drinkmemag_issue22

lifest yle through the gl ass

s o uth of the border

– Salud from Drink Me –

is sue

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2 2 . . . o c tob er + n ovem b er 2 012

In 1842, we created the world’s first golden beer, the standard by which all

other pilsners are measured. We strive to protect its perfection by express shipping in temperature-controlled containers direct from Pilsen to the U.S. – ensuring a taste as fresh as in the Czech Republic.

©2012 Imported by Pilsner Urquell USA, Washington D.C. * Beer

oct + nov 2012

south of the ingredients bottoms up! | is sue

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30 f e at u r e s

12 toma con dios Mexican beer, the Colonial way Brian Yaeger

18 it’s all the sames Call me Margarita, maybe Ford Mixology Lab

22 blind tasting Meet CP: a blind winemaker in New Zealand Allison Levine

30 endangered tequila Is tequila running out?

Emily Hutto

34 a pisco primer From Peru (and Chile) and into your mouth Hal Klein

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border 9 d e pa r t m e n t s

5 from the editor

40 48 hours in...

9 design

Moscow, Russia Paul Ross

ÂĄLucha libre!

Dava Guthmiller

50 profile

10 seasons change

Zacapa Rum’s master blender Yael Amyra

Fall Courtney Harrell

54 featured recipes

17 new booze

55 book review

Very Old Scout David Driscoll

Edible Cocktails: From Garden to Glass Sangita Devaskar

38 eat your booze

59 libation laureate

Smokey scotch ale mole sauce Denise Sakaki

Ale Gasso

60 menu

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from the editor

As the fall strikes like a luchador flipping a cape-

Your editor: down for whatever, holmes (artist’s rendition)

adorned giant in a wrestling ring, Mexican Independence Day turned our heads south.

Though our northern Canuck neighbors might bring us amazing hockey, maple syrup, and lots of ice, this issue is all about their spicier southern counterparts. Not to fear, we’re looking south and touching upon everything from Mexican beers (which are actually an adaptation from European brews) to tequila and the omnipresent margarita.

We keep heading south to Peru (and Chile!) and the big trends of Pisco that are whetting our palates in the US, and we even find ourselves near the bottom of the earth, meeting a blind winemaker in New Zealand.

We’re flying south for the oncoming winter. Fly with us.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Salud!

Daniel

daniel yaffe,

editor—in—chief

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CONTRIBuTORS: Yael Amyra, Sangita Devaskar, David Driscoll, Richard English, Ford Mixology Lab, Janice Fuhrman, Ale Gasso, Dava Guthmiller, Victoria Gutierrez, Courtney Harrell, Emily Hutto, Bradley Japhe, Tracy Sunrize Johnson, Hal Klein, Allison Levine, Brian Means, Jose Pulido, Paul Ross, Denise Sakaki, Cover by Hannah Van Sickle, Brian Yaeger, Sierra Zimei

THANk YOu: Sangita Devaskar, Sitar Mody, Mary Samson,

cover illustration by hannah van sickle check out her latest cut-paper series and see more work: hvansick.com

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PuBLISHER: Open Content

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¡por favor! drink responsibly.

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MUSIC. ART. DRINKS.

Because the highest form of art is drinking with friends.

500 Divisadero Street (@ Fell) madroneartbar.com

design

Luchador Love F ighting for T he A mazing T rend text by Dava Guthmiller of Noise 13 Branding and Design

Lucha Libre is a ‘free’ wrestling style that’s extremely popular in Mexico.

The characteristic colorful masks and outfits, rapid maneuvers of the wrestlers (luchadores), and the high-flying stunts all build into the lore and excitement of this quite amateur style of wrestling.

I recently had the pleasure of working on a great food truck concept for Tres Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Lounge. The “Tres Truck” is all about the love of Lucha. During our research we discovered the many uses for this graphic style and the lore of the Lucha in general.

From bold colors, to screen printed posters, to art and toys, we found lots of design to admire.

If you love design, you have to also appreciate the raw but classic styles of the Lucha Libre posters.

They’re created using old school screen printing, with usually two or more colors bleeding across the print.

Complete the look with cheap paper and torn edges, and you have a winner.

If you need to go further, there’s a Lucha arts & culture blog at Luchalords.com, or pick up your very own mask for your next big match at Corazonfairtrade.com.

Keeping it drink-related, one of my favorites is the 1800® Tequila Essential Artists, Series 3. This set of tequila bottles features illustration from artists Gary Baseman, Tristan Eaton, Tes One, Yuko Shimizu, Ray Smith, and Alex Hank, and the beer bottle labels are by Jose Guizar. I also love the Australian Shiraz, Luchador Wine, designed by Morning Breath.

Label designs by Jose Guizar

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Seasons Change…

So Should Your Drinks

autumn text by Courtney Harrell

Beer, wine, and cocktail makers around the world use Fall’s imminent shift in temperature along with the constant rotation of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices to create delicious libations. While the shorter days and longer nights may leave you lagging, be adventurous with your drink choices and they will bring pleasure to your palate.

beer

Fall brings comfort when the leaves change color, as you pull on your warm sweaters and head to the Great Pumpkin Patch. During this season you can find an endless supply of pumpkin ale—but why not try something different this year? Blue Moon has crafted a special recipe just for autumn called the Caramel Apple Spiced Ale (5.8% ABV). This apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel flavored concoction is sure to satisfy.

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wine

Wine can soothe your soul on a brisk evening. Grab a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre blend.

Its irresistible lushness and spicy berry quality will feel soft and smooth on your tongue and stand up to those heartier harvest meals.

cocktails

With in-season fruits of cranberries, persimmons, pears, and pomegranates, fall dinner parties are ensured of a sensational cocktail.

Since Halloween is my favorite holiday, I asked Brent Butler at West of Pecos in San Francisco to design a Halloween themed cocktail. He has graciously shared his recipe so you can make it at home. His hand-crafted creation is inspired by the haunting feeling of lingering spirits when driving past a run-down, empty rodeo arena.

RODEO GHOST b y B r e n t B u t l e r

1 oz Fidencio Mezcal Joven 1 oz Rabarbaro Zucca Amaro Liqueur ½ oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth ½ oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth Stir together, pour over a large ice cube, and top with an orange peel.

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Toma con Dios (“drink with god”)

beer, the colonial mexican way text by Brian Yaeger | illustration by jose pulido

Long before Corona implored you to find your own beach, and hundreds of generations before the world’s most interesting man drank Dos Equis, the Incans brewed South America’s native beer: chicha. It’s still popular around Latin America today, but rarely made just like great-greatgreat abuelita used to make it, by chewing on corn kernels, wherein enzymes in her saliva began the malting process in the maize. Yeah, you can think of it as spit beer.

A

bout five centuries later,

a more appetizingsounding drink called pulque came along farther north among the Aztecs. Pardon the oversimplification, but fermented agave sap goes into pulque, but when distilled it becomes mezcal or tequila, just as fermented barley mash becomes beer which, distilled, makes whiskey.

So who came up with Mexican-style beer, the kind we stock up on whenever there’s a heat wave? An Austrian!

While malt beverages weren’t introduced to Mexicans until the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century, the predominant style brewed in Mexico today is actually a Vienna Lager. And you’d have to look high and low to find a Viennese brewery that makes it.

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Three centuries after the Spanish arrived,

that empirical leader Napolean orchestrated the French Intervention in Mexico, a.k.a. the Franco-Mexican War. In a delicious twist of irony, French troops were defeated at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 shortly after the war began, and it’s this Mexican army victory that took place on May 5 from which we get Cinco de Mayo, the day even non-Mexican beer fans decorate their Corona bottles and Tecate cans with festive wedges of lime and tomé, tomé, tomé. But had the war ended there, we still wouldn’t have had those beers.

Two years later in 1864, after the tides had turned in the French’s favor, Napoleon appointed an Austrian royal named Maximillian Ferdinand, henceforth Maximillian I of Mexico, to be the Mexican emperor. The gig was short-lived, as he was executed a mere three years later. But his reign during this “Second Mexican Empire” yielded one tasty policy change. As part of a wave of German and Austrian immigration, Max I brought with him his homie brewers, who set up breweries to recreate the new lager style beers they enjoyed back in the old country, but frequently utilized a newer roasted malt called Vienna malt. This light-roasted malt created the style known as Vienna lager. Having said that, there’s the strawcolored Modelo Especial (and note that Mexican beers usually are made lighter in the body as well by adding a portion of corn ) but there’s also mid-range Dos Equis Amber and darker Negra Modelo, all variations on the Vienna lager.

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M

irroring the American beer industry’s consolidation

throughout the twentieth cen-

tury, Mexico’s beer industry also has two primary corporations. We have Budweiser (AB-InBev) and MillerCoors (remember, they merged); they have Grupo Modelo and FEMSA. Their two dominate about ninety percent of the marketplace. And just like us, our neighbors south of the border are developing a craft beer

During the recent World Beer Cup hosted in San Diego, beers from fiftyfour countries competed head-to-head in various categories. Ironically, no Mexican brewers medaled in their own Vienna-style Lager category, but they did in the Chocolate Beer category. Beating out the highly-respected Alpine Brewing from San Diego (bronze: Odin’s Raven) was Házmela Rusa Imperial Stout from Cervecería La Chingonería in the capital of Mexico City. ¡Felicidades!

culture—and these ain’t no maize beers.

Perhaps the largest concocter of craft cerveza is Cervecería de Baja California, home of the Cucapá brand (similar to how Boston Beer Co. makes Samuel Adams brand beers). Their flagship Chupacabras Pale Ale is strangely more available here in los Estados Unidos than en México. In addition to this fantastic beer named after the mythical Mexican goat-eating beast, their other beers have playful names like La Migra Imperial Stout and Greencard Barleywine, but the beers themselves are muy serious. What beer geek wouldn’t kill for a bottle of their barley wine aged in tequila barrels?

Now that’s Chicano terroir.

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©2012 Inbev, S.A., Hoegaarden® Beer, Imported by Import Brands Alliance, St. Louis, MO

new booze

Smooth Ambler Very Old Scout 14 Year Bourbon text by David Driscoll, K&L Wine Merchants

T

he Very Old Scout is likely to be the best mature

Bourbon you’ll taste this year,

even though it might not be the best Bourbon of 2012. What I mean by that is quite simple: there isn’t much old Bourbon out there to taste. Older stocks — the 15, 18, and 20-year-old expressions that have vanished overnight. Bourbon has become big business and with all the recent hoopla about its revival, no one wanted to start with the entry level stuff.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 and 20-year-old bottles went from readily available to Ebay-only at five times the price.

It’s not like Bourbon’s gone forever. Distilleries are ramping up production and they’ll eventually catch up a few years down the road. Whiskey geeks, however, are not patient people. We want our booze and we want it now! That’s where John Little comes in. His West Virginia distillery purchased the last mature stocks of Bourbon from Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI) distillery some time back and he’s been secretly crafting them into a special cuvee. LDI is more known (or unknown)

for their rye, than their Bourbon.

They’ve been secretly supplying High West, Bulleit, Willet, Redemption, Templeton and numerous other brands with whiskey for the past five years, but their older Bourbon stocks have never really had a market presence. John saw an opportunity and jumped all over it.

The result is the Smooth Ambler Very Old Scout 14 year Bourbon—a marriage 40% 14 year, 40% 15 year, 15% 17 year, and 5% 19 year, bottled at 100 proof for a bold and spicy flavor. The result is fantastic. The sweetness from the charred oak permeates deep into the whiskey, baking spices dance on the palate, cinnamon and vanilla come big on the finish. While there isn’t much of this whiskey (about 3000 bottles total), so it won’t be around for very long. It’s more of a filler while we wait for more whiskey to mature, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous bottle while it lasts. Even if you can get access to the Stagg, Weller, or Pappy collectables, I don’t know that they’re much of an improvement. It’s very, very tasty.

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It’s all the Sames : The Picador

C

lassic. It’s a term overly used, and often misused, by bartenders and cocktail lovers alike: “I’ll have a classic Martini” or “This cocktail is a take on the classic Manhattan.”

We’re confident that no one today has had the pleasure of being seated before the barkeep who created the very first Martini or Manhattan. So how do we know that the “classic” we’re sipping is actually the cocktail originally intended?

More often than not, what we consider a classic is just the commonly accepted recipe, which may or may not have

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been around since the cocktail’s dawn.

One hundred or so years later, giving credit where credit is due gets a little tricky.

The Margarita is said to be the most popular cocktail in America. It seems that every bar makes them, and just about everyone is drinking them. So who created the recipe that we accept as the Margarita and in what year was it born? That’s a very complicated question. Here’s one theory.

and the Margarita text by Ford Mixology L ab, New York

In the year 1948, a glamorous Dallas socialite by the name of Margaret “Margarita” Sames threw a magnificent soirée at her glamorous vacation home in Acapulco. As with all of her soirées, there was dancing and laughter and probably a trace of scandal. This dancing and laughter and scandal were fueled by the delicious cocktails that were constantly flowing. As the story goes, Sames’ greatest pleasure was stepping behind the bar and creating concoctions for her guests. On this evening, she combined tequila with fresh lime

juice and Cointreau, a fine French Triple Sec (a fancy name for a special orange liqueur). Her guests were so delighted with the cocktail, they demanded a name for it. She proudly declared her creation “Margarita,” and her husband had special glasses ordered that bore the cocktail’s name. The party continued for two weeks, but Margarita’s recipe stuck around for far longer.

Great! Mystery solved! Margarita Sames invented the glorious combination of two parts tequila, one part

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Cointreau, and one part fresh lime juice in 1948; she invented the Margarita.

Or did she? Margarita’s recipe can be found published under a different name, the Picador, eleven years earlier! Don’t blame her for plagiarizing just yet—— we believe distance is to blame.

In 1937, the Picador appeared in print in England, in The Cafè Royal Cocktail Book by WJ Tarling. The recipe: two parts tequila, one part Cointreau, and one part fresh lime juice. In other words, Margarita’s “Margarita” is the exact same recipe as the Picador Cocktail, which dates back to 1937. However, try ordering a Picador at your local watering hole and get ready for a blank stare. Both cocktails may have the same recipe, but the Picador is long forgotten and the Margarita is very much in the now. In other terms, Ms. Sames’s word spread like wildfire while the Picador’s flame fizzled.

H

ow does this cocktail’s heritage become blurred?

Most likely, the miles that separate America from England are responsible for the twin recipes. It is entirely possible that the Picador, popular in England, never made its way to the United States or to Ms. Sames’s red lips before that fateful party. As bartenders and cocktail creators, we can’t stress enough that almost every combination, even if one believes it to be unique, has most likely been done before. With the

More often than not, a “classic” is merely the commonly accepted recipe invention of the internet, we now have access to the recipes and creations of our friends overseas, but this was not always so. Great minds do think alike, and when it comes to all things cocktail, the English and Americans have possessed great minds for well over a century. It is also unusual and worthy of noting that the Brits could have been drinking tequila before we were. In fact, there are fifteen tequila recipes in Cafè Royal!

Great minds, we tell you.

If the term “Cocktail Gossip” were in the dictionary, its definition would most likely be “a spirited version of the game of ‘Telephone,’ that continues over years, decades, or centuries.” Imagine spreading a message to a group

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of bartenders and instead of beginning with a tidbit of gossip, you begin with a cocktail recipe.

One says “A Martini is made with gin, sweet vermouth, Maraschino, bitters, and a twist” and it somehow turns into, “A Martini is made with vodka, almost no dry vermouth, and olives.” “A mixture of tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice is known as a Picador” becomes lost when passed from ear to ear too many times, especially over too much distance. Inevitably, recipes are altered, and people assume credit where credit may not be due. In order to silence cocktail gossip, we must record cocktail history.

Think about how word got around before social media. Here’s a scenario: Joe the barkeep creates a cocktail in San Francisco in 1905. Sam the barkeep creates a really similar cocktail in New York City in 1907. Joe just makes it for regulars; Sam writes it down. One hundred years later, we bet Sam gets the credit.

before him, but he will go down in history as the original cocktail book author, and his printed words are heralded as gospel. By recording history, one has the responsibility of accuracy, or the capability to re-write it.

Aside from modern interpretations, most can agree that the classic Margarita contains a balance of tequila, sweetener, and fresh lime juice. Even as we sit and enjoy a Watermelon-Mint-Agave “Margarita,” we long for the delicious simplicity of the Picador. You can’t always trust what you read, but you should always like what you drink. Intentionally or not, for popularizing the Picador as the “Margarita,” we tip our hats to you, Ms. Sames.

Almost every alcoholic combination has been thought of before, no matter how unique it seems Author and bartender Jerry Thomas was the first to put the fine craft of drinkmaking into printed, published words.

We’ll never know the greats who existed

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blind tasting in the southern hemisphere: W inemaker C.P. L in text and photos by Allison Levine, Please The Pal ate

If being blind made me a better winemaker, then there would be more chefs and winemakers who are blind. Where are they hiding? I have a good palate because I was born with it. I have a good sense of smell.

Don’t assume it’s because I am blind.

Yes, a blind winemaker. You might be thinking about the challenges he faces to make wine without seeing or maybe that he has a better palate than most because he is compensating for his lack of sight. But CP is a highly accomplished and talented individual, with or without the ability to see.

CP was always a curious child, and this has continued into adulthood. “I taste all sorts of things. Other blind people don’t do the same as I do. If they can’t see it, they won’t try,” he says. While walking

through the vineyard to taste if the grapes were ready for harvest this year, he grabs a bunch of grapes and puts the entire bunch in his mouth (grapes, seeds, and stems) and chews. Tasting the stems, as well as tasting the soil, enables CP to understand where the grapes are in their development and where they are going. He is able to learn something about the grapes that one cannot see — and sighted winemakers also embrace this technique of tasting the soil and grape stems.

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CP tasting grapes, seeds and stems

Born in Taiwan, CP lost his sight at about two years of age as a result of carcinoma of the retina. He had two operations and vaguely remembers the last thing he saw: the surgeon and instruments. Because he was born with sight, CP has spatial awareness and can visualize space and perspective, which help him

While at University, he grew tired of his studies and began joining social clubs, such as martial arts and fencing.

Although CP remembers first trying wine (and disliking it) at a cousin’s wedding when he was eight years old, he thought it would be fun to drink wine in order to meet people. He joined the University Wine Club.

navigate through the vineyard and winery. In 1984, at the age of thirteen, his family moved to Christchurch, New Zealand for business. CP studied electrical engineering at University for one year before changing to mathematics. He also studied French, German, Law, and Linguistics, and is fluent in five languages.

“I drink absolutely everything under the sun, as long as it’s good” Upon graduation, he was not sure what he wanted to do and was bored with mathematics. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you like to do it,” he explained. An avid

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traveler, CP sat and wrote the pros and cons of what he liked while on a trip.

As he liked wine, he decided to study it and received his post graduate diploma in Wine Science at Lincoln University in Christchurch. He then began a business exporting wine to Asia from 1996-97 but when the 1997 economy crisis hit Asia, his business was shut down.

although CP remembers disliking wine when he first tried it at eight years old, he thought it would be fun to drink wine in order to meet people at university After three months of unemployment, CP was invited to lunch by a friend at a new winery in Waipara, New Zealand (forty minutes north of Christchurch, the capital of New Zealand’s South Island) called Mountford Estate.

Begrudgingly, CP agreed to the day trip but brought his own wine! As he recalls the exact menu (asparagus and parmesan cheese, and poached salmon) like it was yesterday, he tells how he was asked if he wanted to try the Mountford wine.

“I said that I didn’t like the 1996 wines, in fact, I specifically said that I thought

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they were crap, and the owner Michael Eaton overheard me and ignored me the rest of the day. We didn’t get off to a good start,” CP remembers. After lunch during a walk in the vineyard, he smelled a Cuban cigar and loudly asked who was smoking it, announcing “it’s nutty; it must be a Monte Cristo #5 from Cuba.”

Owner Michael was so impressed that he finally began to talk to CP and explained how he needed a winemaker, asking CP if he wanted the job. “Michael cemented a belief in me.”

1998 was CP’s first vintage at Mountford, and the wine received 90 points from Wine Spectator and the price of the wine jumped from $20-$50 in one year.

“I carried 2x4’s and did things without help. I could do anything and did everything. I didn’t have help until I finally hired an assistant winemaker four years later.” Over the years, Michael and his wife Buffy became like family to CP and today the current owners, Kees Zeestraten and Kathryn Ryan, who purchased the property in 2007, count CP as part of their family as well.

CP has worked thirty harvests over the years, even working up to four in one year. “I remember everything… each vintage and what the season was like.” He has been the winemaker at Mountford for fifteen harvests because he believes that “to become a good winemaker, one must stay in one place for a while to learn.” CP has also

above, top to bottom : Chardonnay grapes on the vine at Mountford Estate;

Grunt, the vineyard manager’s dog, inspects the crop

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including two single vineyard wines (named Rise and Gradient). Planted in 1991, Mountford Estate is the 3rd oldest winery in Waipara. The vineyards grow on an area of land known as “The

“I taste all sorts of things. Other blind people don’t... If they can’t see it, they won’t try”

worked in Europe, the US, and Australia, and tastes between five and ten thousand wines per year. He has an eidetic memory and an extraordinary ability to recall wines from all over the world. “I drink absolutely everything under the sun, as long as it’s good. Tasting so much wine makes me better at what I am doing. I am more passionate and more opinionated.”

Today Mountford Estate is on the right track producing Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and five different Pinot Noirs,

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Golden Mile” due to the soil make-up of clay and marl with limestone, combined with the long, hot autumns and sunlight. As a result of this combination of soil and weather, Mountford Estate is considered one of the top ten producers in New Zealand and CP has a goal of making it number one. “I could never let it go. Drinking, eating, making wine, it is part of what I am and what I want.”

Being blind has never stopped CP from being a great winemaker

and he says there are only three things he wishes he could do as a sighted person: “I wish I could look at all the beautiful girls, sleep under the stars, and have the freedom to travel alone. But, on the other hand, one good thing about being blind is that I can drink as much as I want. I never have to drive and can walk into walls without apologizing.”

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E n d a nge r e d

Tequila

Production numbers of Mexico’s, and Britain’s, favorite spirit suggest it could soon go extinct, but one expert insists otherwise.

Word hit the street that tequila was an endangered spirit species in 2008. Reporters wrote that many farmers in Tequila, Mexico were making the switch from agave to corn or wheat to provide biofuel for American ethanol production. One farmer told USA Today that corn was where the money was, so he was going to get out of agave farming completely.

Beyond the price competition of agave plants, tequila had a few other catalysts for its endangerment, the primary one being the very small region that agave plants must come from in order to make authentic tequila. Unless a spirit is distilled from one-hundred percent agave plants and is distilled within the approved Tequila region, it’s not authentic tequila.

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Panda stamp © Jim Pruitt / St. Lucia stamp © Stephen B. Goodwin

Another cause for tequila’s scarcity is the time it takes for agave plants to fully mature: an eight to twelve year process.

Yet another factor is how much raw material goes into making tequila (a lot).

When biofuels came into the mix, they further undermined the longevity of the tequila spirit category.

I couldn’t believe that one of my favorite spirits was in danger, and I needed the facts to prove it. Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) is the regulating authority for the production of Tequila, and the organization regulates agave production pretty

heavily to determine the authenticity of commercial tequilas. The definition of true tequila—spirit distilled completely from blue agave plants, sometimes called agave tequilana or blue agave—became official in 1974, when Mexico’s Secretary of Industry and Commerce granted protection to the Appellation of Origin Tequila. Today the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), a non-profit organization under the initiative of the Chamber of Tequila Makers, heavily regulates every step of tequila making, from agave production to bottling to marketing, to determine the authenticity of commercial tequilas.

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Heartbreakingly, disease and pestilence are only observable at the point of harvest I was surprised when I saw statistics documenting tequila production since those articles were published. Yes, there was a drop, but it was a minute one. According to the CRT, approximately 163 million liters of tequila were produced in 2008.

In 2009 and 2010, those millions of liters dipped into the 140s. In 2011, 155 million liters hit the shelves.

“There was a scarcity of tequila through the 2000s,” remarks Tomas Estes, Tequila’s Ambassador to Europe and an expert on the spirit. “But I’ve seen no direct examples of [biofuel production] from who I know.”

Well, when it comes to tequila, Estes knows just about everyone —and everything. In 1976, the Southern California native opened Amsterdam’s first Mexican cantina. He proceeded to open similar venues in London, Paris, Cologne, Milan, and Sydney, Australia.

“Out of serving Mexican culture—food, tequilas, beers, music, ambience,” Estes goes on, “I got really deep into tequila. While I was doing that I started giving presentations on it and

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writing articles about it. Because of that work the CRT was very kind and recognized me as their official ambassador.”

Estes is the Ambassador to Europe for Tequila, one of two international ambassadors for the spirit. When he received this recognition in London, he also met Carlos Camarena who introduced him to his brother Felipe Camarena. They formed a friendship that led to the creation of their world renowned Tequila Ocho.

Felipe, who is Tequila Ocho’s distiller, slow-cooks agave plants and distills them with mineral spring water that comes out at the distillery in the highlands of Jalisco. It ferments slowly in small wooden tanks, and then ages in former American whiskey barrels, similar to the usage of bourbon barrels in Scotch production. Tequila Ocho’s Reposado, Añejo, and Plata varieties are aged for the shortest amount of time possible in order to maintain the flavors and aromas of the agave, and not let those flavors get overwhelmed by the flavors from

the barrels. The agave plants come from several different estates, or ranchos, and are distilled into small batches that are hand-numbered, similar to wines that are labeled according to the single vineyard or block that they came from You’d never guess that Estes wears so many hats. Formally, he’s an ambassador and a business owner, but I also like to think of him as a historian and conservationist. The soft-spoken, calm gentleman is incredibly humble. He’s constantly thanking me for my attention to tequila.

Unless a spirit is distilled from 100% agave plants within the approved Tequila region, it’s not authentic tequila I should be thanking him. If there was anyone who could tell me if tequila was really going extinct, it would be Tomas.

“Heartbreakingly, disease and pestilence are not observable from the outside, only at the point of harvest.” It’s easy to have shortages with plants that take more than a decade to fully harvest, he says. “We are now experiencing what looks like another scarcity.”

When crops are sparse, “larger tequila distilleries are accustomed to riding through the swings,” and smaller

distilleries are hit harder, says Estes. He still stresses, though, that what’s important is that there are smaller distilleries making tequila. Production numbers might be down, but he insists that there is a rise in tequila culture. More so than ever, tequila is becoming popular on a global scale.

A 2009 article in The Independent revealed in its title that tequila had become Britain’s spirit of choice and went on to say, “In the UK, consumption of tequila, the fiery spirit traditionally distilled from the cactus-like agave plant, has trebled in a decade to 1.35 million litres a year. The global market has grown by an average of 9 per cent a year for the past decade.” I have no doubt that Estes has a lot to do with the recent popularity of tequila in Europe.

“There’s a thing happening in our culture coming out of Italy,” says Estes. “The slow food movement. That artisanal culture made with care and love. We are looking at the roots and meaning.”

Much like local sustainable agriculture in Italy, as tequila gains worldwide popularity and distillers continue to take the time to handcraft it, people will take the time to protect it. Tequila has a rich history and culture that represents more than just a trendy alcoholic beverage. It is, in fact, a lifestyle all its own.

People like Estes will make sure that it never dies.

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A Pisco Primer text by Hal Klein

N

early 500 years ago, Spanish missionaries planted grapes in a South American valley with the intent of producing Orujo, the famed brandy of Galicia. However, the climate was drastically different from that of Galicia, and the missionaries struggled to make their vines flourish in the hot South American soil. These missionaries experimented until they found the right combination of grapes that were best suited to exploit the valley’s terroir. This is how Pisco, the New World’s first indigenous distilled spirit, was born.

As US trade with South America opened up in the mid-1800s, pisco established a foothold in San Francisco. It was perfect timing—the Gold Rush brought hordes of thirsty prospectors happy to quaff bottles of imported distilled grapes. An intrepid barman named Duncan Nicol was even inspired to create a now-classic cocktail: Pisco Punch, a potent mix of pisco, gum arabic syrup (the sweet sap of an acacia tree), pineapple, and lime juice.

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Beneath the pergola; photo by Michaela Johnson

Although a financial pyramid now stands on the footprint of Nichol’s long-demolished bar, San Francisco never lost its love of pisco. In fact, San Francisco is even making its own award-winning brand, Campo de Encanto, there (okay, the spirit is physically produced in Peru, but it’s owned, conceived, and distilled by San Franciscans).

However, the spirit never seriously caught on in the rest of the United States. But as contemporary bartenders become more adventurous with their mixology, it’s natural to look at spirits outside of the mainstream. And pisco checks a lot of boxes.

As often happens at the dawn of a revolution, there’s confusion on the field. In this case, there’s also an ongoing centuries-old international street brawl.

Two countries, Peru and Chile, claim pisco as their own. The truth is that both countries have a legitimate claim to pisco propagation . . . but also, no claim whatsoever. It’s believed the spirit was first produced in the Elqui Valley in what’s now Chile, but the name “pisco” comes from a port town in modern Peru. According to wine and spirits expert Steve Olson, “It’s not Peruvian, it’s not Chilean. It’s Spanish.” That’s because the Elqui Valley and the port of Pisco were both part of a large Spanish colony at the time pisco was first distilled. More significantly, each country produces pisco in its own style. Both countries start the process in the same way—with wine. After that, their paths diverge. Naturally, each country believes their method of production is superior.

What are the differences? Put on your drinking cap, because this is going to get a tad technical.

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Bringing in Quebranta harvest, Ica; photo by Walter Moore

Peru is all about traditional, small batch production: There are eight grape varieties approved for pisco production, and these grapes are classified as aromatic or non-aromatic.

What does that mean? Exactly what you’re probably thinking; aromatics have a noticeable (and delightful) fragrance, while non-aromatics don’t. Peruvian pisco is also distilled only once, and always to full strength. Finally, although Peruvian pisco rests for several months after distillation, it’s always in a container that brings minimal flavor to the spirit. Alfonso Rouillon, who imports Pisco Huamani, says that Peruvians believe the grape should speak for itself and that aging the spirit in wood would destroy the nuances of a pure pisco.

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By contrast, aging in wood isn’t forbidden in Chile; in fact, most Chilean piscos are aged in barrels. The minimum standard is 180 days, but some sit in French or American oak for two years or more. Charles-Henri de Bournet, the creator of the Chilean pisco brand KAPPA, says this comes from French influence on the country’s grape production. He ought to know—de Bournet is the 7th generation scion of one of France’s most legendary wine and spirits families. Chilean pisco is almost exclusively made from aromatic grapes.

The brew can be distilled multiple times, and it’s common practice to add water after the distillation. Chilean pisco is generally (though not always) massproduced on an industrial scale—which is why Chile leads the world in pisco production, but does not always share Peru’s reputation for excellence.

S

o what’s the best way to drink pisco? That, like its

history, is complex.

Pisco is wine’s cousin, after all, and can be enjoyed in the much same way.

Sniff, sip, and spit (or don’t).

Much like wine, you’ll be able to distinguish individual flavors. Pisco Huamani’s Puro, for example, is distilled from non-aromatic Quebranta grapes; it’s lightly scented with notes of apricot and citrus. Pisco Porton, on the other hand, is distilled in the mosto verde style, meaning it was only partially

fermented before distillation; Porton is earthy and heady, and is nuanced with butterscotch and apple notes.

Then there is the classic pisco cocktail: Pisco Sour. It’s the national drink of both Peru and Chile, and—prepare to be shocked—both countries claim they invented it. When made correctly, the Peruvian version, a frothy shake of pisco, lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and bitters is, regarded as one of the world’s greatest cocktails. “It tastes of perfection,” says Campo de Encato’s Duggan McDonnell. If you’re looking to experiment with your own pisco cocktails, Olson says to “keep it simple,” and let the flavor of the pisco brand you’re using shine through.

W

here does pisco go from

here? If it’s up to Diego Loret de Mola, founder of BarSol pisco, you’re sipping on the next big thing. He’s certainly doing his part to promote the spirit, as his brand has seven varieties in the US. Rouillon says that he plans to bring more artisanal Peruvian piscos stateside; next up is Huamani’s Pisco Acholado, a heady mix of aromatic grapes, and then the introduction of a brand called La Blanco. Other Peruvian brands have already expanded their reach; ORO pisco has eleven piscos on the market, making it the largest selection in the country.

James Schenk of Pisco Latin Lounge in San Francisco believes this is just the tip of the iceberg. “It’s going to be what happened to tequila 30 years ago. Pisco will go through the same renaissance,” he says. This means there is likely going to be rise in ghastly, strawberry-flavored “Piscoritas” and high-volume bartenders mistakenly making Pisco Sours with sour mix, but it also means that you’re going to find more bars that stock a diverse selection of brands and more bartenders who know how to use them.

It seems as though one change that might take a bit longer is the mellowing of national pride. So, for the time being, it’s best not to ask for a Chilean pisco at Peruvian bar

like New York’s La Mar. “It’s like blasphemy here. We don’t speak of it,” says bartender Terrance Laboy.

“ The rose in the bottle in the vineyard;”

photo by Ariana Vitale d r i n k m e m a g .c o m

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eat your booze

holy mole!

S moky S cotch A le M ole S auce text and photograph by Denise sakaki

It’s all about the sauce, and no, I’m not talking about alcohol. Don’t let the long list of ingredients dissuade you from trying this recipe – chances are you have several of these dry ingredients languishing in a corner of your pantry.

Traditional mole is a marvelous cocktail of flavors that use both dried and fresh ingredients, cooked low and slow until it has the perfect balance of smoky, sweet,

and spicy. Scotch Ale, a style of beer with smoky peat and caramel notes, is an excellent cooking liquid to help cook down and concentrate every flavorful element. The finished sauce is perfect for a roasted chicken, and the leftover mole tastes fantastic on top of a burger, mixed with mayonnaise for a dipping sauce, or topping eggs at breakfast.

S m o k y S c o t c h A l e M o l e S a u c e with R o a s t e d C h i c k e n

serves 4 for sauce: 2 cups white onion, roughly chopped 1 cup carrot, diced 1 cup celery, diced 1 12-oz bottle of Scotch Ale style beer such as Pike Brewing Company’s Kilt Lifter 1 15-oz can of diced tomatoes 1 6-oz can of tomato paste 1 4-oz can of diced green chilis 1 ½ oz dried chipotle peppers 5 peeled cloves of garlic, roughly chopped 1 whole cinnamon stick 1 oz unsweetened dark baking chocolate 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon dry Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon salt Chicken breast and thigh cuts, skin on, rubbed with salt and pepper Crumbled cotija cheese Fresh cilantro special tools Immersion blender or standing blender

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1. Place dried chipotle peppers in a large bowl and pour two cups of boiling water over them. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let peppers soak for twenty minutes to soften.

2. While the chipotle peppers soak, put a large pot on the stove and bring to medium high heat. Drizzle bottom with vegetable oil and add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook vegetables until soft and onions and celery are translucent. Add chopped garlic and dry seasonings. Mix until incorporated and then add the diced green chilis, honey, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Carefully pour in the bottle of Scotch Ale and stir until the mixture comes back up to a low boil. Add the whole cinnamon stick and baking chocolate.

3. Take the soaked chipotle peppers and tear off the stems. Tear into smaller pieces before adding to the sauce. Add the soaking liquid as well. Mix the sauce to make sure the chipotle peppers are submerged, drop the heat to low, and cover. Let the sauce cook for at least an hour, checking periodically to mix and make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot. The sauce will thicken. Taste and modify accordingly, if you want to add more salt or honey to make it more savory or sweet. Remove the cinnamon stick before using a blender to give the mole a smooth finish.

The sauce can be made ahead and reheated.

4. To serve with chicken, take seasoned chicken parts and pan-sear in a large skillet, skin side down, on medium high until skin is crisp. Flip chicken and brown the opposite side for a few minutes and set chicken pieces aside.

Use three to four cups of the finished mole to deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from the pan surface, then nestle chicken, skin side up, into the sauce. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven to finish for about fifteen minutes. Chicken is ready when juices run clear. Serve chicken with the sauce poured over and a sprinkling of crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro.

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travel

48 Hours in

Moscow

ru ssi a

text and photography by paul ross

“Vodka on the Volga”: A trip on the Waterways of the Czars

Two Siberians walk into a bar...

sounds like a set-up for a joke but, this time, it’s the truth!

The real-life protagonists were Max Vlasov and Alexander Smolnikov, bartenders on the Ingvar, a Viking River cruiseship that sailed from St. Petersburg to Moscow along the Neva, Svir, Vytegra, Sheksna, Volga, and Moscva Rivers on a trip dubbed “The Waterways of the Czars.”

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I asked if they could create a different vodka drink for each port of call. It was a Pavlovian challenge which made the duo drool in anticipation. They not only did as promised, they also gave me tips, tricks, and lore about Russia’s most famous invention. Along the way I also found out about where to go in Moscow to paint the town, which had already been red for a long time.

H ere ’ s a q uick smattering of clubs in M oscow, russian cocktails , and arcane vodka knowledge that I learned along the way.

The Club:

RAI at Bolotnaya Naberejnaya 9 tel: 7 (495) 767-1474

Rai has been a leading contender in club-heavy Moscow for nearly half a decade, where similar nightclubs have the average lifespan of the latest smartphone. Described to me as “Cirque du Soleil meets Studio 54,” it’s hot, hip and so expensive that it appeals primarily to Russia’s top ¼ percenters. I was cautioned that the club door guards practice strict “feis control” (i.e. celebrity and “in crowd” admittance only) but that dressing trendy and speaking English could open the way.

The Cocktail: “GORBACHEV”

This cocktail kinda looked and tasted like a “Harvey Wallbanger” but was heavily laced with irony for although Gorbachev, the Soviet Union’s first and only President, is admired by many in the West, back in the homeland, folks hate him. First, he’s reviled for “breaking up” the old Soviet bloc.

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travel ctd.

Second— and most significantly — Russians hate “Gorby” because he curtailed vodka. Overnight. Without notice, it was suddenly seemingly gone from the stores. “No vodka in Russia!?” exclaimed a still incredulous Vlasov, “That’d be like no beer in Germany! No wine in France . . . !”

To fully comprehend this situation, I’ve got to provide a little background.

And to illustrate the importance of this liquid, you should know that the name stems from the Slavic word for water (voda). So “vodka” literally means “little water.” It’s that important. In the days of the former USSR— amid a conglomeration of poverty and repression—vodka was a necessity and was cheap. Unilaterally, then President Mikhail Gorbachev decided too many were drinking too much and this was causing a downturn in economic productivity. Something had to be done.

What he did was unconscionable (to all the Russians I spoke to anyway). In 1985, he capped the tap. At least, that’s the way Moscow urbanites experienced it. In truth, prices were raised to generate state revenue while the quantity was limited.

But what the consuming public faced was extreme — even in a land renown for shortages. “There was no vodka,” stated Smolnikov with finality. As with “the great experiment” in the US, Soviet Prohibition had the opposite of the intended effect: the already financially

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foundering Union lost an estimated 100 million rubles (at that time, almost on par with the American dollar) and, even today, most of the vodka consumed in the former USSR is homemade, untraceable, untaxed and therefore illegal. This financial insult, added to social injury, led to Gorby-bashing, an internal coup and so, in it’s own way, vodka—or its lack — contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Tip: There are a whole lot of silent, subtle hand signals associated with drinking in Russia. As you enter any bar, give your neck a quick scratch. The bartender will instantly bring a shot of vodka. It harkens back to the days of Peter the Great, who rewarded a workman with a special coin, which granted free drinks for life.

However, the man kept losing the coin.

Practical Peter had the boon tattooed onto the forgetful man’s neck; after that, all a thirsty man had to do was scratch.

(By the way, it’s considered rude if a woman makes this move.)

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travel ctd.

The Club:

STRELKA BAR 9 Bolotnaya Nabrerejhnaya tel: 7 (495) 225-8888

In trendy Krasny Oktyabr and filled with English-speaking art, architecture and media students.

The Cocktail: “RED SQUARE”

Smolnikov poured me this “Bloody Mary” variant and related more vodka lore. Russians do not like flavored vodkas and the preferred method of quaffing is as an ice-cold shooter . . . usually followed by bite of pickle or cucumber and of dense, dark

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peasant-style bread. Elsewhere on the trip, a local advised me to sniff bread before taking a drink, to increase the olfactory acuity.

To most visitors, vodka is still cheap in Russia due to the simplicity of distilling.

Smolnikov and Vlasov laughed at what they believe is the unnecessary multiple filtrations so highly promoted in other parts of the world.

The Tip:

The less sugar (either in the accompanying food or as part of the ingredients of a cocktail) the better, especially the following morning.

The Club:

The Clubs:

SOLYANKA CLUB 11 Solynka Street tel: 7 (495) 221-7557

NIGHT FLIGHT Tverskaya ul 17 Tverskoy tel: 7 (495) 299-4165

It’s affordable, hip, and unpredictable (concerts, lectures, fashion shows and even has its own magazine).

The Tip:

Carbonation (soda, beer, or sparkling anything) speeds up the alcoholic effects of vodka.

The Club:

B2 bol. Sadovaya 8 tel: 7 (495) 209-9918

Five floors, eight bars, venues ranging from jazz to disco and karaoke to live acts. It sounds like the “If you can only go to one, make it this” kind of recommendation.

BLISS CLUB 116a Prospekt Mira tel: 7 (495) 687-5766 SOHO ROOMS Sarvinsky Bol., Pereslok 12, str.8 tel: 7 (495) 988-7444

The advice about these three clubs got culturally weird: In Moscow, strip clubs are an activity for couples. . . even though prostitutes abound and sex-formoney exchanges are illegal. Still, the food is supposed to be good at the first club, the “folkloric strip show” rocks at the second, and celebritywatching is best at the third.

The Tip:

When in Russia (or former parts), drink local as the quality is often better and the price is cheaper.

as you enter any russian bar, give your neck a quick scratch; The bartender will instantly bring you a shot of vodka

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travel ctd.

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The Cocktail: “YORZH” (a type of freshwater fish), or “KICK IN THE TEETH” (an apt descriptive warning)

This is the simplest of all the cocktails to concoct. I’m told that it’s a student favorite, due to of ease of fabrication and because it solves the problem of throwing a party when the host doesn’t have enough vodka or beer alone.

It’s a “Depth Charge” (itself a variation on a “Boilermaker,” except with a shot glass of vodka at the bottom of a glass of beer.) It’s also a prank when, hidden in dark beer, the drinker and the little glass slides forward = “Kick in the Teeth.”

The Tips:

Choose vodka by price and producer; a local’s choice is best (“Free Federation Premium” ); the worst are knock-offs and intentionally confusing derivations of famous brands, such as “Smirnof,” “Smirnoff,” and “Smirnov” —these are being made by “everybody, everywhere and made from everything.”

Regardless of which one you drink, taking a glass of black tea before going to bed will ward off a hangover the next morning.

A science note: Because the vodka is heavier than the surrounding beer, it stays in the sunken shot glass until tilted and swallowed with brew.

Russians don’t like flavored vodkas; the preferred method of quaffing is as an ice-cold shooter

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The Sandwich Place Brick Oven Baked Bread

Now serving gluten-free bread!

gourmet vegetarian

soups

catering

salad s

sandwiches

weekly specials

2029 Mission Street

(between 16th St & 17th St)

San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 431-3811

www.sanfranciscobrewcraft.com

Fulfill your Brewing and Winemaking Needs.

Free Brewing Classes Available.

1555 Clement St. San Francisco 94118

415.751.9338

Every Bottle Tells a Story From the California Gold Rush to the highlands of Peru... Haas Brothers presents world class spirits made with meticulous craftmanship. Each brand in our collection draws on its unique origin, bringing you a taste rich in history and distinction.

Cyrus Noble Bourbon Whiskey— winner of the 2012 Triple Gold Medal Award, Micro Liquor.

www.haas-brothers.com

profile

lorena vasquez Z acapa R um ’ s I ncredible M aster B lender text by yael amyra

DM: In the spirits industry which is dominated by male master distillers and master blenders with less than a handful of females, what gender advantages would you say female blender/distillers uniquely bring to the craft or business of essentially “curating-creating” spirits?

LV: There are only a small number of female master blenders in the world including myself. It is imperative for a woman to gain respect. To be knowledgeable and passionate about your subject will bring success regardless of gender.

DM: What inspires or stands out as particularly interesting to you today?

LV: I am lucky enough to have one of the greatest jobs in the world, so I find myself blessed to have the opportunity to do what I love each and every day. It’s exciting to see awareness

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among consumers, as more and more discover this very special rum.

DM: When you were growing up, who did you want to be or do for work?

LV: Born and reared in Nicaragua, I attended the Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Nicaragua with the intention of working in the culinary arts and graduated with a formal degree in chemistry, food technology and business administration. My personal passion of the culinary arts evolved into my current career. My credentials provided me the opportunity to work with Zacapa and I’ve lived in Guatemala ever since.

DM: What was your very first paid job?

LV: I started working in the Zacapa Quality Control department, where I developed my innate sensitivity to scents and flavors. Passionate about

learning the intricacies of crafting premium rum led to my position as Master Blender. I have devoted my entire career to Zacapa Rum and have served as Master Blender for 28 years. Being Master Blender is not a profession, but a way of life and I have cherished every day.

DM: Where do you live now?

LV: Guatemala City.

DM: Take me through your “solera” production process; what does “solera” meant to a consumer; and what makes solera special or unique?

LV: Sistema Solera is a traditional, dynamic aging process in which spirits of different ages and personalities are blended, and then subsequently stored in selected barrels to continue the maturing process. We meticulously monitor the maturity and

complexity of the aromas and flavors that shape this unique premium rum.

For Zacapa Rum, we use American whiskey, sherry, Pedro Ximenez and French cognac barrels for the aging process. As Master Blender, I personally oversee each stage of blending, ensuring consistency and unparalleled quality.

DM: Where do you see yourself and your life in the next 5 years? In 25 years?

LV: I’m not quite sure what the future holds for me in twenty-five years, but I hope I will be spending more time with family and continuing to do things that I love.

DM: Where do you go when you want to relax, have fun or just “get away”?

LV: My personal interests are traveling and food. Luckily, my job has allowed

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me to travel across the world and discover new cuisines. In my opinion, food should always be prepared with enough time and in a good mood, so I am always impressed by the passion and culture that thrives in every dish DM: If you weren’t Zacapa’s master blender, in what other livelihood would you be interested?

LV: If I had the opportunity to work in another field, I would be interested in becoming a perfume expert. I pride myself on my innate sensitivity to scents and flavors, which is a characteristic that would lend itself well in the livelihood of aromas and perfumes.

DM: Name a couple of your core personal and/or professional values.

LV: I believe my education, experience and passion has made me successful in my personal and professional life: my education, experience and also my quest for perfection in the Zacapa Quality Control department [was] necessary for me to become successful.

DM: What would you say is your greatest achievement to date?

LV: I enjoy meeting new people and sharing this special rum with them, but I always find it’s better enjoyed with good company. The greatest

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company in my life are my son and daughter, so my family is my greatest achievement to date.

DM: If you could do one thing over at the end of your days, what would it be?

LV: There is nothing at the moment that I would want to do again.

DM: What would you like your family, friends, and colleagues to say about you?

LV: I would like my family, friends and colleagues to describe me as a passionate and kind-hearted person, as I have a true passion for rummaking and I am a perfectionist at heart.

featured recipes

D i v i n a Pa s i o n

Enrique Sanchez & Limon, San Francisco 2 oz pisco Huamaní ¾ oz lime juice ¾ oz triple sec ½ oz simple syrup ½ oz Perfect Puree passion fruit puree 6 mint leaves Combine pisco, lime juice, triple sec, simple syrup, passion fruit puree, and mint leaves with ice; shake hard. Double-strain into highball glass and add ice. Garnish with one mint leaf.

Across the Border

Spencer Warren, Embury ¾ oz. Ilegal Mezcal Joven ¾ oz. lemon juice ¾ oz. Benedictine ¾ oz. Yellow Chartreuse 1 slice jalapeño 5 dashes celery bitters Muddle thin jalapeño slice with bitters. Strain lemon juice into metal mixing tin. Add liquor and shake over ice.

Double strain. Serve up.

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bo ok review

Edible Cocktails From Garden to Glass—Seasonal Cocktails with a Fresh Twist author --- Natalie Bovis of TheLiquidMuse.com subject --- Farm to Glass mixology, Grow/Muddle/Serve/DIY bartending text by Sangita Devaskar

Love cocktails with seasonal and local ingredients?

(Who doesn’t?) Natalie Bovis takes readers on an epicurean tutorial to make amazing cocktails from start to finish. The book covers everything from tips for planting your own cocktail garden to picking the best produce from a local farmer’s market to create your favorite libations. Bovis’ guide contains over 150 recipes to make your own cocktails, liqueurs, jams, bitters, infusions, mixers and garnishes that are sure to impress any guest.

everything from making the best homemade limoncello to garnishes such as quick-pickled grapes.

About the Author: Natalie Bovis is a mixologist and beverage consultant and author of Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be and The Bubbly Bride: Your Ultimate Wedding Cocktail Guide.

She recently launched a line of prebottled organic cocktails called OM (Organic Mixology). For more information, check out her website at TheLiquidMuse.com.

Why we love it: Sure there are millions of cookbooks and cocktail recipes out there, but Bovis’ book is a new twist.

Her eco-conscious and organic focus helps the aspiring bartender within us to understand what is going into the cocktails we all love to indulge.

Her section on Green Drinks: Cocktails with an Eye Toward Sustainability highlights earth-friendly spirits and tips for “greening” your bar. We love her section on meat-infused mixology. Chorizo mezcal? Sign me up! She covers

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Lolinda 26 Reviews $$

2518 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110 A new Latin American steakhouse plucked fresh from the minds behind Beretta and Starbelly, the arrival of Lolinda on Mission Street has local denizens buzzing.

Next to Foreign Cinema and located in the former Medjool space, prep yourself for Argentinian-inspired fare designed to help your stomach hold its own in the wake of their heavyweight drinks program. Get lost in a wine list dominated by Spanish and South American varietals, or just kick back with a cold Quilmes Lager, straight from Buenos Aires.

And expect no less than a cocktail list to write home about, replete with Rittenhouse Rye Manhattans and rounded out with Wild Turkey Old-Fashioneds. Go craft with a swig of the Bergen St. – Krogstad Acquavit, Plymouth gin, vanilla, lime, Galliano and Absinthe. And beware, the Cure for Pain can only be ordered and quaffed with its Hemingway-level heft of ingredients. Perhaps you’ll want to sip it on the soon-to-beopened sky terrace? We bet we gaucho attention now.

Food: Jess C says, “There are a couple things you have to order. The ceviche mixto really stands out: It’s fresh and flavorful. The steak is unbelievably tasty and juicy ($18). The pork belly is also delicious and is served with a refreshing, crunchy slaw. Don’t skip out on dessert – the peanut butter mousse with crunchy peanut brittle is amazing!”

Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am, Fri - Sat 5:30 pm - 1 am Alcohol: Full Bar Food: Argentinian, Steakhouse

For more reviews of Lolinda, as well as hundreds of other bars, restaurants, and any other business you’re looking to connect to, shimmy on over to www.yelp.com, or download the Yelp mobile app today!

. . . special section . . .

The Mezcal Mentor by sierra zimei

i can’t do ron cooper justice describing him and his mezcal in one page. Already a legend in the art world, Cooper has single-handedly brought the smoky spirit to the forefront of the current cocktail culture. Whether he meant to become the Mezcal Mentor is uncertain, but his love of the spirit and his loving attitude make it impossible not to listen.

When asked when he first knew he loved mezcal, Cooper simply says “1963.”

“I fell in love with mescal the first time I met Ron Cooper,” Misty Kalkofen remembers; this was sometime in 2008. “He had just brought [his own brand of mezcal] Del Maguey into Massachusetts. He came in on an unusually slow night and sat at a bar table. When I greeted them at their table he ordered two tequila cocktails of

4 – 3 – 1 Misty Kalkofen, Drink 1 oz. Vida Mezcal .75 oz. St. Germain .25 oz. Ramazotti Developed for a take away flask at 2011 Tales of The Cocktail Pairing dinner: Dominique’s on Magazine-Tales of Two Coopers.

my choosing. Ron asked me if I had time to taste something and then slowly started pulling brightly colored woven baskets out of his bag one at a time. One sip and I was hooked. I had never tasted anything like that in my entire life. They were all similar but each bottling had a distinctive flavor and its own story of history, hand of the maker and terroir.” Misty is now the Bar Manager at Brick & Mortar in Boston.

Keep your eye out for Cooper. He can be found at Tales of the Cocktail, among other cocktail and spirit events, and always with a bottle of his own Del Maguey Mezcal and ceramic copitas in hand, ready to greet you with a toast of “Stigibeu” and a hug. His brand brings single-village organic mezcals to the table. be prepared to have your heart opened and your mind blown.

g r e e n c hap ulin (g r ee n g r asshopper) Del Maguey Jefe and Ron Cooper, Ranchos de Taos 12 oz. red grapefruit juice 10 sprigs fresh cilantro, stems below bottom leaf on each sprig discarded 4 oz. Del Maguey San Luis del Rio 2 oz. Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal Highly carbonated soda water Pour all ingredients into blender, then add ice until volume is three times the amount of liquid. Blend until smooth, pour into an old fashioned glass, and top with an angostura bitters float. Garnish with lime wheel.

Serves six.

p oem

Snapshot of Whiskey text by Ale Gasso

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The Drink Me Menu october + november

Cocktails

Beer

Wine

sunrise on the horizon

Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse Dogfish Head, Milton, DE 4.8% ABV

Kongsgaard 2010 Albarino Carneros 14% ABV

Krogstad AquaVit, tomato, fenugreek-infused vermouth, black pepper, compressed onion

farmer’s almanac Maker’s Mark bourbon, eucalyptus, Almanac Winter Wit beer, nutmeg

9 herb charm Strawberry-infused tequila, nettles cordial, elderflower

honey pot Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Partida Blanco, honey, lemon bitters

dram at mt. tam St. George Terroir gin, konbuinfused vermouth, kale cordial, celery bitters, togarashi

St. Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Quadrupel Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Watou, BEL 10.5% ABV Sweetgrass APA American Pale Ale Grand Teton Brewing, Victor, ID 6.5% ABV Ommegang Abbey Ale Dubbel Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown, NY 8.5% ABV Coney Island Albino Python Shmaltz Brewing Company, NY 6.0% ABV Brooklyn Lager Brooklyn Brewery 5.2% ABV

Kooyong 2010 Clonale Chardonnay Mornington Peninsula 13.8% ABV Chateau de Saint-Lager 2010 Gamay Brouilly 13% ABV Beaux Freres 2010 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 13.8% ABV Jordan 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 13.5% ABV

cocktails by Brian Means

why does a magazine have a menu?

We taste a lot of really delicious things in the course of creating Drink Me magazine— too many, in fact, to even begin to post reviews for them all. We also wish we had a bar.

The Drink Me Menu is a rotating list of our favorite recipes, beers, and wines of the moment.

Want to get onto our menu? Email us: menu@drinkmemag.com

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