pullin' me back in

2 oz Ragtime Rye (Old Overholt 86°)
light 1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1 tsp Honey Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with both a lemon twist and an orange twist. Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing my list of drinks that I had copied and pasted from online recipe flashcard sets, and the Pullin' Me Back In was an Old Fashioned riff that called out to me as a nightcap to my bar shift. The recipe was created in 2022 by Sean Meade at Dear Irving in Manhattan that was a mafia reference from The Godfather. There, Silvio declared, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in" and thus ruining his chances at legitimacy. The drink itself was featured in the Secret New York guide book published in 2023. Honey and Sfumato is a combination that worked well in the Margot Tenenbaum and that I utilized in the Shipwrecked, so it seemed like a great duo to support rye and two bitters. In the glass, the Pullin' Me Back In gave forth a lemon, orange, smoky, and herbal bouquet to the nose. Next, roast and honey notes on the sip retrieved rye, bitter-smoky herbal, clove, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

tobacco road

2 oz Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
1/2 oz Barenjager Honey Liqueur
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with spritzes of Laphroaig Scotch (6 drop floated).Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for 1 Tippling Place in Philadelphia, and I opted for the Tobacco Road. Overall, the Tobacco Road reminded me of the Bottom Line that paired Scotch and honey liqueur but with Manzanilla sherry instead of dry vermouth here. Once in the glass, the drink showcased a peat smoke bouquet from the floated Laphroaig. Next, a honey and white grape mix on the sip flowed into Scotch, honey, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the bottom line

1 1/2 oz Highland Park 18 Year Scotch (1 oz Highland Park Cask Strength Batch #2 + 1/2 oz Water)
1 oz Manzanilla Sherry (Tio Pepe Fino)
3/4 oz Barenjager Honey Liqueur
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice.Two Wednesdays ago, I was searching the KindredCocktails database for Amaro Ciociaro and sherry recipes when I came across The Bottom Line by San Francisco bartender Kevin Diedrich. The recipe was sourced from a 2022 Liquor.com article where it described, "But sometimes it can be a lot of fun, albeit pricey fun, to grab a premium scotch and make a drink with it... [and] That's what San Francisco bar pro Kevin Diedrich did with The Bottom Line." While I did not have the costly 18 year, I did have the slightly less expensive cask strength Highland Park Release #2, and the proof worked out perfectly with a 2 parts full strength to 1 part water to match the elder's 86° (Note: I received the partial bottle of cask strength at a Highland Park bitters making class as a gift from the brand ambassador in April 2022 ). Once prepared, The Bottom Line welcomed the senses with a honey-floral bouquet. Next, a semi-crisp sip with honey notes flowed into smoky Scotch, honey, and dark orange bitter flavors on the swallow.

roscoe diner

1 1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Honey Syrup (1:1)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenex Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
3 drop Saline (1:4)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice and strain into a Fizz glass.Two Fridays ago, I was inspired by Pouring Ribbon's Little Gem Diner, and I decided to make the delicious combination more accessible since Unicum's plum liqueur is no longer imported into this country. Instead, my mind went to apricot liqueur instead of plum and apple brandy in place of rye; I did also try Scotch since apricot and whisky make a great pairing, but it was better with the fruit duo. I dubbed this one after another upstate New York Diner, but one that I had a personal connection to along Route 17 that we stopped into on the way to and from college. In the glass, the Roscoe Diner opened up with an apricot, floral, and date bouquet. Next, a creamy plum and honey sip drove off into apple, apricot, and dried fruit flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a touch sweeter than I usually like things, but I was happy with the flavors and the rest of the balance.

king bee

1 1/2 oz Barsol Quebranta Pisco (Encanto)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Baranjager

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Float 1/2 oz Lustau Palo Cortado Sherry (Lustau Oloroso).
Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for the PDT Cocktail Book and uncovered the King Bee by Nate Dumas in 2009. This drink named after the Muddy Waters' "I am a King Bee" song reminded me of a cross between a Bee's Knees and a Honeymoon Cocktail. Once prepared, it presented a nutty aroma with a hint of honey to the nose. Next, lemon was paired with honey on the sip, and the swallow offered pisco, herbal, and for the first few sips nutty flavors all with a honey finish.

beachnik

3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Barenjager
1 1/2 oz Light Puerto Rican Rum (1 oz Caliche Rum + 1/2 oz Cuca Cresca Cachaça)

Blend 5 seconds with 8 oz crushed ice and pour into a Pilsner glass (shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug, and fill with crushed ice).

Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make one of the drinks in Beachbum Berry's Remixed, the Beachnik, that I had skipped over previously. However, when it had popped up on someone else's Instagram, I figured that it was worth a try putting my dusty bottles of Licor 43 and Barenjager to work. I figured that this 2004 creation was a reference to Beachbum Berry; however, the term "beachnik" certainly dates back to at least 1960 given H. Allen Smith's Waikiki Beachnik book as a hybrid of beachbum and beatnik.
The Beachnik presented a mint and floral aroma from the garnishes I added that might have masked the rather honey aroma that I detected while shaking the drink. The honey did appear on the sip where it mingled with the lemon, and the swallow offered a pleasant combination of rum, vanilla, and spice.

midas touch

3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz Bärenjäger Honey & Bourbon (*)
3/4 oz Manzanilla Sherry
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 pinch Salt

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.
(*) Perhaps Drambuie would work in a pinch.
Two Mondays ago, we ventured down to Estragon. One of the drinks that bartender Sahil Mehta made for us was his recipe for the Bärenjäger competition. His entry, the Midas Touch, utilized their honeyed Bourbon instead of the original honey liqueur, and he crafted it into a savory cocktail. Once mixed, the Midas Touch offered an herbal aroma from the Yellow Chartreuse and thyme. A sweet honey and lemon sip gave way to a savory dryness from the sherry on the beginning of the swallow. Next, the swallow ended with an herbal finish that gained mintier notes over time.

butchertown

2 oz Manzanilla Sherry
1/2 oz Bärenjäger Bourbon & Honey (*)
1/2 oz Kümmel

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe rimmed with dried olive powder (was not available at the bar that night). Twist a lemon peel over the top.
(*) Perhaps in a pinch a half ounce of Bourbon and a barspoon of honey syrup would work here.

For my last drink at Estragon, bartender Sahil Mehta wanted to showcase a cocktail that he crafted for a Bärenjäger competition using their Bourbon & Honey product. When I expressed curiosity over the name Bitchertown, Sahil explained that it is a neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, where German immigrants settled; thus, there was a tie in with the whiskey and the German origin of the liqueur. Normally, the drink is served with a dried olive powder rim like in the San Luca to bring out the brine and savory notes in the sherry, but the bar was all out of the olive powder. Moreover, the savory notes in the sherry are what made Sahil reach for the spice notes in the kümmel.
The Butchertown greeted the nose with a lemon oil, caraway, and sherry aroma. A honey and grape sip was followed by the wonderful pairing of the manzanilla sherry and kümmel spice. Indeed, Sahil was on the money with that pairing.

corpse reviver #6

3/4 oz Beefeater Gin
3/4 oz Becherovka
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and add straws.
Two Tuesdays ago, Andrea and I decided to get dinner at the Citizen Public House. For a drink, I asked bartender Andrea Novak for the Corpse Reviver #6 which was a honey and spice variation on the citrus and absinthe classic. The cocktail's lemon twist filled the aroma and prepared the mouth for the lemon juice and citrus wine sip. Next, a gin, clove, cinnamon, and honey swallow gained more spice notes over time as the ice melted.

[busy bee]

1 1/2 oz Linie Aquavit
3/4 oz Cristinalda Brandymel Honey Liqueur
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail or small wine glass.

Two Mondays ago, we headed over to Brookline for dinner at Pomodoro when Stephen Shellenberger was tending bar. For a first libation, Stephen made me another drink using Brandymel, a funky Portuguese honey-herbal liqueur made with moonshine brandy. To that, he added Norwegian aquavit and lemon juice such that it came across as a Bee's Knees variation. For a name, I dubbed it the Busy Bee after a famous airline in Norway.
The drink's aroma was honey spiced with caraway, and the honey continued on into the sip where it was balanced by the lemon juice. Next, the swallow offered up the funkier aspects of the Brandymel along with the herbal elements of the aquavit.

[latest buzz]

3/4 oz Grappa di Moscato
3/4 oz Cristinalda Brandymel Honey Liqueur
3/4 oz Vergano Americano Chinato
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and double strain into a wine glass.

Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I ventured over to Brookline Village to eat dinner at Pomodoro. For a drink, I was eyeing the house Margarita and bartender Stephen Shellenberger asked if I wanted something in a similar style but with funkier ingredients. The most intriguing one he used was a Portuguese honey liqueur flavored with herbs. For the liqueur's base spirit, a moonshine brandy from the arbutus (sometimes called the medronho or strawberry tree) fruit is made by the local farmers. The farmers either trade the spirit for the use of the land or sell it to the liqueur maker directly. With a grappa as a spirit, a chinato for complexity, and lime juice for crispness, the drink took form as a curious Daisy. The honey liqueur played an integral roll in the drink and it first appeared in the aroma along with some floral notes. The lime, grape, and honey flavors filled the sip, and the swallow offered up more robust grape notes with the Brandymel's honey funkiness.

christmas grouse

2 oz Famous Grouse Blended Scotch
1/2 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur
1/2 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.
For our second drink at Green Street, bartender Derric Crothers wanted to showcase one of his creations, the Christmas Grouse, that he developed for this past holiday season. The drink began with lemon oil and honey aromas, and the honey continued on into the swallow where it mingled with the Scotch's malt notes. The Scotch including its smoke notes appeared more in the swallow along with the Zirbenz's pine, and the honey reappeared as a pleasing aftertaste. Strangely, the Christmas Grouse had an intriguing pear flavor at first that we partially attributed to the Bärenjäger; later, the balance shifted to a more piney one as the drink warmed up. Overall, I was quite impressed at how well the Scotch and Zirbenz paired up; perhaps this is very similar to Craigie on Main's Northern Lights which paired Scotch with Clear Creek's Douglas Fir Eau de Vie.

chronic iced tea

1 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac
1 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3-4 oz Bergamot Iced Tea

Shake all but the tea in a pint glass with ice. Take off the shaker tin and top pint glass with ice tea; garnish with a lemon wheel and straw.

Sometime in the middle of my first cocktail, I gained another glass in front of my Blue Skies and Kentucky Breakfast Stout -- a glass of sparkling wine! That Sunday was the eve of Green Street owner Dylan Black's birthday, and it was nearing midnight so the surprise party began with a sabering of a Champagne bottle to open it! This feat was matched by an amazing happy birthday song sung by someone at the bar with a classically trained voice. It felt rather decadent to have three glasses of booze in front of me, but Dylan would approve.
Once my collection of glassware was drained, I ordered my second cocktail off of the small menu -- Chronic Iced Tea -- from bartender Derric Crothers. This tall drink was a B-Side original, perhaps named after the Notorious B.I.G. song that featured Snoop Dogg, and it can be found at a few other B-Side disciple bars like the Highland Kitchen. The drink's nose was strong with an Earl Grey tea aroma that preceded a rather classy drink despite the name (it is a reference to tea brewed with marijuana leaves). The bergamot-flavored black tea was complemented by lemon and hints of honey. Indeed, with a lower proportion of tea in the mix, the Chronic Ice Tea would fall into the category of a classic Punch. Instead, it falls into the category of easy and refreshing drinking.

five in the hive

3/4 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Pimm's No. 1
3/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

A short while ago, I was sent a sample of Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur. Instead of giving an in depth description of the liqueur's history, just do what I did and read the Pegu Blog's entry about it. One thing that impressed me about their PR firm was that besides the stock recipe booklet attached to the bottle which contained more basic drinks focused on vodkas and schnapps, they included a sheet with some serious recipes. Turns out that the list's cocktails were the finalists for a New York City-based Bärenjäger Bartending Contest, and the recipes seemed innovative and included Bols Genever, Fernet Branca, Cynar, and sherry in their ingredients.
The recipe I chose last night was created by Meaghan Dorman of Raines Law Room bar in Manhattan and of the Spirit Me Away blog. The Five in the Hive had a rye and lemon flavor in the front of the sip followed by honey at the end. The Bärenjäger itself had a glorious honey or mead aroma to it and tasted like 1 part honey to 2 parts vodka (perhaps with other botanicals in the mix) with an end product akin to a 70 proof honey syrup. These honey flavors paired up nicely with the Pimm's and served as a good balance to the rye's spice and the citrus' bite. We had this drink along with dinner, and Andrea commented that it made for a rather "nice food cocktail".

number 8

Barenjager
Madeira
Tequila
Orange bitters

Stirred with ice, garnished with a large-ish lemon peel.

Update: The recipe from the PDT Cocktail Book is as follows:
• 2 oz Don Julio Reposado Tequila
• 3/4 oz Lustau Palo Cortado Sherry
• 1/2 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
• 2 dash Orange Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For my second drink of the evening at Pacific Daylight Time, err, I mean Eastern Standard, I asked Mr. Eun to make me a tequila-based cocktail. I had already spotted him making several Number 8s over the course of the evening, and it definitely intrigued me. I regret that I didn't get the proportions (and was a tad too shy to ask him for them). The cocktail was quite complex in flavor, and not cloyingly sweet at all, given the honey liqueur. The smokiness of the tequila was accented nicely by the Madeira. I certainly applaud the use of more sherries, ports, and madeiras - vermouth's been getting all the love lately.

I'd call the bartender exchange a smashing success. The drinks that Fred and I sampled (I *loved* the Mariner that Fred got) were nice changes for our palates. Hopefully more of the Boston-area bartenders will be willing to mix up some new flavors. I haven't really been involved with the cocktail scene for very long, but it seems like this fall is a time of great upheaval in Boston's bars - old, beloved places shutting down (B-Side), new hotshots on the move (Craigie on Main), and a sea-change in the bespoke cocktail (Drink). Change is good. I'll drink to that.