Posted by: Matt Hamlin | August 5, 2011

Champagne for your real friends…

Originally posted at PRZman.com

A Champagne Cocktail for National Champagne Day

I don’t know who decides these things, but August 4th is National Champagne Day. Champagne is one of the most overlooked cocktail ingredients in modern American drinking. While it has a deserving place as a beverage to be drank while celebrating World Series wins, promotions and engagements, it’s also good to drink at any and all other times! Cocktails like the Mimosa (orange juice and Champagne) or the Bellini (peach puree & Champagne’s Italian cousin, Prosecco) are great for brunch year-round.

f you really want to step up your Champagne cocktail game, though, I suggest trying one of these classic cocktails featuring Champagne.

Created by author and famed drinker Ernest Hemingway and named after his famous book about bullfighting in Spain, Death in the Afternoon is a Champagne cocktail with absinthe.

Death in the Afternoon

1 oz absinthe or substitute (eg Pernod)
Champagne

Pour absinthe into a Champagne flute. Top with chilled Champagne. In the words of Hemingway, “Drink three to five of these slowly”

A World War I era cocktail that’s said to have been created by British soldiers who combined their gin ration with Champagne while serving in France, the French 75 is named after France’s 75mm howitzer artillery gun used during the Great War. As a rule, cocktails named after artillery are worth drinking.

French 75

1 oz gin
1 oz simple syrup
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
3 oz Champagne

Combine gin, syrup and lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Champagne glass. Top with Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

“Cocktail” Bill Boothby was one of America’s most famous bartenders at the turn of the 20th century. Originally from San Francisco, but working at top bars around the country, Boothby created a variation on the Manhattan which elevates the drink to magnificent heights.

The Boothby Manhattan

2 oz rye
1 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
2 dash Angostura bitters
1 oz Champagne

Stir rye, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, add Maraschino cherry, and float one ounce of Champagne on top.

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Posted in Champagne, Cocktails

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | August 2, 2011

Campo Viejo Riojas

Spain’s Rioja region has long been one of my favorite wine producing regions. Even before I knew much of anything about wine, I enjoyed Rioja tintos – red Riojas – particularly Tempranillo. In fact I’d say that Tempranillo’s from Rioja were the first grape and geographic combination that I knew to look for on wine lists.

I was recently invited to an online tasting of Campo Viejo’s line of red wines. I ended up having a work conflict and couldn’t make the live chat with assistant winemaker Roberto Vicente, but recently went through and did the vertical tasting with some friends. Founded in La Rioja in 1959, Campo Viejo has three different bottlings, each with the same ratio of grapes, but with varied fermentation, maceration, and aging methodology. The result are three distinct, enjoyable, well-priced entries that show the talents of their winemakers and the quality of their fruit.

The Campo Viejo 2007 Crianza is their entry-level wine, priced at $10 a bottle. Like all three of their wines, it is 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo. It was fermented at 77 degrees, mascerated for 12 days, and aged for 12 months in American and French oak, then finished in bottles for five to six months before release. It has a dark red-purple hue which was common across the three bottlings. On the nose is dark stone fruit, berries, oak and a mild hint of alcohol. The taste is lead by cherry, then followed by vanilla. The fruit flavor is slightly sour. The wine has fairly light tannins and the finish is long, with a hint of leather. For $10, this is a great deal, as the Crianza is enjoyable and extremely drinkable.

The Campo Viejo 2008 Reserva has the same grape ratio as the Crianza, though how the fruit is used is different. The Reserva is fermented at 82 degress, then aged for 18 months in French and American oak, followed by 18 months in bottles before being released. It has a similar deep ruby red color, but the nose shows a marked different. While there’s still cherry, there’s also orange and baking spices like clove and allspice. The taste begins with sweet cherries and there’s a noticable smokiness from the oak. The Reserva has a great textured mouthfeel, with a medium amount of tannins and some spice. It’s well balanced and has lovely body, though the tannins fade a bit fast for my preference on the finish. It retails for $14 and is another very good value.

The Campo Viejo 2003 Gran Reserva is the high-end offering from the winery. Though it is made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo, it’s fermented at 82 degrees like the Reserva, but is aged for two years. During that time, it is 80% in French oak and the remaining 20% in American oak. It is then aged in bottles for another three years prior to release. The color is slightly more deep purple than the other bottlings. The nose is incredibly complex and layered, with a thin cherry scent giving way to vanilla, spice and oak. The taste is balanced, with a lot of the oak character coming through and a mid-level amount of smooth tannins. The finish is bright, with some more spice coming through. While I’d say this was the best bottling on the merits, it seemed to lack the body I was hoping for. At $21, it’s still a good deal, though.

Tasting these three wines together was really special. The commonality of the grapes that go into each bottle allows for the difference between different fermentation and aging methods to show themselves. The result is that the craft of the winemakers shows through, all at once. It was a fun way to do a tasting and all of my guests had a good time with it. Opinions varied about which was their favorite, but I think all three wines acquitted themselves well.

Disclosure: This post was made possible because I received free bottles of Campo Viejo Crianza, Reserva & Gran Reserva for the purposes of sample and review.

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Posted in Reviews, Wine

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | August 1, 2011

Sipping Sangria

I have a new post up at PRZman.com on sangria. Included in it is a recipe for a white sangria that I originally posted here in 2009. The article is at the first link, but here’s a rehashing of the recipe, which is truly delicious:

Sangria Blanco

375 mL cachaça
375 mL pisco
375 mL St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
125 mL fresh lime juice
750 mL semi-sweet white wine (Riesling works well)
750 mL white cranberry juice
3
75 mL soda water

Add ingredients to an ice filled pitcher and stir. Garnish with sliced kiwi, grapes, apple, cucumber, lime wheels, and fresh sage leaves.

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Posted in Cachaca, Pisco, St. Germain Elderflower

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | July 26, 2011

PRZman: Cool Summer Cocktails

My latest piece up at PRZman.com

p>It’s hot out. And when it’s hot out, there’s nothing better than staying cool with a refreshing cocktail. While there’s no doubt that frozen tiki cocktails like the Piña Colada or Missionary’s Downfall are as cooling as it gets, most of us don’t bring a blender to the beach. Below are four of my favorite cocktails that will keep you cool without requiring an electrical outlet.

Originally made at Shoomaker’s in Washington, DC by Democratic lobbyist Col. Joe Rickey in 1883, the Gin Rickey is the official, native cocktail of our nation’s capital. It’s my favorite summer cooler, as the crisp line and gin combination has the effect of air conditioning in a glass.

Gin Rickey
2 oz gin
Juice of half a lime
Soda water
Juice half a lime into a wine glass and drop the lime shell into it. Add gin and ice, top with soda water.

The Ridgely is a creation of a family friend, but is one of the first rum cocktails that I ever fell in love with. Tart and crisp, it’ll cool your core when you’re lying poolside.

The Ridgely
2 oz dark rum (Mount Gay works best)
Juice of half a lime
Tonic water
Ginger Ale
Add rum and lime juice to an ice-filled highball glass. Top with equal parts tonic water and ginger ale. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The Dark ‘n’ Stormy is a quintessential rum highball. Made with rich, dark Bermudan rum and spicy ginger beer, it is both refreshing and flavorful. Goslings Black Seal Rum is required to make it a real Dark ‘n’ Stormy. My favorite ginger beer brands are Regatta and Goslings ginger beer.

Dark ‘n’ Stormy
2 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
Ginger Beer
Lime
In an ice-filled highball glass, fill with ginger beer and top with 2 ounces of Goslings. Squeeze in a lime wedge and enjoy.

Finally, to change things up, I recommend trying a whiskey-based highball, a Horse’s Neck with a Kick:

Horse’s Neck with a Kick
2 oz bourbon or scotch
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ginger ale
Spiral lemon peel
Peel a lemon in one-piece spiral and extend this into a Collins glass. Add ice, bourbon and bitters and top with ginger ale.

All of these drinks are refreshing quaffs that are perfect for outdoor summer drinking. You don’t need a blender to stay cool, but as you can see plenty of ginger ale, ginger beer, club soda, and tonic water will help your cause.

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Posted in Bourbon, Cocktails, Gin, Rum, Scotch

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | July 19, 2011

Saving the Irish Coffee with Glassware

Legendary political reporter Warren Hinckle recently had a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle about the demise and rebirth of one of San Francisco’s classic cocktails: the Irish Coffee. Apparently due to a supplier ceasing to make the traditional glassware, there had been a decline in the ability of local establishments to serve it. The main purveyor, Buena Vista Cafe, had switched their supplier from a company in Ohio to China, with the plans to resell the Chinese glasses of lower quality to other Bay Area restaurants. Unfortunately the Chinese glassware was no substitute and in San Francisco, the glassware makes this cocktail. Fortunately the original purveyor of 6 ounce Georgian Irish Coffee glasses, Libbey Glass Company, was convinced to re-start production (at a great cost) so the city could continue to serve proper Irish Coffees in their proper glasses.

The whole article is an interesting read and I recommend you check it out yourself. In the mean time, here’s a recipe for a San Francisco-style Irish Coffee:

Irish Coffee
6 ounces brewed coffee
2 sugar cubes
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
heavy cream, lightly whipped

Fill glass with very hot water to pre-heat, then empty. Pour hot coffee into hot glass until it is about three-quarters full. Drop in two cocktail sugar cubes. Stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Add full jigger of Irish Whiskey for proper taste and body. Top with a collar of whipped cream by pouring gently over a spoon. Enjoy it while piping hot.

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Posted in Cocktails, Irish Whiskey

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | July 14, 2011

DC Officially Recognizes the Rickey

Last summer I was part of selection committee for the DC Craft Bartenders Guild’s annual Rickey Contest. I spent a whole lot of time trekking around DC and Northern Virginia with Derek Brown of The Columbia Room (and others) drinking modern Rickey variations. One thing I remember most from this experience was talking with Derek about the historic place of the Rickey as the quintessential DC cocktail. The Rickey was created by Colonel Joe Rickey and bartender George Williamson at Shoomaker’s Bar in 1883. Originally made with whiskey, it quickly became popular with gin as its base. As Derek is fond of saying, a Gin Rickey is perfect for DC’s swampy summer weather as it is effectively like “air conditioning in a glass.” Derek had the idea that the city of DC should commemorate and honor the Rickey as Washington’s native cocktail and get a plaque put on the J.W. Marriot hotel, which sits on the site of Shoomaker’s, to honor the history of the cocktail’s creation there.

Today DC Council Member Jack Evans officially honored the Rickey:

Local liquor aficionados will join D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans on Thursday in reading an official proclamation declaring the Rickey as Washington’s native cocktail, according to the AP. July will be officially known as “Rickey month” in the District.

Additionally, this weekend a plaque commemorating the birthplace of the Rickey will be put up at the J.W. Marriott.

This is a great day for DC and the evolution of the nation’s capitol as a place that knows and honors the history of craft cocktails and the importance of cocktails in our national culture. Congrats to Derek and every other member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild who helped make this happen by promoting, reinventing, and remembering the Rickey as DC’s native cocktail and one of the finest instances of creativity in the history of American cocktail culture.

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Posted in Cocktail Culture, Events, History

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | July 6, 2011

The Original Rickey Recipe

Col. Rickey's Recipe for a "Rickey"

Via Derek Brown, David Wondrich has a handwritten recipe by Colonel Joe Rickey for the original Rickey. Here’s what I think it says:

Col. Rickey’s Recipe for a “Rickey.”
Long glass – Ice
Whiskey [illegible] -
Lime Juice
Carbonated Water
Don’t Drink too Many
JK Rickey

Anyone want to take a guess at what the word(s) after “Whiskey” say?

Update: Consensus is clear, the first line is “Whiskey or Gin”. Thanks for the help everyone!

On Twitter, Dave Wondrich addresses my confusion that Rickey’s original recipe called for whiskey, not a choice between the two:

Rickey wrote that in 1895, at which point he was resigned to the ubiquity of the gin version

So while this is not the original recipe for the Rickey, as created at Shoemaker’s in Washington DC by Col. Joe Rickey, it is the first written version tied to the fine Colonel.

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Posted in Cocktails, Gin

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 29, 2011

Leather Hammock

Leather Hammock

Leather Hammock, Image from Gaz Regan

Another good cocktail today from Gaz Regan’s email list. This comes from Chad Larson of Barrio Lowertown in St. Paul, MN. Larson says it’s similar to a Blood & Sand, but I see greater similarities to the Bronx cocktail family and specifically the Peto Cocktail. I suppose the flavor profile of this is closer to Blood and Sand (smokey, citrus, rich), but the ingredients don’t match up that well.

Leather Hammock

1 oz Illegal mezcal reposado
.75 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
.33 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur
.75 oz fresh orange juice
Brandied cherries, as garnish
Orange peel ribbon, as garnish
Orange twist, as garnish

Shake vigorously over ice and double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the garnishes.

However the inspiration came, this looks like a delicious cocktail that I plan on trying at my earliest possible convenience.

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Posted in Cocktails, Mezcal, Vermouth

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 27, 2011

Magical Apples: Spanish Cider

Spain is known for its hard apple cider. Unlike most other hard ciders, it isn’t bottled with carbonation. Instead, an essentially flat cider must be aerated before serving. Traditionally that is done by holding the bottle and glass as far apart as possible and pouring the cider into the glass. The fall and the impact add air to the stream of cider, giving it a bit of fizz. That process traditionally looks something like this:

Photo by Bostonian on Flickr

While I was in Madrid last week, I got to partake in some traditional Spanish cider and really enjoyed it. However, instead of the acrobatic pour by a server, the restaurant I was at had this delightful contraption:

Magic Apple

A Magic Aeration Apple

And this is what it looked like when it was in use:

The Magic Apple in Use

The Magic Apple in Use

The apple doesn’t add C02 to the cider – it just propels it out of the bottle and into the glass at a very high speed, with the impact adding the desired aeration and bubbly mouthfeel. Unlike Irish or English or American hard ciders, this was incredibly dry with almost no sweetness at all. While the Magic Apple was a cool contraption, I still think I would have liked to see someone make the long pour into a small glass.

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Posted in Beer & Cider

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 24, 2011

Know Your Gin

Originally published at PRZman.com

There are two kinds of men—those who drink gin and those who are scared of gin. If you fall into the first category, you’re going to enjoy this post, but if you’re someone who isn’t a gin fan, this should give you the information you need to get past your phobias and start enjoying the base spirit that is king in the world of cocktails.

Gin was invented by the Dutch, but perfected by the English. Jenever is the Dutch style of gin, which, though made with juniper, is malty and pretty unrecognizable from the modern style of gin. Only recently has jenever made a comeback through the craft cocktail movement.

English gin is a more approachable affair, made of neutral spirits flavored with juniper and other botanicals. What we usually think of when we think of gin is London Dry Gin, the most common style of English gin. It’s a staple in every bar in the United States, with brands like Beefeater, Bombay, Boodles and Tanqueray leading the market. It’s great in Martinis, with tonic water, and with any range of classic cocktails.

A popular style of gin amongst bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts is Plymouth gin. Both a unique brand and a unique style of gin, it’s not as dry as London Dry Gin and has softer juniper notes that lend incredibly well to mixing in cocktails.

Old Tom Gin is stronger and sweeter than London Dry Gin. It was common in Pre-Prohibition era cocktails, but is making a strong comeback. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin is now widely available and some markets have a micro-distilled version from Oregon called Ransom Old Tom Gin that is truly outstanding. Old Tom is found in the Martinez, an 18th century classic that is believed to be a predecessor to the Martini.

The last major type of gin is New Western Dry Gin. Made all over the United States and Western Europe, these new styles of gin focus less on the juniper and more on other botanicals and citrus elements. Hendrick’s from Scotland brings forward cucumbers, while Tanqueray No. 10 has a strong lemon presence. Aviation and Bluecoat are two great examples of American micro-distilled New Western Dry Gins, but my personal favorite is Anchor Distilling’s Junipero, which is made by the same folks who do Anchor Steam Beer. It’s a powerful, dynamic, captivating gin that goes great in just about any gin cocktail I can think of.

The first step to loving gin is knowing how many choices you have out there. Armed with a basic understanding of different gin styles, you can now approach any bar or cocktail menu with an understanding of the role different gins can play in a drink.

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Posted in Gin

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 22, 2011

PS7s Gin in Food Creations

Via Camper English, Chef Peter Smith of DC’s PS7s restaurant and bar is apparently doing some really cool things cooking with used gin botanicals.

One bright brainwave, two remarkable results: Washington’s Peter Smith is making culinary use of the botanical byproduct of gin production known as ‘mash,’ and in doing so, is providing the gin industry for the first time ever with a sustainable market for its waste. He is the first chef in the country to cook with gin mash.

Distilleries typically throw away 30-40 pounds of spent botanicals for every batch of gin produced, a wet compound that looks like old brewed tea and tastes like super concentrated gin: an intense combination of juniper, orris root, lemon, coriander, and other flavors that is so highly alcoholic Smith says “it’s nearly a biohazard.” Working with the mash from two different gin distilleries, Blue Coat of Philadelphia, whose product is 95% organic, and Catoctin Creek of West Virginia, the first distillery in the area since Prohibition, Smith gives new life to the erstwhile waste product by converting it to aromatic oils and powders at his hip downtown restaurant, PS 7’s.

The used gin mash is going to use in his own experiments with charcuterie – a breseola modification with dry aged beef and a pancetta variation. I haven’t had these yet, but will plan on trying them the next time I’m hanging out at the bar, enjoying Gina Chersevani’s cocktails. Gina is also the brand ambassador for Blue Coat gin and I’m guessing she helped get this project rolling too.

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Posted in Food, Gin

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 14, 2011

Tiki Tuesdays @ The Passenger

Awesome video by Sarah Cannon as an announcement for The Passenger’s Tiki Tuesday series. A stop-motion video of a Scorpion Bowl! Here’s the recipe:

Scorpion Bowl

1 oz brandy
6 oz light rum
6 oz orange juice
4 oz lemon juice
2 oz orgeat

Put it in a bowl, add ice and lots of comically big yet socially convenient straws.

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Posted in Bars, Tiki

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 12, 2011

My Bitters Collection

Via DJ Hawaiianshirt, I’m reminded of an old thread at Kaiser Penguin about who has the most bitters in their home bar. Inspired by it, I did a quick inventory this morning of my current stock of bitters:

  1. Peychaud’s
  2. Angostura
  3. Angostura Orange
  4. Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Decanter
  5. Bitter Truth Repeal Bitters
  6. Bitter Truth Orange Bitters
  7. Bitter Truth Orange Flower Water*
  8. Urban Moonshine Original
  9. Urban Moonshine Maple
  10. Urban Moonshine Citrus
  11. Bittermens Xocolatl Mole
  12. Bittermens Burlesque
  13. Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters
  14. Fee’s Aztec Chocolate
  15. Fee’s Whiskey Barrel Aged
  16. Fee’s Grapefruit
  17. Fee’s Cherry
  18. Fee’s Orange
  19. Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal**
  20. Trader Tiki’s Barrel Aged Falernum Bitters
  21. Marshall’s Mountain Moonshine Bitters
  22. DJ’s Floral Tinc Bitters
  23. Homemade Cola Bitters
  24. Homemade Cherry-Vanilla Bitters

Now a tough question is which can I not live without. At the end of the day, if forced, I could probably get by with just Angostura, Peychaud’s and Regan’s Orange bitters. I’d collected a lot of bitters out of a desire to have new and interesting things. But as I’ve gotten to the place where I do far, far less original cocktail creation in my home bar, I use the random bitters with less frequency. The basics — aromatic, orange and Peychaud’s — are far and away the flavors I used the most. Sure, I’d miss some of the more interesting ones and some of the citrus variations, but I’d probably be able to do most of what I usually do in my home bar.

* I’m including The Bitter Truth Orange Flower Water because, well, they’re a flavoring agent used in a similar way, just not bitter. And they come in the same bottles as other Bitter Truth bitters.

** Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal is another one that is used just like bitters, though I don’t know if many people consider it as such. Asterisks protect me from being wrong…

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Posted in Bitters, Fruit, & Syrups

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 10, 2011

Jack Rose Review

The Jack Rose Dining Saloon, a long-awaited single malt and cocktail haven in Adams Morgan, is open, at least partially. The bar is a project of Bill Thomas, Stephen King, and Michael Hartzer, who you may recognize from Bourbon. I’ve been to their roof deck bar the last two nights for food and drink. The main floor dining room and bar is slated to be open within a week or so. With a project this large, it’s not shocking that they’re rolling out in portions.

Before I get into what my experience on the rooftop patio has been, let me give a quick overview of the Jack Rose. Housed in a building that used to be a boxing gym, there are three floors of bar and restaurant space. The main floor will have a formal restaurant, a very, very long bar, and more bottles of single malt whiskey than you can find in the world. The seating space will be just seating – no standing – and it is separated from the bar by a metal rail. The bar is huge, with easily enough space for four or five bartenders to work. Around the walls of the first floor are floor-to-ceiling shelves that will hold literally of thousands of bottle of single malts, bourbons, rums and other spirits. But the emphasis will be primarily on single malt, with a collection that within a year should be the largest of any bar in the world. I’ve talked extensively with the folks behind the Jack Rose about this and their vision for it is truly inspiring.

Downstairs will be a smaller bar, the Prohibition Bar. I only saw it while it was under construction, but it looked like it would be a fun, intimate space.

The real excitement now is the upstairs space. Split into three portions, the Jack Rose’s top floor is open now. The main patio has a covered bar, but open air seating. At the front of the building is a glass-enclosed tasting room that will be available for private events. One nice touch that will surely be a hit with cigar smokers is including a small balcony off of the tasting room, overlooking 18th Street. At the back of the building is an even smaller open air private bar station that can also be used for private events. I don’t know what the actual limits for capacity are, but I would guess around 20-30 in the front space and 15 in the back space.

The main roof patio has a wood burning grill and its own menu. Currently the menu is on the small side, but everything I’ve had, especially their sandwiches, are delicious. The cocktail menu, built by one of DC’s star bartenders, Rachel Sergi, is very summer oriented, with lots of rum, tequila, citrus to keep you cool on in our swampy heat.  I’m a huge fan of the Stormy Monday #3, a Dark & Stormy variation featuring Beefeater 24, Goslings, Apricot liqueur, and ginger beer. The Caretaker is a pretty inspired tiki drink, made with rum, curacao, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and a float of Lemonhart 151. It’s served in a Hurricane glass and is easily the biggest drink on the menu, again key in the DC heat. Once things get rolling more downstairs, the roof will maintain something of a tiki bent to their menu, though it will be possible to order some of their fine single malts as well.

Washingtonian recently had a piece on the Jack Rose and the vision of Bill Thomas and Harvey Fry, the man behind the scotch. I highly recommend reading it. Harvey is a scotch collector who is helping curate, obtain, train, and taste the single malts that will go into the Jack Rose. He’s also providing a substantial amount of his own collection to the bar – hundreds? thousands? He wouldn’t tell Washingtonian… But the simple reality from my conversations with him and Bill is that Harvey is one of the world’s foremost single malt collectors and is working hard to make sure that the Jack Rose becomes the world’s best bar for single malts. And I’ll say this, in the handful of times I’ve hung out and drank scotch with Harvey, I’ve always had a good time and always learned a lot. If you see him (he looks a bit like Santa Claus and always is seen in suspenders), talk to him, learn from him, let him teach you about scotch.

In the Washingtonian piece, Bill gives a great quote which Harvey has also expressed to me as the vision for this bar:

“The way I see it,” Thomas said, “this place, if it succeeds, is going to be here a hundred years from now. That’s the way we’re thinking. This isn’t about right now.”

This sentiment is what it’s all about and it’s why I hope the Jack Rose is a smashing success. This isn’t much of a review. I don’t have any notes on the cocktails I’ve had there. I’m pretty certain I have the ingredients of The Caretaker wrong. And the whole space is not yet open. This is just a preview of what I think will be one of the landmark bars of the DC cocktails scene for a long time to come. I highly encourage you check it out. Fight the weather, the food and drinks on the roof are worth it and soon enough the downstairs spaces will be open as well.

Update:

Doug at The Pegu Blog has a great write-up on the Jack Rose too. Go give it a read.

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Posted in Bars, Reviews

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 9, 2011

48 Ounces of Stupid

Via DCist I see that a DC bar just a couple blocks from me is now serving 48 ounce cocktails (three pounds a quart and a half of cocktail). The bar’s name, Dirty Martini, gives some indication about the sort of poor decision making their management makes. They describe this behemoth:

It’s said that everything is bigger in Texas. Not necessarily. In DC, we work hard, we play hard. We need big leisure time. For those intrepid cocktail lovers, Dirty Martini debuts the ‘Big Dirty,’ the largest cocktail in DC. This 48 ounces of any cocktail on the menu from the signature classic dirty Martini to concoctions like the refreshing A+A=T – Absolut Wild Tea, fresh lemon juice, honey, homemade pomegranate gomme, egg whites and lemon bitters or the ITIS – a smoky blending of Bulleit, homemade smoked peach puree, sweet vermouth, tabasco vanilla syrup and old fashioned smokehouse bitters.

I haven’t been to Dirty Martini, though it’s only a block away from my work. And this does not make me want to go for a first time. One of the biggest problems with ordering cocktails at most bars is the tendency to take drinks that should ideally served in 2 to 4 ounce servings and make 8-12 ounce versions of them. The Martini is a perfect example. It’s meant to be drunk icy cold and be a crisp drink. It’s not possible (or at least not healthy) to drink a 10 or 12 ounce Martini in the time before the cocktail becomes undesirably warm. Now think about trying to power through a 48 ounce Martini. Unless it’s served with straws and is envisioned like a Scorpion bowl-style drink for sharing, it’s just not possible. Odds are even the most aggressive drinkers will end up with at least 24 ounces of lukewarm Martini French vodka. To which I say: yuck.

Now I’d say if Dirty Martini was serving these three pound quart and a half cocktails in a punch bowl, with a solid block of ice to keep them cool, and lots of straws for sharing, there might be some merit to it. Kooky, but not absurd. But I don’t get the impression that this is the direction they’re going in. Instead it looks like they just want to serve some stupid big cocktails.

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Posted in Cocktails

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | June 6, 2011

Brancott Estate #whatif

After a period of relative slumber, this blog is awoken to find another wine travel-related contest for me to play in. New Zealand’s Brancott Estate winery is having a brief Twitter contest where all you have to do to enter is post tasting notes of their wine on Twitter with the hashtag #whatif. You’re limited to one entry per day and the contest runs until June 13th.

Brancott Estate is the best selling New Zealand winery in the world. I recently had a bottle of their Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 and will be using tasting notes from it, at least to start, as my entries into the contest. I’m breaking up my first three tweets to handle the nose, the palate, and my overall impressions – which were actually very positive. Here’s my first Tweet:

@brancottestate Marlborough SB 2010: Smell deeply the scent of lemon & dry minerality w/pineapple, passion fruit & faint cilantro #whatif

I did enjoy this wine a great deal. It’s fairly affordable too, with my local Whole Paycheck Foods having it for around $12 (though this bottle was provided to me as a sample from Brancott Estate’s PR folks). I’m hoping to pick up some other bottlings of Brancott Estate in the near future.

A word about why I’m posting on this. I will only post on a product/promotional contest if it’s something that I am interested in myself and if I think the product being promoted is actually a decent one. I can’t speak to other Brancott Estate wines (though I hope to in the future), but I did like this Sauvignon Blanc a lot. For the price, it’s a good deal (though I have a winemaker friend in Sonoma who will want to string me up for bestowing praise on affordable wines from half way around the world). Plus this is a contest anyone can enter, so posting on it actually decreases my chances of winning. But for what it’s worth, I’ve never been to New Zealand and it’s Number One on my list of countries that I’d like to visit…so I hope I do win at the expense of my readers.

Disclosure: This post was made possible because I received a free bottle of Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 for the purposes of sample and review.

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Posted in Contests, Wine

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | May 11, 2011

Teenage Riot

Teenage Riot

File this under “Things I’m Making As Soon As I Get Home.” Gaz Regan has added Teenage Riot, by Tonia Guffey of DRAM, Flatiron Lounge, and Lani Kai in New York as one of his 101 Best New Cocktails.

Teenage Riot
Adapted from a recipe by Tonia Guffey,  DRAM, Flatiron Lounge, Lani Kai, New York.

1.5 oz Rittenhouse rye whiskey
1.5 oz Cynar
.5 oz Dolin dry vermouth
.5 oz Lustau dry amontillado sherry
2 dashes orange bitters
1 lemon twist, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Squeeze the twist over the drink, then add as garnish.

This looks like a very well evolved Old Pal, the classic with equal parts Campari, dry vermouth and rye or Canadian whiskey. Substituting one bitter Italian liqueur for another is always a good bet in my book. The recipe doesn’t specify whether Rittenhouse 80 or Rittenhouse 100 should be used, but I’d guess that the 80 proof version will produce a much softer and smoother cocktail.

I haven’t tried this yet, but aim to very soon. If anyone’s had it, let us know what you think in the comments.

Update:

OK I got to make the Teenage Riot a day after publishing this. It’s a really awesome drink, probably one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had with Cynar and something that is immediately on my list of contemporary cocktails that are worth remembering. Definitely give it a try.

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Posted in Cocktails, Potable Bitters, Rye, Vermouth

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | May 6, 2011

Mint Julep Time!

It’s a busy week at PRZman.com, where this post on the Mint Julep is now running. So many celebrations, so many related cocktails!

Spring brings two things for men with a taste for excitement: the Kentucky Derby and the Derby’s official cocktail, the Mint Julep. While the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports is certainly a cause for celebration, the Mint Julep should be enjoyed beyond a single day at the track for its approachable simplicity and refreshing taste.

Though records of the Mint Julep go back as far as the turn of the 19th century, the cocktail was first popularized in Washington, DC, thanks to Sen. Henry Clay of Kentucky, who brought the recipe to the Willard Hotel’s Round Robin Bar. Given the heat and humidity in DC, it’s no surprise that the Mint Julep remains almost as popular here today as it is at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. The bartenders at the Kentucky Derby will regularly serve more than 100,000 juleps.

Unfortunately, the Mint Julep isn’t the sort of cocktail that lends itself to being mass-produced and served without care. An overly sweet or overly strong Mint Julep loses its refreshing appeal. Here’s my preferred recipe, modified from a version by Derek Brown of the Columbia Room in DC, to be served with care and class to discerning fans of horse racing and otherwise sophisticated drinkers.

Mint Julep

  • 2.5 oz bourbon
  • 0.5 to 0.75 oz simple syrup*
  • 6 sprigs of fresh mint
  • Crushed ice

Serve in a Collins glass or silver cup.

Add mint and simple syrup to bottom of glass. Gently muddle the mint into the syrup, taking care to not tear the mint. Remove the mint from the syrup, and then fill half the glass with crushed ice. Add the bourbon and gently agitate the mix. Top the rest of the glass with crushed ice, packing the ice into a mound over the top of the glass. Add an additional 0.75 ounce of simple syrup if you desire. Garnish with a large sprig of mint and dust the mint & ice with fine powdered sugar.

* Simple syrup: Boil one cup of water. Add one cup of sugar, remove from heat, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Let cool before using.

A couple notes about the Mint Julep. Traditionally it is served in a silver or pewter cup, along with a metal straw. This allows the glass to collect an icy frost, but makes holding it hard. Julep straws solve the problem and can be found at most bar supply stores or even some kitchen supply stores.

There’s a lot of debate about whether a Mint Julep should have the mint actually in the glass, or if the mint should primarily be as a garnish, whose smell is imparted with each sip. What I like about this recipe is that it splits the difference by making mild mint simple syrup, accompanied by a hefty dose of mint on the nose. Regardless of your preferred recipe, the key here is plenty of finely crushed ice and plenty of fresh mint.

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Posted in Bourbon, Events

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | May 5, 2011

Cinco De Mayo – Drink a Paloma!

My latest post at PRZman.com provides a suggestion for an alternative cocktail to the Margarita while celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated every year to commemorate the Mexican army’s victory in the Battle of Puebla. Mostly, though, it’s just a celebration of Mexican heritage here in the US. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating Cinco de Mayo like everyone else: with house Margaritas and Mexican lagers. After all, the Margarita is the single most popular cocktail in America and most bars have at least some refreshing Mexican beer, like Tecate, Dos Equis, Sol and even Corona. But I recommend elevating your Mexican cocktail game, with the spirit Mexico is best known for. Tequila pairs incredibly well with some flavors that you’d expect (lime, orange) and others that you might not (cassis, chocolate). My personal favorite, though, is grapefruit. The combination of vegetal agave spice with the crisp tartness of grapefruit sets my taste buds on fire and lets me break out of the mold when enjoying a tequila-based cocktail.

While there are plenty of great tequila cocktails, I’m always happy when I order a Paloma. It’ll cool you down on a hot day and do it while bringing a fine balance between sweet and sour, with bitter and salty notes adding to its complexity. Legendary cocktail historian Dave Wondrich has a great recipe for La Paloma:

Paloma (Wondrich version)

  • 2 oz reposado tequila
  • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Grapefruit soda

Combine tequila, lime juice and salt in a tall glass. Add ice, top with grapefruit soda, and stir.

My favorite grapefruit soda is made by the Jarritos and is available in some supermarkets and Mexican specialty stores. But if you can’t find grapefruit soda, I recommend this alternative version by Phil Ward, head bartender at Mayahuel, New York’s best tequila and mezcal cocktail bar.

Paloma (Ward version)

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • Salt
  • Soda water

Rim a highball glass with salt. Combine tequila, grapefruit, lime and simple syrup in an ice filled shaker tin. Shake and strain into the ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a lime wedge.

Ward’s version is slightly more complicated, but is a great way to still enjoy a Paloma if you can’t find grapefruit soda.

If you’re looking for a good reposado tequila for the Wondrich Paloma, my personal favorite is Partida Reposado, though it’s a bit pricey. El Espolon Reposado is a great bottling for under $30. As far as blancos go, El Jimador Blanco and Pueblo Viejo Blanco are both affordable and delicious.

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Posted in Tequila

Posted by: Matt Hamlin | April 25, 2011

On the Town with Dale DeGroff

The Museum of the American Cocktail is continuing their series of fun and educational seminars on cocktail history next month with a visit by bartending legend Dale DeGroff to The Passenger. Here are the details:

On the Town: Life in Saloons, Speaks, and the Big City Bar! An Evening with Dale DeGroff
Presented By: Dale DeGroff
$40.00 per person pre-register
The ‘at-the-door’ fee will be $45.00.
Monday, May 9 2011, 6:30 – 8:00
The Passenger (Warehouse Theater, entry via Passenger)
1021 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Join master mixologist and author Dale DeGroff (master storyteller as well!) for an evening of history, drinks, and fun as he shares anecdotes from neighborhood bars, notorious saloons, and the legendary drink palaces of lore. From the Gilded Age to Prohibition to Modern Times- the colorful evolution of the cocktail is unveiled with the antics, stories, and music that accompanied this cultural phenomenon.

Throughout the presentation, guests will be treated to sample cocktails representative of the various eras. And since DeGroff himself is something of a crooner, a couple of tunes might just top off the evening… so grab your coat and get your hat, and Join us for an Evening On The Town!

Click here to register.

I’ve had the privilege to have DeGroff’s drinks at the last two Repeal Day balls and he’s really one of finest barmen out there. His book, The Craft of the Cocktail, was one of the first ones I read about bartending and classic cocktails. Many of my preferred formulations of classic drinks come from DeGroff’s recipes. Add in that his work at the Rainbow Room in the 1980s is likely influential to the survival of the art of bartending and well-craft drinks and this is a seminar that you shouldn’t miss.

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Posted in Events

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