The Craft of Cocktails 2022

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LOCAL BARTENDERS SERVE UP THEIR FAVE COCKTAILS

WORDS BY MCKENNA SCHERER | PHOTOS BY ANDREA PAULSETH

the dive mistletoe margarita

E.C. NATIVE CO-FOUNDS INNOVATIVE VERMOUTH COMPANY

LASDON VERMOUTH IS A WISCONSIN-BASED VERMOUTH COMPANY SHAKIN’ UP THE GAME NATION-WIDE

WORDS

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT LASDON VERMOUTH IN FORBES

or various Milwaukee publications if you frequent our south-eastern neighbor, but if not, let us introduce you to the innovative game changer in the cocktail world.

There are craft liquors galore across the nation, and quite the roundup of Wisco-made spirits too, but Lasdon Vermouth has created a product that tackles an otherwise difficult issue for vermouth drinkers to overcome: the dreaded shelf life and expiration.

BY MCKENNA SCHERER

Eau Claire native and co-founder of Lasdon Vermouth, Ben Proctor, said two years of research between him and fellow co-founder Eric Berg was done prior to even lifting Lasdon off the ground. As vermouth drinkers themselves, the limited shelf life of it was a consistent issue they noted.

“It’s not uncommon to have an old bottle of vermouth in a home bar cabinet because people often use only a small amount in each cocktail,” Proctor explained. “But vermouth is a fortified wine. While the alcohol percentage is higher than

proctor + eric berg, co-founders

wine, it’s lower than spirits such as vodka, gin, or whiskey. Like wine, an opened bottle of vermouth can oxidize over time, which will change its flavor.”

Proctor said it’s noticeable how a freshly-opened bottle of vermouth tastes much better than one that’s sat around for several weeks, let alone months. Lasdon Vermouth’s six-packs of 60ml mini bottles of vermouth solve that issue, and do it with Wisco flavor and style.

Both Proctor and Berg grew up and live in Wisconsin, each with generations of roots in the state. “To the extent we could work with other Wisconsin-based businesses and use Wisconsin ingredients, we wanted to do that,” Proctor said.

The duo visited various Wisco wineries on the hunt for the right base for their vermouth, happily landing on a La Crosse variety that had a pleasant neutral flavor they could work off of. Brandy is added too alongside a mix of herbs and botanicals, all inter-

twining to create Lasdon Vermouth.

“We’ve had the opportunity to work with some great Wisconsin businesses and I’ve learned a lot,” Proctor said. “We have also heard from people around the country who read (various) articles (about Lasdon Vermouth) and want to know where they can find our product. It’s great to see that kind of enthusiasm.”

And that enthusiasm is likely online going to skyrocket with Lasdon Vermouth’s sophomore variety of vermouth – a sweet vermouth. Proctor shared Lasdon Vermouth hopes to have their sweet vermouth variety, also sold in six-packs, by the end of the year.

Their current staple, the original Lasdon Vermouth, is sold in both six-packs of 60ml bottles and 750ml bottles, which are more practical for restaurant and bar use.

Find a list of retailers who sell Lasdon Vermouth on their website, lasdonvermouth.com, and keep up with them online.

Ben

THIRSTY? HERE ARE THE VALLEY’S FAVORITE PLACES TO GET COCKTAILS

ACCORDING TO VOTERS IN OUR 2022 BEST OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY READER POLL, these craft cocktail conquerors make happy hour a whole lot happier.

1. THE LAKELY

The Lakely (in the Oxbow Hotel, 516 Galloway St., Eau Claire) jumped into first place as readers’ favorite place for cocktails. Enjoy your cocktail – including the beloved Great Grampa – with a locally sourced meal and live music.

2. THE DIVE

Next up is a rooftop bar named after a swimming pool from the 1970s: Dive (in the Lismore Hotel,

333 Gibson St., Eau Claire) remains a favorite place to congregate for unique cocktails.

3. THE RED MIXER

New to the list this year is the Red Mixer (2526 Golf Road, Eau Claire), which offers a wide variety of cocktails plus a relaxing atmosphere and acoustic music.

–Stephanie Nesja

Want to vote for your favorite craft cocktail? The 2023 Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll is open at volumeone.org/bestof through Friday, Dec. 9!

the lakely

SHAKE UP YOUR COCKTAILS WITH WISCO-MADE INGREDIENTS

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US, AND IT’S TIME TO UP YOUR COCKTAIL GAME WITH LOCAL FLAIR

PHOTOS + WORDS BY MCKENNA SCHERER

IN THEORY, YOU CAN VISIT JUST ABOUT ANY GROCERY STORE (OR KWIK TRIP)

AND SNAG AT LEAST A FEW ingredients to make a cocktail. In practice, though, we love to shop and support local – that’s where all the cool stuff is, anyway. Here are a few local faves to supply your holiday cocktail concoctions.

MAPLE SYRUP FOR ... COCKTAILS?

Yes, cocktail maple syrup may be how one chooses to summarize the state of Wisconsin in one product. If you haven’t heard of it before, you have now: Tapped, founded by the Solin family who first settled in Wisconsin back in 1917, tapped into the maple syrup-making game decades ago and hasn’t looked back. Their products includes cocktail syrups, available in varieties such as whiskey barrel-aged maple syrup, cherry bark and vanilla bitters infused syrup, old-fashioned cocktail syrup, and more.

boy, and more. Their bitters lineup is plentiful, and a variety pack of ’em is available at The Local Store featuring Bolivar, Orange, Blackstrap, Jamaican No. 1, and more. Plus, they offer Cocktail Cedar Sticks, an alternative to flamed citrus peels and other need-to-flame garnishes, ridding you of that butane smell or risk of fire. “Beyond flamed citrus oil, use a cocktail cedar to smoke a glass, or as a unique garnish. You can even use the charred cedar nubs to infuse spirits,” Bittercube’s website shares.

One of them, the Tart Cherry Sipping Vinegar, is made with Door County cherries and described as having a “tangy yet slightly sweet palate.” It’s made with just three ingredients (tart cherries, organic apple cider vinegar, and organic cane sugar). Other flavors include their Maple Ginger Sophisticated Mixer, Lemon Grass Mixer, and Honeycrisp Mixer.

THE BEST BLOODY DUO

If you read that in a British accent, you’re funny, but we’re not talkin’ that type of bloody. The Bloody Mary is a drinkable art form, and in Wisconsin, it’s a serious art form, too. Nan’s Naughty and Nice Bloody Mary Mix is created in Hudson, and both the original and spicy varieties are award-winning favorites across the nation. With fewer than 10 ingredients and gluten-free, either variety is sure to conquer your thirst for a Bloody.

WISCO-MADE ALCOHOL

We’ve all got our favorites, but here are a handful of Wisconsin-made liquors you can buy in the Chippewa Valley:

BITTERCUBE BITTERS + COCKTAIL STICKS

Handmade in Milwaukee, Bittercube was founded in 2009 by two bartenders who made it their mission to create the most distinctive, delicious lineup of bitters in the world. They’ve been featured in The New York Times, Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, NPR, Bon Appétit, Play-

SOPHISTICATED MIXERS

Appropriately named, Siren Shrub’s Sophisticated Mixer products are exactly what they sound like – and more. Siren Shrubs is women-owned and Wisconsin-based, growing in popularity among both alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers, and their Sophisticated Mixer flavors are a smash hit.

Top off your Bloody glass with Forest Floor Foods’ Bloody Mary Spiced Rimmer Salt, the Wisconsin-based company a producer of a ton of different snacks and sippers such as stuffed olives, dirty martini mix, and more. The spiced rim salt is described as having “A little tomato flare accented with the perfect blend of seasonings.” Ooh-la-la.

TRUMIE’S Made in Chippewa Falls and the Chippewa River Distillery’s exclusive alcohol, Trumie’s vodka is handcrafted and comes in a huge variety of flavors, and not your average ones, either. Trumie’s offers dill vodka, garlic, horseradish, blueberry, strawberry, espresso vodka, and more. If there isn’t a vodka for you in the Trumie lineup, there might not be one anywhere.

DRIFTLESS GLEN Made on the banks of the Baraboo River on the edge of the Driftless Area, Driftless Glen also makes a variety of liqueurs like their WisconGin, five-year reserve brandy, cucumber vodka, and more. Their bottles are as classy as their liquor is tasty.

DOOR COUNTY CHERRY

VODKA Made using the finest Wisco ingredients, Central Standard’s award-winning Door County Cherry Vodka is handcrafted and infused with Door County cherries, curbed with fresh Wisconsin honey.

All of the above Wisco-made cocktail ingredients are available at The Local Store (205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire).

SIP ON THE VALLEY’S FAVORITE COCKTAILS

VOLUME ONE READERS’ PICKS FOR THE BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS IN THE REGION

ACCORDING TO VOTERS IN OUR 2022 BEST OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY READER POLL, these craft cocktail conquerors make happy hour a whole lot happier.

1. BERRY MOJITO AT COWBOY JACK’S Sipping one of these cocktails is sure to fill you with warmth and glee. The new firstplace winner, the Berry Mojito at Cowboy Jack’s (1432 Front Porch Place, Altoona) tastes like summer in a glass.

2. GREAT GRAMPA AT THE LAKELY A sophisticated take on the Old Fashioned made with rye whiskey, the Great Grampa at the Lakely (in the Oxbow Hotel, 516 Galloway St., Eau Claire) remains a steady favorite.

3. THE OLD FASHIONED AT DIVE The Old Fashioned at the Dive (in the Lismore Hotel, 333 Gibson St., Eau Claire) comes in third, demonstrating that Wisconsin stays true to its state drink.

–Stephanie Nesja

Want to vote for your favorite craft cocktail? The 2023 Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll is open at volumeone.org/bestof through Friday, Dec. 9!

MIXING IT UP AT DIVE

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

CUBES, KITS, AND JARS: AT-HOME COCKTAILS HAVE NEVER BEEN EASIER

MAKE SOME QUICK-TO-PREP AND DELICIOUS COCKTAILS FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME WITH THESE LOCAL PRODUCTS

BY SAWYER HOFF

CAMP CRAFT COCKTAIL JARS

Jars are not just for jams, people. They can house cupcakes, ingredient mixes, decorations, and at Camp, they hold cocktails. How does that last one work? Simple: the 16-ounce glass jars are packed with dehydrated fruits, vegetables, herbs, citrus, or bitters-infused sugars and spices. Add the recommended alcohol (or whatever is your favorite) and allow it to sit in your fridge for three days while the flavors mingle. Each jar allows for about eight pours and there are many different flavors for you to try. Not an alcohol fan? Add hot water instead and get the same great flavors.

W&P CRAFT COCKTAIL KIT

These cocktail kits will give you everything you need to make a delicious Bloody Mary, Hot Toddy, Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned, and more! Each kit comes with a recipe card, a bar spoon, 1/2 oz. jigger, and all of the ingredients (minus the booze) you need for a delicious cocktail that will impress everyone in your household. Kits also come with a linen coaster, to help with the presentation, of course.

YES COCKTAILS CO.

Yes Cocktails Co. is the perfect place to get everything you need for the perfect cocktail. Their selection is for the people who buy LEGOs to build whatever they want instead of using the instructions. They have plenty of different mixers, syrups, garnishes, and even bitters-infused cubes for anyone looking to make a classic Old Fashioned. Whether you want to follow a recipe or your heart, Yes Cocktails Co. has everything you’d need to do so.

Each of these companies and some of the products can be found in The Local Store and at other retailers.

WISCO DISTILLERY LAUNCHES CHOCOLATE BRANDY

NEW CHOCOLATE BRANDY PART OF FLANNEL SERIES ALONG WITH NEW FESTIVE COCKTAIL RECIPES

BY SAWYER HOFF

LOOKING FOR A SWEET HOLIDAY COCKTAIL?

Wisconsin-based Central Standard Craft Distillery released a new Northern Wisconsin Chocolate Brandy as a part of its Flannel series. This is the second release in the Flannel series, which debuted in June with North Blackberry Brandy.

“Like that favorite flannel shirt in your closet, we created this limited-edition series to be comfortable and very approachable,” co-founder Pat McQuillan said. “We can’t wait for folks to try our new Chocolate Brandy, as well as what else we have up our sleeve for the Flannel series in 2023 and beyond.”

Along with the brandy, Central Standard also released eight new cocktail recipes featuring it. The recipes include “Nostalgic Nightcap” (North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, Irish cream, and half & half on the rocks), Chocolate Snap (North Wiscon-

sin Chocolate brandy, ginger beer, and an orange twist in a Collins glass), and The Zoolander (North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, Triple Sec, simple syrup, and Central Standard Daily Grind Coffee Vodka on the rocks or as a martini), and more.

“Our new Chocolate brandy is a ‘must try’ this season as almost a pound of dark chocolate is infused into each bottle,” said the distillery’s other co-founder, Evan Hughes. “The result is a rich, flavorful and festive brandy with hints of dry cherry, vanilla, and, of course, chocolate. It tastes like the holidays in a bottle.“

The Chocolate Brandy is sold in 750ml bottles and will only be in limited quality. You can find Central Standard Craft Distillery’s products sold at Woodman’s and Altoona and Festival Foods on Clairemont Avenue in Eau Claire.

For more information on the distillery and to find the recipes, you can go to thecentralstandard.com.