific Cinematheque in downtown Vancouver. Lately for me every month has been film noir month as I've been renting droves of dark and depressing classics from the library. I've named several of my few original drinks after some of these films and will be sharing a couple recipes. I highly encourage you to make it to at least one of the films being shown at the Cinematheque as they have consistently great programming and operate almost entirely on the generosity of volunteers. Commemorate your visit with a classic cocktail, or perhaps even with one of mine.

First is a Martinez variation named after one of Orson Welle's most famous films, 1958's "Touch of Evil." This film follows a Mexican narcotics officer played by Charlton Heston who is caught up in a drug war involving both Mexican and American police and crime families. He finds corruption in the most dangerous of places, an American Police Captain played by a bloated and slimy Welles, and the more he uncovers the more he puts both himself and his new wife (Janet Leigh) in danger. This movie is dark and disturbing (including a surprisingly unsubtle gang-rape scene), visually ahead of its time, and has a last act that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Interestingly, at first Welles wanted nothing to do with the picture, and when he became involved the script underwent some major changes. Heston actually agreed to do the film under the impression that Welles was going to direct, but this was a misunderstanding and the studio had no such intention. Heston supposedly refused to do the film unless Welles did in fact direct, and the studio changed its mind. Unfortunately the studio essentially fired him after the shooting was finished and made major alterations to the editing of the film. Before his death, Welles left instructions on how he wanted the film recut, which were carried out and the film was re-released in 1998 to his specifications.

This cocktail smells and tastes of smoke and dark spices, reminding me of Welles in this film. It is still quite smooth, however, and the proportions and addition of Jerry Thomas bitters make it delightfully dry. On a further conceptual (and silly) note, the Martinez is an American drink with a Spanish name and I am using Mexican spirits rather than the usual English gin. In Touch of Evil, Heston - an American actor - plays a Mexican whom they call "Mike," a typical American name. All in all it's just a fun twist on a classic. Cheers!

Touch of Evil
1oz mezcal
1oz tequila reposado or anejo
1/2oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
1/4oz maraschino
Dash Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas' Own Decanter Bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

The Black Rider

2013-07-23T12:19:00.001-07:00

I suppose it's about time for me to share a drink of my own creation. This one may not be a typical summer sipper, but it's very interesting and on the brand new cocktail menu at Pourhouse, so what better time to share it than now.

I have been intrigued with the idea of using a soft mezcal in place of vermouth in a classic cocktail. For example, making a Manhattan with 1/2oz dry or sweet vermouth and 1/2oz mezcal to go with your 2oz of whiskey and some aromatic or chocolate bitters. Lately at Pourhouse, we've also been intrigued with the idea of using multiple spirits in one drink while still maintaining a consistency in flavour (see also Christopher Flett's "Avenue and Davenport," containing both rye and bourbon - also on the new menu). My thoughts inevitably turn to the Negroni, as it's the perfect classic cocktail for creative swapping.

The drink is a fairly unexpected combination of elements, but has a surprisingly cohesive flavour, albeit complex. While the big and fruity body of Spanish brandy provides a backbone, the smokiness of mezcal is pleasantly subtle, and the Cynar showcases its range of flavour and dry bitterness. This is a "drinker's drink," so to speak - probably unapproachable to the novice but exciting to the veteran.

When trying to come up with a name, I asked my lady and muse for ideas (as I always do). She asked "what is the drink like?"... and I responded as simply as I could: "dark, bitter, and complex." To this she almost immediately replied "The Black Rider." There couldn't be a more perfect name.

In 1988, theatre director Robert Wilson, playwright William Burroughs, and musician/songwriter Tom Waits created a musical of sorts based on the German fable "Der Freischütz," an opera by Carl Maria von Weber. (This musical is more famously an album recorded by Tom Waits in 1993).

I should say "spoiler alert" here, though it is a fable and you can probably guess where this story will go.

The Black Rider tells the tale of a file clerk who falls in love with a huntsman's daughter. The clerk must of course gain the huntsman's approval for marriage, but has no shooting skills. He too eagerly makes a deal with the Devil for some magic bullets that will always be a sure shot - all but one; this bullet will be under the Devil's control. Predictably, on their wedding day that final bullet hits the clerk's bride and kills her. The clerk goes mad and joins the Devil's carnival of the damned.

The Black Rider

1oz brandy (Torres 5 preferred)
1oz mezcal (Fidencio or something similarly soft preferred)
3/4oz Cynar

Stir ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass.

Say, come on along with the black rider, you'll have a gay old time.

The Wide World of Vermouth

2013-07-17T20:14:00.001-07:00

There are more vermouths currently available domestically than there have been in decades, partially because new American wine and spirit companies are trying their hands at making new brands. This gives bartenders a range of options in making drinks as each of these products have different aromas, flavours, and applications.
Most vermouth producers were at one time wineries. As described in my previous post, aromatizing wine came about as a method of preserving wine and also to make bad wine more palatable. Most wine producers had an excess of wine and some bad batches, so for this reason most vermouth producers were at one point wineries. The most typical grapes used as a base are Clairette Blanche, Piquepoul, Catarratto, Trebbiano, and Muscato. Note that these are all white wine grapes, so the colour of sweet vermouth is almost always achieved by the addition of sugar or caramel, usually before fortification. Other common ingredients after the traditional wormwood include clove, ginger, coriander, chamomile, juniper, hyssop, marjoram, cardamom, quinine, cinnamon, and citrus peel.

Below is a description of the major styles of vermouth in today's market along with some popular brands and their application in cocktails.

Sweet / Rosso / Rouge / Italian
In 1786 the first branded Italian vermouth was invented in Turin by Antonio Benedetto Carpano (also the first widely produced outside of Germany). It was darker, sweeter, and fuller-bodied than most others at the time. It became popular in northwest Italy, particularly in the Turin royal court - so much so that this style is still called "Torino." Carpano became a staple in the country's drinking and many other producers developed their own similar recipes, several of which are still around today.

Common Brands:
Carpano Classico: There is no confirmation that this recipe is the same as the original, but it is at least similar. Carpano also makes a Bianco, and the Punt e Mes and Antica Formula.

Cinzano Rosso: one of the earliest vermouth producers in Italy after Carpano, originally a liqueur manufacturer formed in 1757. Cinzano also makes a Bianco, Extra Dry, and Rosé.

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino: originally a muscato wine producer, Cocchi created this vermouth in 2011, being the first protected designation of origin Torino vermouth available in North America in decades.

Martini & Rossi Rosso: originating in 1863 in Torino, this brand achieved American success very quickly and hasn't lost it since. Unfortunately, ingredients and production methods vary greatly in different markets, so product quality is often called into question. Martini & Rossi offer a very wide range of products.

Common Uses:
Sweet vermouth is used in many classic cocktails, though didn't enter the mix (pun intended) until the late 19th century. The Manhattan is the best and possibly earliest example, though other similar variations may have come before. These cocktails marked a new generation in mixed drinks. The most accurate sweet vermouth to use for a classic cocktail is a Torino-style, such as those found above. When mixing, try to balance the sweetness of the vermouth to the strength of the spirit, not just the flavours. For example, Carpano is sweeter than Cocchi or Cinzano, so pairs better with drier or higher-proof whiskeys. Try this 1938 New Orleans classic:

Vieux Carre (recipe updated by Pourhouse in Vancouver)

1oz straight rye whiskey
1oz brandy
3/4oz Torino-style vermouth
1/4oz Benedictine
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters (or preferably Bitter Truth Creole Bitters)

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with the lemon twist.

Similar Products:
Punt e Mes: a type of vermouth also called "vermouth amaro" or "vermouth con bitter," meaning it is further flavoured with bitter components and sugar to balance, making it both more bitter and more sweet than other Italian vermouths. Adding vanilla and bitters to vermouth is a very old custom, so this is essentially a bottled cocktail. It is produced by Carpano and dates back to 1867.

Carpano Antica Formula: First introduced in the 1990's, this vermouth is a Carpano recipe with added vanilla and sugar, called "vermouth alla vaniglia." The recipe is old, but not the original Carpano recipe as is often claimed.

Dry / Bianco / Blanc / French
Shortly after the Torino vermouth popularity, the French began making their own version, which was less sweet, uncoloured, and more subtle in flavour. Originally, Chambéry in southeast France (logically quite close to Turin) was the main producer of French vermouth, and it was this style that became most popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century. It was very light in body, dry in taste, straw-coloured, and featured herbal, citrus, and floral botanicals. Due to its popularity other vermouth producers even made their own Chambéry-style products to remain competitive. In the Provençe region on the south coast, Marseilles also made a successful style of vermouth, used as often in cooking as for drinking. The botanicals are regional, and the wine is barrel-aged, making it smoother and a little more sweet in taste than those from Chambéry.

Common Brands:
Dolin Dry: the most successful of all Chambéry producers, and still has Appellation d'Origine. Formed in 1821, Dolin's "Dry" green label product is still a great representative of the original style. They also offer a rouge Torino-style, and a blanc, which is similar but uncoloured, more herbaceous, but less spicy. (While the blanc is not red, it should be treated like a sweet vermouth).
Noilly Prat Original French Dry: The only remaining Marseilles producer from the popular heyday of the 19th century. This is probably the most commonly used dry vermouth today, being both cheap and a good representation of a classic style. They also offer a rouge, and a Chambéry-style “Extra Dry.”
Common Uses:
Dry vermouth also shows up in many classic cocktail recipes, such as the Brooklyn, Metropole, and Martini. Chambéry vermouth was the most popular at the time and so is the most accurate. For a classic, try the Old Pal ("ABC of Mixing Cocktails," 1922):

1oz rye whiskey
1oz dry vermouth
1oz Campari

Stir ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass.

New World
Over the last five to ten years, vermouth producers have been popping up around North America and even Australia. There is actually a history of American wineries producing vermouth, but they were usually lower in quality and considered cheap substitutes for the traditional imports. These new producers are for the most part creating new styles rather than copying European ones, focusing on regional botanicals and experimenting with new interpretations of what aromatized wine can be. These can be used in classic cocktails to fairly different results.

Common Brands:
Vya: a brand made by Quady Winery in Madera, California, previously known for their muscat aperitif and dessert wines. They are considered pioneers in the vermouth market, creating their first in the 1990's, before the interest in classic cocktails and ingredients had really caught on. They offer a "Sweet," "Extra Dry," and "Whisper Dry," all unique and different from traditional European ones.
Imbue Bittersweet: taking the non-imitation idea even further, Imbue in Portland makes an aperitif wine from pinot gris that tastes like a fresh forest.

Common Uses:
These New World vermouths should not be used as replacements for their European predecessors if trying to recreate classic cocktails. Their flavours are unique and in some cases (like Imbue) dramatically different, and so should be treated accordingly. They can be used as replacements for a modern twist and will hopefully encourage some creativity. For example, try this modern Negroni variation called "Harmony" from Veneto in Victoria, B.C.:

1oz G'Vine Floraison Gin
1oz Vya Sweet Vermouth
1oz Amaro Montenegro

Stir ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass.

[[ originally published on www.shakestir.com by Rhett Williams ]]

Aromatized Wine Classification

2013-07-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

By North American standards, vermouth was once a stale, stinky wine collecting dust on the backbar waiting for some weirdo (probably European) to order a wet Martini. This wasn't actually that long ago. Many drinkers (myself included) claimed they hated vermouth without realizing they were most likely ruining drinks with oxidized bottles. Once the interest in classic drinks returned and brought with it the knowledge of product care and desire for those of higher quality, vermouth's reputation began to change. New vermouths were hitting the market and old ones became more available. Furthermore, similar products came into common use, such as Cocchi Americano, Lillet, and Byrrh, to name a few. Despite their much stronger presence today, they still seem to be enigmatic to some. Most drinkers can classify whiskeys, but can they classify vermouth, americano, and quinquina? Even experienced bartenders aren't making the distinction between different types of aromatized wines, so perhaps it's as good a time as any for a little history and classification.

Where did they come from?

The practice of aromatizing wine dates back to at least 400 BC in Greece, the purpose of which was both to mask poor-quality or spoiled wine and to create medicinal tonics, just as most spirits and liqueurs originate. Once distillation became commonplace after the 12th century, wines began to be fortified as well as aromatized - most notably in 16th century Germany, with usually a brandy being used to fortify and wormwood for aromatizing. This herb was believed to cure stomach and intestinal disorders and parasites, and the drink began to include many other herbs and spices and became a cure-all, much like bitters. These "wormwood wines," or "wermut" in German, became popular in England over the next hundred years, and the name became anglicized to "vermouth." Italy and later France took the reins on vermouth production, but by the late 1800's it was not the popular drink it once was - particularly in a medicinal sense thanks to the popularity of bitters. It was around this time that vermouth found its way into early cocktails via two of the most famous mixed drinks known to man: the Manhattan and the Martini.

What about these other kinds of aromatized wines? Wormwood was not the only medicinal herb being infused into wine. Quinine (via South American cinchona bark) and gentian root were also common, along with different combinations of popular ingredients, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander, chamomile, and vanilla. So is a vermouth, or "wormwood wine," still a vermouth if it doesn't contain wormwood? Technically, no. Here's where it gets tricky: when absinthe was banned in the early 20th century thanks to the reputation of wormwood, many vermouth producers stopped using the herb as well. This irreparably confused aromatized wine classification for years to come as many of the vermouths we knew and loved didn't contain their title ingredient anymore. Now that the age of anti-absinthe propaganda has passed, wormwood has become common in bartending, but there are still numerous vermouths that use little or none of the herb in maceration. It doesn't help that there are no legal requirements for aromatized wine production, so anything can be added or omitted. This leaves us with history to aid in classification by looking at what the products originally contained in the cases where the recipes have been changed.

How are they made?

"Aromatized" wines are macerated with botanicals to impart both flavour and colour. Depending on the type of botanicals used, these wines are separated into basic categories: quinquinas, americanos, barolo chinatos, vino amari, and vermouths. Fortification is also an important part of this process, meaning that a spirit (usually brandy) is added to the wine at some point during the production process. This will increase alcohol content, and depending on the stage at which the wine is fortified, will also increase sugar content. Wines that are fortified but not aromatized include sherry, port, and madeira. Typically vermouths, americanos, and and quinquinas begin as a white wine or a mistelle, which is when a spirit is added to crushed grapes to produce alcohol rather than using strictly fermentation. These wines are then macerated with botanicals, and in the case of darker coloured aperitifs (such as sweet vermouth) usually coloured with caramel.

How each of these categories are differentiated is mainly by specific botanicals used for maceration. For example, vermouth used wormwood, quinquina used quinine from cinchona bark, and americano (named from “amer,” meaning bitter) used gentian and often wormwood as well.

Below is a chart of the basic types of aromatized wines, including their traditional specifications:

Because of the lack of clarification, some products end up in a sort of limbo between definitions. Lillet is an excellent example. Many bartenders call it a vermouth, but because it does not contain wormwood, it is not a vermouth by traditional definition. More importantly, Lillet is not aromatized, but rather a Bordeaux wine blend (85%) fortified with citrus liqueurs (15%), which themselves have been aromatized. This technically makes Lillet a fortified wine but not an aromatized one. Lillet was originally called Kina Lillet until the recipe was changed in 1987, and did actually contain quinine, so originally Lillet would be considered a quinquina. Today's recipe claims to still contain quinine, but this is neither confirmed nor evident. Cocchi Americano, which is supposedly a good approximation of Kina Lillet, contains gentian as a major component so is considered an americano (hence the name).

Things are for the most part confusing, so while it is important to know the history and general distinctions between these types of wines, the most important factor is taste. Each of these products have their own place and use and should not always be used interchangeably. Most importantly of all, they are wines and need to be treated as such. They will go off over the course of a few days to a few weeks depending on the product, and should be kept in the fridge if stored.

Next post I will delve deeper into vermouth with more specific history and geography of the major brands.

[[ originally published on www.shakestir.com by Rhett Williams ]]

10 Tips For The Beginner Cocktail Bartender

2013-06-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Making drinks is easy at the basic level. Being a great bartender, both in service and drink-quality, is not. Below are some tips for beginner bartenders in the cocktail and restaurant industry based on my experience and the most common mistakes.

1) Focus on service, not just drinks.
You are a bartender, not an artist - you provide service above all else. If customers have a good experience from a very engaging, attentive, and accommodating service staff but the drinks aren't amazing, they are still likely to come back. Meanwhile, I'm sure we can all name a bar with fantastic drinks but bad service or a pretentious atmosphere that we never intend to visit again. Keep your drink-times quick and always have one eye on your customers.

2) Taste everything.
A great chef would never serve anything without knowing that it tastes good, and neither should you. How would you know if an ingredient was forgotten or has spoiled? How would you know if you under- or over-poured something? Furthermore, tasting it all - including drinks you didn't make - gives you knowledge and perspective on your bar program. Tasting cocktails made by other bartenders also helps you figure out your personal progression. Does the experienced bar manager's Manhattan taste more balanced than yours? Ask him or her why. This applies to wines and beers as well - if you are the opening bartender, taste the tapped beers and open wines to see if anything is oxidized or flat.
Your palate will tire after a night of tasting, especially after eating or drinking anything with a strong flavour (like espresso or Fernet, for example). A great way to keep your mouth fresh is to sip soda water throughout the night. The acidity will cleanse your palate, but don't drink flavoured soda as the sugar will dull it. Most importantly, if something tastes off and you're not sure why or how to fix it, get a second opinion. Ask another bartender or a knowledgeable floor manager to taste your drink to see if it's servable. You will occasionally have moments of only being able to discern taste as right or wrong, so don’t be afraid to ask for another opinion.

3) Be knowledgeable.
Know everything you serve, not just the items that interest you. If you are all about cocktails, good for you, but you are still a bartender and will be called upon to serve beer, wine, and of course food. You need to know all menus backwards and forwards and be able to field any questions that come your way. This means following #2 above - taste everything. If you are ever unsure, politely involve a more knowledgeable staff member and listen to what they have to say. Understand the mission of your establishment and the theme of the menus (ex. classic vs. modern culinary cocktails, regional wine lists, spirit focuses, etc). Get to know the food menu too - your sommelier or bar manager (hopefully) designed the beverage menus to compliment the food, and you should know how and why.

4) Don't be pretentious.
Customers do not want to feel judged, but welcome and appreciated (because they are!). Remind yourself that you are here because of them. They are not lucky to be in your bar - you are lucky to have these people appreciate your work and pay your wage. Learn to share your enthusiasm about all products you offer and never make a customer feel bad about ordering wine or beer instead of a cocktail. If someone orders something you do not offer, explain the situation politely and offer an alternative. Never resort to the "we don't do that here" response.

5) Don't be lazy.
This covers a wide range of issues behind the bar (and every job there is). Old or store-bought juice will make a noticeable negative impact on your drinks, as will using stale vermouth. Wilted or dried-out citrus cheeks and wedges make your drinks look cheap. Not being thorough when restocking your bar will affect the following shift by slowing drink times and service. Skipping small steps in drink-making like double straining or garnishes will affect presentation. This list goes on, but the point is: if you don't put in the effort, your work will suffer and customers will notice. The more bad habits you create when starting out, the more difficult the remedy is later on.

5b) Don't be messy.
This is an extension of #5 but deserves its own note. When it gets busy, it's easy to start taking shortcuts: tossing menus or bottles on the backbar instead of replacing them, throwing dirty shakers in the sink to wash later, leaving rarely-used herbs on your station, not wiping surfaces, and so on. The more this piles up, the slower your service gets as the night wears on - not to mention that it makes your bar look dirty and disorganized. The key is to develop clean habits early, regardless of how busy you are. If you have a barback, stress the importance of helping clean up as you're working.

6) Control your dilution.
Mixing too long can make your drink flabby, and it's very hard to get the balance back from over-dilution. Under-dilution is a much easier problem to fix but beware serving a drink before the flavours have settled together. Ice is extremely important to making a great drink. You may not have access to good ice, which can make your job very challenging, so make sure management/ownership is aware of this. The ideal is large, high-density cubes (like the ones made by a Kold-Draft machine). This allows you to chill the drink very well while controlling dilution. Using thin and wet ice leads to a loss of control and usually watery drinks. It also ruins any drink served on the rocks as it may be too watered down before it even makes it to the customer. If your bar has terrible ice, you probably shouldn't be trying to make quality cocktails.

7) Don't adjust too much.
Once your palate develops you'll start second guessing your drinks a little bit while you look for the perfect flavour balance. Adding a dash of an ingredient for balance is fine, but making too many adjustments can lead to over-dilution and long drink times. Measure accurately and get to know the proof of your ingredients so you can make minor adjustments when you start the drink. Trust yourself when it is close to perfect, because perfection won't happen every time.

8) Don't shake everything.
Presentation is very important for both food and drink, and any discerning customer will not appreciate a cloudy Manhattan. Only drinks containing juice, egg, or cream should be shaken. A drink containing only liquors should always be stirred (yes, that includes Martinis unless specifically requested).

9) Measure your ingredients.
While many an experienced bartender can probably free-pour any volume very accurately, this style belongs in nightclubs and not in cocktail bars and restaurants. Measuring not only removes some human error but it also sends a message to customers (and management) that you are being calculated in your work.

The final tip for everyone in the service industry, beginner or not, is:

10) Communicate!
This really deserves a post all to itself as good service and good working relationships start and end with good communication. Keep everyone in the loop with what you are doing and make sure you know what is happening outside your station. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and offer to help others if you have the time. It is also important to call back orders, as restaurants and bars can get loud and miscommunication can cost time and money. If you are not talking to your co-workers behind the bar, you are not doing your job properly.

Managing all the tasks of working behind the bar while keeping good service as your number one priority is the greatest challenge of being a bartender. It takes years to balance. There is a reason why the best bartenders are very experienced; this is not a job you will be great at right away. Hard work and good habits will pay off.

If you notice any other beginner mistakes that I missed, I encourage you to comment!

Happy mixing!

Balancing Flavours

2013-06-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

The biggest challenge to mixing drinks and creating original ones is balance. This is what makes one Manhattan better than another or one drink a classic and the other forgettable. In the big picture, this means choosing the best products and matching presentation to flavour. In the more technical sense, this means finding equilibrium between each ingredient to maintain a balance of flavours. By looking at the science behind taste we can learn better ways to balance flavour and some tricks to making better cocktails.

Traditionally the cocktail is an aperitif to be enjoyed before a meal to whet the appetite. Yes, there are also digestifs, but these should be balanced in a similar way. The ‘classic’ era from which most bartenders find inspiration had a focus on dry, spirit-forward drinks. The more developed a palate is, the more it will crave this dryness as it enables more clarification and intensity of flavour. The goal to mixing drinks is to negotiate between each flavour component to achieve this overall dryness and stimulate the palate. What this feels like in the mouth is a slight tingling on the back of the tongue, activating the saliva glands. Too much sweetness will have an opposite effect, muting the palate and coating the tongue, which not only suppresses the appetite but also dulls flavour. There is also the issue of sweet drinks generally containing too much sugar, of which nobody's diet needs more.

To understand how to balance better, we must first understand how taste works. There are thousands of taste buds on your tongue and even some in other parts of the mouth and throat, all containing up to a hundred taste receptor cells. These chemically interact with any substance in the mouth and send a signal to the brain that is translated into taste. For example, sourness is a chemical recognition of hydrogen ions present in acidic substances like lemon juice. Biologically humans evolved to seek out energy-rich foods and avoid poison, which is why sweet tastes so good and bitter is aversive.

Taste can be separated into basic categories: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Texture, aroma, temperature, and alcohol concentration also play key roles, as do appearance and psychology, but we will focus just on taste reception. These categories can be separated into two groups:

Group A: Sweet Savory (Umami) Viscous
Group B: Sour (Acidity) Bitter Proof [DRY]

[Salty is not included here because it acts more as a flavour enhancer by intensifying most flavours. Salt in the form of minerals is present in small amounts in mineral water, and some drinks like the Bloody Mary or the Margarita can actually contain salt.]
Each type of flavour in Group A is proportional to one another. For example, increasing viscosity will increase the perceived sweetness of a drink, so using a thicker liqueur or adding egg white will achieve a similar result to adding more sugar. Likewise, flavour types in Group B are proportional, so increasing sourness will increase the perceived bitterness or using a higher-proof spirit will increase perceived sourness, and so on.

Group A and Group B are inversely proportional to one another, meaning they have opposite effects on taste. For example, increasing the amount of sugar will reduce sourness, while increasing bitter components will reduce sweetness. The goal overall is to balance between the groups to achieve dryness by leaning slightly towards Group B. Too much of Group A and your drink will be cloying and flat, but too much of Group B will be harsh and certain ingredients will dominate.
A few notes on each component:

Sweet: this can be represented by simple syrup, a liqueur, or a wine. Keep in mind that some liqueurs are sweeter than others and you may be required to balance accordingly. Liqueurs also have varying proofs and viscosities, and in the case of amaro, varying bitterness.

Savory: while it doesn't make many appearances, it can still play a part in drinks. The Bloody Mary, Red Snapper, and Caesar are the obvious examples because of the addition of spices, sauces, and seasoning salts, but a lesser known example is celery bitters. Some of the herbal components to the Bitter Truth Celery Bitters specifically have a savory element.

Viscosity: the addition of egg makes the biggest difference, but liqueur viscosity and simple or gum syrup will also play roles. Adding egg white has many effects on a drink, but probably the most important is increasing the perceived sweetness, which allows you to add less sugar than you might otherwise need.

Sour: this can also be described as acidity, as the sour component in drinks is citrus juice and it is citric acid in the juice that causes the sour taste response on the tongue. Carbonic acid is another form of acidity used in drinks in the form of soda water and sparkling wine and can also be used to balance sweetness. For example, a French 75 should be made a little sweeter before the addition of the dry sparkling wine.

Bitter: perhaps the most interesting of flavour responses, this is literally an on/off switch. While intensity can vary, there are not the nuances to bitter that there are to sour or sweet. This response is one we evolved biologically to protect us from poison, as many bitter substances in nature are dangerous. For this reason, bitterness is entirely an acquired taste and can be more intense for some people than others. Bitter ingredients should be used with judgment as a bartender and balanced accordingly. While some of the best and most interesting drinks have some degree of bitterness, not all drinkers will be able to taste any flavour beyond the harsh response on the tongue.

Proof: this is often an overlooked factor in balancing cocktails. The higher-proof the spirit, the more the flavour will cut through other ingredients, and more importantly, the drier the drink will be as it will increase sour and bitter perception while decreasing sweet. For this reason, using spirits over 80 proof is always desirable when mixing cocktails. In the formative years of bartending most spirits were 100 proof or even higher. As previously mentioned, the drier the drink the more flavour it will offer, so using 100 proof instead of 80 proof whiskey in your Manhattan will make a noticeable difference. If your drink won’t balance properly and you have all the components you want, try using a higher proof base.

There are numerous other factors affecting the taste of drinks, from how cold they are to how pretty they are to how visibly enjoyable they are to the people around you. Biology also affects taste, with specific gender, age, and body type all determining how taste is perceived. There are also specific chemical flavour compounds that increase the perception of sweetness, such as lychee, caramel, or banana, and others that decrease it, like angelica and juniper. With such an overwhelming number of factors, the best place to start is to balance basic flavours properly beginning with an understanding of taste group interaction. Happy mixing!

To learn more about taste, visit the "science" section of www.andonemorefortheroad.com or check out Darcy O'Neil's slide show on the science of taste at www.artofdrink.com

The Abbott's Bitters Debate

2013-05-11T14:05:00.002-07:00

I'm going to preface this post with a statement of respect for both of the parties involved in this issue. Darcy O'Neil has a lot of intriguing information on his site and I loved his "Science of Taste" presentation I saw at Art of the Cocktail so much that I asked for permission to share some of it on my site. He also wrote a fascinating book on the history of soda called "Fix The Pumps," which you can order from his site. I also love Tempus Fugit products, which are sadly unavailable in Canada, but thanks to a couple Seattle trips I have their creme de violette and amazing Gran Classico on my liquor shelf at home. The purpose of this post is only to discuss how interesting this dispute is, what it might become, and to set up further discussion on the topic of trademarking in the cocktail world.

Let me also say that I am not a lawyer nor a trademark agent. I have some trademark knowledge, and was coincidentally already doing further research on the topic for a future article on the Sazerac mark and its ownership by the Buffalo Trace Distillery (I won't get into that now). My intention is only to discuss this dispute objectively because I think it's fascinating. Also, I've noticed some comments on this topic mentioning copyrights and patents - these are not the same as trademarks. The issue of Abbott's Bitters is trademark related, and has nothing to do with a copyright or a patent.

I want to be thorough, so this is going to be detailed. If you just want to know the basic case on either side, skip to the end. Definitions, history, and references are in the body of this post.

There is a type of aromatic bitters called "Abbott's" that, while unknown today, were very popular around the turn of the 20th century. These were said to have been the bitters of choice for the original Manhattan Cocktail before declining in popularity and eventually disappearing. This of course makes them extremely desirable to cocktail nerds everywhere. Vintage bottles popped up for ridiculous prices online, and thanks to Robert Hess, a mass spectrometry was even performed on an old bottle to help determine its ingredients. Here's where Darcy O'Neil steps in. Being a chemist by trade, O'Neil took one look at the mass spec and saw immediate flaws in the results. He decided to pursue the creation of authentic Abbott's Bitters by doing extensive research on their history, ingredients, and chemistry. It is naive to assume that other cocktail nerds weren't either interested in or already developing the same product, and that's exactly what happened.

Tempus Fugit is a spirit and liqueur company based in California that distributed absinthes before branching out into other products. They manufacture some high-quality liqueurs as well as some bitters, including Gran Classico (which is similar to Campari). They have the intention and the means to develop, manufacture, and sell a version of Abbott's Bitters, as they own both the trademark to the use of the name as well as a design mark for the original label. The dispute here is that O'Neil, regardless of whatever work he's done with his bitters, plans to sell a product using the name "Abbott's Bitters," which is a registered trademark belonging to Tempus Fugit.

Not surprisingly, Tempus Fugit sent O'Neil a letter politely informing him that they own the trademark to the name. You can see both the letter and O'Neil's response on his post here.

I would like to clarify some concepts and definitions to the best of my understanding, particularly with the Supplemental Register as there seems to be some confusion. Let's quickly look at trademarks before getting into this:

Trademarks are given to names, descriptions, taglines, phrases, or any recognizable combination of words, as well as logos, designs, fonts, and any recognizable visual media (incidentally, also sounds - like the MGM lion roar). For example, Coca Cola the name is a registered trademark as is the font and design in which it appears on the can/bottle. Another example is the phrase "it gives you wings," which is owned by Red Bull. Trademarks protect particular wares/goods (so, for Abbott's - 'alcoholic bitters') and services (like "restaraunt services") . So for example, "it gives you wings"... if a third party attempted to file for a similar ware, like 'fruit juices', it would be rejected for being confusing to customers. However, if it was used for raincoats, there's a possibility you could get that trademark for clothing wares. (I haven't looked up Red Bull's trademarks to confirm, I'm just trying to make an example). The United States has two Trademark registers:

Principal Register: essentially, a mark on this list means that it is inherently distinctive, its marks are eligible for distinctiveness, has evidence of use, and is incontestible.

(A note on terms here, distinctive means that it is distinct in the market, so if you look at the beer aisle, consumers will recognize Stella Artois, or if you walk into the pop aisle consumers will recognize Coca Cola. Or, as Darcy mentions in his post, if I say Angostura, you say bitters. If I say Levi's, you say jeans.
Marks refer to trademarkable images, phrases, names, etc.
Use (i.e. intent to use) refers to the product existing in the market by means of it being physically sold to consumers. This is important here, because taking pre-orders or discussing the product may not count as use.)

Supplemental Register: A trademark on this register is still a registered trademark. It will still bar any future applications for the same trademark. Here's where things are a little interesting, however: "A mark on the supplemental register can never achieve incontestability. As such, should a third party be able to show earlier use of a confusingly similar mark, it can move to cancel a registration..." This means one can contest the ownership of a trademark on this Register.
Having said that, there are benefits from registration on the Supplemental Register:
- it is a secondary option for registering marks that have the potential to be distinctive
- it serves as a bar to registrations of confusingly similar marks
- it gives priority rights to registering a mark in other countries
- it is a means of protecting a mark while disctinctiveness is acquired

Another important note here: The Trademark Office does not require a mark to be on the Supplemental Register for five years before it can be considered for the Principal Register. A company can apply for registration on the Principal Register again at any time, and if it only takes say one year to acquire distintinctiveness, then they could be on the Principle Register in one year.

O'Neil does give links to the trademark records on his post (these are available to the public). It should be noted that there is nothing "shaky" about Tempus Fugit's registration. There is one reason why the "Abbott's Bitters" mark ended up on the Supplemental Register: it's a surname - a generic one at that. It is a rule that any generic surname can not gain registration on the Principal Register unless or until it achieves distinctiveness. So, it automatically ends up on the Supplemental Register until this distinctiveness is acquired. (Keep in mind there is a brand of Abbot's beer and Abbot's wine, separate parties currently in use of the name, albeit with only one "T.") The Supplemental Register most certainly does "provide evidence of trademark rights," it just isn't incontestable.

The only other issue here, which is of less concern, is the image/logo. Tempus Fugit owns the rights. It's as simple as that, there's no argument here. It WAS public domain, and they were granted the trademark for its use, which means it's not public domain anymore. If it was wrong or impossible to get a trademark for something that's public domain, it would not have been granted to them.

Let's look at this from Tempus Fugit's point of view:
- they own trademark registration on the Supplemental Register for the name "Abbott's Bitters" dating back to the date of application (not when it was granted) in 2009
- they have intent to use, as they claim to be developing the product or already have a completed product
- they own the trademark rights to the use of the logo on the Principal Register, which is incontestable
- they have already paid an attorney to handle the trademark registrations, which means that a professional has already viewed the case from every angle and given them the best possible protection. In other words, they've handled this from a business perspective and invested in their product
- their applications aren't "weak," in fact they're strong - otherwise they would not have been granted registration
- they are policing their trademark, as is required to maintain distinction (which just means ensuring nobody else is using the name)
- they have filed for registration in Canada
- they have no transferral of product as it's not for sale yet

Now let's look at this from O'Neil's point of view:
- he has no trademark rights on either register for the name nor the logo
- he has intention of use, public discussion of his intent (albeit in a niche market), and pre-orders for the product itself. These are very low levels of use because there is no transferral of product, but may count for something. Although, there has also been discussion of Tempus Fugit's product.
- he wants to prove that Tempus Fugit's mark registration is "shaky" because "Abbott's" is an old and known brand-name. Proof of this would include that it's already available at stores or on menus at cocktail bars, for example. He would have to prove that Abbott's is a generic term in a consumer's mind, and is well-known in the marketplace.
- to contest the name mark, he would have to prove some sort of significant use prior to 2009 when Tempus Fugit applied for registration
- he has not acquired legal council of any kind yet, which is going to cost a lot of money (likely tens of thousands of dollars)
- if he wants to acquire the trademark for himself, he will face the same problems Tempus Fugit did, and his mark will be just as vulnerable. He would still have to apply for the trademark after going through the process of proving that Tempus Fugit shouldn't own it

I encourage everyone not to react negatively towards either party here. Tempus Fugit has done nothing wrong - they wanted to make Abbott's Bitters and they secured the trademark rights to do so, which is what any business would and should do. O'Neil should be commended for his extensive research on the subject and I truly hope I get to have a bottle of his bitters regardless of what they're called. The reality is that he viewed this project as research and not as business and unfortunately once the exchange of money enters the picture, it's a business issue. In a perfect world I would love to see both parties work together to develop an Abbott's Bitters. They could pool their information and research, and O'Neil could bring everything he knows to Tempus Fugit, who likely have much larger and more efficient production means. I also hope that this doesn't become a lengthy dispute sparking uninformed rants in the online community. If you do want to weigh in, I suggest looking over the documentation, all of which is available to the public. At the least, it's an interesting discussion and will bring more attention to trademarking in the bartending world, of which most people are probably unaware.

David Embury and the Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks

2013-04-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Throughout the history of mixed drinks several personalities very clearly show great influence on the evolution of technique and culture. When interest in this culture became more prevalent over the last five years or so, bartenders and drinkers look to these personalities for guidance and inspiration. The most obvious is Jerry Thomas, the 'grandfather' of the mixed drink, with "How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion" in 1862, essentially the first bartending book ever published. Later came Harry Craddock's "Savoy Cocktail Book" in 1930, which was not as forthcoming with technique or information, but contained within a wealth of fantastic drinks, many of which are today considered classics. These are the most obvious of early cocktail books, but there have been several others worthy of note, some of which have taught us very valuable lessons and recipes. Sometimes overlooked is perhaps the best bartending book for any learning bartender: David Embury’s “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks” in 1948. It teaches passion and understanding for the craft, but more importantly the “basic principles for fashioning a quality cocktail.”
Embury was born in 1886 and actually began his adult life as a tax attorney in New York City before eventually leaving to pursue his bartending passion. His book is a must-read for aspiring bartenders and cocktail-nerds alike as it is considerably more engaging and opinionated than the typical recipe encyclopedias. It also contains the aforementioned basic principles, which are essential to improving drink quality.

The Basic Principles for Fashioning Quality Cocktails

Drinks should be made from good-quality, high-proof liquors. Just like with food, the quality of a drink will never be better than the quality of its cheapest ingredient. Therefore, the highest quality spirits and liqueurs as well as fresh-squeezed juice is of the utmost importance.
They should always sharpen, not dull the appetite. A cocktail by classic definition is an aperitif and should therefore never have more than a touch of sweetness. Overly sweet drinks will dull the appetite, so avoid using too much sugar, juice, cream, or egg. (Embury says drinks like the Brandy Alexander can be enjoyed after dinner "in place of a half-pound of chocolate cookies.")
They should be dry, with sufficient alcoholic flavour, yet still smooth and pleasing to the palate.
They should be pleasing to the eye.
They should be well-iced. (This principle implies both the quality of ice and the amount of stirring/shaking necessary. The use of large, high-density ice cubes is ideal.)

For a better understanding of mixed drinks as a whole, Embury breaks down not only drinks into categories, but also the ingredients in each to better understand their contributions. Whether recipes are followed specifically or not, learning to separate drinks by type and component is extremely useful when bartending.

The Components of a Cocktail

Base: The principle ingredient, usually a single spirit that constitutes about 75% or more of the total volume before ice is added. Ex. whiskey, gin, rum, etc.
Modifying agent: The secondary ingredient that adds character, softens the alcohol, and enhances flavour. Ex. vermouth, amaro, bitters, fruit juices, egg, cream
Special flavouring or colouring agent: Ingredients used sparingly to impart special qualities, usually a liqueur or special syrup used in place of sugar. Ex. Chartreuse, grenadine, curacao, etc.

The Categories of Cocktails

Aromatic: Use bitters, aromatic wines, or spirits as modifying agents
Sours: Use fruit juice and sugar as modifying agents. Embury recommends a 8:2:1 ratio, with 8 parts spirit to 2 parts sour to 1 part sugar (for example, 2oz to 0.5oz to 0.25oz). This shows that most cocktails are just variations of each other, and knowing the overall principle gives comprehension of a wealth of drinks. A Daiquiri is just a Whiskey Sour with rum instead of whiskey, which is just a Clover Club with whiskey instead of gin and simple syrup instead of raspberry and egg, and so on and so forth.

The Basic Drink Types

Martini

7 parts English gin
1 part French vermouth

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with an olive, preferably one stuffed with any kind of nut.

Manhattan

5 parts American whiskey
1 part Italian vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and serve garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Old-Fashioned

12 parts American whiskey
1 part simple syrup
1-3 dashes Angostura bitters

In an old-fashioned glass, add bitters to simple syrup and stir. Add about 1 ounce of whiskey and stir again. Add two cubes of cracked but not crushed ice and top off with the rest of the whiskey. Twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.

Daiquiri

8 parts white Cuban rum
2 parts lime juice
1 part simple syrup

Shake with lots of finely crushed ice and strain well into a chilled cocktail glass.
A final lesson from Embury is that there is no one recipe for any cocktail. The recipe you like best is the one you should use, so find what you like and stick with it. If the drink suits your palate, that's all that matters. However, this should be taken in tandem with his lesson that drinks should be dry and never overly sweet, as I doubt he would approve of a Daiquiri with more juice, syrup, liqueur, sugar soda, and blended ice than rum - even if that’s how you prefer it. Take from this the following important lessons:

A big-picture view of mixed drinks separated into general categories to better understand all cocktails.
An attention to detail as well as care and passion put into the drink you're making.
Aspiration to make your drinks dry to stimulate the palate - never overly sweet.

Lastly, go get a copy of "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks." Classic bartending books are fun, but one written by a man who is so passionate and engaging about his craft is invaluable.

[originally published on www.shakestir.com]

The Barrel-Aging of Cocktails

2013-04-07T23:50:00.000-07:00

Barrel-aging cocktails was a hot trend in the bartending scene two to three years ago, but was it actually a new idea? Or, was it just another rediscovered one getting all the bar geeks excited for the usual fifteen minutes?

The practice of storing cocktails is plausibly as old as the cocktail's peak of popularity itself. Bartending 'grandfather' Jerry Thomas makes mention of storing pre-made drinks in bottles on the bar (the Brandy, Gin, and Bourbon Cocktails to be specific) for efficiency reasons in his 1862 guide, "How To Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant's Companion." There was also the issue of enjoying a cocktail while on the road, and making and bottling cocktails at home allowed this luxury. The effects of bottle-aging are considerably less noticeable than those of barrel-aging, however, so how far back were cocktails being aged in wood? Thanks to G.F. Heublein & Bro. in New York the answer is definitively at least to 1910, as we can see from a "Club Cocktails" advertisement printed that year, reading "Club Cocktails are mixed to measure - by experts - of selected liquors. Then they are aged in wood." Another advertisement from 1912 reads "[Club Cocktails] obtain their delicious flavour and delicate aroma by aging in wood before bottling. A new cocktail can never have the flavour of an aged cocktail." Heublein continued advertising bottled cocktails until the 1960's, though they stopped barrel-aging - or at least stopped mentioning it - as the true selling point of Club Cocktails was likely that a mixed drink could be enjoyed from the comfort of one's own home. The bottled (and canned) mixed drink torch was carried on in the form of cheap Martinis and Manhattans, and of course in the 1990's by their bastard children: the artificially-flavoured vodka sours and sickly sweet liqueur mixtures.

Jump ahead to the late 2000's in London where Tony Conigliaro at 69 Colebrooke Row was bottle-aging cocktails inspired by the taste of vintage Dubonnet. The effects were noticeable and delicious after a year of aging and he decided to share the results with his bar patrons, one of whom was Jeffrey Morgenthaler from Portland's Clyde Common. Taking inspiration from Conigliaro, Morgenthaler decided to make a large batch of a cocktail and age it not just in a bottle but in a barrel, which led to even more delicious results and the trend spread like wildfire among cocktail cities throughout 2010 and the following year.

What happens to a cocktail inside a barrel? In the previous post on barrel-aging spirits the interaction between wood and alcohol were explained chemically. These reactions are not dramatically different but occur at a considerably different rate due to a decrease in proof and an increase in acidity. Cocktails are a combination of wines, liqueurs, syrups, bitters, and spirits, all of which have very different chemical properties that react differently with the barrel leading to unique overall results from drink to drink. The key chemical reaction is the extraction of hemicellulose from the wood, which increases the amount of reducing sugars in the solution and thereby increases good flavours, rounds edges, and reduces the acidity. The more acidic the alcoholic solution and the lower the proof, the faster the extraction. Spirits are considerably less acidic and have a higher ABV (alcohol-by-volume) than wine which is why they require much longer aging periods. Cocktails can have ABV's of 20-50 percent depending on the composition and the aging period will have to be adjusted accordingly lest too much acidity be lost and the taste will become "flat" or "flabby," as some poor-quality wines are often described.

The second important reaction is oxidation, which occurs when the cocktail is exposed to air both while pouring it into the barrel and while it is at rest. As described in the previous post, this is the chemical reaction between a compound and oxygen in the air which can break down or alter molecular compositions. Wine and spirit oxidation have quite well-understood oxidation reactions because they are fairly consistent substances. One of the main reactions is the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde, the latter of which has a complex aroma with qualities of grass and green fruit, but also nuts, coffee, and grains. Further oxidation can occur breaking down acetaldehyde to acetic acid, which can add depth to the aging product but in excess can make it harsh and overly acidic. The components of a cocktail will undergo these reactions to different extents at different rates, with fortified wines like vermouth being affected much more quickly than liqueurs or spirits. A Negroni would therefore reach its aging plateau before a Manhattan before a Red Hook and so on. Morganthaler claimed the ideal aging period is somewhere between five and seven weeks, with a recommended daily tasting for quality checks.

While cocktail-aging is not new it is definitely an exciting experiment from a taste perspective - but what about its consequences on bartending? Since the Jerry Thomas-era the bartender has been viewed as a magician of sorts, creating new and delightful flavours and experiences to suit any mood using only seemingly medial tools and a collection of liquors. Both new and experienced cocktail drinkers flock to the top bars for impromptu creations or well-executed classics. Does it not remove the excitement and anticipation to have one's mixed drink poured from a barrel or removed from a fridge pre-bottled? Worse yet, does this process not negate the importance of skill behind the wood? There is a great satisfaction in seeing a Sazerac, Old-Fashioned, or Mint Julep built in the traditional manner with great attention to detail by an experienced professional, and the drink only tastes better having watched and waited for completion. Perhaps most importantly, however, the bartender's role is one of service. He or she should be engaging, polite, attentive, and always a host to his or her guests. At the end of the day, every bartender's first priority should always be this service as guests come to enjoy an experience and not simply the practical quality of the drinks. The aging and bottling of cocktails can easily perpetuate the tendency for some bartenders to focus too much on craft and not enough on service, and in the worst of cases it can endorse laziness. However, if aging a cocktail enhances its flavour and is used by good bartenders as part of a well-executed cocktail program without encumbering the true values of their role then it is perhaps an excellent idea.

The Science of Barrel-Aging

2013-02-20T15:40:00.001-08:00

The most desired of spirits are aged in one way or another. These products are more expensive by virtue of this aging and have arguably more enjoyable flavours and aromas than those that are unaged. Myths about aged spirits causing stronger intoxication or worse hangovers and strange social stigmas about darker-coloured spirits being less approachable have left interest in these products to generally more knowledgeable and experienced drinkers. The truth is that aging softens the ‘burn’ of the ethanol while smoothing out flavours and adding even more pleasant ones. The question is: what exactly is happening inside that barrel?

The process of aging alcoholic beverages is just as old as fermentation and distillation for the simple reason that the products needed to be stored and transported. Storing, be it in clay pots, barrels, or simply bottles, exposes the alcohol to both the air and the storage materials themselves for long periods of time, altering the chemical structure of the alcoholic products. This can change the colour, aroma and flavour in various and mostly beneficial ways. (While beer and wine have their own science and research and aging can take place in several kinds of materials, this article will focus solely on spirits aged in wood barrels).

To understand these chemical reactions, one first must understand the basic components:

- Wood barrels were designed for transportation, enabling one man to move large weights around easily by just rolling the container. This is the purpose behind the wheel-like shape of the barrel, which was achieved by bending the wood. By heating the wood, traditionally by lighting a fire inside the barrel, it could be bent into shape. The charred wood on the inside of the barrel adds flavour and colour to its contents. Oak was and is the most common wood used for barrels because it is durable, easy to shape, fairly inexpensive, and more inert than other woods (meaning it is less reactive to its contents).

- Spirits are created through distillation of a fermented product, be it wine, grain mash, fruit, plants, and so on. Distillation yields primarily ethanol, but also aldehydes, esters, and fatty acids, all of which have very specific flavours and aromas. It is the unique combination of these chemicals that make spirits different from one another. Multiple distillations and filtering can remove many of these compounds to create a "clean" or aroma-less and flavourless spirit (i.e. vodka). The choice of raw materials, the fermentation process, and the distillation technique and equipment will all contribute to the overall chemical composition and therefore smell and taste of the final product.

By combining these components and exposing them to the surrounding environment, numerous chemical reactions occur. The following are the most important factors:

Time
Distilling alcohol creates beneficial byproducts, as mentioned above, but also creates bad-tasting and poisonous byproducts, including butane, methanol, hydrazines, acetates, and acetaldehydes. Both good and bad byproducts are grouped together under the label "congeners" (a category of some debate, none of which will be discussed here). Fortunately, the good congeners happen to be quite stable, whereas the bad ones break down over time. Aging a distilled product allows this time, thereby decreasing the amount of bad tastes and poisons and increasing the amount of good flavour and aroma components.

Interestingly, time seems to be the most unpredictable of barrel-aging factors. Products can go from tasting great to awful or vice-versa in a matter of days or years. There is a consensus, however, that there is a decay rate of change. In other words, at some point the changes to the spirit stop and further aging becomes fairly moot. Some researchers have approximated the effects of barrel aging by using sine wave mathematics (a very common composite representation of natural processes). This research shows that basically all the effects of aging occur by fifteen years (99.5% when assuming that no signs of change in the product are noticeable after a period of thirty years, a consensus among many distillers). In fact, almost a third of the full effect of barrel-aging occurs within the first year, and almost half after the second. Many bourbon producers claim that eight years is the magic aging number, and by this mathematical approximation 93% of aging effects will have taken place by this point. Interestingly, most Scotch ages twelve to fifteen years. This spirit is very often aged in used barrels, which would slow down the reaction rate between spirit and wood. As for very long-term aging, this mathematical explanation shows only a 0.5% change in chemical composition from fifteen to thirty years in the barrel. Again, this is an approximation used to understand the concept and aging is by no means this simple. Information from distillers and tasters alike do seem congruent with its generalizations and for the purpose of discussion it is both useful and interesting.

Air
Oxygen is extremely reactive, and makes up for about one fifth of our atmosphere. Almost any material undergoes a chemical reaction when exposed to oxygen, a common example being metal rusting. Exposing a distilled alcohol to oxygen will cause chemical reactions with the unwanted congeners mentioned above, facilitating their removal from the product. Wood is porous, allowing for only small amounts of air to pass in and out of the barrel, controlling the rate at which the congeners are oxidized. During this process, some ethanol will also oxidize or simply evaporate, and the proof (alcohol-by-volume) will drop slightly. This is called the "angel's share," as early distillers saw the volume drop by itself and so believed that angels watched over their products and took some as payment. The type of climate aside from temperature does play a small role here, though not a very important one. For example, barrels aging near the ocean will absorb small amounts of salt water, but this is very low on the list of reactions affecting the spirit.

Temperature
The climate temperature where the barrels are aging will affect the rate of oxidation, and can cause evaporation as well. Warm climates will cause faster reactions, and the aging will cause changes more quickly but more harshly, occasionally removing desirable components as well. Barrels even "breathe," expelling gas during the day when temperatures are warmer, and drawing gas in at night when it's cool. To better control these conditions, barrels are usually placed in underground cellars where temperatures can be regulated and climate changes minimized.

Barrel-Type
Some barrel regulations exist for whiskies. For example, bourbon can only be aged in new charred oak barrels, so will absorb and react only with the components in the oak itself. Irish and Scottish whiskies, however, can be aged in used barrels, such as those previously used for sherry or bourbon aging. This will impart flavours and aromas from the previous occupants giving the spirit new and unique characteristics. As for the type of wood, spirits are basically aged in one of two kinds of wood: American or French oak. Due to specifics in harvesting and production as well as climate there are some differences between the two that affect spirit aging. French barrels are lower in tannins due to production procedure and if toasted contribute smoky and spicy flavours. American oak is naturally lower in tannins, the production of the barrels is a harsher process that releases more flavouring compounds, and the barrels are charred more heavily which gives stronger vanilla flavour and often that of smoke.

Barrel Char
The amount of char, or how long the barrel was burned, has great effect on the flavour of an aged spirit. Heavily charred barrels impart much stronger flavours of smoke, whereas lightly charred ones tend to be sweeter and offer subtle smoke or "toast." The reason for this goes beyond the obvious (more fire means more smoky taste). Plants contain sugars called hemi-cellulose (a combination of eight sugars altogether) that caramelize when burned. Oak also contains other compounds like lignin, tannins, and vannillins that all break down when the wood is charred. The resulting chemical products give colour to the spirit, as well as sweetness and a collection of subtle flavours. Charring the barrel too much will break down these compounds too far and negate their flavour contributions, as will a harsher handling of the wood during barrel construction.

Humidity
If humidity is very high, more ethanol evaporates during aging, while if humidity is low, more water is lost. Aside from the changes in proof this will cause, water and ethanol act as solvents in the barrel and as such contain many other compounds responsible for flavour and aroma. Water will contain more sugars and colours, whereas ethanol will contain the lignins, vanillins, and tannins that contribute more to depth of flavour. For this reason, distillers in more humid climates will typically work with higher cask strengths (fill the barrels with spirit at a higher proof) to avoid losing too many of these components in the ethanol solution.

The above are the most obvious and measurable of contributing factors to the chemical process that spirits undergo while sitting inside a barrel, but there are countless others. The quality of an aged spirit is dependent on so many circumstances and controlling these as best as possible is just part of what makes distillers such dedicated masters of their craft. Understanding the science and subtleties of the process gives an even deeper appreciation for the final product. As the drinking populace becomes more knowledgeable, hopefully aged spirits lose their social stigmas and are enjoyed by all - particularly those of higher quality and those of small distilleries.

Five Classic Cocktails for a Distinguished Gentleman

2013-02-19T10:23:00.001-08:00

While times are changing for the better, most men drink cheap beer, highballs, or sugar-filled shots. Thanks to the growing classic cocktail trends in today's large city bars, the growing number of small distilleries and breweries, and television shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, more and more are becoming interested in better quality products and more traditional drinks. The mid to late 19th century was the Golden Age of mixed drinks, led by the 'grandfather of mixology,' Jerry Thomas, who in 1862 was the first to publish an all-encompassing tome of bartending. Many great drinks and products were lost during Prohibition, and while the practice of drinking well did continue to a lesser extent from the 1930's until the 1960's, it is for the most part the great classics from the Golden Age that survive today. A distinguished gentleman appreciates these drinks for their taste and history, and cares for the manner in which they are made. This sophisticated man knows there is only one Martini, that anything called a "cocktail" must contain bitters, and that an Old-Fashioned must never contain juice or soda. Below are five classic drinks for this distinguished gentleman.

(As per the previous posts on Classic Cocktails for a Fancy Lady, drink-preference should not be gender specific, and the purpose of this post is historical. Furthermore, should any lady deem herself too dangerous to be fancy, any of the following make excellent substitutes as cocktails for a femme fatale.)

Old-Fashioned
This is the drink with the most variations, the source of so many debates, the biggest growing popularity, yet one of the most misunderstood. Thanks to Donald Draper on TV's Mad Men (who, by the way, makes a terrible Old-Fashioned), this drink is now ordered by droves of non-experienced drinkers. This is an exciting trend. The disappointing news is that practices from the dark ages of drinking (the 1970's to the 1990's) are still alive today, and the drink is often ruined or just unrecognizable. It is a finicky drink to maintain the balance of so few ingredients, and of course most everyone prefers his or hers a slightly different way. The drink’s history is a confusing one because it refers to a style and not one particular drink. In the early to mid 19th century, The Sling was a popular mixed drink that contained only spirit, sugar, water, and perhaps a grate of nutmeg. At some point bitters was added to the mix, birthing the “Bittered Sling,” which came be known as the “Cock-tail.” Faster than you can mix one up, variations were born. Fruits here and liqueurs there muddled up the original, and purists and old-farts began to request their Cock-tails the “old-fashioned way.” Over time this simply became an “Old-Fashioned.” Anything beyond the Bittered Sling recipe is not an Old-Fashioned, though very small embellishments included in Jerry Thomas’ variations (namely orange or lemon oil) are welcomed. The recipe below is from “Modern American Drinks” by George Kappeler in 1895, and is the best way to make a proper Old-Fashioned. (Note the absence of juice, muddling, soda, or any liqueur.) The type of bitters and spirit is up to the drinker and trying new combinations makes for a multitude of exciting options (try brandy and Peychaud’s, tequila and chocolate, or gin and Boker’s for example).

2oz whiskey
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1/2tsp of sugar (or one small sugar cube)
1 piece of lemon peel

Dissolve the sugar with a little water in a whiskey-glass [Old-Fashioned or rocks glass]; add bitters, a small piece ice, a piece lemon-peel, and whiskey. Mix with a small barspoon and serve.

"A small piece ice" can be substituted today with a few nice cubes (don't ruin the drink with small, watery ones), and the lemon peel can be swapped for orange if you please. Express the oil of the peel over top of the drink for best effect. A common practice is to soak the sugar in both water and bitters before adding ice and spirit.

Sazerac
Ordering this drink more than five years ago would have gotten you strange looks. Because of its history and fantastic taste, it was and is an obscure favourite among cocktail enthusiasts. Many claims are made to it being the oldest cocktail, but this is not true. We’ve tracked its inception to 1850's New Orleans in a slightly different form than we most often enjoy now. The Sazerac is the product of two smart men: one who imported the Sazerac de Forge et Fils, and the other who changed the name of his bar to "Sazerac House," where the cocktail was first made and became popular, thus naming it the "Sazerac Cocktail." Peychaud's bitters was literally made down the street, so it was the obvious choice. The first printed recipe in 1908 called for “good whiskey” (which in New Orleans means straight rye) at which point Cognac had become less abundant. The drink's flavour is dry and spicy, and the union of Peychaud's, absinthe, and rye (or Cognac for that matter) is something truly special. Again, the process of making the drink is important for both flavour and anticipation, so follow it closely. Use a good quality spirit, preferably a higher-proof and spicy rye, absinthe if you can, raw sugar, and lastly you can substitute Bitter Truth Creole Bitters for Peychaud's (but go with one fewer dash as it's more potent).

2 oz straight rye whiskey [or Cognac]
1 sugar cube
2-3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Absinthe
Lemon peel

Fill an Old-Fashioned or Sazerac glass with cracked ice. Put the sugar in a mixing container, add the bitters and a little water and let dissolve. Add the whiskey, fill with ice, and stir. Dump the ice out of the glass and pour in a little absinthe, and roll around to coat the glass before discarding. Strain the whiskey mixture into the glass, then express the oil from the lemon peel over top and drop it into the glass.

Manhattan
This one is the probably the most famous and enduring of all classics, enjoyed by many in literature and film, particularly gentlemen, but also by bad-news ladies like Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like It Hot.” Vermouth entered the mixed drink equation sometime in the 1870's, drastically changing things for generations to come. Suddenly cocktails weren't just spirits with small additions of liqueurs, bitters, sugars, and sometimes fruits. Now spirits shared the spotlight or even had a supporting role in many popular drinks. Arguably the first of these was the Manhattan, made at the Manhattan Club in, yes, Manhattan. Its first mention was in the 1870’s, its first recipe in 1884, and the closest recipe to what we use today appeared in 1892. Early incarnations included maraschino, absinthe, gum syrup, and no whiskey specification, but the drink simplified over time. The type of whiskey and bitters are still optional, and like the Old-Fashioned make for very different drinks. A higher-proof whiskey mixes better, with rye being drier and spicier and bourbon being fuller and sweeter. Always stir, never shake, serve up and not on the rocks, and the garnish is always optional.

2oz whiskey
1oz sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes bitters

Add ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice, stir, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a real cherry, or a citrus peel (optional).

Martini
The Manhattan-style cocktail at times contained gin instead of whiskey, which became known as the Martini - the same drink save the spirit choice. The origins of the Martini are some of the most disputed of them all, numerous ones appearing around the same time, but the concept remained the same. The Turf Club is the simplest, while The Fourth Degree contained absinthe, and The Martinez contained maraschino and twice the amount of vermouth. The later and most popular incarnation, The Dry Martini, made an important change in recipe: swapping Italian vermouth for French. As time wore on after Prohibition, Martinis got drier and drier, reducing the vermouth down to smaller and smaller amounts. In the later half of the 20th century good-quality vermouths were harder to come by and the lack of knowledgeable bartenders left it sitting on shelves instead of fresh and in the fridge, and the vermouth became essentially non-existent. Furthermore, James Bond confused many by calling his Kangaroo Cocktail a "Vodka Martini" (which even confused the Bond girl). A classic gentleman does not drink a Martini with vodka, though will sometimes drink it dry. However, a Martini without dry vermouth or bitters is not a Martini. Below is the classic 1890's version, in which you can reduce the amount of vermouth and swap the orange peel for a lemon if you please. The olive is a later addition, and can mask the flavours of the drink, but to each his own. Be sure to use fresh vermouth - it is wine and should be kept in the fridge and will spoil and then ruin your drink. Choose a good gin and a great vermouth.

2oz gin (Old Tom traditionally, but London Dry works just fine)
1oz dry vermouth
1 dash orange bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Squeeze a piece of orange peel over top.

Negroni
In 1860’s Italy, Gaspare Campari invented the most famous of amari, aptly named Campari, before settling down and opening a cafe. The signature drink there was the “Milano Torino,” combining Campari from Milan and Cinzano vermouth from Turin then topped with soda. The early 20th century brought an influx of American tourists, among whom the drink found popularity and was renamed the “Americano.” (It found popularity elsewhere too, even being the first drink James Bond ever ordered). In 1919, Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, at the Caffe Casoni for a stronger version of this drink by swapping the soda with gin. This drink subsequently became wildly popular in Europe. In 1947, iconic director/actor Orson Welles was working on his film "Cagliostro" in Rome, and spoke to reporters about his new favourite drink, The Negroni, saying "the bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you - they balance each other." It wasn't long before the drink became popular in the U.S., though in the more American style it was enjoyed up rather than on the rocks. The three ingredients balance and accent each other beautifully, and as such the Negroni structure has been used for numerous variations and new concepts. The most notable - drinks also worthy of a distinguished gentleman - are the Boulevardier, which replaces the gin with bourbon, and the Old Pal, which switches gin for straight rye and Italian vermouth for French. While Campari is very bitter and therefore an acquired taste, it's a worthwhile one, and the Negroni is a drink bound to be in your life for good.

1oz London Dry gin
1oz Italian vermouth
1oz Campari

Add ingredients together and stir with ice. Strain over rocks in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of orange a piece of lemon peel.

[Photo: Cary Grant]

Five More Classic Cocktails for a Fancy Lady

2013-01-22T20:04:00.001-08:00

Last post (found here) we went through some of the best classic cocktails for a lady, but the list to me feels incomplete without the following runner-ups.

Stinger
This drink is very simple and not particularly interesting in flavour - in fact, it can be way too sweet if made according to classic recipes. However, it is an excellent digestif to end your dinner or evening, and opens the door to some very interesting experimentation. Having a half-sized cocktail of Cognac or brandy with bitters, or amaro, and some representation of the mint flavour (be it Giffard menthe de pastille or Branca Menta or an amaro like Nardini) has become a mainstay of my drinking evenings. The drink also has a long American history, dating in literature back to 1917’s “Ideal Bartender” book, which lists it simply as equal parts of brandy and white crème de menthe. It was popular amongst pilots in WWI because the young men preferred drinks not to taste of alcohol, but also because the mint oil disguised the liquor on their breath (as cocktail historian David Wondrich reasons). The Stinger was a favourite of Billie Holiday, as well as enjoyed by the lovely Grace Kelly [right] in 1956’s “High Society,” Katherine Hepburn in 1940’s “Philadelphia Story,” and Jayne Mansfield and Cary Grant in 1957’s “Kiss Them For Me” (in which Grant says “stingers - and keep them coming.”) Giffard’s menthe de pastille can be substituted for crème de menthe (to better effect in my opinion), but is more potent and should be balanced accordingly. The below recipe is Wondrich’s:

2.25oz brandy
0.75oz white crème de methe

Shake well with cracked ice, then strain into a cocktail coupe.

Pink Lady
The name is a little obvious for a lady cocktail choice, the drink is pretty-looking, tastes fruity, but it still packs a punch. It also carries a foggy history. Originally the recipes only included gin, grenadine, and egg white (Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, 1937), but later incarnations included lemon juice, applejack or apple brandy, and even cream. Esquire’s 1949 “Handbook for Hosts” (mentioned last post) also has this one in the ‘for the girls’ section. In popular culture, 1950’s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield [right] used to drink them before meals, and in the 1937 film “Topper,” Constance Bennett gives one to Cary Grant.
The most accepted recipe comes from David Embury’s “Fine Art of Mixing Drinks” in 1948:

1.5oz gin
0.5oz apple brandy (or applejack)
0.5oz lemon juice
0.25oz grenadine
egg white

Shake ingredients without ice, then add ice and shake again. Strain into a cocktail coupe.

Twentieth Century
This is an excellent introduction to gin, or an excellent trick for anyone who claims they don’t like gin. It originated in 1937’s Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, credited to C.A. Tuck, a British bartender who created the drink in honour of the Twentieth Century Limited. At the time this was a wonder of modern technology: the world’s fastest and most luxurious train that ran from Chicago to New York at 60 miles per hour from 1902 to 1967. So fancy was this train and its many dining and drinking cars, that passengers boarded and exited the train upon a red velvet carpet, which is actually the origin of the phrase “red carpet treatment.” The train was featured in several films, most prominently in Alfred Hitchcock’s very influential “North by Northwest” (1959). The drink itself is like a chocolate meringue dessert, but can still be made dry enough to enjoy. Below is the traditional recipe, but click here to see a variation using egg white and substituting a Giffard white chocolate syrup for the very flat crème de cacao, along with a more detailed history.

1.5oz Plymouth gin
0.75oz Lillet Blanc
0.75oz white crème de cacao
0.75oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Jack Rose
This pink and fruity sour has several theories of inception: named after a lying gambler who had a famous run-in with the law in 1912 (and who may have invented the drink himself), named after the Jaquemot rose because of the colour (as claimed in the book “Old Waldorf Bar Days” in 1931), or as recently uncovered in print in 1905, simply invented by a bartender at Gene Sullivan’s Cafe in Jersey City. Sadly the oldest printed account is the most likely one, negating the much more interesting Jack Rose the gambler story, which also lends the parallel of the drink itself being a liar, with its pink colour and fruity flavour masking what is actually a very strong drink. It is nonetheless a clever name, having both applejack and a rose colour. To be traditional, applejack should be used, but calvados is also acceptable and will offer a softer and fruitier drink. The juice is not specified between lemon or lime in the history books, but I find lime much more interesting. There are recipes galore on how to make this, and a major factor is how you make your grenadine. The simplest way is just to make a 1:1 simple syrup with real pomegranate juice in place of water, and this will enable you to balance drinks the usual way. Below is David Wondrich’s recipe:

2oz applejack (or Calvados)
1oz lime juice
0.5oz grenadine

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Aviation
A favourite among cocktail enthusiasts, the Aviation dates back to the 1910’s but underwent a recipe change in by 1930 when the Savoy Cocktail Book omitted one of its ingredients: crème de violette. Throughout the next seventy-five years violette was for the most lost and forgotten as manufacture ceased, but thankfully in 2007 Rothman & Winter reproduced it and now we have several kinds available to us in North America. An Aviation without violette has none of the blueish colour for which it was likely named, and a much flatter-tasting drink altogether. Maraschino is somewhat of a challenge to the uninitiated, but with the balance of citrus and floral flavours makes this an excellent introduction. Below is Robert Hess’ adapted recipe. Click here to see a more in-depth history of the Aviation.

2oz gin
0.5oz lemon juice
0.5oz maraschino liqueur
0.24oz crème de violette

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Five Classic Cocktails for a Fancy Lady

2013-01-11T13:11:00.001-08:00

Taste should not be gender-specific. Good food and drink are enjoyed by any, and there shouldn't be "manly" drinks and "girly" drinks - but there are. There are a few reasons for this:
- Generally, women taste things differently than men - they tend to be more sensitive to flavour, particularly bitter. Because of this sensitivity, women often have more distinguished palates. (Again, this is a generalization, but scientific research does support it).
- In western culture, the woman was seen as the weaker sex and therefore shouldn't be enjoying the same things men do, such as strong drink. This is particularly true for cocktails in the first half of the twentieth century when many a book and magazine told women what they should be drinking in order to be a proper and all-around good lady. These drinks were colourful and sweeter.

In the dark ages of bartending (the 1970's-1990's) the above points were interpreted into drinks involving copious amounts of sugar, artificial colour, drinks with 'feminine' names, and a lot of vodka so as to further disguise the taste of alcohol. Many of the classics had both pretty colours and names but also happened to be great drinks, and strong ones at that. These cocktails were not gender-specific, or often started as a "gentleman's drink" (see the Clover Club) before becoming popular amongst the female folk, likely due to the media and populace deciding that a pink drink should be for a woman.

For this list, I'm taking inspiration from the 1920's to 1940's in particular, when men were gentlemen and women were ladies, and there were excellent drinks on both sides to be enjoyed by all. Should you wish to drink like a fancy lady of the time, below are some classic suggestions.

Clover Club
This light and pink drink predates Prohibition when it was enjoyed by the members of the Philadelphia men's club of the same name. By the 1930's, it had lost popularity, and 1949's "Handbook for Hosts" from Esquire placed it in the "something for the girls" section. If made properly this drink can be drier than expected, using fresh raspberries and not artificial liqueurs or commercial sweeteners. The Okanagan Spirits liqueur is an excellent substitution for real raspberry, tasting both dry and natural. If using a home-made raspberry syrup, bump up the gin and juice or lower the sugar amount. Below is the recipe from Pourhouse in Vancouver, which is fairly close to the recipe of old:

1.5oz London Dry gin
0.5oz fresh lemon juice
0.5oz simple syrup
0.5oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur
1 egg white

Combine ingredients and dry-shake. Then add ice and shake again. Strain into a cocktail coupe.

French 75
A refreshing start to your evening, particularly a celebratory one due to the addition of sparkling wine. As with any drink, it should be made dry so as to awaken your palate and if so it makes an excellent aperitif. Created in 1915 by Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar in Paris, it was named after the WWI French 75mm field gun - which “packed quite a punch." German officers famously order it at Humphrey Bogart's bar in 1942's "Casablanca." Cocktail historian David Wondrich suggests increasing the gin to 2oz and serving over ice in a Collins glass. While this tastes better, I prefer the drink in more elegant attire. Here is the Savoy Cocktail Book recipe from 1930:

2/3 gin [1oz]
1/3 lemon juice [0.5oz]
1 teaspoon powdered sugar [0.5oz simple syrup]

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a Champagne glass or cocktail coupe, then top with chilled Champagne or a dry sparkling wine (Brut).

Sidecar
This cocktail's origins are of some dispute, as so many are, but while the Ritz Hotel in Paris claims its birthplace, there are earlier and more reputable sources that differ. Harry MacElhone's 1922 cocktail book "Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails" gives credit to Pat MacGarry at Buck's Club in London some time after WWI. It was named after the motorcycle sidecar in which an American army captain was driven to the Paris bistro where the drink was created for him. It is essentially a Brandy Daisy, a style of drink dating to the mid 19th century. There are several recipes, namely the "French school" which has each ingredient at equal parts, and the "London school," which has 2:1:1 brandy to liqueur to lemon. David Embury's very influential "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks" in 1948 recommends 8:2:1. I like my drinks dry, and below is my go-to recipe. Avoid the sugar rim, a practice that popped up in the 1930's and is both sticky and unnecessary. This drink is fruity but boozy and perfect for an elegant lady who has come in from the cold. It also happens to be Cointreau's signature drink, a liqueur represented by the fanciest lady alive today: Dita Von Teese.

2oz Cognac or other brandy
0.5oz Cointreau
0.5oz lemon juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Champagne Cocktail
In the 19th century this drink was one of the very first variations on the “cock-tail,” a combination of spirit, sugar, water, and bitters. Embellishments were inevitable, and the best of them is likely the addition of brandy (technically making this a “Brandy Champagne Cocktail”). Adding this extra punch to the equation balances the sugar much better. This cocktail has shown up in both literature and film, most famously in 1957’s “An Affair To Remember” with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, and again in “Casablanca.” Don’t skimp on the bitters, and be sure to use a very dry sparkling wine lest the drink be cloyingly sweet.

1 raw sugar cube
Several dashes of aromatic bitters (Angostura)
1oz Cognac or other brandy (optional)
Champagne or dry sparkling wine

Drop the sugar into a Champagne coupe or glass and soak it in the bitters. Pour in the brandy, then top with the wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Arsenic and Old Lace

This one is a little more obscure, but perfectly fit for a classic lady in that it’s floral, light purple in colour, and dry. Descending from the pre-Prohibition Attention Cocktail, this one hails from the 1940’s and was considerably more dry. Modern recipes for both are basically the same, with the Attention having the addition of orange bitters, which makes for a more interesting drink with a less interesting name. The name comes from the black comedy play from 1939 which was later adapted by Frank Capra into a film starring Cary Grant. The story revolves around a drama critic who tries to protect his homicidal aunts who like to murder old men with poisoned elderberry wine. The recipe below changes the classic one by reducing 0.5oz of pastis to an absinthe rinse. Absinthe makes the flavour more complex, but is more potent than pastis and can overwhelm the drink so no more than a rinse is necessary. It employs crème de violette, an ingredient lost for decades until a few years ago. The quality of this violet flower liqueur will determine the overall quality of this drink, so be sure to avoid overly perfumey artificial ones and to balance accordingly.

1.5oz gin
0.5oz dry vermouth
0.25-0.5oz crème de violette
Absinthe rinse

Rinse a cocktail coupe with absinthe by pouring a little into the glass and spinning so it coats the inside before discarding the excess. Stir gin, vermouth, and violette with ice, and strain into the coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist and express the oils over the top of the drink.

Next post (which you can see here) I'll be sharing another five classic cocktails for a lady, then we'll get into those for the gentlemen.
[The science of taste and intoxication and how they relate to gender can be found in the science section of this site.]

New Year's Eve Cocktails

2012-12-31T00:16:00.000-08:00

What better night to enjoy some Champagne or sparkling wine than New Year's? Should you be in a cocktail mood, here are some delicious drinks containing sparkling wine perfect for celebrating the arrival of 2013. We'll start with some classics and move on to more contemporary sippers.

The best choice of sparkling wine for mixing is always dry. In fact, the best wine for any use is almost always dry. Also, be aware of the acidity you're adding to the drink when you top with sparkling wine. The carbonic acid will affect the sweetness of your drink, despite the sugar content in the wine itself, which is one of the reasons to choose something dry. When mixing your other ingredients, balance things on the sweeter side, and likewise don't be surprised if you find your drink too sweet before topping with the wine as it will be dried out. French 75's, for example, should be a little sweet before you top them.

A great choice for any use is cava, as these tend to be great quality for how much you pay. Prosecco is great for the same reason, and they also tend to be dry so are excellent choices. Should you choose a North American sparkling wine or a Champagne, look for a "Brut" or "extra Brut", which means the wine is dry (i.e. not sweet). "Sec" refers to high levels of sugar, which is something you want to avoid if mixing (and in my opinion, something you should avoid altogether).

The Champagne Cocktail
1 raw sugar cube
Several dashes of Angostura or other aromatic bitters
Top with Champagne or sparkling wine

Drop the sugar cube into a Champagne flute and soak with the bitters. Top with sparkling wine.
Garnish with a lemon twist.

This drink dates back to the 1850's and is the first recorded variation on the "cock-tail," a combination of spirit, sugar, water, and bitters. Later variations included the addition of Cognac or brandy, which is in my opinion an excellent choice and I suggest going with 1/2oz. Should you have no sugar cubes on-hand, the original recipes call for 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, or 1 teaspoon of 1:1 simple syrup. Twist as always means just the peel of the lemon with the pith cut off, which you squeeze over the top of the drink to extract the oil.

French 75
1oz gin
1/2oz lemon juice
1 teaspoon of sugar
Sparkling wine

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe or Champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine.

This drink originated at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in 1915, created by American bar owner Harry MacElhone. The drink was said to "pack a punch like the French 75mm field gun," hence the name. The above recipe is from Harry Craddock's seminal cocktail tome, "The Savoy Cocktail Book," though more modern recipes contain up to 2oz of gin (which I must be honest I prefer). In David Embury's equally as influential cocktail book, "The Art of Mixing Drinks," the recipe claims that Cognac is the true spirit of choice here, lest the drink not be called the "French" 75. However, considering that earlier recipes call for gin and that earlier accounts claim the name comes from the French rifle and not from the spirit, the general consensus is that the drink be made with gin, which in my opinion makes a better drink anyway. Dropping a real cherry into the bottom of the glass adds a nice touch.

Buck and Breck
1.5oz Cognac or brandy
Dash of absinthe
2 dashes Angostura or other aromatic bitters
Sparkling wine

Rinse a small glass or Champagne flute with water. Fill the glass with powdered sugar and throw it out, leaving the glass frosted inside. Pour in the brandy, bitters, and absinthe, then top the glass with cold sparkling wine.

This drink is supposedly created by the grandfather of the cocktail, Jerry Thomas, in the mid 1800's. It is not only a fancy-looking drink, but a more obscure one and very tasty. Should you be without absinthe, absente, pastis, Herbsaint, or pernod will suffice, but be aware of their shortcomings in flavour and complexity in comparison to actual absinthe.

Seelbach Cocktail
1oz bourbon
1/2oz Cointreau
7 dashes Angostura bitters
7 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Sparkling wine

Stir bourbon, Cointreau, and bitters with ice. Strain into a cocktail coupe or Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

This was a favourite of mine for a time, and one that I brought to Pourhouse in Vancouver where we included it on our fall menu this year. It comes from the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1917. During Prohibition, the cocktail was lost until the mid-1990's when it was found in the basement of the hotel during renovations. The infamous Gary Regan convinced the hotel management to share their recipe for this spicy drink and now it is available for us all to enjoy. Should you be using other bitters, be aware of their bitterness and adjust accordingly. Bitter Truth Creole Bitters, for example, is more complex and interesting than Peychaud's, but are much more bitters and only require 2-3 dashes.

Death In The Afternoon
1.5oz absinthe
Sparkling wine

Pour absinthe into a Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine (at least 4oz).

This one was invented by Hernest Hemingway, who was by all accounts a heavy and creative drinker. It was named after his novel published in 1932. This was not the only drink he created, another one of note being the Hemingway Daquiri or Papa Doble, with rum, grapefruit, lime, and maraschino liqueur, which is by all means worth making in the summer.

Moving on to more modern cocktails, here is a French 75 variation by Dale Degroff using bourbon instead of gin.

French 95
1oz fresh orange juice
3/4oz bourbon
3/4oz simple syrup
1/2oz fresh lemon juice
Sparkling wine.

Shake the first four ingredients with ice and strain over rocks into a fizz glass. Top with sparkling wine.

And here are three great original sparkling wine cocktails contributed to this site for previous series.

Jones' Bitter Aperitif (Evelyn Chick, Blue Water Cafe, Vancouver)
1/2oz Amaro Averna

1/4oz Cynar
1/4oz Taylor 10 Tawny Port
Barspoon All-Spice Syrup
Sparkling wine

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into champagne flute & top with dry cava

All-Spice Syrup:
Boil a tablespoon of crushed allspice berries, one stick of cinnamon, and three cloves in one litre of water. Simmer for 15 minutes on low, then add two litres of sugar. Stir until dissolved, then let cool before bottling.

The Shibuya Crusta (Shaun Layton, L'Abattoir, Vancouver)

20 ml Hennessy VS Cognac

15 ml Maraschino

30 ml fresh lemon juice

10 ml orgeat syrup

7 dashes Angostura bitters

Cava

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin minus the Cava. Shake, fine strain into sugar decked flute. Top with Cava. Garnish with a long orange peel around the inside of the flute.

And a personal favourite of mine that we still serve by request at Pourhouse, The Bittercup. Two bitter amari along with fresh juices and sparkling wine combine to create a very complex cocktail tasting like bitter strawberry.

The Bittercup
1 oz Campari
1/2oz Fernet Branca
1/2oz real cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail)
3/4oz fresh grapefruit juice
1/4oz simple syrup
2 oz dry prosecco

Pour all ingredients except prosecco into a shaker. Shake. Taste and balance bitterness with simple syrup (the taste of bitter strawberries is the goal). Double strain into a cocktail glass. Finish with prosecco.

Happy New Year's!