monkey paw

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Orange Juice
1/4 oz Crème de Banana (Giffard)
1/4 oz Grenadine
1 dash Absinthe (1/2 barspoon Pernod Absinthe)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

There was a Monkey Gland riff on the online menu at Barrel House in Beverly, but when I visited a short while ago, they had turned over the menu and removed the Monkey Paw. I was too distracted by their other offerings to request one, but I did manage to get the recipe for it. The tweak to the classic was adding banana liqueur to the mix whether in addition to the grenadine or by splitting the volume in half (depending on your source recipe). Giffard's Banane du Bresil can add a lot when mixed with herbal liqueurs like Campari in the Banana Boulevardier and Cardamaro in the Father's Advice to name but two, and I was curious to see how it would work with absinthe and if it could make the less-than-stellar Monkey Gland a winner.
The Monkey Paw reached the nose with a very tropical aroma of orange, banana, and anise. This prepared the mouth for the orange, banana, and berry sip that transitioned into a gin, banana, and absinthe swallow. Indeed, the banana liqueur gave an extra dimension and complexity to the drink without paying disrespect to the classic.

lagunas get away

2 oz Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal
1 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 Egg White

Shake once without and once with ice, strain into a snifter, and top with ice.
For a last drink at Barrel House in Beverly, I requested the Lagunas Get Away that read like a mezcal Hurricane with egg white to round off the Sour. I had tinkered with agave Hurricanes with my tequila-based Hopping Through the Frothy Waves by adding blanc vermouth to the mix with good effect, so I was curious as to how egg could effect things. In the glass, the Lagunas Get Away shared a passion fruit and mezcal nose. Next, a creamy lemon sip gave way to agave and passion fruit on the swallow with a smoky finish.

a lesser man

1 1/2 oz Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz Falernum

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Wednesdays ago, I took the commuter rail up to Beverly to have dinner at Barrel House. For a first cocktail, I asked bartender John Wierszchalek for A Lesser Man. John explained that they created the recipe for a regular, Michael Lesser, who loves mezcal drinks. Once shaken and strained, the drink presented an agave and herbal aroma. Next, grapefruit mingled with honey on the sip, and the swallow began with agave and herbal notes and ended with smoke and clove ones. Overall, the grapefruit lent a soft balance to the combination instead of the typical lemon/lime crispness of most shaken drinks.

dolores haze

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
3/4 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Aperol
2 dash Fee's Aztec Chocolate Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a glass rinsed with Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch and Bittermens Mole Bitters. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The drink that Andrea requested at the Barrel House in Beverly was the Dolores Haze. Guest bartender Patrick Andrew from Bar Tek-Nique in New Hampshire described how he wanted to call this one the Rosita Lolita, but he felt that it could be taken as a little offensive. Instead, he dubbed it after the character in Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. The Rosita Lolita does reside in his OnTheBar drink database using an añejo tequila instead of reposado and no chocolate or mole bitters either.
The Dolores Haze began with a smoke scent with a vague fruit aroma from the Aperol and perhaps the vermouth. Next, grape and rhubarb notes on the sip led the way for agave, chocolate, and a hint of smoke.

lonely, dreaming of the west coast

1/2 oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum
1/2 oz Bols Genever
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Coco Lopez Coconut Cream
1/2+ oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2+ oz Lemon Juice
1/2+ oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Top with crushed ice and add straws.

Two Wednesdays ago, Andrea and I made the adventure up to Beverly to eat dinner at the Barrel House. One of the attractions was that Patrick Andrew of Bar Tek-Nique in Bedford, New Hampshire, was guest bartending. For a first drink, I asked bartender Sarah Walman for the Lonely, Dreaming of the West Coast from the night's cocktail menu. She commented that the list of ingredients confused her, but it turned out to be her favorite from that list; she soon passed that request on to Patrick who was mixing at the other end of the bar. A few minutes later, Patrick showed up with the libation and explained how it was a Piña Colada crossed with a Jungle Bird; perhaps there was a Negroni that he did not mention lurking in the shadows as well akin to the Amaro di Cocco. As for the name, he explained that it was a line from an Everclear song called Santa Monica.
The Lonely and Dreaming began with a vaguely fruity and herbal aroma from the Campari and Bols Genever. On the palate, a creamy citrus sip transitioned into a rounded out Campari flavor with a cinnamon finish.

green hornet

2 oz Old Overholt Rye
1/2 oz Cognac
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini
1 barspoon Green Chartreuse
2 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass.
At Barrel House in Beverly, bartender John Wierszchalek wanted to send me home with one for the road, or in this case the commuter rail back to Boston. He regretted that we were on the other end of the bar for he wanted to showcase one of his creations that he dubbed the Green Hornet. Despite the small amount of Green Chartreuse in the drink, it definitely contributed greatly to its bouquet. A malty sip had a richness from the Amaro Nardini's caramel. And finally, the swallow displayed the rye and Cognac combination that works great in drinks like the Vieux Carré along with a beautiful pairing of chocolate-herbal from the Nardini and green-herbal from the Chartreuse.

blood letter

2 oz Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal
1/2 oz Carpano Bianco Vermouth
1/2 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur
1 barspoon Habañero Vodka (*)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rock glass.
(*) Sub a small dash of hot sauce for this infusion.
For a second cocktail at Barrel House in Beverly, I requested the Blood Letter for I have found gentian liqueurs to pair rather well with agave spirits such as in the Zig Zag Wanderer. On the nose, the Blood Letter begat smoky notes with hints of herbal from either the Salers or the habañero pepper. While the sip was a sweet white grape flavor, the swallow offered smoky mezcal, earthy gentian, and lots of peppery spice.

pink penelope

3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz St. Germain
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a small white wine glass and top with 1 oz Louis de Grenelle sparkling rosé wine.
The drink that Andrea asked bartender Sarah Walman for was the Pink Penelope. I was tempted by this one too, for the combination of Campari and St. Germain has worked rather well in drinks like the Cell 34 and Sideways in Reverse. When I tasted her drink, it offered Campari and grapefruit aromas on the nose. Next, sparkling citrus flavors on the sip led into Campari softened by St. Germain on the swallow. The Campari continued on into the finish though as a bitter orange flavor.
For dessert, we were brought a trio of half-sized portions of their "adult milkshakes." From left to right, the Bourbon Cabinet (Bourbon, Luxardo cherry syrup), Senior Mints (Fernet Branca, U-bet Chocolate Syrup), and the Shakedown (Old Monk Rum, cinnamon syrup). While my favorite was the Bourbon Cabinet and Andrea took to the Shakedown the most, I would not say no to the Senior Mints again.

jersey isle julep

1 oz Privateer Amber Rum
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 pinch Mint

Muddle mint in simple syrup in a Tulip glass. Add the rest of the ingredients and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig, grate nutmeg over the top, and add straws.
Two Thursdays ago, Andrea and I took the commuter rail up to Beverly to have dinner at Barrel House. On the bar that night were Sarah Waltman and John Wierszchalek, and bar manager Sean Maher was floating around helping out throughout the restaurant. For a first drink, I asked Sarah for the Jersey Isle Julep which seemed perfect for the warm evening. In the glass, it offered a spicy herbal aroma from the nutmeg and mint. Sweet citrus on the sip led into rum, mint, tangerine, and spice on the swallow. Overall, the Jersey Isle Julep pleasantly fell somewhere between a Rum Julep and a Tiki drink.

the killing floor

1 1/2 oz James E. Pepper Rye (was Whistle Pig)
1/2 oz Bigallet Viriana China China Liqueur
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quinquina

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Two Sundays ago, we ventured up to Beverly to eat dinner at the Barrel House American Bar. For a first drink, I asked bartender Sean Maher for something I had spotted on the restaurant's Instagram that they did for a Whistle Pig-sponsored dinner. Sean explained how that drink, the Killing Floor, was originally created for a guest a few weeks before, and it turned out to work perfectly for the event. Once prepared, the Killing Floor presented an orange and rye aroma with dark notes in the mix. Next, a caramel and grape sip then led into a rye and bitter orange swallow with a quinine-tinged finish. Overall, the cocktail was like a darker and more bitter Brooklyn albeit without the Maraschino notes.

[against the strain]

3/4 oz St. George Dry Rye Gin
3/4 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
For a final libation at the Barrel House, bartender Sean Maher mixed us up something he had been working on. The combination came across as a distant Negroni riff with a Last Word feel. Lacking a name, I dubbed it the "Against the Strain" after the Cynar slogan "Contro il logorio della vita moderna" which translates to "Against the strain of modern life." Once mixed, it offered a vegetal, herbal, and vaguely cucumber nose. Next, a lemon and caramel sip gave way to a juniper, Cynar herbal, and Campari bitter swallow.

bitter end

1 1/2 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
3/4 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
2 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice. Strain into a coupe glass.

After dinner at the Barrel House in Beverly, I was able to narrow down my choices on the menu to two egg drinks. From those, I requested the Bitter End from bartender Sean Maher while leaving From Here to Eternity for another visit. The assortment of Fernet Branca, Cognac, coconut, and egg white seemed like the perfect combination of dessert and digestif!
Once prepared, the Bitter End's Fernet creeped through into the drink's nose. A creamy, thick sip displayed the wonders of the egg white and coconut cream. However, most of the coconut flavor though came through on the swallow along with the Fernet Branca herbal notes, and finally, the Cognac appeared on the lingering finish along with an additional dose of Fernet's menthol.

ardent spirit

1 oz Old Ipswich Tavern Style Aged Rum
1 oz Cynar
1 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
For Andrea's first cocktail at the Barrel House in Beverly, she picked the Ardent Spirit which came across as somewhere between a rum Little Italy and a Negroni riff. The drink was another of Sean Maher's, and the name refers to the old alchemy term for liquors produced after distilling fermented vegetation due to their ability to burn. Once mixed, the Ardent Spirit's orange twist contributed greatly to the nose. A caramel and grape sip led into a swallow that displayed a great transition from the funky aged rum into the herbal Cynar.

dogger bank

1 1/2 oz Pimm's #1
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Two Sundays ago, we made the voyage up to the North Shore to have dinner at the Barrel House in Beverly. For a first drink, I asked bartender Sean Maher for the Dogger Bank as the combination of Pimm's, Swedish Punsch, and lemon juice reminded me of the Pimmeron. I inquired if Dogger Bank was a nearby patch of the ocean; however, Sean explained that it was a fishing area which saw several naval battles that lies halfway between Pimm's England and the punsch's Sweden. He also mentioned that this menu item was his creation.
The Dogger Bank offered a fruit aroma with notes of spiced rum from the Swedish Punsch. A lemon and berry sip gave way to a slightly drying swallow from the lemon and the punsch's Batavia Arrack and tea. Overall, it was a great, light way to start an evening, and as a modified Pimm's Cup, it will be perfect for the warmer season.

libertine

1 1/2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
1/2 oz Clement Creole Shrubb
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
For a final drink at the Barrel House in Beverly, I requested the Libertine from bartender John Wierszchalek. The ingredients list reminded me of an Army Navy with extra citrus flavors from an orange liqueur. Once mixed, the Libertine shared a floral, orange, and lemon aroma. A creamy citrus sip gave way to a gin and nutty swallow.

cooper

1 1/2 oz Riverboat Rye
3/4 oz Pineau des Charentes
3/4 oz Averna

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.
For my first drink at the Barrel House in Beverly, I asked bartender John Wierszchalek for the Cooper for I had honed in on the Pineau des Charentes in the ingredients list. There is something about how elegant and floral that this fortified wine is that repeatedly draws me in. That, and how well it paired with Averna in the Marksman at Craigie on Main. Once mixed, the Cooper began with a floral, herbal, and caramel nose that later gave way to a more rye-driven aroma. On the sip, caramel and malt led into rye spice on the swallow and herbal notes from the Averna on the swallow.

midtown

2 oz Old Fitzgerald Bonded Bourbon
1 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
2 barspoon Maple Syrup (1:1)
4 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

Two Sundays ago, we drove up to the North Shore to have dinner at the Barrel House in Beverly, MA. For a first cocktail, Andrea asked bartender John Wierszchalek for the Midtown. I had first heard of this libation created by bar manager Sean Maher when it won the ShakeStir sherry recipe competition back in November. Sean described his entry as, "Created for a guest, this Manhattan variant utilizes the nutty profile of both the sherry, whiskey and bitters, with the tiny bit of maple rounding it off and giving it body. The cocktail has a full rich flavor evoking New England in the fall without being cloying or sweet."
The Midtown proffered a raisiny sherry aroma at first that later became more maple driven. Next, the sherry's grape filled the sip, and the swallow presented the whiskey that was complemented by the interplay of the maple syrup's richness, the sherry's raisin notes, and the bitters' walnut.