/drinkmemag_issue13 by Drink Me Magazine

LIFESTYLE BEYOND THE GLASS

Islands #13me drink APRIL/MAY 2011

LIFESTYLE BEYOND THE GLASS

ZayaRum.com

Zaya Manhattan 1½ oz. Zaya Gran Reserva ½ oz. Carpano Antica Formula 2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange zest twist.

Photo by Darren Edwards

The Island Issue

… because you don’t want to get voted off of ours.

Ingredients

ISSUE 13

4 Note

from the Editor 8 Design: Hand-Drawn Wine Labels 10 The Florida Keys:

Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booze-soaked island chain By Corey Hill

14 New

Booze: Caroni Rum 16 Profile: Ed Hamilton

By Stephanie Henry

Manhattan Cocktail Classic:

The official guide

22 Calendar of events 24 Event map 30 Making

Cocktail trends of the island By M. Quinn Sweeney

34 The

Skipper's Suds:

Which beer for a deserted island? By Brian Yeager

44 Caesar's

Vines:

Mediterranean wines By Alan Goldfarb

48 Eat

the Isle of Islay

By Nate Nicoll and Chris Jew

Your Booze:

Rum bread pudding By Denise Sakaki

50 Falernum:

History, hearsay & homebrewing By Ken Walczak

55 Websites

to Drink to 56 Book Review:

A Taste for absinthe

59 Libation

Laureate

By Ale Gasso

60 Featured

Recipes drink me

It In NYC:

38 Discovering

Note from the Editor

lose your eyes*. Picture yourself on a beautiful island with the wind blowing in your hair and the sun’s rays hitting your eyelids. Palm trees swaying off in the distance and the fresh smell of ocean air. You’re probably also picturing some sort of cold drink beside you in the sand. No matter how you cut it, islands are sexy. We’ve exotified them to a point that we forget that they are nothing more than a body of land surrounded by water; they’ve become a mythical paradise and the setting for reality TV, commercials, and stereotypical meditative exercises. This issue, we’re island hopping with drinks in hand. After all, there are a multitude of islands that don’t make it into the same echelon as their Caribbean brethren. This issue is bringing Islay Scotch and Mediterranean wines to you on the same platter. We’re creating an alcohol archipelago. We’re taking a peek into the mysterious world of Falernum and how it ended up in your tiki drink, we're swimming around the Florida Keys (listening to Jimmy Buffett), and we’ve asked top beer experts what beers they would bring if stranded on a desert island. This issue also brings us out east to the little island called Manhattan. As a hub in the world of the craft cocktail movement, we’re headed out there both in an article about New York’s trends and also for one of the grandest cocktail events in the world. As you’ll see in this issue, we’ve got the official guide to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic — an event that will make even your best house party pale in comparison. Even if you can’t make it, peek at the schedule of events and see what’s happening on the island in the center of the world. We hope to see you there. Mabuhay! Daniel Yaffe

*I do realize this is impossible if you are to continue reading this note.

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YOU’VE NEVER HAD EFFEN N LIKE THIS BEFORE.

LIFESTYLE BEYOND THE GLASS

Get your certificate in just 2 weeks! Free Intro Classes Free Refresher Classes Free Job Placement Assistance Financing Available

For more information 415.362.1116 www.sfbartending.com

Editor In Chief: Daniel Yaffe TRAVEL Editor: Paul Ross Art DIrector: Lance Jackson Web Developer: Aman Ahuja Copy Editor: Sam Devine

Director of Operations: Pablo Perez BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Stephanie Henry InTERN: Miranda Jilka Advisory Board: Jeremy Cowan, H. Ehrmann, Cornelius Geary, Hondo Lewis, David Nepove, Debbie Rizzo, Genevieve Robertson, Carrie Steinberg, Gus Vahlkamp, Dominic Venegas contributOrs: John Benko (cover art), Ale Gasso, Chris Gold, Alan Goldfarb, Stephanie Henry, Corey Hill, Chris Jew, Amy Murray, Nate Nicoll, Denise Sakaki, M. Quinn Sweeney, Ken Walczak, Brian Yeager, Sierra Ziemi Thank you: Sangita Devaskar, Sacha Ferguson, Reliable Distribution, Skylar Werde Publisher: Open Content www.opencontent.tv Eriq Wities & Daniel Yaffe

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Drink Me magazine is printed on 20% recycled (10% post-consumer waste) paper using only soy based inks. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Act (RCRA) standards and is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council.

Please drink responsibly

Unlike your favorite bar,

DRINKMEMAG.COM DOESNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T CLOSE AT 2 A.M. Check out our totally redesigned and revamped website chock-full of articles, giveaways, recipes, events and the best local places to imbibe. *Plus, we promise not to kick you out at closing time.

Design: Wine Labels

Hand-Drawn We’ve always been told not to judge a wine by its label, but these few

creatively illustrated bottles make it mighty hard not to snag one off the store shelf. By Stephanie Henry

Gut Oggau Estates Portrait Wines Austrian biodynamic winery Gut Oggau Estates’ Portrait Wines beg the question: “Who are you drinking?” Based on the concept that wines take on certain human personalities, this nine-piece collection forms a complete family tree (from sociable and mischievous Winifred Rosé to the powerful and down-to-earth Timotheus Weiss). Artist Jung Von Matt illustrates each character in intricate pencil drawing. GutOggau.com

Clos Otto Boxhead Shiraz It’s not often that you see a wine label as playful and quirky as Clos Otto’s Boxhead series, hailing from Australia’s Barossa Valley. Illustrated by the forward-thinking design studio Mash, the label features inked literal representations of the brand’s namesake (yep, those are simple figures with boxes for heads). Bonus points for the cool hand-drawn typography.

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The Florida America’s BoozeSoaked Island Chain By Corey Hill The Florida Keys were forged by the gods with the express purpose of making an awesome place to enjoy seventy-ounce tumblers of rum and frozen fruit juice. Now geologists may disagree with me, and they may point out that the Keys were formed as declining sea levels exposed ancient coral reef beds some hundred thousand years ago, but I think this explanation lacks a certain amount of romance. I’ll go with the first idea.

rom the early 1500s, the Keys existed as a post of the Spanish colony of Florida, with an economy built around shipwreckage. In that people wrecked their ships a lot back then and the Keys were the only islands for miles to get your ship fixed. But once navigation improved, resulting in a significant decrease in shipwrecks, the Keys were up the creek without a paddle. The islands floundered, until someone realized that a beautiful string of islands within the United States might be a bit of a draw for tourists. In the early twentieth century, they built a railroad, a handful of hotels, and then a highway. With the construction of bars and resorts, the modern Keys were born. Since then, the 1,700 scraps of land hanging off the southern tip of Florida have been the

premier United States island destination for enjoying life and good drink. The residents will vigorously defend that enjoyment of life and good drink, too. During Prohibition, the Keys were anything but cooperative to the enforcers of that most unpopular amendment. With Cuba and the Bahamas close by, and a widespread disinclination to the idea of life without booze, it was only natural that the islands would become a prime point of entry for smuggling alcohol into the United States. Despite the best efforts of U.S. customs and prohibition enforcement agents, Florida (in general) and the Keys (more specifically) were linchpins in the vital effort to supply thirsty Americans with libations.

Keys –

After loading up with wares in the Bahamas, Cuba, or any of the other rum-producing islands of the Caribbean, rumrunners would speed through the open ocean, slip in through the canals, hide in the reeds, and surreptitiously transfer their cargo. Rumrunning was a way of life — an economy, a cultural mainstay, and, later, the source of inspiration for a drink name.

ey West residents were so opposed to Prohibition, that even law enforcement personnel in charge of enforcing the amendment actively aided the rumrunners. When agents from U.S. customs tried to break up a bootlegging ring in Key West in 1926, the Monroe County Sheriff made history by becoming the only sheriff to arrest a Prohibition agent — for theft of property. And no less, Hemingway himself took sides with the bootleggers, cashing his royalty check for "A Farewell to Arms" with local speakeasy owner and rumrunner Joe Russel.

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So Prohibition is over ... but rum still retains a place of honor in the Florida Keys lifestyle. Example one: the Rumrunner. Legend tells that it was first served at a Key West Holiday Inn in the 1950s, a collaboration between brandy, banana liqueur, dark rum, grenadine, and pineapple juice, all in honor of the Prohibition-skirting heroes of yore. These beverages and their ilk are usually served up with generous servings of fresh fruit, tiny umbrellas, and Jimmy Buffett music.

Rum bars pay homage to the history of the region and the primacy of the spirit. The Speakeasy Inn on Duval Street in Key West honors the Keys’ rumrunning days, maintaining the original architecture that includes a basement where bootleg liquor was once stored. For the spirit enthusiast, there are over

two hundred varieties of rum to try. Rum, rum, rum. It built the modern Keys, yes. But there’s more to the Keys than just distilled cane sugar. Like fermented hops. The southernmost brewery in the continental United States is Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Grill and Brewery. There are more than two thousand gallons of beer on tap: a Belgian ale, an IPA, and their signature Havana Red. Florida has a long way to go when it comes to craft beers, says Fred Tillman, the owner of Kelly’s and an evangelist for good brews. Tillman is on a quest to change the Keys “pint by pint” if necessary. Key West Winery puts to rest the silly notion that making award-winning wines requires grapes. Grapes don’t grow that well in Florida. The air, at times, is analogous to canola oil, which doesn’t really work for humidity-hating grapes. But other fruits, unlike bouffants, do well in the heat. Though the wines are actually produced in St. Petersburg, Fla., the flavors are inspired by the Keys and their varietals use ingredients that reflect

the tropical atmosphere. Owner Scott Youmans makes clear that these wines will never be confused with grape wines. “Night and day,” says Youmans. “No comparison. Take the mango wine. You know you are drinking mango wine. It’s made from pureed mango. The flavors are pretty intense. Robust.” All told, there are thirty-seven different robust wines on hand, including wines made from oranges, guava, and kiwi. These are not flavored white wines. These are wines made from crushed and squeezed fruit. And you have never had anything quite like them. Key Lime wine is described as tasting like a margarita without the tequila — tart and sweet. Top-selling Hurricane Class 5 wine blends key lime, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and watermelon. The fruit wines have been so well received that the Florida Citrus Commission, for the first time in sixty-five years, allowed their label

to be put on a beverage other than orange juice or grapefruit juice. “These aren’t fine wines,” Youmans said. “But fun wines.” Fun indeed. Throughout the year, the Keys are home to a number of events that celebrate good drink and good living. The annual running of the Hemingways mixes bearded Hemingway look alikes and booze. Fantasy Fest mixes adult Halloween costumes and drinks. And the food and wine festival mixes, well, food and wine. Having witnessed the enthusiasm and wildness of these magnificent islands myself, I can authoritatively state that the Bible Belt does not extend to the Keys. Good booze, good times, and dudes dressed up like Hemingway running down the street for the general amusement of all … I guess Jimmy Buffett was right all along: changing latitudes does change attitudes.

Here’s to the Parrot Heads When it comes to consuming tropical cocktails on Caribbean islands, American recording artist Jimmy Buffett has literally become a brand name. After falling in love with Key West, Buffett wrote and released the now multi-platinum album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes in 1977. Its hit song, “Margaritaville,” which topped out at number eight on the Billboard Pop Chart, garnered him a multitude of fans (who are known as Parrot Heads).

Margaritaville now emblazons Buffett’s line of spirits, restaurants, food products and a newly opened resort hotel. He’s the like Richard Branson of the Gulf Coast (just sub out the Virgin Air for Buffet’s Frozen Concoction Makers). Really, the man is to the margarita what Johnny Cash was to wearing black. If there’s anyone out there who’s done more to promote Key West cocktail consumption, we’d like to buy that person a drink. Anyone seen the saltshaker?

New Booze: Caroni

Caroni Rum By Amy Murray of Cask, SF

um has been produced on the island of Trinidad since the late eighteenth century. At present, there are only two functioning distilleries on the island, and Trinidadian rum is relatively uncommon in the U.S. Scarlet Ibis, which was originally bottled for Death & Company in New York, was the first Trinidad rum to catch my eye. Its delicate complexity and subtle herbaceousness set the tone for my fascination with this island's rum.

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And then came Caroni 13 year: a single cask, independent bottling from a distillery that closed in 2002. As anyone who cares about history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or drinking, or drinking history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; already knows well, finding a spirit whose source has been nullified is always exciting, and, I'll admit, renders the experience all the more pleasurable. (Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, anyone? How about some prephylloxera cognac? Case in point.)

Furthermore, the bottler for my new favorite rum is AD Rattray â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a Scotlandbased independent bottling company that won my heart with their treasure trove of single cask, cask-strength single malt (mostly Scotch, but they recently released an Irish whiskey and now their first rum release, the Caroni 13). It was column-distilled and aged thirteen years in used rum barrels on premise in Trinidad. It appears this bottling company never fails in their sourcing abilities: the nose offers sweet candied fruits, salted pecans, new leather, and soft caramel met by rich oak. The palate shows bright baking spice, strawberry jam, and burnt orange leading to dry tobacco and more oak on the finish. Caroni toes the line between dense, molasses sweetness, and oak while maintaining its lush citrus quality and spice. 279 bottles produced.

• 24 Taps & Over 150 Bottles • Great Wines • Gourmet Pub Fare with Beer Pairings • Kitchen Open ‘til 1 am

3141 16th St., at the corner of Albion, San Francisco, CA between Valencia & Guerrero | www.monkskettle.com

Profile: Ed Hamilton By Stephanie Henry

d Hamilton, known throughout the industry as the Ministry of Rum, is hard to miss. Standing six-foot-five with straight salt-and-pepper hair reaching down to the middle of his back, he sticks out among the suit-and-tie types at a swanky San Francisco bar like a sore thumb. This is intentional, of course. Hamilton never considered himself a nine-to-five guy. In the mid-’80s — after building yachts and working on Southeastern Asian oil rigs — he set sail from Florida to the Caribbean with little more than a compass and spirit for adventure. Like many tourists, he found the weather balmy and the rum — the island’s most revered beverage — delicious. Yet unlike most tourists, he was intrigued enough by the sweet liquor to spend years visiting the islands’ rum distilleries and compiling notes into the most comprehensive book (and now website) on rum to date. We caught up with Hamilton to discuss rum trends for 2011, Ti' Punch, and life mottos. How did you transition from rum connoisseur into rum importer? I would come back to the States for hurricane season and people started hiring me to give presentations and talk about brands and it just kind of grew. And then I was serving Ti' Punches at a party one night in Chicago and a guy came up to me and said, ‘Here’s a bunch of money, I want you to import this rum.' I said, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. We need a portfolio of rums, we need this and that.’ I had been studying for five years why there are so many good rums in the Caribbean and so few in the U.S. I came to a few conclusions: the distribution model in the U.S. is not conducive to a wide variety of spirits. Secondly, no one was importing real white rum from Martinique and I wanted to introduce Ti' Punch to America.

In the past decade, have you seen the consumer response for rum elevated? Oh yeah. Without a doubt. First, the quality of rums coming to the U.S. is better than it’s ever been. The overall level of quality is up. Now some of the rums that used to be really good are not very good anymore. But there are new rums coming in and the general level of all spirits and all alcohol is better. The beer we’re drinking now sitting at this bar is better than it was ten years ago. So, that’s improved. Also, consumers’ tastes are elevated. In food we’re looking for bigger and better flavors, and it’s the same in spirits. So why rum in particular? Rum is the most versatile of all spirits. Rum is the only spirit that is bottled as a white product, aged in a carbon filter to become a white product. It

can be made from sugar cane juice, molasses, or syrup. It can be aged a long time, it can be colored. It can also be flavored, although I don’t concern myself too much with the flavors because most of them are crap. Some rums are almost vodka-esque, they’re distilled to a high proof, they’re filtered. Some of them are like whiskey, some like cognac and some like tequila. And it’s made in more parts of the world than almost any other spirit. Maybe vodka is made in more places, but vodka’s pretty boring. There are something like 2,500 different kinds of rums around the world. How many do you think you’ve tried?600-700. That’s impressive. Well, this is my eighteenth year tasting.

Example of a Ti' Punch:

Slice off the side of a lime about the size of a quarter into the bottom of a small This all seems pretty ideal. Are there any glass. downsides to your job? Oh yeah. Well, 600Add .25 to .5 tsp Petite Canne Sugar 700 rums. Not all of those are wonderful. Cane Syrup, to taste. Like the old story, you’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet the prince (or Add 1 .5 oz Neisson Rhum Blanc princess). A lot of the new distillers, when you (rum agricole). start making rum out of molasses, you have Stir and add ice if desired. to age them a while so if you just distill it and put it in a bottle, it’s going to be pretty rough. In Martinique, you will probably have to So most small distillers start out making ask for ice, but they don’t look at you as vodka, gin, and rum. Other downsides idiotically as they did ten years ago. to the job: Dealing with the government, dealing with customs brokers. My bond got canceled by my last customs broker so I’ve got $70,000 worth of product sitting at the border in Canada and I can’t bring it in. But I’m pretty lucky. I book all my own travel, I plan my own schedule and I go where I want to go. It’s rare that I’m somewhere I don’t want to be. What do you see as rum predictions for 2011? People are going to be buying more rum, absolutely. And one of the things, with the internet, the bogus brands are going to have a tougher time because people are doing more research and looking for authenticity. And money’s tighter. Before you spend $30 on a bottle of rum, you want to learn as much as you can about it. It’s still the most undervalued spirit. I can name half a dozen really good rums that are under $20 that I drink. And in the $30 range there’s a lot more. Many of the best rums in the world are under $45 and I’ve tasted a lot of rums in the $60-$70-$80 range that I would not buy. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what’s the one rum you’d need to keep your sanity? It would have to be a good white rum agricole from Martinique. And then a barrel of something from Jamaica and a barrel of something from Trinidad. In terms of a particular cocktail, a Manhattan with a well-balanced old Martinique rum with fresh orange juice … that’s pretty good drinking. Since it seems like you’re enjoying life, do you have a motto to share with the rest of us? Well, one thing that I’ve done most of my life is wake up in the morning, and once a week or so, think: Am I doing what I want to be doing? What would I rather be doing today than this? And I can honestly say, that when I dream up a better job I’m going to take it. drink me

MinistryOfRum.com

art festival, part fête, part conference, part cocktail party – the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is an annual celebration of the myriad points of intersection between cocktails and culture. With nearly one hundred events spread across five days and three boroughs, the Classic offers a vast array of unique experiences to enthusiasts and professionals alike, expanding the very definition of what constitutes a “cocktail event.” Now in its third year, the 2011 festival boasts an absolutely dizzying array of events in all

shapes and sizes: seminars, tastings, parties, pairings, workshops, lunches, brunches, dinners, dances, cruises, concerts, fashion shows, art shows, film screenings, bus tours, croquet tournaments…really, just about anything and everything that a person could conceivably attend whilst enjoying (and not spilling) a good cocktail or three. Enthusiasts, professionals,

and people who are neither enthusiastic nor professional but who enjoy a proper drink now and again – the Classic opens its arms to one and all (and offers you delectable libations immediately upon arrival).

ll events of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (except the opening night Gala at The New York Public Library, which

is a spectacle unto itself) are individually ticketed at the same unfathomably low price of $50 per event. That’s right, five zero – a “half-Benjamin” or a “Grant” if you prefer. You can buy tickets to as many or as few events as you wish, depending on your own personal schedule, finances, tolerance for alcohol, and/or ability to party like it’s Repeal Day, 1933. The following pages detail some of the amazing events taking place this May, but not all. Check the website for full and up-to-date listings, and to purchase tickets: www.manhattancocktailclassic.com

The OPENING Gala NIGHT at The New York Public Library Friday May 13th, 9:00pm - 1:00am, $150

panning four floors, two city blocks, and over ten million cubic feet of space, the opening night Gala will once again take over the sprawling main branch of The New York Public Library, filling the mammoth hallways and cavernous arches with music, dancing, merriment, mischief, wild performances, scandalous art, nibbles, noshes, chaos, curiosities, and infinite twists, turns, and general sensory excess. (Oh - and did we mention over twenty-five thousand cocktails?) Whether you’re a self-proclaimed cocktail enthusiast or seasoned industry professional, or neither enthusiastic nor professional but in possession of at least a begrudging appreciation for a good stiff drink and a desire to attend the most epic cocktail party New York has ever seen - this is one event you do not want to miss. Entrance includes unlimited drinks, food, general shenanigans, and as many fond memories as your relative sobriety will permit. Creative and/or slightly salty black tie optional (but general fanciness required). Please note that the Manhattan Cocktail Classic will not be held liable for any injuries suffered (whether physical or emotional) by Gala attendees due to pre-existing phobias pertaining to open spaces, confined spaces, heights, clowns, and/or exotic birds. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Top photo by Nikola Tamindzic, middle and bottom photo by Philip Anema

EVENT LISTINGS Saturday May 14 11:00am - 9:00pm at Astor Center The Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic 11:30am - 1:00pm at Astor Center The Science of Mixology with Anthony Caporale

12:15pm - 1:45pm at Astor Center Hands On

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Pegu Club Stories from Behind the Bar

with Kenta Goto & Audrey Saunders

1:45pm - 3:15pm at Astor Center History: What Is It Good For? (Or How to Spell "Classic" without "Ass") with David Wondrich

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Death and Company Stories from Behind the Bar

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Employees Only Stories from Behind the Bar

with Dushan Zaric and Jason Kosmas

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Flatiron Lounge Stories from Behind the Bar with Julie Reiner

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Huckleberry Bar Stories from Behind the Bar with Stephanie Schneider and Andrew Boggs

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Painkiller Stories from Behind the Bar with Giuseppe Gonzalez

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2:00pm - 7:00pm all over NYC! Manhattan Pisco Bus Tour with Gran Sierpe

2:30pm - 4:00pm at Astor Center Whiskey is the New Black! with Kara Newman

4:00pm - 5:30pm at Astor Center How To Behave In A Bar with Philip Duff and Angus Winchester

4:45pm - 6:15pm at Astor Center Rye Mania!

1:00pm - 3:00pm at PDT Stories from Behind the Bar

with Dave Wondrich, Joseph Magliocco and Willie Pratt

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Dutch Kills Stories from Behind the Bar

5:00pm - 7:00pm at 632Below The Sustainable Olympics

with Jim Meehan

with Sasha Petraske and Richie Boccato

with Joseph Campanale

7:00pm - 8:30pm at Astor Center Beyond the Hangover Cure: What to Eat, Drink, and Do To Combat Your Boozy Lifestyle

with Kirsten Anmann & Kendra Strasburg

with Tony Abou-Ganim

with David Kaplan, Thomas Waugh, Joaquin Simo, Brian Miller, Jessica Gonzalez, and Jason Littrell

6:15pm - 7:45pm at Astor Center Aperitivo: The Italian Happy Hour

with 360 Vodka

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

9:00pm - 12:00am at Skylight West The World Premiere of “The Cocktail Club”, a DonQ Rums 80’s Bash

Starring the Bodacious Ladies of Maxim

Sunday May 15 11:00am - 9:00pm at Astor Center The Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic 11:30am - 1:00pm at Astor Center The Art of the Simple Cocktail with Elayne Duke

12:15pm - 1:45pm at Astor Center Glasses & Tools: How Do You Choose the Right Glass for a Drink? with Dale DeGroff 1:00am - 3:00pm at Macao Trading Co. Stories from Behind the Bar with Dushan Zaric

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Lani Kai Stories from Behind the Bar with Julie Reiner and the Lani Kai team

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Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

26 27

20 19 29

13 23 8 31

113 St. Marks Place.

23. PDT

310 Lennox Ave.

24. Red Rooster Harlem

38 West 17th St.

25. Raines Law Room

848 Washington St.

26. The Standard Hotel

632 Hudson St.

27. 632 Below

636 11th Ave.

28. Ogilvy & Mather

199 Bowery

29. Soiree Nightclub

251 West 48th St.

30. XVI

72 East 12th St.

31. New York Marble Cemetery

123 Washington St.

32. The Living Room Bar & Terrace

27-24 Jackson Ave.

33. Dutch Kills

311 Church St.

34. Macao Trading Co.

12 25

7 15

VENUE DIRECTORY 455 5th Ave.

49 Essex St.

22. Painkiller

77 West Houston St.

21. Pegu Club

111 Reade St.

20. Ward III

189 Chrystie St.

19. The Box

133 Avenue C

18. Summit Bar

22 7th Ave. South

17. Little Branch

525 Broome St.

16. Lani Kai

11 Madison Ave.

15. Eleven Madison Park

210 Smith St.

14. Clover Club

403 East 12th St.

13. Hearth

37 West 19 St.

1. New York Public Library 12. Flatiron Lounge 399 Lafayette St.

2. Astor Center

588 Grand St.

3. Huckleberry Bar 500 West 36th St.

4. Skylight West

2082 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

5. 67 Orange St.

159 Duane St.

6. Weather Up Tribeca 16 West 29th St.

7. Breslin

433 East 6th St.

8. Death & Company 55 Water St.

9. Elevated Acre 323 3rd Ave.

10. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;inoteca e liquori bar 520 Hudson St.

11. Employees Only

SUNDAY May 15 1:00pm - 3:00pm at Little Branch Stories from Behind the Bar

1:00pm - 3:00pm at The Breslin Maker's Mark Presents a Cocktail Pairing Brunch

1:00pm - 3:00pm at 67 Orange Street Stories from Behind the Bar

1:00pm - 5:00pm at The Elevated Acre The Hendrick's Croquet Tournament

with Joseph Schwartz

with Karl Williams and Sarah Duffin

1:00pm - 3:00pm at The Raines Law Room Stories from Behind the Bar Meaghan Dorman, Yves Jadot and Alberto Benenati

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Weather Up Tribeca Stories from Behind the Bar with Richard Boccato and Kathryn Weatherup

1:45pm - 3:15pm at Astor Center Whiskies of the World

Eddie Russell, Jimmy Russell, Ian McCallum, Gardner Dunn, Kristina Sutter, Ross Hendry & Jamie MacKenzie

2:30pm - 4:00pm at Astor Center Classic Cocktails, Classic Film: NY Nightlife with Nora Maynard

3:00pm - 5:00pm at 'inoteca e liquori bar Stories from Behind the Bar with Chaim Dauermann and James Garvey

3:00pm - 7:00pm at The Summit Bar Suntory Sakura Festival 3:00pm - 7:00pm at Eleven Madison Park The British Invasion 4:00pm - 5:30pm at Astor Center A Drop Of The Hard Stuff: The History And Uses of Irish Whiskey And It's Liqueurs with Philip Duff and Sean Muldoon

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

Espolòn Tequila is proud to be part of the 2011 Manhattan Cocktail Classic. www.facebook.com/espolòntequila Espolòn™ Tequila, 40% alc./vol. (80 Proof). Imported by Skyy Spirits LLC, San Francisco, CA. Please enjoy responsibly.

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Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

3/2/11 5:29 PM

4:45pm - 6:15pm at Astor Center Preserving with Liquor for Kitchen and Bar: Local Ingredients 12 Months A Year

12:00pm - 2:30pm at Hearth Restaurant Death's Door Spirits Pig Roast

5:30pm - 9:00pm The Sunset Cocktail Cruise

with Adam Seger, Joe McCanta and Francesco LaFranconi

with Francis Schott and Mark Pascal

presented by 10 Cane Rum, Belvedere Vodka, Grand Marnier and Hennessy Cognac

12:15pm - 1:45pm at Astor Center Drink Like You Eat

with Belvedere Bloody Mary

7:00pm - 8:30pm at Astor Center The Science of Citrus

with Julie Reiner

with Philip Duff

8:00pm - 11:00pm at The Box Campari Presents a Spirited Fête for the Senses Inspired by Padma Lakshmi with Padma Lakshmi

Monday May 16 11:00am - 9:00pm at Astor Center Monday at the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic 11:30am - 1:00pm at Astor Center Spirits in a Blind, or How Spirits Professionals Describe Spirits with Something other than "I like it." with Doug Frost and Steve Olson

From the BeGINning: Gin is [always has been] IN! Gin is in! Get schooled on gin with Steve Olson, a.k.a. wine geek; Angus Winchester, Gin Master of the Universe (and Tanqueray World Ambassador); Andy Seymour of Beverage Alcohol Resource, and special guest, Tom Nichol, the Master Distiller of Tanqueray.

12:00pm - 2:00pm Red Rooster Harlem Brunch with Bevy

6:15pm - 7:45pm at Astor Center Global Drink Rituals from Prehistory to Today with Elayne Duke

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM at Astor Center

1:00pm - 3:00pm at Clover Club Stories From Behind the Bar

5:00pm - 7:00pm at The Standard Hotel Garden Room SKYY Spirits Presents Women & Whiskies

6:00pm - 8:00pm at Ogilvy & Mather Rooftop Heering Goes Mad (Men)

1:00pm - 3:30pm at Ward III Make Mine With Rye 1:45pm - 3:15pm at Astor Center Discovering Le Cognac

with Steve Olson, Dale DeGroff, Paul Pacult, David Wondrich, Doug Frost and Andy Seymour

2:30pm - 4:00pm at Astor Center Three Mixologists Three Drinks - Three Ways (Or Cocktail Ménage á Trois) with Jamie Boudreau, Kathy Casey and Charlotte Voisey

4:45pm - 6:15pm at Astor Center Tequila's Rebirth: Agave's Golden Age with Jaime Salas and Pedro

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

7:00 - 9:00 pm at Soiree

NY Indy Spirits Expo 2011

The Indy Spirits Expo celebrates the small entrepreneurs who (literally) pour themselves into the business of bringing new and unique spirits to the marketplace. Tuthilltown, Harvest Spirits, Cockspur, Breuckelen, Warwick Valley Wine, Spirits of Gold – Karlsson’s Gold Vodka, Citadelle Gin, Mathilde Liqueurs, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Plantation Rum, Remy Martin, Choya Umeshu USA, Mijes Mezcal, Oro de Oaxaca Mezcal, Deaths Door Spirits, Classic & Vintage Artisanal Spirits, Finger Lakes Distilling, Piedmont Distillers, Veev, Balls Vodka, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Wemyss, Dry Fly Distilling, Distillery No. 209, Delaware Phoenix Distillery, Montanya Rum from Colorado, Team Spirits, Orange V Vodka, Dragon Bleu Vodka, Redemption Rye/Bourbon, Scorpion Mezcal, 80 Strong Bourbon, Luna Sueno, Square One Organic Vodka, Koval

6:15pm - 7:45pm at Astor Center Age: The Final Frontier Barreling Spirits & Cocktails with Philip Duff

6:30pm - 9:30pm at XVI Rooftop Riffs & Revelry 7:00pm - 8:30pm at Astor Center Yo, Ho, Ho and a Bottle of Rum (aka The High Seas and Rum) with Danny Valdez, Dave Wondrich, Ed Hamilton and Sean Kenyon

8:00pm - 10:00pm at Hearth Restaurant Classic & Vintage Artisanal Spirits Dinner

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

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Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

8:00pm - 10:00pm at The New York City Marble Cemetery Espolón Tequila Presents Crypt-Side Cocktails – A Celebration of Spirits

Tuesday May 17

12:15pm - 1:45pm at Astor Center The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico with Steve Olson, Ron Cooper and special guests

11:00am - 9:00pm at Astor Center The Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

1:00pm - 2:30pm a lunch at Terroir East Village Lustau: Not Your Grandmother's Sherry!

11:30am - 1:00pm at Astor Center Botanical Bartending

1:45pm - 3:15pm at Astor Center The Mindful Bartender

12:00pm - 4:00pm at Caracas Arepa Bar A True Venezuelan Experience: Santa Teresa Rum

2:30pm - 4:00pm at Astor Center The Science of Taste

with Charlotte Voisey and Jim Ryan

with gaz regan, Aisha Sharpe and Dushan Zaric

with Kirsten Anmann, Don Katz and Graham Wright

4:00pm - 5:30pm at Astor Center Mysticism and Magic: Connecting spirits with their unique cultural heritages with Danny Valdez, Ron Cooper, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Tad Carducci and Misty Kalkofen

4:45pm - 6:15pm at Astor Center The History of Distilling in New York City

with Allen Katz and Tom Potter

5:00pm - 7:00pm at The Living Room Bar & Terrace Stories Behind the Bar with Charlotte Voisey

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Special Section

Making It In Cocktail Trends of the Island

Bartending is one of the most tightly networked industries in the country, so it’s often hard to distinguish between local and national trends when bartenders appropriate each other’s ideas so quickly. But the Big Appletini has always been a groundbreaker in the world of libation innovation. By M. Quinn Sweeney

n NYC Photo by Chris Gold

rang in the New Year with friends at Death and Company (433 E. 6th St., East Village) and was so inspired, for the next two weeks I poured my heart and soul into the arduous task of surveying the liquid landscape for signs of what’s to come. The most noticeable change is that the preciousness of cocktail bars is fading, giving way to more casual environments, featuring sturdy classics and other simple, straightforward offerings. The vogue has returned to customer experience, renewed attention to service, and a move away from deference to the bartender as infallible, mixological artist. Not once in a fortnight did I hear the old standard, “We don’t serve that here,” spoken through a clenched sneer. That’s not to say that Red Bull and Ocean Spray have been added to any craft cocktail menus, but I did hear only apologies and humbly suggested alternatives when Vodka-Crans or Jäger Bombs were requested.

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our miles away, Dram (177 S. 4th St., Williamsburg) has pulled in an all-star staff from some of the most renowned cocktail bars in the east, to unleash the creative beasts within. Most of the staff works at Dram one or two nights a week, embracing the freedom that they may not have in their regular jobs, in what felt to me like a laid-back neighborhood bar, devoid of pretension (to some, a word that generally defines Williamsburg). This philosophy of

bringing in the best and brightest — and setting them loose — extends beyond the regular staff to feature frequent “guest bartenders” from all over the world for a one-night-stand behind the stick. Guest bartending is a trend that has taken hold of the whole city, with many bars inviting visiting colleagues to fill a shift as “guest-tender” while in New York. Some locals are also choosing to spend their off nights at someone else’s bar, where they can demonstrate the skills not given prominence at their usual gigs. Other venues are welcoming local celebrities and social media luminaries to step behind the bar, often to raise money for charity and to draw a crowd on what would otherwise be a slow Tuesday night. Fatty Johnson’s (50 Carmine St., West Village), while preparing their upcoming relaunch, has had a nightly rotating cast of local and visiting bartenders, who design their own drink menu for the evening. Another craze that seems likely to spread is draft cocktails. A few MacGyvers of mixology have voided the warranties on

Photo by Philip Anema

That being said, culinary concocting continues, and Brooklyn is pioneering some of the most inventive drinks in the city. I had the pleasure of spending a couple evenings bellied up to the bar across from Damon Boelte at Prime Meats (465 Court St., Carroll Gardens) and I became enchanted by a drink he’s calling Clement’s Shrubb, made from cider vinegar, bourbon, cinnamon, lemon, fig preserves, and black pepper. Boelte told me, “Lately I have been working on lots of cocktails involving vinegar. The acidity and savory bite really make certain flavors and ingredients pop.”

their soda guns and converted them to dispense fully mixed, carbonated cocktails like a fountain soda. At El Cobre (95 Ave. A, Alphabet City), where they are all about rum, the menu includes a “Dark And Stormy On Tap” with Gosling’s Black Seal rum, lime, and CO2. Now, rum bars may not be uncommon, and whiskey bars are ubiquitous the world over, but New York has seen several similarly single-minded spirit bars emerge on the scene. Mayahuel (304 E. 6th St., East Village) led the charge, winning “World’s Best New Cocktail Bar” at the 2010 Spirited Awards, for their broad array of agave spirits, focusing on tequila-and mezcalbased drinks. Even obscure spirits like genever, the Dutch-style gin, are stealing the spotlight. The bar at Vandaag (103 2nd Ave., East Village) offers a wide selection of genever cocktails. And with recently-legal absinthe being all the rage, Maison Premiere (298 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg) just opened to much fanfare.

atin spirits are also continuing to gain more recognition and respect. Mezcal and rum are being featured in high-end cocktail bars, no longer relegated to budget spring break excursions, while more exotic spirits like cachaca and pisco continue to climb from obscurity, showing up at bars where they were unheard of a year ago.

Punch cups have also started edging martini glasses off the shelf at a number of bars, and punch bowls have become programmatic centerpieces for a few. Most recently opened, nautically themed The Drink (228 Manhattan Ave., East Williamsburg) provides a daily hot punch and cold punch by the glass, as well as several selections of full-bowl punches, combining enough spirits, mixers, and fruit for ten drinks around a big block of ice. By the way, if you ever want an informative earful from a career bartender, suggest that all ice was created equal. Kold Draft machines make crystal clear cubes at bars all over the country, but some bars in New York are taking their ice production to new heights, like the crew at Weather Up (159 Duane St., Tribeca), who installed a $6,000 ice machine in the basement. Originally intended for ice sculptors, it produces 300-pound, crystal-clear blocks, which are then broken down by chainsaw and shared with their two sister bars (Dutch Kills and Weather Up Brooklyn), where bartenders break them down by hand into ice for shaking cocktails as well as rocks, spears, and cracked ice. Like cheap ice in a Mai Tai, most cocktail trends don’t last that long, or they get diluted by unskilled copycats, so stumble out there and support your urban barkeep. Before sugary drinks ending in -tini return to fashion, or your favorite bartender starts calling himself an astromixologist, serving only cocktails tuned to your star sign, and before fungal infusions become flavor of the month, make a staggering sortie to explore the New York cocktail scene before the best trends pass you by.

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Similarly rescued from oblivion, tiki bars and punch bowls have both made a resurgence. With three high-profile tiki bars opening in the last year and reinvigorating tiki tradition, Painkiller (49 Essex St., Lower East Side), Lani Kai (525 Broome St., South Village) and The Hurricane Club (360 Park Ave. S, Flatiron) are all thriving on rum, falernum and swizzle sticks. And they are crowded with an unexpectedly young

and stylish crowd, lacking the middleaged paunch and tacky attire commonly associated to tiki.

The Skipper's Suds: Which Beer

For A Deserted Island? Gilligan and the Skipper may have built a washing machine out of coconuts and seaweed, but they never constructed a brewery. In Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, the protagonist laments his inability to brew. Of course he did. The only way to survive on a deserteded island is with beer. But which beer?

By Brian Yaeger

veryone who writes or blogs about beer gets asked repeatedly: “What’s your favorite beer?” Worse still are brewers who get asked that question and then it’s the double-edged sword of picking one of their creations or not. Not that it matters, since we all respond, “I could never pick just one.” But the truth is, we all have a few absolute favorites. Even if new ones replace old ones on a steady basis. So when I was asked to select a mere five beers to take to a deserted island, the gears started revolving.

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It’s not about devising a list of the most hard-to-find beers just for the sake of being esoteric. Can you really only live on bourbon-barrel aged, Malaysian coffee-infused Russian Imperial Stouts or 150-IBU Triple IPAs forever?

No, if I’m going to be isolated from the range of beers I enjoy taking full advantage of, I’m going to pick a gamut of beers offering the widest scope of flavor, alcohol, complexity, and, uh huh, drinkability. In Certified Cicerone Exam Manager Nicole

Erny’s words, “Picking beer for a deserted island is all about going for diversity. I’m on a friggin’ deserted island, I don’t want to do anything else that could cause me to be any more bored.”

Here are my picks:

Sculpin IPA Ballast Point, San Diego, CA: Need an IPA, duh. Many would opt for Pliny the Elder from Russian River. It’s on my short list. Actually, I lean more toward their Blind Pig, a straight California IPA over a Double IPA. Easier to drink at least if you’re having more than a few. So, like any good twoway race, a third party can surge as the dark horse. Think Perot in the ClintonBush, Sr. race. (Or talk of Bloomberg in the upcoming Obama-Palin race.) Sculpin has so many tastes going on it keeps it interesting. Citrusy. Resinous. Floral. Rich.

The Abyss Deschutes, Bend, OR: Need a stout. Big, bold, robust. This has some fascinating notes from the licorice that gives way to a maple-y mocha from the partial barrel aging. Decadent like chocolate blackout cake. Great for (or as) breakfast or dessert or simply hollow, lonely, moonless nights in the middle of the ocean.

Vlad the Imp Aler Cascade, Portland, OR:

Routes des épices Dieu du Ciel, Montreal, Canada: I landed on this beer not by thinking I needed to fill this style (since rye beer with black and green peppercorns is hardly a beer that every brewer attempts) but more because I love this brewery. Aphrodisiaque, an imperial stout with cocoa nibs and vanilla beans, treads on the same territory as The Abyss and Péché Mortel is the world’s best coffee beer but I can always add some cold pressed coffee to my Abyss (Hey, I’m only picking five island beers! I’m bringing nonalcoholic beverages separately.) The name Routes des épices translates to “spice route” and it’s the perfect steak beer. In lieu of peppercorn sauce, the spice is in the beer. So whether I’ve got beef on the island or, more likely, wild boar or perhaps gibbons or monkies, this goes great with all meats no matter how gamey.

St. Bernardus Witbier Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Belgium: Nearly picked a Pilsner in case I get visitors on this island; something to placate any non-adventurous beer drinkers. But this Belgian-spiced wheat beer fills that role, too, and goes great with tropical fruits that I’ll be foraging on this island. Great on a hot, summer day. Rounds out the gaps left by the other 4 beers. Refreshing as an afternoon skinny dip. Three additional beer mavens who are all about exploring the wide world of suds

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Need a sour. Personally, I don’t go for “barnyard” and “horse blanket,” which is what the wild yeast Brettanomyces contributes. I go for tartness wrought by Lactobacillus and Pediococus—Cascade’s specialty. Hence two of brewmaster Ron Gansberg’s beers vied for gold at

the 2009 Great American Beer Festival, where the sweeter Bourbonic Plague eked out Gansberg’s more acetic Vlad. But I way prefer Vlad. OK, I way prefer Cascade’s blueberry ale, but it’s a one-off and I need an endless supply since it’s the rest of my life we’re talking here.

— via their roles in brewing, educating, and proselytizing — made thoughtful selections including two votes for the standard-bearer of the Flanders Red style. Let’s start with someone who chose to enjoy beer on an actual island for the rest of his foreseeable life.

Garrett Marrero: founder of Maui Brewing

Midas Touch Dogfish Head, Milton, DE: “Great beer for those many seafood feasts under the moonlight. I’m thinking Opaka caught on spear of course, seasoned with sea salt and steamed over palm fronds and banana leaves…. Seriously though, I love the muscat grapes, honey, and use of saffron.”

Duchesse de Bourgogne Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Belgium: “A real treat in my opinion, we don’t have sours in Hawaii…yet (insert evil chuckle here). I remember my first Duchesse at the Falling Rock in Denver suggested by Marty Jones. Still one of my go-to beers.”

Gueuze Girardin 1882 Brouwerij Girardin, Belgium: “Fell in love in Belgium with this one, so being stuck on a deserted isle I’d probably need the mental getaway now and again. I’d drink this under the shade of the palm tree and dream of a threehundred-year-old bierhuis in Ghent where I enjoyed this beer with local salami, cheese and spicy mustard. Plus, it’s very refreshing on a warm day.”

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Brooklyn Lager (in a CAN) Brooklyn Brewing, NY: 36

“Benefit here, besides a great refreshing

lager, is it’s a 16 oz. can. I realize I have an endless supply, but I’m assuming I have to get up to grab them myself so this guy’d give me time before having to rouse myself and actually go to my cooler…. wait, I have a cooler right?”

Mamas Lil Yella Pils Oskar Blues, Lyons, CO: “Again a can, and yes, again a lager but I can put away quite a few of these and still see straight enough to spear my next fish. Plus, if I were stranded I’m sure I’d miss my friends and I’m fortunate to count Dale (Katechis, owner) and his family in that group.”

Lisa Morrison:

host of Beer O’Clock and author of Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest

Turmoil Cascadian Dark AleBarley Brown’s Brewpub, Baker City, OR: “This rather remote brewpub is turning out some great beers, not the least of which is this Great American Beer Festival gold-medalaward winner — the first ever in the American-Style India Black Ale, and rightfully so. Darn tasty.”

Duchesse de Bourgogne Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Belgium: “My hubby, Mark, and I have two taps in our kitchen (yep, IN the kitchen) and this lovely Belgian lady has probably paid us more visits on the taps than any other singular beer. It goes with so many foods, is just as great alone, and is a wonderful foil for those times when you have ‘beer mouth’ and need something to brighten the palate.”

Abrasive Ale Surly, Minneapolis, MN: “Big, bad-ass and in your face. Just the way I like my double IPAs. This one comes at you full-throttle with grapefruit, pine, citrus and then presents you with some floral notes without any apology.”

Oak Aged Yeti Great Divide, Denver, CO:

Cuvee De Ranke Brouwerij De Ranke, Belgium: “A wonderful sour ale from De Ranke — one of my favorite Belgian breweries — blended with lambic from Girardin, perhaps my favorite lambic producer.”

Westmalle Tripel Brouwerij Westmalle, Belgium:

“One of the most beautiful beers you can ever lay eyes on, with a rich, tan head atop an inky black body. Just what an imperial stout should be, too, with gobs of molasses, coffee, chocolate, brown sugar and a hint of lemony tartness — all aged to perfection in oak barrels, but never overdone. We named our dog Yeti. ‘Nuf said.”

“When I stumble upon that trove of oysters on the south end of my island (this island doesn’t sound so bad...) I want to make sure I have something to drink with them. With oysters I more often go for an Orval, but I figure I’ll be so sick of that “of the sea” flavor that I’ll want to subdue it and play up the sweetness instead by pairing with this zesty, lightly peppery tripel.”

“This was my favorite new beer of 2010, with touches of tropical fruit, peaches and apricot that crescendo into a huge West Coast citrusy IPA mouth-watering finish. A perfect summer beer. And a perfect deserted island one, to boot.”

and with more emphasis on hop flavor than bitterness. Double IPAs like this are almost cocktail-like. I’ve tasted Pliny so fresh that you feel as though you’re drinking it in a citrus orchard situated against a pine forest.”

Pliny the Elder Maiden the Shade Russian River, Santa Rosa, CA Ninkasi, Eugene, OR: “This is the perfect double IPA: dry,

Nicole Erny:

Certified Cicerone Exam Manager and beertender/event organizer at Oakland’s new CommonWealth

Firestone Walker Pale 31 Firestone Walker, Paso Robles, CA:

“If I’m stuck on an island forever I want it to be with my favorite Belgian Dark Strong ale. The black pepper tones and figgy sweetness will be perfect for those chilly windblown nights with nothing but my endless stock of beer to comfort me.” So how about it, Skipper (or Ginger, just so long as you’re not a Howell), your ship is adrift at sea or your plane goes down a la Lost and you’re lucky enough to have five eternal beersprings. What do you pick? Quaff wisely.

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“A nice American pale ale with a punch of lime, meyer lemon and grapefruit-like hop flavors and a low ABV for those squelching hot days on the beach.”

Rochefort 10 Brasserie Rochefort, Belgium:

Discovering the Isle of Islay By Nate Nicoll and Chris Jew

While the consumption and appreciation of quality whisky was once a luxury reserved for landed gentry and those dining at the captain’s table, we live in a time when the Sea of Whisky is open to anyone with some spare cash and a willingness to teach their palate a thing or two. One excellent way to spend your monetary and corporeal currency is on an Islay whisky.

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O 38

n more than a few occasions I have awoken to find myself washed ashore on the sands of an Islay whisky. Surely the blame for the bleary and dehydrated state ultimately rests with me, but the Islay whiskies play no small part. Still, like Ulysses’ Sirens, I am unable to escape the lure of Islay whenever my drinking

voyages take me near Scottish waters. What is an Islay whisky you might ask yourself…hell, how do you even pronounce it? Islay (pronounced “eyela”), besides being an actual island, is a distinct Scotch whisky-producing region. To know something about Islay whiskies, one must first know something about whisky, and Scotch in particular. A few Continued on page 40

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according to the local and very specific rules. These rules also state that it must be mashed, fermented, distilled and aged in Scotland. Additionally, in order to be deemed Scotch, the whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years and the final product must have an alcohol content of at least forty percent by volume (80 proof ). The Cliff Note’s version: If it isn’t made it Scotland, it isn’t Scotch. If you are in Canada and you are drinking local whiskey, you are drinking whiskey but you aren’t drinking Scotch. If you are in the United States and you are drinking bourbon or rye, you are drinking one of two varieties of whiskey but you still are not drinking Scotch. You get the idea. And while whiskies from the U.S. to Japan are probably all the relatives of Scotland, they don’t get to use grandfather’s eponymous title: Scotch. However, some whiskies, including the Japanese Yamazaki, do choose to retain a little of their Scottish heritage by using the word “whisky,” which derives from the Gaelic word usquebaugh (uisge beatha), or “water of life.”

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fundamentals will go a long way, so let’s knock them out in short order. First, you will notice that there is an “e” missing in whisky whenever we refer to Scotch. The Scots might argue that we Americans along with the Irish and Canadians have it all wrong with our whiskey spelling. But however you spell it, whiskies are all spirits distilled from grain. Different grains can come into play depending on your local and your desired end-product, but it is going to be a grain and that is the end of that. No fooling around with potatoes, grapes or very small pebbles.

As for Scotch, it is essentially a whisky made of malted barley in Scotland

o further prepare for our exploration of Islay whisky we should briefly acknowledge the other regions of whisky production in Scotland. There are six different Scotch producing regions in Scotland: Highland, Speyside, Lowland, Campbeltown, Island, and Islay. These regions each boast distinct styles, but all must play by the same fundamental rules in order to bear the title of Scotch on their labels (and yes, even the labels have to pass official muster). These are general characteristics as there are always exceptions and different nuances to each whisky: Highlands (Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Old Pultney) tend to have a lighter,

fruity and vanilla profile. Speyside (The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, The Macallan) tend to be sherried with hints of spice. The Lowlands (Glenkinchie, Bladnoch, Auchentoshan) are generally softer and more delicate with floral and heather influences. Islands (Talisker, Arran, Highland Park) have coastal flavors of brine and seaweed and some have a smoky profile. Campbeltown (Springbank and Glen Scotia) is a bit of an odd fellow. It used to have the most distilleries in Scotland, now it has the fewest. The flavors can be slightly smoky with a hint of peat.

Then there are the Islay whiskies. A little confusion can arise because of the Island region of Scotland that was mentioned earlier. The Island region is composed of many distilleries scattered across numerous islands. The Islay whiskies, however, all hail from the Isle of Islay, an Inner Hebridean Island off of the southwest coast of Scotland. And what of the Islay whiskies that I find both perilous and attractive? Islay whisky is most renowned for a single characteristic: peat.

Perhaps now is a good time to put names to a few of the Sirens that entice people from the safer channels of the Sea of Whisky to a blissful, recurring demise upon the shores of Islay. Novel-length odes have been written describing the attributes of individual whiskies, but we’re going to run with some quick, dirty, occasionally inaccurate, but utilitarian descriptions of the nine active distilleries currently operating on Islay. Laphroaig (“lafroig”) and Lagavulin (“lagavoolin”) are two better-known inhabitants of Islay. These two are often found in even the most rudimentary, single malt whisky selections at your local bar. In addition to the numerous flavors particular to each Scotch, Laphroaig boasts a smoky peat and Lagavulin additionally brings ocean-born salt to the palate.

aol Ila (“cull eela”) (with its iodine and coal/ashpeat), Bowmore (“bo more”) and Bunnahabhain (“bunna habin”) (with their own distinctive combinations of peat, sometimes dark fruits and sea-air) contribute to a lush variety of seductive flavors straddling the island. And then there are Ardbeg and Bruichladdich (“brewk lawdy”), two Islay whiskies skilled in their own rights, striving to artfully entrap as much peat as possible into the spirit of Islay. Finally there is the new kid on the isle, so to speak: Kilcho-man (“kil hko man”), which was only opened in 2008. Their distillations and re-lease feisty, youthful and ashy expres-sions. There are almost as many silent letters on Islay as there are peatfires burning at any given time, so worry not about the pronunciation of any given distillery. Enough trips to Islay and you will slowly retain an appreciation for

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Peat is mostly vegetation in a state of decay and is found all over Islay. Give it another hundred million years and additional pressure and you would have oil. As it is now, though, peat is an earthy-looking muck commonly found in a moor, mire, or bog. While still immature compared to some stuff we pull out of the ground, peat is a fuel and is often dried and burned. So when it comes time to dry your malted barley on Islay and get on with the whisky process, more than a few of the Islay distilleries go in for using copious amounts of the abundant fuel to get the job done. As a result, Islay whiskies often exude flavors along the smoke, ash, coal, dust, or just plain burnt-earth spectrum (mind you, those are complementary terms). While Islay is by no means the only area of

Scotland producing peaty whiskies, peat, above all else, characterizes Islay whiskies.

Harvesting peat, the source of all that smoky flavor.

the local dialect, even through the oftaddled fog of memory enshrouding this singular isle.

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A 42

n Islay whisky, like any good whisky, should be enjoyed neat. On occasion (rare occasion in some books, including mine) a few drops of water can open up the flavor and enhance certain characteristics. Enjoying whisky should be a personal experience though. You are the one drinking it so you should drink your way. You will, however fortunately and often unfairly, be judged accordingly. Many view this as is a crime to do to any single malt whisky, as well as the better blends. Expect to incur the arguably just ire of Islay’s inhabitants should you be caught imbibing in such a manner. Some like their whisky with a cigar. You will look

really cool. And while you may enjoy both enormously, you will probably miss out on some of the finer details of the whisky. The cigar smoke can dull your taste buds and some of the great flavors in the whisky might be missed. If you leave your water and smokes behind, you may find everything you need in the right whisky.

Take Ardbeg’s Corryvreckan, for example. One whiff will fill the nose with a dusty peat, an oily salt, and some smoked-and-peppered malts. And when you take a sip… what you will get is a deluge of sweet brininess, a lush, slightly viscous mouth-feel filling your cheeks with peat and a surge of heat that evens into a slow burn, a gentle numbing. Dough and smoke and a dense, malty bite will mix and linger with an enduring peat and spectral traces of floral sugars. Welcome to Islay.

GIVE YOUR MARGARITA A BRAZILIAN TWIST INTRODUCING JDK & SONS 03 PREMIUM ORANGE LIQUEUR ™

PREMIUM FLAVOR AT A LESS-THAN-PREMIUM PRICE. Made with the true flavor of sweet oranges grown exclusively in Brazil. Mix the passion and excitement right into your margarita.

RIO MARGARITA 2 parts Hornitos™ Tequila 1 part JDK & Sons™ O3 Premium Orange Liqueur 1 part lime juice ½ part agave nectar

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled margarita glass. Garnish with an orange.

c a e s a r's

vines: Mediterranean wines By Alan Goldfarb

By day, the island of Capri off the coast of Napoli, can be a tourist nightmare from hell. With swarms of turistas arriving by hyrdofoil from the mainland seemingly every fifteen minutes — who descend upon chic shops on the Via Camerelle such as Bulgheri, Canfora, and Pucci and Gucci — Capri is a Disneylandia.

h, but by night, Capri is an oasis of tranquility, charm, and loveliness. Sitting in the tiny Piazzetta, as it’s known, one talks, smokes, and sips on limoncello. But for me, it’s the local wine — the white Falanghina, Greco and Biancolella varieties, or the Capri Rosso, made for the most part from Piedirosso — that gives the true taste, literally, of the island.

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In 29 B.C., Caesar, impressed by the beauty of the island, acquired it in exchange for the larger island of Ischia. His successor, Tiberius took up residence on Capri. The wine produced was particularly appreciated by Tiberius, who was pejoratively nicknamed Biberius (or lush, as in big drinker) by his subjects. Over the centuries, the island’s inhabitants have continued to tend the vines, planting them in the ruins of the emperor’s villas, so that those who drink the wine today can feel that they are in physical contact with the glorious ancient world.

Another Italian wine growing island, Elba, off the coast of Tuscany also has a grand tradition of viticulture. Tending to the grapes here has been one of the primary activities for the Elbans for centuries. It is said that Napoleon took great pleasure in viticulture during his exile here. Over time, wine growing has blossomed and now includes Rosato (rosé), Ansonica, Aleatico, Vin Santo, as well as Passito Ansonica, white Muscat, and spumante (Italian sparkling wine). While many great wines are made in land-locked locales, islands are surrounded by an integral component to making wine: water. Bodies of water can cool a warm vineyard. Water stores heat, raises temperatures, and reflects sunshine onto slopes. Most important, large bodies of water are responsible for an extended growing season, which allows many of the varieties to ripen over a protracted time. There are also water-borne breezes that help dry the leaf canopy which helps reduce disease.

But not all islands are created equal – wine-wise. The Hawaiian Islands are surrounded by water of course, but while the region is attempting to make good wine, the climate is too warm for making great wine. Of the dozens of islands where vinifera (grape varieties that lend themselves to making world-class wine) are grown, probably the finest island wines come from southern Italy, specifically from Sardinia, way off the coast between Rome and Naples; and Sicily, which is a futbol kick off the Italian toe.

he wines of Sardinia, especially Cannonau, are beginning to gain international prominence. The grape variety is the same as Grenache (as the French spell it) or Garnacha (as the Spanish say). Cannonau is ruby in color, which tends to garnet because of aging. It has a fruity smell of ripe plums and blackberries, sometimes spiced; an ethereal fragrance, which tends to be rich and floral. It’s dry, rich, and soft with a bitter aftertaste. Carignano or Carignan is another grape variety that is catching on in Sardinia. The Carginano is deep ruby, bright, tending to violet with strong fragrance. It possesses fruity aromas of mulberry, plums and red currants, with a lightly herbaceous scent, fading as it ripens. Dry, strong, and rich with long finish.

These wines taste of where they were grown — on the side of an extinct volcano whose slopes plummet to the sea. Alas, they are not readily found in the U.S. The most renowned producer is Pietratorcia, whose white Vigne di Chignole shows very intense sea air with a subtle hazelnut undertone. On the other side of southern Italy, are the Greek islands and one in particular stands out. Santorini’s wines are intense whites from the Assyrtiko grape, whose vines are trained in little nests that crouch on the windswept hills of a dormant volcano. These wines are scented with lemon and minerals and are very dry. Back to the west, in Spain, is the posh resort Mallorca on the Baleares Island between Barcelona and Valencia. On the island’s rolling central plateau, which shelters the vines from the winds of the Mediterranean, hot summers, mild winters and limestone soil account for dry reds such as Manto Negra and Callet. Portugal too, has its wine-producing islands. The most famous, but often overlooked are the sweet, brown (or caramel-colored) wines from Madeira. These can be some of the greatest and long-lived dessert wines in the world. Much like the San Francisco Bay, which

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And then there are Sardinia’s top white wines, Vermentino and Vernaccia. Vermentino, with its delicate aromas of fruit and hints of almonds in the finish, is a wine to be consumed young. Vernaccia di Oristano is an ancient, aging, golden yellow white wine that can be compared to the best Jerez (sherry) wines.

Another Italian island where good wines are produced is Ischia (pronounced IZ key a), north of Capri and off the Amalfi Coast. Little known, the island is rugged and a bit rough around the edges, but it makes excellent whites from the Biancolella and Forastera varieties. For the reds the main grapes are the aforementioned Piedirosso and some Aglianico, which is also found on the mainland.

for centuries was not discovered because it was shrouded in fog, Madeira often has black clouds billowing over its mountains, which caused early navigators to turn back thinking they’d reached the end of the world.

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he island is warm and subtropical with lots of rainfall. The weathered basalt pebbled soil has been weathered red. But it’s here that white grapes — Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malvasia — are aged on racks to warm in the searing sun. The resulting wines are alternatively dry, medium-dry, mediumsweet, and doce (sweet and rich). There’s good acidity and unique, wonderful caramel and nutty aromas and flavors.

Finally in Europe, on Corsica off France, where improvements in quality are slow to come, the vineyards are mostly on the lower slopes and the plains. The island, with long summers and warm, wet winters, grow mostly obscure varieties such as Nielluccio and Sciacarello, although Grenache and Carignan are also used. Perhaps more than other wine-growing regions of the world, wines from islands smell and taste like the places from which they come. They display the phenomenon the French call terroir. That is, the physical attributes of those areas — the sea (especially the salt sea’s air and taste), the soils (mostly rocky and volcanic), the winds, and the typography (the shelter-from-the-storm hillsides, rock outcroppings, and mountains — all contribute to the experience. In addition to producing good wine, these regions boast excellent food, and that other element — romance, that cannot be dismissed as contributing to the “place” that a wine might bring. Just as what the fifth, inexplicable element — umami — brings to food, island wines, especially consumed at their provenance, can be idiosyncratic and intoxicating (literally and figuratively).

Eat Your Booze

Bread Pudding By Denise Sakaki

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read pudding is a dessert that is as comforting as it is versatile. It can be made both savory and sweet, but the dessert form is likely more familiar to most, with that cozy first bite into warm, custard-soaked bread, a little crunch of walnut, hints of cinnamon, and the tartness of raisins. It’s one of those dishes that come from a humble need to throw together leftovers and a relative, maybe a grandmother, often made it with the often-heard saying, “Don’t let anything go to waste!” But a dessert of necessity doesn’t mean it can’t be shaken up a bit. Why not take the bread pudding on a tropical vacation? What makes this bread pudding more tropical than traditional are the ingredient swap-outs. Using coconut milk instead of cow’s milk or cream adds a distinctly fragrant sweetness. Any soft bread like a dinner roll would do, but try using a loaf of Portuguese sweet bread, which is a lightly sweetened brioche-like bread that absorbs the custard nicely (dry the bread in the oven for a bit if it’s a fresh loaf). It’s a popular bread in places like Hawaii, where Portuguese farmers settled and shared much of their culinary favorites. Other island-themed ingredients include fresh sliced bananas, which add a rich texture to each bite, creamy macadamia nuts and of course a big taste contribution comes from the addition of dark rum. A spirit distilled from molasses, a byproduct of sugarcane harvesting, dark rum adds a deep, smoky undertone to the dessert, and goes nicely with the rounded flavors of the coconut milk

and bananas. It’s added to the custard that soaks the bread and also can be sprinkled over the finished baked pudding, as well as the crème anglaise topping that finishes the dish. For a dessert whose lineage comes from a waste not, want not mentality, this tropical island version of bread pudding will make for a rich finish to any meal.

Bread Pudding on Tropical Vacation (serves 8-10)

Ingredients 1 loaf of Portuguese sweet bread torn into chunks (about 6 cups’ worth); stale or dried lightly in the oven 3 heaping cups of sliced bananas 1 cup of raisins 1 cup of chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts (chopped walnuts is fine to substitute) 1 cup of shredded coconut

For the custard: 1 13.5 ounce can of full-fat coconut milk 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup dark rum 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon Seeds from 1 whole vanilla bean pod (substitute w/ a teaspoon of vanilla extract)

To finish: Make a quick crĂ¨me anglaise by melting down a pint of good vanilla ice cream, and mix with a splash of dark rum. Drizzle some of the rum over the just-baked bread pudding as well, to keep moist. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a large, high-sided casserole dish (15 X 10 inch, 2 inches deep) and lightly butter or spray with oil to keep the bread from sticking. Prepare the custard by mixing the coconut milk, rum, cinnamon, vanilla seeds, and sugar to a large bowl, and lightly beat each egg in until combined. Take your stale or oven-dried bread

pieces and place into the custard bowl, tossing lightly to get the pieces coated and starting to soak up the liquid. Spread the custard-soaked bread evenly in the prepared casserole dish and add the banana slices, tucking into any open gaps between the bread. Sprinkle the raisins, macadamia nuts and shredded coconut over the pudding and cover with tin foil. Let it sit for 10 minutes to let it fully soak in the custard. Place the covered casserole dish in the oven and let it bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then rotate and remove the foil and let it bake for a final 8 to 10 minutes, until the top is slightly browned. When finished, remove from the oven, sprinkle with a few splashes of dark rum, and let the pudding rest a few minutes before spooning out into bowls. Before serving the dessert, melt down the vanilla ice cream on low in the microwave and mix with a splash of rum. Drizzle this lightly over a bowl or dessert glass of the bread pudding for a creamy, rich finish.

Falernum:

History, Heresy, & Homebrewing By Ken Walczak

Maybe you were flipping through the pages of a favorite cocktail book. Maybe perusing the classic rum-based drinks on the menu at a fine tiki bar. Under any of these circumstances you may have encountered the word “falernum” and wondered about this unusual item cropping up amongst familiar ingredients.

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onder no more, fellow cocktail enthusiast: falernum is a tasty and accessible liqueur that adds essential spice to certain traditional island or island-inspired drinks, and one or two modern classics. You’ll need falernum if you want to make yourself a Corn ‘n Oil, or a Chartreuse Swizzle — and you should want to, because those drinks are delicious (more on them in a moment). If you cannot find a bottle of falernum at your local liquor

store, it is easy enough to make a tasty batch at home – provided you can locate a decent overproof rum, some limes, and the right spices. Falernum is by all accounts from Barbados and therefore Barbadian (or “Bajan,” if you’re serious about this kind of thing). The primary flavors in falernum are clove and lime, frequently accented by other spices such as allspice or ginger. It appears to have evolved from a sort

of streamlined, bottled rum punch to a mixer for very dark rum that adds citrus, sweeteners, and spice all at once. The proper pronunciation is “fah-learn-um.” Per the 2003 book A-Z of Barbados Heritage: “There is a joke making the rounds which purports to explain how falernum got its name. In one version, the tourist, after tasting the drink, asks the old man how he made this delicious liqueur. After a few moments hesitation the old Barbadian replies ‘you have fuh learn um’ (you have to learn it).” Like any good cocktail enthusiast with an overflowing liquor cabinet, I started my falernum research by hunting down a bottle of the stuff. I learned that one Bajan producer, John D. Taylor, exports its “Velvet” brand falernum to the United States, thanks to the fine people at Haus Alpenz. The Fee Brothers from Rochester, New York, also make a non-alcoholic falernum. I found the Velvet Falernum to be a sweet, slightly syrupy, pale amber liqueur that tastes strongly of cloves and more meekly of ginger, cinnamon, and lime. Quite lovely. Since the Velvet brand is only eleven percent (22 proof ), I tried a few sips neat and then placed the bottle in my refrigerator for safe-keeping. (A good rule of thumb: an opened bottle of anything less than 50 proof will eventually spoil sitting on your counter or in your liquor cabinet.)

To read about falernum, especially online, is to wade into a disorienting morass of conflicting opinions. One self-styled expert on a tiki-phile web forum swears that the Fee Brothers’ version is unsurpassed for use in the cocktail recipes made famous by renowned tiki pioneers “Trader” Vic Bergeron and Donn Beach (a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber). Another expert swears that the old paperumbrella crowd would never have been caught dead using non-alcoholic falernum, and that the Velvet brand is precisely the same as the stuff poured in the first legendary tiki bars like Trader Vic’s and Don the Beachcomber’s half a century ago. The issue is complicated further by what we might regard as gaps in the historical record. For years, falernum of any kind was unavailable or sporadically available to Americans, due to distribution issues. The Velvet brand obtained distribution in major cities near the beginning of this century but severed ties with that distributor in 2007. In 2008, Haus Alpenz began distributing Velvet Falernum in major markets. During the gaps in availability, desperate drink writers and mixologists began circulating their recipes for homemade falernum, and comparing notes. Diving into those waters yields even more questions, with predictable dogmatic energy on both sides. Is a 151-proof demerara rum necessary, or desirable? Should one toast the spices, or at least “wake them up” before adding them?

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Having established that I liked to drink falernum, I set out to learn what others thought — how they use falernum in cocktails, and which brand or style

they prefer. In so doing, I learned that perhaps the most interesting thing about falernum is its propensity to spawn controversy and confusion, without the need for a single sip.

Regular simple syrup, or “cold process”? It’s like something out of the French New Wave classic Last Year at Marienbad: corridors that end in doors opening out onto more corridors ... Better just to dive in and start making drinks. I started with a batch of falernum made according to Paul Clarke’s “Falernum #8” recipe, see below. I sampled this falernum side-by-side with the Velvet brand, slightly chilled and then in two different cocktails. I did not sample any non-alcoholic falernum, on the grounds that it constitutes heresy (ok, it was really because I couldn’t find a bottle quickly enough for this

experiment). And I eschewed more elaborate tiki drinks (like the Bermuda Rum Swizzle or the Jet Pilot) based on my firm belief that it is impossible to keep that many kinds of rum in the house at the same time. That’s why God (and Martin Cate) invented San Francisco’s Smuggler’s Cove. The homemade falernum was unquestionably brighter and more citrus-forward than the Velvet brand, with a predominant lime smell. The overproof rum also played more heavily into the homebrew’s flavor profile, leaving telltale grassy notes in the finish. Both varieties were appropriately thick and syrupy, but the Velvet Falernum’s flavors seemed more gently layered,

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Falernum #8

6 oz. Wray & Nephew overproof White Rum zest of 9 medium limes, removedwith a microplane grater or sharp vegetable peeler, with no white pith 40 whole cloves (buy fresh ones — not the cloves that have been in your spice rack since last Christmas) 1.5 oz. by weight, peeled, julienned fresh ginger Technique: Combine these ingredients in a jar and seal, letting the mixture soak for 24 hours. Then, strain through moistened cheesecloth, squeezing the solids to extract the last, flavorful bits of liquid. Add: .25 teaspoon almond extract 14 oz. cold process 2:1 simple syrup (two parts sugar to one part water, shaken in a jar or bottle WITHOUT HEAT until all the sugar is dissolved) 4 .5 ounces fresh, strained lime juice Shake it all together and serve.

Falernum Jargon, Decoded Demerara rum: A rum, of any color and proof, made from demerara sugar. Demerara sugar: A brown sugar made by partially refining sugar cane extract a.k.a. “natural brown sugar,” or “turbinado sugar” (Non-demerara brown sugar is made by adding molasses to fully refined sugar). “Waking up” spices: a process of lightly crushing whole, fresh spices to enhance flavor. Commonly done with a mortar and pestle. “Cold process” simple syrup: sugar syrup made without heat, as in the preceding recipe for Falernum #8.

and the clove notes were much more substantial in the Velvet brand.

ikely for that reason, the Velvet played better with Cruzan Black Strap Rum in the classic Bajan beverage, a Corn ‘n Oil (crushed ice; 2 oz. rum; 1.5 oz falernum; juice of half a lime, with the hull dropped in for garnish; dash Angostura bitters). Although the difference was slight, Velvet’s stronger clove notes paired with the dark rum to create a taste sensation closer to Rum and Coke, a classic that became a classic for a good reason. By contrast, the homemade falernum worked slightly better than the Velvet in renowned bartender and cocktail creator Marco Dionysos’s modern classic, the Chartreuse Swizzle (1.25 oz. green Chartreuse; 1 oz. pineapple juice; .75 oz. lime juice; .5 oz. falernum; swizzled with crushed ice). The fresh citrus notes in the homebrew brightened up this drink and shone a spotlight on the delicious harmony between herbaceous Chartreuse and sweet pineapple, which makes the Swizzle such a revelation. For my next batch of homebrew, I resolved to implement bartender/ blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s changes to the Clarke recipe. In his variant Mr. Morgenthaler soaks the cloves in rum for 48 hours before adding the lime zest and ginger. He soaks these ingredients another 24 hours before straining and mixing with the almond extract, syrup, and juice. I expect this would amplify the volume of the clove flavors to the proper level.

Just then I received an e-mail from Eric Seed, head of Haus Alpenz. On the difference between Velvet and other brands of falernum liqueurs, he wrote simply: “The VF recipe is the Barbados tradition ... other recipes and styles reflect other origins and preferences.” In other words: calm down, it’s only falernum. We like it this way, but there are lots of other tasty ways to layer these flavors. Choose one that you like and mix yourself a nice strong drink. Soon you’ll forget about the disorienting hallways of endless possibilities, and start imagining the brilliant rays of the warm Barbados sun.

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Of course, that decision raised a whole new set of questions: What of cocktail historian Darcy O’Neil’s research showing that nineteenth century falernum was basically a rum punch: just lime juice, sugar syrup, rum, and water —

no almonds, ginger, or cloves? Should I honor that tradition by cutting back on the spices considerably? I became dizzy, picturing myself lurching down those endless Marienbad hallways again.

Websites to Drink to

This is a QR code. You can scan it with your smart phone and link directly to us. Want to find out more? Check out RedLaser.com

DrinkOfTheWeek.com

he premise is inherently simple: one cocktail recipe per week. What the name doesn’t imply is that there’s a whole lot more to this cocktailian site. While most posts include a DIY drink recipe (there’s a Think Geek Martini for International Pi Day, for example), the blog section features tips for professional consumption, like how to pour a perfect Guinness and which glassware best suits an aged cognac. All recipes are searchable by liquor, which makes throwing an impromptu party possible even with a paltry bar. But, of course, if you frequented this site, you’d already have a well-stocked liquor cabinet thanks to their suggestions for what to always have on hand.

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EXPLORE ALL THINGS RANGER

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Book Review: Swallow Your Words By Stephanie Henry

A Taste for Absinthe Authors: R. Winston Guthrie & James F. Thompson Subject: Absinthe history & recipes

Synopsis & Review: Poor absinthe. Until America renounced its prohibition in 2007, stating safe levels of the natural hallucinogenic chemical thujone, absinthe was wrongfully shamed, stigmatized, and sent packing to colder climes. Fortunately, R. Winston Guthrie and James F. Thompson’s book A Taste for Absinthe picks up where the Belle Epoque period (read: party) in Paris left off. By the look of a few featured recipes, not a day has gone by since Parisians were spilling out into the streets for L’Heure Verts (“The Green Hour”), a late-afternoon absinthe drink-a-long. Except instead of mixing the Green Fairy — named after its vibrant emerald tint — with water, the recipes in this book are masterfully paired with modern spirits, fruit juices, and simple syrups by skilled bartenders. Throw in some interesting historical trivia and buying tips, and it’s easily the most comprehensive guide to absinthe since its banishment for “protective measures” in 1912. Why We Recommend It: Because absinthe is dangerous and cool. It’s what James Dean or Frank Sinatra would’ve been drinking if America wasn’t such a party pooper. Moreover, the recipes in A Taste for Absinthe are downright awe-inspiring. We dare you to flip to any page in this book without being surprised by the versatility of ingredients that pair well with this powerful, anise-flavored liqueur. Ruby port? Mezcal? Freshly grated cinnamon? Sure. Chances are some of your favorite cocktails come with at least a rinse or mist of the Green Fairy — whether you realized it or not. Beautifully photographed by San Francisco local Liza Gershman, the bars in which absinthe is served come alive with the decadence and debauchery we’d expect from 1889 Paris. About the Authors: Guthrie discovered his passion for absinthe while

researching the history of spirited beverages. He’s now one of the foremost experts on the subject and founder of AbsintheBuyersGuide.com, a resource for domestic and international brands as well as tasting tips and accessories. Co-author Thompson adds literary expertise with years of editing and publishing experience in New York.

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ATasteForAbsinthe.com

Islands aren’t just for rum anymore... By Sierra Zimei

Mixologists on the coasts have been reaching for gin, rum and whisky when creating new cocktails, leaving vodka as an “easy” last option. Tired of mass produced, mass marketed, odorless, colorless spirits, bartenders were losing faith in the future of vodka... until now! Thanks to some creative distillers around the world, there are delicious new vodkas hitting the bar shelves and cocktail lists everywhere. One characteristic that makes these vodkas different is the island water. Ocean Vodka is not only made on the beautiful island of Maui, it is one hundred percent USDA certified organic. Uniquely made from raw cane sugar grown on the Hawaiian Islands, Ocean uses water drawn from three thousand feet below the surface of the big island of Hawaii. The combination of sugar and water seems so basic but the results are so delicious. Introduced to the United States in 2006, 42 Below is made on the breathtaking island and country of New Zealand, on the forty-second

parallel and bottled at 42% ABV. The water used for the production of this winter wheat spirit comes from under an extinct volcano and the product produced has received the highest purity ratings of any vodka available today. Recently in the news for their volcano wreaking havoc on travelers around the world, the green island of Iceland is also home to Reyka vodka. Named after the Icelandic word for steam, Reyka is distilled from a mix of local wheat and barley in a specially commissioned Carter Head still, using geothermal steam and glacier water with zero impurities. Finally, voted Best Vodka in the 2010 World Spirits Competition, Chase Vodka is from a larger island, made in Herefordshire, England. They use local potatoes and distill them once through a copper pot still and twice through a sixty foot copper column still. Mr. William Chase admits that the process is labor intensive but enjoys having complete control of his spirit, even diluting it with water from an aquifer underneath a local apple orchard as the finishing touch.

From Michael Callahan of Azul bar in San Francisco

Crossfire Penalty

The Ice Flower

1.5oz 42 Below Pure 1.0oz Cockburn tawny port .75oz lime juice 3 slices of house pickled Jalapenos

Stir with ice and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with sunken hibiscus flower.

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into collins glass with ice. Top with Fever–Tree ginger beer and barrel–aged bitters. Garnish with lime and mint.

2 oz Reyka Vodka 1 oz brewed and chilled green tea .75 oz Kasumi Tsuru Extra Dry Sake

TiCk On s eTs nOwale !

TH I NGS U P! July 20-24, 2011

Bartenders create unbelievable cocktails on a nightly basis. But once a year, they come together in New Orleans to shake up the entire cocktail industry. Tickets are now on sale for the five days of drink makin’, soul shakin’ good times that is Tales of the Cocktail®. So join us for the perfect mix of cocktails, cuisine and culture and let us shake you all week long. For tickets and more information about shaking things up with us this summer, visit www.TalesoftheCocktail.com.

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Libation Laureate

In This Old Country Bar

by Ale Gasso

Sloppy, sloppy piano player fingers stumble across broken backs of old keyboards soaked in whiskey busted shoes search below for rusty pedals pumping smoke into the room with every lyric. The dance is really a fight to stay standing in twos eyes shut tight with song glasses raised and lost somewhere between the bathroom and the bar.

Featured Recipes The Royal Warrant

by Jon Gasparini of Rye, SF

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by gaz regan

1 oz. Laphroaig 10 year old Scotch .75 oz. Earl Grey Syrup .5 oz Fresh Lemon .5 oz. Organic egg whites 2 Dashes Kumquat Bitters (can be replaced with The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters) Bergamot Garnish

2 oz Plymouth gin .5 oz Grand Marnier .25 oz Navan vanilla liqueur 4 to 5 Dashes Angostura bitters

Technique: Dry shake contents to emulsify egg whites. Add ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Fine strain into cocktail glass or over ice.

Garnish: Lemon Twist

Garnish: Microplane bergamot zest over top

Plymouth Hoe

Technique: Stir over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Discover a liqueur that’s handmade using farm-fresh, organic ingredients. No artificial flavors, preservatives or colors. For drink recipes and more, please visit

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