The Next Phase

Seems as though my bartending career and interest has always centered around phases. In 2010, for instance, I've gone through an infusion phase, a gin phase, and a slight amaro phase. I'm at the crossroads now trying to figure out which road to take to my next obsession.
Earlier this year, I read a fascinating book on tequila oddly enough called Tequila!. It really shows a different side of the spirit from the production to the whole culture around communities that produce it. It was so interesting, it pulled me out of the long gin stage I was in. I thought for sure tequila was next. Sadly, there's an extreme lack of good tequila here in DC. Perhaps for that reason alone, the tequila obsession never took hold.

Maybe it's Scotch? I've certainly done my time with whiskey and bourbon. For whatever reason, Scotch never took hold. At the recent Repeal Day Ball, I was introduced to Johnny Walker Gold....extensively. Mr JW Gold is a delicious character indeed. After the days of recovery from my introduction to JW Gold, I think the seeds of curiosity were sown. From single malts to blends to highlands to Speyside to the islands...there's so many different characteristics. I'm reading Michael Jackson's (no, not that one) Whiskey at the moment. It covers everything such as the barley, geography, and distillation of whiskeys worldwide.
Who knows where my next spirit will come from? That truly intrigues me. I have no idea. I do know something needs to grab hold of me soon. Tequila? Scotch? A revisit of amari? Rum? So many choices and possibilities! What's your current choice?

Updates a'Plenty and Maybe a Review

Sorry for the long delay in between posts, guys and gals. In the last two months, there were so many things happening I have neglected this ol' blog of mine. So, while I sip on a lovely Guinness and have the soothing sounds of Bison BC playing in the background we can catch up.

First, as of November 7th, I am officially a married man. She is my reason for being and the reason I stepped up my game in this lovely world of cocktails. During a random trip to Baltimore to watch my beloved Red Sox take on the Orioles, she gave me a pep talk which served me well. Next time you're enjoying a manhattan made by yours truly, thank the Mrs also.

Second, my restaurant has expanded almost doubling its size. New bartenders to train, new drinks, new staff, some responsibilities, and more hours. It's challenging and difficult, but it makes me happy knowing all the hard work has paid off. We're rocking it and hopefully you'll enjoy it too.

Another opportunity came about when the fine folks at Eat More Drink More stumbled across the blog and asked me to write an article for them about Thanksgiving Day cocktails. It's an ongoing gig, so check them out. They have a great site going and are great people as well. You can check out my Thanksgiving post here.

Finally, I am honored to say I have been inducted to the DC Craft Bartenders Guild which is so mind blowing to me for being included with those talented people. All of them inspire me and humble me at the same time. I look forward to the years ahead when I can learn anything and everything I can to get better at the profession I've chosen. It's really hard to believe how far I've come since my days down on U Street. From making horrible "signature" drinks which centered around flavored vodka to slinging beers and shots a couple of doors down to the Guild. As Vince Vaughn said, "Our baby's all grows up!" Well, maybe not yet...but I'm getting there.




Now, enough with the personal life. Let's check out one of my new favorite spirits: Ransom Old Tom Gin. It's made in Oregon from Ransom Spirits in cooperation with the wonderful Dave Wondrich. Originally a wine producer, Ransom started distilling spirits in 1997. They've slowly grown their products to include whiskey and gin. This brings us to their version of Old Tom. Ransom Old Tom starts with a malted grain mash which is mixed with a neutral distillate that is flavored with the usual suspects associated with gin (juniper, citrus, etc). Here's where it gets interesting. The spirit is then aged for up to 9 months in used pinot noir barrels where the old tom pulls its color from. It's the perfect marriage for someone like me who loves both whiskey and gin!

When I first tasted it, I knew immediately it was something I wanted at my bar. There's juniper on the nose, but it's softer than your standard English gin. My first sip brought whiskey to mind in terms of mouth feel. It's heavier than what you would expect. This was my first experience with old tom, and I expected a sweeter taste. While there is some sweetness to it (cardomom, perhaps?), the flavor and feel could easily be mistaken for whiskey. Let it linger in the mouth, and juniper will come through. It was love at first taste!

While Ransom Old Tom is great neat, my favorite cocktail to use it in is my version of the Martinez. Add 1.5 oz of Ransom Old Tom, 1.5 Carpano Antica Vermouth, and .25 oz of Luxardo Maraschino with a dash of Regans Orange bitters together in a glass. Throw in some ice, stir for 20-30 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, add a lemon twist, and you'll have happiness in front of you.

Until next time (not two months!)....
Cheers.

For the Love of Gin...

Last night, my last two customers came in for a nightcap. The woman enjoyed a glass of white wine, the man had a gin and tonic. The wine disappeared as if there was an invisible straw in the glass, but the gin and tonic hung on for a while. Being a gentleman, the offer was extended for her to have some of the gin. "Oh, no...I hate gin. I only drink vodka."

That sentence is said far too much these days. Sure, there seems to be a growing backlash against the flavorless spirit, but take a look at the vodka selection the next time you're at your local liquor store. The choices of flavored vodka ( bubblegum vodka, really?) keep growing and perish the thought you drink a vodka that's not triple distilled. I even had a liquor rep push the latest vodka by touting it was distilled twelve times! Twelve! Perhaps I'm a cynic, but you can't polish something that won't shine!

What exactly has caused the unfounded hatred of gin? A bad experience when you were a kid? Too much gin in high school or college? Is it the combinations of botanicals? Do you just like the flavor of the mixer more than anything else? (I can't buy that. Try a gin gimlet over the summer instead of a vodka gimlet. It's not even close)

Despite popular belief, gin is of Dutch origin. There's some debate over who created it, but it was originally made as a cure for stomach ailments. The base of it was juniper oil which was far too bitter for taste. The juniper oil was added to a neutral spirit and a basic gin was created.

Genever, the original gin, is far different than the English style gin we know. Genever is a fermented malt wine which is then distilled with juniper. The juniper flavor is minor, and the gin seems closer to whiskey than the gin we grew up with. Although there are a few cocktails out there with genever, you'll be served a nice pour of "dutch courage" right up to the rim of the glassware in Amsterdam and maybe a beer back for your troubles.

Genever was mutated by the English after the Brits fell in love with the spirit while trying to take over the world. There seemed to be a perfect storm taking place. Just as genever reached the British shore, English farmers were suffering from an over abundance of grain and the prices were falling as a result. To save the farmers (and his throne), King William III passed legislation which made it legal for anyone to distill alcohol as long as it was done with British grain.

In 18th century England, gin swept through the country. Beer was taxed at an unbelievably high rate, drinking water was unsanitary and unheard of, tea had not yet made its way from the Far East, and gin was simply cheap. One in five houses was dedicated to gin production in London. (To mask the poor quality of these gins, sugar was added and known as Old Tom). Living conditions were horrific in the slums, and people sought relief in gin. It is believed that every man, woman and yes, even child, drank more than a pint per week in early 1700s London!

Many acts of legislation were passed in an attempt to suppress the gin craze. None made a difference until 1750 when the "tippling act" took hold. This law closed the gin houses and only allowed large distilleries to produce gin. As a result, gin became too expensive for the poor and led to it being the drink of choice of the upper class and beer became the choice of the lower class as it was more affordable. Naturally, when the upper class fell in love with gin the quality improved. Distilling techniques were perfected and such companies with popular names as Tanqueray, Gordon's, and Beefeaters started producing a drier more aromatic version of gin that is still produced today.

Of course, gin made its was to the States. In the late 1800's, both Genever and Old Tom were still popular. Jerry Thomas, the first person to write down and share cocktail recipes, even had cocktails which called for Old Tom and Genever. Eventually, the young country's tastes turned to a drier cocktail and Old Tom and Genever slowly disappeared. Throw in the the 18th Ammendment and the sweeter, maltier styles were done.

Through the years, gin has survived. Legislation, prohibition, Sex in the City (Cosmos!!!! Noooooo!!) all threatened to make gin an afterthought. Thankfully, the cocktail resurgence has brought gin back. There are new companies popping up around the US making quality gins. Personally, I love Bluecoat and Aviation.

So, next time you find yourself looking for something to drink at your favorite watering hole, think gin if you're going clear. There's a world of flavor there for you and not just a drink of cranberry or soda. Me? I'm going to have myself a Bijou.

Cheers.

Infusions and Liqueurs

Sometimes you're looking for something just different enough. This summer I certainly was. When Luscious Liqueurs showed up on my doorstep, I had to give a couple of the recipes a try. None of the recipes were exactly mindblowing, but they at least gave you a beginning ratio to start with.

I started out with two projects at the house. There was a strawberry liqueur as strawberries had just come into season and a ginger liqueur as I'm a ginger fanatic...the more ginger the better if you ask me. Both recipes were incredibly easy. As with all infusions, all you need is time.


I started out with two pints of strawberries and diced them up, exposing as much of the flesh as I could (the strawberries'...not mine). I simply allowed them to macerate in 3 cups of vodka for 2 weeks before adding a 1.5 cups of simple syrup as well as 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract. After another week or so, I strained all the random strawberry particles out, and there you have it. Your very own strawberry liqueur. For a great summer cocktail take 2 oz of the liqueur, add 1 oz of fresh lime juice, and top with soda water. Refreshing and not something which will knock you to the ground.



The best thing about infusions is you're only limited by your imagination. For work, I was able to take the strawberry idea and add it to tequila without the simple syrup. The tequila came out a lovely red color but admittedly with a bit too much of a burn still attached to it. I blame the Sauza Blanco. Surprisingly, my take on the classic margarita helped eliminate the burn completely. Instead of the Cointreau I ordinarily use, I thought the addition of St Germain elderflower liqueur would be a nice touch. The St Germain not only knocked the burn out but even pulled the strawberry flavor out even more.

Two others I have sitting behind the bar at work are a cucumber-lime infused gin (regular Bombay with 2 cucumbers and 2 limes) as well as a blueberry mint vodka. Sadly, there aren't many people I can talk into a Last Word with the gin (why, oh why are people scared of gin?!), but the Blueberry, Canton, Lemon (I've started calling it the Blue Note) concoction I've thrown out to people seems to be going over well.

I might be over my infusion craze of the summer of 2010, but there are certainly more surprises coming down the road for the patrons of the restaurant. Expect some homemade bitters, an amaro, house vermouth, triple sec, and a few other twists when the seasonal options come around.

Cheers.

Welcome to A Life Behind Bars

Lots of things have changed since the last blog died. Something over the last 6 months or so has really clicked for me behind the bar. There's been recognition from food critics (I'm under the Palena review), more responsibility at the job, potential consulting gigs, and, all in all, just a sense of pride about what I've been doing.

Make no mistake about it, I still have a long way to go to be where I want to be with the craft of bartending. This blog will simply be a chronicle of my journey as I try to get there. There'll be cocktail talk, cocktail recipes, book reviews, liquor reviews, and maybe even a story from the bar from the night before.

I hope you enjoy it. Cheers.