vincent's ruin

2 oz Bulleit Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
7 drop Lemon Bitters (Berg & Hauck)

Shake with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed old fashioned glass (Pastis d'Autrefois) with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I found a mention of a drink called Vincent's Ruin online, and I gathered a recipe on KindredCocktails and information about it on eGullet and elsewhere. This Bourbon Sour of sorts was created by Toby Maloney for The Patterson House's opening menu in Spring 2009; the bar replied to my Instagram post declaring that it is still one of their favorites, and it has been on and off the menu throughout the years including a 2022 menu that I spotted on Yelp. Here, Vincent's Ruin shot forth with a lemon, anise, and licorice bouquet. Next, lemon and melon notes on the sip subsided into Bourbon, floral, and hint of apricot flavors on the swallow with a lemon finish.

trenton

2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted the Trenton in a collection of Sasha Petraske-related recipes. This apple brandy-blanc vermouth number is rather similar to the Backward's Point also in that collection and attributed to Attaboy via the Bartender's Choice app with the same proportions but with Scotch and sweet vermouth instead. Those two are also similar to the build of how Attaboy makes their Little Italy that curiously reverses Audrey Saunder's vermouth to Cynar ratio (Audrey's recipe in the link). Once prepared, the Trenton gave forth grapefruit, apple, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel and apple notes on the sip sprouted into apple, grapefruit, and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

hitman

3/4 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make another recipe in the online recipe flashcard collection from Dutch Kills called the Hitman. I was not able to find it in photos of menus or in reviews on Yelp or Google Maps, but it was too tempting to pass up. The combination of mezcal and Batavia Arrack reminded me of various Boston and New York City drinks like the Esmino's Escape and the Shattered Glasser, and that duo was one that I utilized in the Explorer's Dream that I later modified into the Explorer's Negroni. Moreover, the combination of Maraschino and ginger syrup was very intriguing in the New Rider and in the One for Jimmy (with ginger beer), and I featured it in my Tiki drink Who Killed Mr. Moonlight?. In the glass, the Hitman launched off with a nutty cherry and smoke bouquet. Next, a lime and cherry sip stalked down funky spirits, nutty cherry, and ginger flavors on the swallow with a smoke and ginger finish.

griselda

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
3/8 oz Amaro Montenegro
3/8 oz Amaro Nonino
1/8 oz Green Chartreuse
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange twist (omit).

Two Mondays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I stumbled upon the Griselda by Leonardo Rezende at the Dandelion Cocktail Bar in Florianopolis, Brazil, circa 2013. I had previously enjoyed the Lost & Found from that bar, so I was definitely curious to try another libation of theirs. While the name reminded me of the local cachaça number the Esmeralda, this was a Bourbon drink accented by a trio of herbal liqueurs: Montenegro, Nonino, and Green Chartreuse, and dried out a touch by French vermouth. In the glass, the Griselda approached the nose with a tangerine and Bourbon aroma. Next, caramel and nectarine notes on the sip led to American whiskey, caramel orange, and herbaceous flavors on the swallow.

orange moon

2 oz Brandy (Courvoisier VS Cognac)
1/2 oz Orange Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 oz Ginger Liqueur (Barrow's)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with pastis (Pastis d'Autrefois), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Sundays prior, I reached for Cole Newton's Cocktail Dive Bar book where I discovered Jeff Schwartz's Orange Moon. Jeff created this Sazerac riff at 12 Mile Limit in New Orleans in 2013, and Cole helped to name the drink after an album by a local indie folk duo Alexis & the Samurai. Once assembled, the Orange Moon rose with a lemon, anise, orange, and ginger bouquet. Next, the orange notes continued on into the sip where they entered the swallow as well along with brandy, ginger, and anise flavors.

mountain man

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
1/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/4 oz Crème de Peche (Mathilde)

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a piece of candied ginger.Two Saturdays ago, I spotted a recipe for the Mountain Man and traced it back to an article in Punch. This drink created by Natasha David at Nightcap in Manhattan circa 2015 read like a maple for honey Democrat meets a Federal Buffalo Stamp. Once prepared, the Mountain Man offered up Bourbon, peach, and ginger aromas to the nose. Next, lemon and maple notes on the sip climbed towards Bourbon, peach, maple, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

inner child

2 oz Tequila (Arette)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.When I was at Daiquiris & Daisies and enjoying my Chili Southside, co-owner Joe Cammarata mentioned the Inner Child and attributed it to Attaboy. I was able to locate a recipe in a collection of Dutch Kills drinks that described it as an "Infante with passion fruit"; therefore, I used the serving style and garnish from the Infante as one was not provided there. Passion fruit and orgeat have paired well in Tiki classics like the Saturn, and I have utilized the duo in a rum-cachaça Mai Tai sort of build in the Manuia and in a Japanese Cocktail-Hurricane mashup called the Hariken. Here, the Inner Child began with a woody spice, tequila, and almond bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip opened up into tequila, earthy, nutty, and passion fruit flavors on the swallow.

paseo bravo

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Banhez)
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1 tsp Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a cherry.Two Thursdays ago, I decided to make another recipe from Dear Irving via a set of online recipe flashcards called the Paseo Bravo. There, it was attributed to bartenders Rolando and Alex for the Fall 2022 menu. The description read, "A new addition to satisfy fans of the Oaxacan Old Fashioned while offering something with some rich, slightly spicy layers. Named for the tree-lined promenade in Pueblo where Ancho Reyes comes from." Once prepared, the Paseo Bravo showcased a smoky agave, chili, and cherry aroma. Next, a semi-sweet sip led into smoky agave, chili spice, chocolate, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

gone hunting

1 1/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1/4 oz Nocino (Russo)
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist and grated cinnamon.Two Wednesdays prior, I returned to the recipe collection for Idlewild, a menu-less speakeasy in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spotted the Gone Hunting. The concept of an Old Fashioned with walnut liqueur and maple reminded me of the Bourbon-based Fall Back at Backbar but here with rye and apple brandy. Once mixed, the Gone Hunting welcomed the senses with orange, walnut, cinnamon, and maple aromas. Next, amber notes on the sip tracked down rye, apple, walnut, maple, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

down time

1 1/2 oz Toki Whisky (Kavalan)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Another drink that caught my attention in the online recipe flashcard set for Dutch Kills was the Down Time that I was able to date to their Fall 2022 menu via photos on Yelp. It read like a whisky-apple brandy Old Fashioned flavored with Amaro Nardini and allspice dram, and the apple, Nardini, and allspice trio worked well in the Infernal Architect, so I was curious to give this a try. In the glass, the Down Time opened up with orange, caramel, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel with a hint of apple on the sip slid over to whisky, apple, herbal, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was impressed at how well the allspice accented the Calvados and whisky here.

made man

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/8 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Mondays ago, I was peering through the Kindred Cocktails database when I came upon the Made Man by Ali Reynolds at the Hawksmoor in London. The database sourced the drink from a CocktailsDistilled web post which described, "In the same way that a made man is traditionally seen as 'untouchable' by fellow criminals, in the world of cocktails, a Made Man offers a taste you can't refuse." I was able to find references as early as 2013 to this drink on the web, and the rye, cherry, Yellow Chartreuse combination reminded me of the Last Waltz. Once stirred and strained, the Made Man gave forth a rye, cherry, and herbal pine bouquet. Next, dark fruit notes on the sip led into rye, cherry, bitter herbal, piny, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

menage a trois

1 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1/2 oz Aged Rhum JM (Rhum JM 100° Blanc)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Another drink that caught my eye from the online recipe flashcard set for Dutch Kills was the Ménage à Trois as a three French spirits in Old Fashioned format (sans bitters) sweetened with Pedro Ximenez sherry akin to ones with bitters like the Second Marriage and Linchpin. I was able to find the drink on the bar's Spring/Summer 2024 menu. Once prepared, the Ménage à Trois proffered an orange, raisin, and grassy aroma. Next, a rich grape and caramel sip followed through with brandy, apple, grassy rum, raisin, and fig flavors on the swallow.

put on stun

1 oz Rittenhouserye Rye
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
2 dash Root Beer Bitters (Bitter Queens Sarsparilla)

Stir with ice, strain into double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a twist (orange twist).
Note: I recommend a tsp simple syrup added here (see text).While I was searching the Kindred Cocktails database two Saturdays ago, I came across the Put on Stun by Otis Florence at PDT in Manhattan circa 2013 that reminded me of Death & Co.'s Bourbon-based Pop Quiz. I had met Otis when he was touring with the master distiller for El Dorado Rum back in 2015, and he made me a Tiki drink after the seminar. Once assembled, the Put on Stun opened up with orange and root beer aromas. Next, a caramel sip gave way to rye, apple, root beer, and herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a bit hot at first, so perhaps a teaspoon of simple syrup like in the Pop Quiz could mellow the alcohol heat out here.

seconds in

1 1/2 oz Yolo Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
3/4 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed coupe (Butterfly), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays, I made another drink from the Dutch Kill's online recipe flashcards called the Seconds In from their Spring/Summer 2024 menu. The combination of gentian and apricot liqueurs has worked well in the past for two cocktails at Canon, namely the Shrouded Roulette and Nymph, so I was curious to try it here with mezcal and blanc vermouth. The name made me think of the call for "seconds out" in boxing and MMA fights where the referee is asking the cornermen and coaches to exit the cage or ring so the next round can begin, but perhaps this is more time related. Once prepared, the Seconds In offered up lemon, licorice, and herbal aromas. Next, white grape notes on the sip expanded into mezcal, gentian, apricot, and anise flavors on the swallow.

velvet revolution

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
1/2 oz Becherovka
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.At Daiquiris & Daisies, bar co-owner Joe Cammarata mentioned a drink called the Inner Child that he attributed to Attaboy, and I was able to find it in a collection of recipes for Dutch Kills. Instead of that citrussy number, I was distracted by the Oaxacan Old Fashioned riff accented by chocolate and Czech spiced liqueurs called the Velvet Revolution by Dana Skinner for Dutch Kills' Winter 2019 menu. The bar's Instagram gave the back story that the drink was named after a nonviolent revolution that toppled the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia in December 1989. Once prepared, the Velvet Revolution commenced with a grapefruit, vegetal, chocolate, clove, and smoke aromas. Next, a hint of caramel on the sip flowed into vegetal, smoke, chocolate, cinnamon, and mint flavors on the swallow.

chili southside

1 1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Mint Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Wednesdays ago, I was near the Financial District in downtown Boston, so I stopped into Daiquiris & Daisies for a drink. From the menu, the Chili Southside caught my eye, so I asked bartender Tommy for one. From the menu description, it seemed to be a chili liqueur for gin version of the South Side, but Tommy mentioned that there was dry vermouth in the mix and that the mint syrup worked as a cooling counter to chili's spicy heat. Once prepared, the Chili Southside welcomed the nose with a mint, lime, and an almost cucumber vegetal bouquet. Next, a lime-driven sip led into roasted vegetable, dried fruit, and chili spice flavors on the swallow ending with a cooling mint wave. On Instagram, a friend commented that it was a lot of Ancho Reyes, and I replied, "I heard a brand ambassador mention that it was 80 proof and low in sugar, so it could sub in as a base spirit or split spirit instead of being just a modifier." Until this ounce and a half measure, the largest that I had tried was a full ounce in the Battle of Puebla and the Subtly Sinister, but most uses have been a half or quarter ounce.

lightning rod

1 1/2 oz Siembra Valles Tequila (Arette)
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1 tsp Marie Brizard Crème de Cacao
1 tsp Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur (Passion Fruit Syrup)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book from the shelves and found the Lightning Rod by Shannon Tebay. This 2017 drink was created as a tequila Negroni riff, and the tequila Negroni with cacao aspect reminded me of the Darkness Calls and Flaquita, while the tequila, Campari, and passion fruit trio has worked well in the M.N. Roy and Spider of the Evening. With the cacao and passion fruit combined, the Lightning Rod offered up orange and chocolate aromas. Next, grapefruit and passion fruit notes on the sip flowed into tequila, chocolate, bitter orange, and tropical tangerine flavors on the swallow.

two scoops

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Amaro Pasubio
1 oz Cardamaro

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I visited the Haus Alpenz website and spotted a drink in the recipe section called the Two Scoops that utilized a pair of amaro from their portfolio: Pasubio and Cardamaro. Since the name made me think of the cereal commercial with the slogan "two scoops of raisins", I assume that it is a reference to the fact that both amaro are wine based. This Boulevardier of sorts launched off with lemon, blueberry, and grape aromas. Next, grape and blueberry notes on the sip continued on into bourbon, herbal, and blueberry flavors on the swallow.

last shadow

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (Hamilton Demerara River 86°)
1/2 oz Lemonhart 151° Rum
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
1/2 tsp Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Sundays ago, I reached for Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and spotted Tyson Buhler's 2014 Last Shadow which had a similar Old Fashioned sweetened by amaro and cinnamon syrup theme as the Armstrong. I had previously passed over this for I do not have El Dorado 15 Year Rum, but I realized that I probably would never carry it at home (and only have a little El Dorado 12 Year left), so I decided to make it with a younger yet flavorful rum from the same distillery. In the glass, the Last Shadow began with a grapefruit, caramel, cinnamon, and herbal bouquet. Next, caramel and woody notes on the sip were drowned out by rum, molasses, minty, cinnamon, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

armstrong

1 oz Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Aged Rum (3/4 oz Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Zucca (3/4 oz Amaro Sfumato)
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup (1/4 oz)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Idlewild, a menu-less speakeasy in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, the Armstrong as a split base rye-rum Old Fashioned accented by a smoky rabarbaro and cinnamon syrup caught my eye; while I have not had that pairing, I have had similar cinnamon Old Fashioneds with amari like Montenegro in the Battle Annie, Cardamaro in the Leather Bound Book, and S. Maria al Monte in the Front Street. Here, the Armstrong proffered orange, roast, caramel, and cinnamon aromas. Next, a caramel sip stretched into rye, rum, bitter herbal, smoky, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

last pontoon

1 1/2 oz Remy Martin 1738 Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/4 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1/4 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal (Banhez)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, top with 3/4 oz IPA (Sierra Nevada Atomic Torpedo), and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Fridays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across an intriguing beer cocktail called the Last Pontoon. The drink was created by Chaim Dauermann at The Up & Up in Manhattan circa 2015 as his update on the classic Japanese Cocktail and published in Saveur. The Pedro Ximenez sherry accents to the orgeat here reminded me of how well the combination worked in the Kartini and Sherry Mai Tai. Using the West Coast-style IPA from Sierra Nevada that I had on hand, the Last Pontoon welcomed the nose with grapefruit, caramel, and raisin aromas. Next, a creamy, molasses, and dried fruit sip paddled into Cognac, raisin, nutty almond, grapefruit, and pine flavors on the swallow with a hint of smoke.

subtly sinister

1 1/2 oz Planteray Xaymaca Rum
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dash Smeby's Black & White (chocolate/vanilla) Bitters (2 dash Savoy Society Chocolate-Chicory + 2 dash Savoy Society Orange-Vanilla)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with mint (chocolate mint) with drops of Black & White Bitters (3 drops of each of the two bitters above on the mint sprig).Two Thursdays prior, I revisited the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago. There, I spotted the Subtly Sinister from the Fall 2021 menu that I had previously skipped over when I lacked Ancho Reyes on my shelf. While Ancho Reyes has generally been paired with agave spirits in the recipes that I have tried, it did work rather well with funky Jamaican rum in Shameful Tiki's No Woman, No Crime and in the night before's split-base Bootlegger's Barrel. The cacao-chili pairing had been already set in my mind when I first had it in 2015 with the Battle of Puebla, so that was also a plus. In the glass, the Subtly Sinister approached the nose with a rum funk, mint, chocolate, and vanilla bouquet. Next, a caramel sip turned a bit more aggressive with funky rum, chocolate, and chili flavor on the swallow.

bootlegger's barrel

3/4 oz Bulleit Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a barrel mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a lemon wheel and 2 Bird's Eye chilis (1 dried Matchbox pepper).Two Wednesdays ago, I turned to another volume of the City Series with Trevor Felch's San Francisco Cocktails. I continued on with the tropical theme from the night before by selecting the Bootlegger's Barrel from the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar. I found the drink posted on the bar's Facebook in early 2020, and I uncovered their menu which described it as "This is what happens when a whiskey man leaves the mountains and heads for warmer climates." The rum, Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, and passion fruit reminded me of Death & Co.'s The Lonesome Crowded West, but here, there was chile liqueur and lemon juice in the mix and not an Old Fashioned in structure. Once prepared, the Bootlegger's Barrel lifted off with a lemon and passion fruit bouquet. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip smuggled in funky rum, Bourbon, passion fruit, and chili pepper spice flavors on the swallow. The Amaro Nonino save for the caramel in the sip was a bit lost here in the balance.

:: engaging with challenging guests ::

Yesterday, USBG Boston hosted all four of its Education Week 2024 events that included a comparative tasting of tequila production techniques with John Mayer Spressert of Burke Distributing, a class on ice carving history and technique with Iruma Shibuya, and a roundtable on cocktail competitions with a trio of veterans. The one that I took the most notes for was a roundtable entitled "Engaging with Challenging Guests" that discussed how to best handle situations that involve drinking, drug use, and entitled behavior especially when it becomes disruptive if not before that point. The panel moderated by USBG Boston president Justin Silmon consisted of Keith Bennett – the head of security at the Middle East restaurant and rock club, Corrie Masison – AGM of MIDA in East Boston, Nestore Polce – GM of Branchline, and Geoffrey Thompson – currently working on the South Shore but spoke a lot of his time managing the Sinclair rock club, Foundry on Elm gastropub, high volume Riverbar, and other venues around town.

For folks working in the service industry, we have all experienced dilemmas of how to deal with guests who have consumed too much, who are acting in inappropriate ways towards staff or other patrons, or who are beginning to get belligerent or threatening. The roundtable speakers considered these issues from their experiences working at rock venues on one end to fine dining on the other as well as all sorts of establishments in between. Keith, after telling a wild story of his younger days as a bouncer, started off sharing what he learned over time. His advice was de-escalation that included not taking the bait as the person in question calls you every name in the book or wants to fight, and not taking it personally for it is only work. With that also came leaving life's problems at home, and he described how a boring night at security is a sign of a job well done. Nestore reiterated the leaving your day's troubles at the door and continued on with a focus on staying calm as the guest tries to make you upset. Nestore explained that our job is to make the business move forward while keeping an eye on the safety and comfort of the other guests. Corrie learned a lot from watching her friends who have become moms and dads, and she extracted gentle parenting techniques on how to guide people in the desired direction. In a later part of the session, she expounded by declaring that course correction is crucial before things become a problem, and this needs to be direct with the boundary setting. Geoffrey had two major points in this round which were that we have to take care of our guests as we "poison" their systems with alcohol. The second part was that this begins with teaching the hosts, bartenders, and servers how to make the night go smoothly; he continued on with the importance of getting to know your local beat cops who can help to de-escalate situations faster than calling 911. Later, the discussion honed into the public perception of the police. Keith best summed it up by saying that regardless of what you think of the police and the issues in the news, this is what police are really good at which is making the problem dissipate before violence erupts.

Keith later added to his previous points by stressing to make sure that you are not alone in any confrontation. His thought process as a bouncer is not how can you hurt someone but how can you diffuse the situation without getting hurt yourself. In fact, if there is violence of any sort, he feels a great sense of failure, and he alluded to the financial risks of lawsuits as well. Geoffrey also spoke of legal issues but more regarding the finances involving liquor licenses that are rather expensive investments in this state. If something happens to a guest, a manager may have to bring in a lawyer to face city officials include councilmen and police and fire chiefs, and this turns into a pricy affair in the defense alone. Geoffrey condensed this topic with the point that you have to make decisions throughout the night to protect your establishment's livelihood. Keith as part of the security team worked at being welcoming, helpful, and invisible. With the first two, the tone can be set at the door. With the last point, he did not want to be the catalyst for problems to happen; however, he and his staff communicated on who to keep eyes on, so invisible was expanded into observe, report, and invisible until it was time to act. Nestore in the restaurant environment took a more direct style of approaching potential issue tables with an introduction and perhaps a question of what they were celebrating or other to make it known that they were being watched and perhaps acting a step away from the usual demeanor. He makes sure his staff is trained to notice if someone is making others uncomfortable and to alert a manager. Moreover, he focuses on checking in with the guests around the issue and communicating that they are seen, heard, and protected. Finally, Geoffrey brought up the point that guests are always watching and will take notice of what the management and other staff allow to happen and thus what directly or indirectly is deemed acceptable. If those guests see you doing nothing, that is only going to hurt your business even more in the long run.

the duke

2 oz Hamilton Pot Still Gold Jamaican Rum (1 1/2 oz Appleton Signature + 1/2 oz Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Don's Spices #2 (1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup + 1/4 oz Hamilton's Allspice Dram)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Stir with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass, and top with crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel, cinnamon stick, and cinnamon powder (freshly grated cinnamon).Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for another book in the City Series, namely Nicole Schaefer's Portland Cocktails. There, I spied The Duke by Lindsey Dixon at Hale Pele that made me realize how I had neglected tropical drinks for much of the summer. While the book surmised that it could be a reference to the Duke's Pearl, I found on Hale Pele's website a description of this 2017 creation which declared, "Duke Kahanamoku popularized surfing in the early 20th century. Join him by riding this strong wave of citrus, spice, apricot, and Jamaican rum. But watch out for the undertow!" I was surprised that the instructions had this as a built and stirred drink which is unusual for the Tiki genre and most citrus recipes in general, but once prepared, The Duke paddled out to the nose with a cinnamon, apricot, and lemon aroma. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip caught the wave into funky rum, allspice, apricot, cinnamon, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

all that jazz

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Jeppson's Malört
3 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. No garnish was specified, but all the photos of Manhattans at the Driftwood Room have a cherry garnish, so I followed suit.Two Mondays ago, there was a thread today on Facebook discussing whether the Martini or the Manhattan was a superior drink. One of the Manhattan fans was bartender Jeff Terry who proffered his recipe called All that Jazz from the Driftwood Room in Portland, Oregon, where they have a section of five Manhattan variations on the menu. With Malört in the mix softened by the sweet richness of Averna and vermouth, I was intrigued. Once prepared, the All that Jazz began with a rye, caramel, and grapefruit aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow wrapped things up with rye, herbal, and bitter flavors with an orange finish. When Jeff asked me on Instagram what I thought, and I replied that I enjoyed it and that "The Malört gave a dry, bitter finish and an intriguing grapefruit aroma."

burning in effigy

2 oz Blanco Tequila (Arette)
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist and grated Abuelita Hot Chocolate (grated baking chocolate).Two Sundays ago, I came across Nico Martini's Texas Cocktails book on my shelf, and there I spied the Burning in Effigy by Benjamin Krick at Juniper Tar in San Antonio. I was lured in for it reminded me of a spiced 21st Century given the tequila, cacao, and lemon elements. Once prepared, the Burning in Effigy opened up with a lemon, chocolate, and tequila bouquet. Next, lemon on the sip flowed into tequila, minty, chocolate, chili spice, and anise flavors on the swallow.

leatherman

1 oz Banhez Mezcal (1 1/2 oz)
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur (3/4 oz)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro (3/4 oz)
1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (3/8 oz Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I found the Leatherman from the Botanist in Portland, Oregon, circa 2019 via a search on the KindredCocktails database. I confirmed it on Yelp and used the mezcal brand listed on the 2019 menu photos. In the glass, the Leatherman opened up with orange, vegetal, smoke, and pepper aromas. Next, caramel and grape on the sip flowed into smoky mezcal, spicy chili pepper, and caramel orange flavors on the swallow.

the bukowski

1 1/2 oz Jeppson's Malört
1/2 oz Drambuie
3/4 oz Orange Juice (*)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup 1:1 (*)
3-5 leaf Basil

Shake with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice.
(*) Robert Simonson reported having a more recent version of this drink (with the newer and softer Malört) where these two measures were 1/2 oz. See below.

Two Fridays ago, I had just finished Josh Noel's Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit book, and one of the chapters reminded me of the 2009 Chicago Reader article about a Malört challenge across town. From that article, I had previously made Paul McGee's Golden Eel, Toby Maloney's Ukranian Negroni, and Brad Bolt's Hard Sell. The recipe that stood out to make next was Charles Joly's The Bukowski from the Counting Room especially since I still had leaves on my basil plant outside. The article described how "The working name for this drink was the Dirty Old Man named after the column Charles Bukowski wrote for an underground newspaper in Los Angeles. Joly says there's no garnish because the writer would have just thrown it back at the bartender." My brother bought me a copy of Notes of a Dirty Old Man that was a collection of those columns for my birthday years ago, and it was my entry into Bukowski. I was already planning to make this one when Robert Simonson wrote on his Substack that afternoon about trying this drink. Robert got the recipe from Joly at a book launch event except this version had a 1/2 oz each of orange juice and honey syrup instead of 3/4 oz. Perhaps this was due to the new Chicago version of Malört being slightly softer and less bitter; however, I still had an old bottle of Florida-made liqueur, so I went with the 2009 recipe. Once prepared the original way, The Bukowski launched off with basil, honey, and minty-bitter herbal aromas. Next, a honey, lemon, and orange sip caroused with bitter herbal, honey, and basil flavors on the swallow. Overall, the combination reminded me of the midcentury Duke with Drambuie, orange, and lemon but taken in a bitter and herbal direction. One of my Instagram friends inquired, "I think of all things, the orange juice and basil combo was throwing me off the most" to which I responded that "the orange juice sooths rough edges, and the basil adds depth to the single botanical liqueur."

opera comique

1 oz Aquavit (Linie)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I was in the mood to tinker for Negroni Week despite the end result being nothing like a Negroni. I became inspired by the Cynar-Chartreuse combination of the Drink of Laughter & Forgetting and by the structure of the Tailspin. I was considering gin as the spirit, but that put the mix too close in the direction of my Continuum from Our Fathers back in 2018. The Cynar made me think of the Trident and its aquavit, so I made that switch. I dubbed this the Opera Comique (a/k/a Murderer's Corner) after one of the most bawdy concert saloons in old San Francisco run by Happy Jack Harrington in the 1870s as discovered in Herbert Asbury's book The Barbary Coast. The final result proffered orange, herbaceous, and caramel aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow followed through with caraway, vegetal, herbaceous, and orange flavors.

negroni daiquiri

3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel.Two Wednesdays ago for Negroni Week, the Campari Academy posted on their Instagram the Negroni Daiquiri by Bobby Heugel and Kristen Nepomuceno. An article I found declared that this mashup of the two classics was at Refuge, their all day coffee-cocktail bar that they opened two years ago next door to their flagship Anvil in Houston; the lower proof of this drink makes sense for a day-drinking program. When a follower asked on Instagram if there was rum in this "Daiquiri", I replied, "I was expecting it too since the White Negroni Daiquiri has rum in it. But alas, it's 4 ingredients from the source I listed." Similarly, another follower questioned the lack of gin in the "Negroni" part and wondered if it were an Americano Daiquiri instead; I commented that when I first read the ingredients, it made me think of a Milano-Torino Daiquiri due to the lack of soda water. Regardless of the nomenclature discussion, the drink was very tasty and straight forward in the glass. It began with a bitter orange, grape, and lime aroma. Next, lime and grape on the sip leapt into a swallow that was all about Campari's bitter orange flavors.

mardi gras

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Templeton)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Angostura Bitters
3 dash Absinthe (18 drop St. George)
1 White Sugar Cube (1/3 oz Simple Syrup)
1 bsp Soda Water (omit)

Add everything but the rye, muddle the sugar cube, and add rye (combine using simple syrup and no muddling). Add ice, stir, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Tuesdays prior, I opened up the A Spot at the Bar book by Michael and Zara Madrusan and found the Mardi Gras in a side note in the Old Fashioned section. Essentially, this New Orleans-themed Old Fashioned had the Peychaud's and Angostura of the Vieux Carré combined with the Peychaud's and absinthe of the Cocktail à la Louisiane and Sazerac as accents. Here, the Mardi Gras marched to the nose with lemon, rye, and anise aromas. Next, a hint of caramel on the sip continued on into rye, cherry, clove, allspice, and anise flavors on the swallow.