tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41127415185912244252024-02-21T02:07:35.163-08:00bon viveurbrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-78923429215330461602012-05-03T15:33:00.000-07:002012-05-03T21:34:06.956-07:00Two Years in Portland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my arrival in Portland. It's amazing to me that its been two years already, in so many ways the town is still new to me. At the same time it feels like home, like this is where I was always supposed to be. Looking back, my time in Chicago was bittersweet. I met people there that I consider life long friends and associates and gained insight into what my life's work would be. I take pride in having grown along with the likes of Benjamin Schiller, Matt Seiter, Danny Shapiro, Cody and Anne, and have great memories at the two bars I worked at in Chi. I have some less than positive memories there, too, but overall I look back fondly on my time in the windy city. I wouldn't be doing what I am today without those personal and professional experiences, so for that I am grateful.<br />
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I left Chicago on May 1st of 2010 with a Uhaul trailer loaded up and a crumpled mapquest printout pointing my way to Oregon. I had little idea of what I was going to do once I got here but I knew this was where I needed to be. After three days on the road(including a nice stop in Templeton, Iowa) I arrived in Portland with only the ambition to carve out a niche for myself in a new and exciting town. After two underwhelming interviews and two cold calls I wandered into the Teardrop lounge to drop off a resume. I owe a big thank you to Daniel Shoemaker for pointing me to Irving Street Kitchen, who hired me on the spot on my second day in town. I vividly recall walking up to the wrong door at Irving when I first dropped by in search of an interview and bumping into Tommy Klus, whom I didn't know, and chatting about bar spoons. Little did I know I would learn so much about technique from sitting in front of he and Ricky Gomez or that I would consider them both friends soon after. ISK was a great opportunity to grow and I am forever grateful they provided a platform for me to integrate into the community. I got to work with some pretty great folks there and had some awesome times behind that bar. I've learned a lot since that first shift at Irving, considering I thought I pretty much knew what I was doing when I started (boy was I wrong!), which has humbled me to acknowledge how much there is to know and how far I still have to go.<br />
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Today is significant in another way for me as it is also my one year anniversary of working at Beaker and Flask. I had heard of the place before moving here and it sat on the same pedestal as Clyde Common and Teardrop as one of the cocktail Meccas in Portland. I remember someone asking a TDL employee if it still had the magic once you've worked there for a while. I'm pleased to say that Beaker still has the magic for me and I couldn't imagine working anywhere else in town at this point. An eternal debt is owed to Kevin Ludwig, the best boss I've ever had, and to Dave Shenaut for helping make this opportunity available. I hope I've done justice to the bar program and the business behind it in my time here. I've certainly worked to build a culture that nurtures service, quality, and is a great place for employees to work. Each day feels like a step closer to our ideal and I'm fortunate to work with a team of professionals and with a product I believe in. I hope this ride doesn't end any time soon.<br />
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Looking ahead I can only hope the year ahead is as gainful as the past two. Having recently took over as president of the Oregon Bartenders Guild I'm proud of what we've accomplished in my two years of involvement. We recently took on office space and are poised for the biggest year ever with a monumental Portland Cocktail Week planned for October. In its third year we stand ready to again bring hundreds of bartenders into our town and provide a dynamic Portland experience. Without Lindsey Johnson this festival would not exist, and thanks to her I've seen what real community means. She is one of a kind and it's not lost on me how lucky I am to know her and work with her. If I ever won the lottery the first thing I'd do after buying my mom a new house would be to buy LJ a kickass Bentley. With a driver. She's just that rad.<br />
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On this two year anniversary I thank all of my Portland family for welcoming me with open arms into this truly special community. I'm honored to call you friends, peers, and am proud to work alongside you as we together raise the bar in our fair city. To my friends and family abroad I raise this toast to you as well: May the year ahead be as fruitful for you as my time has been thus far in PDX.<br />
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Cheers,
Brandonbrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-86166707260434655822011-09-24T14:08:00.000-07:002011-09-24T15:39:51.279-07:00Cocktail Cartopia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Uxh1VEbbCzatZBAj42mCPMLSgGip_ZQEjgd-32SASZDueDbl-JfEvvm7-subTCDE6ZzQgw6HlXW4QWxIb3bBAxFuokRVSvRAck-jd0Q5zMdcz132ECb8sbJiQd2KiJPyOcXg5bRzhGw/s1600/buttons.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Uxh1VEbbCzatZBAj42mCPMLSgGip_ZQEjgd-32SASZDueDbl-JfEvvm7-subTCDE6ZzQgw6HlXW4QWxIb3bBAxFuokRVSvRAck-jd0Q5zMdcz132ECb8sbJiQd2KiJPyOcXg5bRzhGw/s320/buttons.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656059391369584082" /></a><br />This week marks a momentous occasion for the food and beverage scene in Portland, Oregon, as the Oregon Bartenders Guild opens the first cocktail cart in the "Cartopia" cart pod on 12th and Hawthorne. <br /><br />With the help of the food cart co-op the OBG has put together a free standing cocktail bar amidst the bustling marketplace of food carts. Surrounded by the iconic Potato Champion, Perierra Creperie, Pyro Pizza, and Bubba Bernie's the cocktail cart features an ever changing variety of cocktails curated by some of the most talented bartenders in town. The initial run is sponsored by Pernod Ricard, who contributed some of their fantastic lineup of spirits including Beefeater gin, Absolut vodka, Avion tequila, Jameson Irish whiskey, just to name a few. <br /><br />We're not talking about cheapo 'well' gin and tonics here, we're talking fancy cocktails with top shelf booze. Drinking on a budget? No worries, beer and cocktails are priced at $3 and $5 respectively. If you really want to get your cart on in style, play a little stump the bartender with a "Dealer's Choice" for 8 bucks or less. Proceeds go straight to the OBG, a chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild, and will allow for their educational and fundraising efforts to continue to grow. <br /><br />For the past few years food cart owners have sought to acquire liquor licenses, and in the last year or so have been successful in gaining license for beer carts. None have been allowed to sell liquor, though. Concerns about noise and monitoring of minors have been amongst the cheif obstacles for cart oweners to date, but the Oregon Bar Guild's track record of responsible service have opened the minds of the OLCC to give it a shot. The cart operates on a short term event license, allowing for 7 days of operation within the calander month for each application. <br /><br />The first month is dedicated to promoting Portland Cocktail Week, a series of events and tastings throughout the city showcasing the city's prominant role in the global cocktail community. Over 100 of the best bartenders in the world will arrive in PDX during the week of October 20-24th to share their love of all things boozy. The events coincide with the 8th annual Great American Distillers Festival and will share space with Portland Cocktail Week festivities at the Left Bank Annex. Events include a "Robots vs. Bartenders" showdown at the Jupter Hotel, legendary New York cocktail bar PDT @ PDXCW at Beaker and Flask, and a dynamic lineup of tastings and seminars at the Left Bank Annex. <br /><br />The cocktail cart runs on donation, both in terms of product and revenues, and is staffed solely by volunteers. Tips are appreciated, of course, as these folks have taken a valuable night away from their paying jobs to check IDs, mix libations, and closely monitor the thirsty masses. Plans to upgrade the cart itself are underway with the revenues being funneled directly into acquiring a more permanant structure,which will allow for a more functional setup leading to more creative drinks and a more efficient work space. <br /><br />Look for some of the most talented bar stars behind the stick from some of the swankiest bars in town, and expect to see guest bartenders from San Francisco and New York slinging drinks in the coming weeks. They're looking for volunteers, so if you want to be a part of the latest cocktail trend don't hesitate to contact volunteers@oregonbarguild.org to help out.<br /><br />The Oregon Bartenders Guild cocktail cart is open from 6pm to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays through Portland Cocktail Week October 20th-23rd. Enjoy a crepe, a cocktail, and the roaring fire pit at the hottest food cart pod in town on Se 12th and Hawthorne.brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-79363496464103484332011-06-18T12:10:00.000-07:002011-06-18T12:17:09.463-07:00Beaker Turns Two!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1h1MkGQAeh3dLAHd2zc8_W62LBNzVIOCa_5jDfsCYuaGo5rAXwXE8DxY3M2kLEy6Hr-1oWTgXfgdjZ7AuCLJqysp5Tfx9qYcXy1tjJ1o6Nww9AjPn1A-TWElqNImi325AvvWNRqhwVcQ/s1600/beak.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1h1MkGQAeh3dLAHd2zc8_W62LBNzVIOCa_5jDfsCYuaGo5rAXwXE8DxY3M2kLEy6Hr-1oWTgXfgdjZ7AuCLJqysp5Tfx9qYcXy1tjJ1o6Nww9AjPn1A-TWElqNImi325AvvWNRqhwVcQ/s320/beak.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619640845886052146" /></a><br />-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-<br /><br /><strong>Beaker and Flask’s 2nd Birthday Party</strong><br /><em>June 17, 2011 PORTLAND, OR</em> Beaker and Flask will be hosting a Birthday Party to celebrate their 2nd anniversary on <strong>Sunday, June 26th from 4-10pm</strong>. Award winning chef Ben Bettinger will be rolling out complimentary hors d’ouevres from the grill, and a special menu of dishes and cocktails from Beaker’s opening menu will be available. Along with Beaker bar manager and Eater PDX 2010 Bartender of the Year, Brandon Wise (hey, that's me!), look for special appearances from some of Oregon’s top bartenders (such as Dave Shenaut) as well as a DJ spinning tunes. The party is free to attend and no rsvp is required, however seating is limited so come early to get the prime real estate. <br /><br />BEAKER AND FLASK’S 2nd ANNIVERSARY PARTY<br />SUNDAY, JUNE 26<br />4PM-10PM<br /><br /><br />About Beaker and Flask<br />In the two years Beaker and Flask has been open, they have garnered such honors as WW Best Restaurant 2009 and have been featured in Esquire Magazine’s Best Bars in America two years running. Owner Kevin Ludwig and chef Ben Bettinger showcase modern American cuisine with French and Mediterranean influences along with innovative and classic cocktails in Southeast Portland. <br /><br />For more information please find us at www.beakerandflask.com <br /><br />Beaker and Flask<br />727 SE Washington, OR 97214<br />503.235.8081<br />Contact: Brandon@beakerandflask.combrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-72513905693420601822011-04-21T11:23:00.000-07:002011-04-21T12:57:43.298-07:00Across the bridge with jigger, beaker, and flaskIt's been a year since moving to Portland from the windy city, and what a year it's been! In that short time I've been lucky enough to have become a part of this incredible community and I have a lot of people to thank for that. First and foremost the crew at Irving Street Kitchen that I've had the pleasure of working with thus far. Yesterday I respectfully gave my notice to management that I'll be leaving Irving Street for an opportunity at one of the finest establishments in the northwest. <br /><br />With that said I'd like to announce that I've accepted a management position at Beaker and Flask. I'm looking forward to working with Kevin Ludwig, head chef Ben Bettinger, and the rest of the talented staff of hospitality professionals. Sadly, as it was part of the reason I was so excited to become a part of the Beaker family, Dave Shenaut will be leaving for the new McMennamins Crystal Hotel. It's an exciting time at Beaker right now as the opening of Rum Club seems to be fast approaching. I hope to see a lot of familiar faces from across the bartop as we embark on what stands to be a summer full of good company, food, and drink.<br /><br />I feel blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to help shape the bar program at Irving Street Kitchen, it's a really great group of people that I'll surely miss. It's a small town though, and with my involvement in the Oregon Bartenders Guild I'll be seeing most of those guys all the time. I'm sure we'll be on the same team again when the OBG gets its kickball league going this spring. <br /><br />See you at Beaker and Flask soon! <br /><br />Cheers,<br />Brandonbrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-71958821062117852132011-03-29T18:22:00.000-07:002011-03-29T18:23:44.571-07:00top five worst bar personalities“Hey! Chief! Hey, you!” <br /><br />The patron leans over the bar waving a twenty dollar bill, snapping their fingers at the bartender. <br /><br />“Lemme git a double vokka soda. Pint glass. Double lemon.” Waves money. Snaps fingers. Whistles. Curses. <br /><br />Does this horribly obnoxious bar patron get their drink? More often than not they do. Bartenders reward bad behavior all too often. It’s unfortunate but most tenders want to keep their jobs and so refrain from handily throwing the worst patrons out on the street. <br /><br />These people exist in every city and continue to holler and behave like children to the people providing them a service.<br /><br />“Being called ‘boss’ and ‘chief’ makes my skin crawl,’ bartender Neil Kopplin says.<br /><br />What ever happened to the days of etiquette and social graces? Only a few bars exercise house rules these days, with Milk and Honey setting the tone with rules like “no star fucking”. While some establishments do their best to dictate appropriate behavior it all starts at the bartop. <br /><br />“A bartender that is capable of communicating,” notes Trevor Eastor of San Francisco’s Rickhouse, “is more likely to convert that customer into a proper drinking member of society.”<br /><br />Try as we might there are just some people who bartenders dread seeing across the wood. In my years behind the bar I’ve encountered a significant cross section of scumbaggery. Here’s a broad, sweeping look at some of the personalities bartenders have to deal with on a daily basis. Or at least caricatures of them…<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Loudmouth<br />You just met this one. This character whistles and waves their arms wildly in search of attention. Other known habits of misbehavior include a rude and confrontational demeanor and a general disdain for the establishment and its employees. The Loudmouth commonly ignores the menu, calling out orders, and expressing a general disdain for the establishment, its employees, and its patrons. <br /><br />The Tourist<br />I’m not talking about the tourists in floral shirts that take pictures of everything in sight, but the tourists that don’t know their way around a bar. These are easily identified by their requests for drinks from other establishments or ridiculously named shots. Tourists are typically the messiest kinds of drunks, more so even than Loudmouths, and can go from sober as a pickle to wasteyface in the lemon-drop of a dime. <br /><br />The Know-it-all<br />While generally well mannered and somewhat refined the know-it-all can be just as uncouth as the sloppy Tourist on the next barstool. They love to play ‘stump the bartender’, quizzing the barman with innocuous details of forgotten cocktails or the secret ingredients in Chartreuse to flex their self proclaimed acumen. Ever wonder what the mash bill is for Black Maple Hill? Find yourself in a conversation with a Know-it-all and you’ll have answers to questions you never cared to ask. And if you forget any of these pearls of wisdom don’t worry, they’ll be blogging about it later.<br /><br />The Creeper<br />Worst of the worst. They’ll sit right where the waitresses have to walk just so they can get creepily close. They hit on everyone in the bar, one by one, until their options are exhausted or they get lucky. Then they hit on the bartender. They’re at the same bar with a different partner each week, often with a spouse at home. And just because they’re far too old to behave this way doesn’t mean they can’t act lecherous and shameful. Keep your eye out for ladies in animal print and gents in Ed Hardy, they’re wearing the Creeper gear proudly on their prowl. <br /><br />The Egotist<br />Ok, lemme get this right the first time: the moon revolves around the earth, the earth around the sun, and they all concentrically revolve around the Egotist. Who else would order four Ramos Gin Fizzes from a busy bartender at the peak of a Saturday night? One at a time, chain ordering drinks each trip to suck the time of other patrons and bar employees. When the check arrives they play slow draw with their wallet or dissect the tab to arrive at the maximum number of ways to split a check. And should you find yourself near an Egotist be sure to tell them that a verbal tip doesn’t spend the same as hard currency. <br /><br /><br />So what have we learned? The essential decency of beverage culture shall not be deterred by the indiscreet patronage. <br /><br />As bartender extraodinaire Ali Tahsini says, “my skills as a communicator and as a "bartender" are my draws to successfully compounding positive stimulus that result in happy guests.” <br /><br />A grand idea to be sure. While there will always be abusive and generally unpleasant guests adorning barstools surely the good outweigh the bad significantly. By providing a genuine experience bartenders can shape the experience of their clientele and thus positively affect behavior on the whole. And as bartenders continue to focus on providing exceptional guest service the trend will continue to shift to the utopian nature of peace, love, and booze.brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-47209327813311854202011-03-29T17:58:00.000-07:002011-03-29T17:59:08.555-07:00The Dream of the 90’s“Do you remember the 90’s? You know, people were talking about getting piercings, getting tribal tattoos; people were singing about saving the planet, forming bands. There’s a place where that idea still exists as a reality, and I’ve been there.” –Fred Armisen, Portlandia<br /><br />Not long ago a fellow bartender recounted a little story about a guy who sat at her fancy cocktail bar. She tossed a cocktail napkin down in front of him and asked what he was drinking.<br /><br />“How ‘bout a Blue Hawaiian?” the guy asks.<br /><br />“Never heard of that. What’s in it?” she replied, reaching for her Oxo jigger and crystal mixing glass. <br /><br />She proceeds to carefully measure out the recipe he recited and, using her 50cm Japanese barspoon, stirs and strains this classic party shot into a vintage coupe glass. <br /><br />The patron proclaimed it was the best version of the traditional shooter he’d ever had, but led me to wonder what ever happened to the fun kind of drinking? When all that mattered was that your drink was strong, colorful, and tasted like candy. You know, the good ol’ days when flair bartenders ruled and Will Smith was still the Fresh Prince rocking a high top fade. <br /><br />It’s safe to say that the spirit of 80’s and 90’s has been kept alive in Vegas and South Beach. But places like New York, San Francisco, Portland, and Chicago have gone through a booze revolution over the past five or ten years. Cocktail bars have become abundant and even the diviest bars have small batch spirits and a few house infusions hanging around. <br /><br />Recently, though, bars adept at sophisticated libations have been taking us on a journey down memory lane. <br /><br />Fatty Johnson’s hosted an event last month they called ‘The Night the Cocktail Died’ with a menu (link to https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjLIxeUFZ4buPRP-u0UwURjgdq9nx846I1AJQXvoLc9iYnrL0lZl2_qqnPQIJjZDxQNxHEnmNyZUBg3QXXfqRlFONump3nOHanjyx4RTRBSzg8aFZ9wOwMAgMAy1ULebSIQ2ga0MwGol1/s1600/P1070207.jpg ) of 70’s and 80’s bar staples like the Alabama Slammer. Party drinks were prepared by two of New York’s premier craft barmen, including Toby Cecchini who had a hand in popularizing the Cosmopolitan. He’s the bartender who started using fresh lime juice and Cointreau, in case you were wondering which character on Sex and the City he played.<br /><br />Most sources credit South Beach, Florida bartender Cheryl Cook with the original Cosmo that she created around 1985 using Rose’s lime cordial and a splash of triple sec. <br /><br />“What overwhelmed me was the number of people who ordered Martinis just to be seen with a Martini glass in their hand. It was on this realization that gave me the idea to create a drink that everyone could palate and was visually stunning in that classic glass,” proclaimed Cook. <br /><br />To many of us this period is a forgettable, even shameful, time when our stone-washed jeans or hammer pants were only slightly less horrifying than the rounds of Purple Hooters we tossed back. <br /><br />Blogger Robert Simonson called this period ‘the nadir of cocktail culture of drinks historians,” but for many it was a glorious and carefree time.<br /><br />Dan de Oliveira of Chicago paid homage with a menu of Phil Collins inspired drinks at a Pops for Champagne industry night a while back.<br /><br />San Francisco cocktail destination Heaven’s Dog had a party just last week to salute ‘The 80’s and the Drinks You Love to Hate”. My memory must be fading because I don’t recall house infused Madagascar vanilla bean vodka in the Birthday Cake shots I used to make. For that matter I can’t remember using peach-infused Old Bardstown bourbon in my Slow Comfortable Screw either, but I digress.<br /><br />With Charlie Sheen all over the news and the flannel clad grunge look back in fashion it’s starting to feel like the 90’s are back with a vengeance. <br /><br />Not everyone agrees in the bar community. Beginning in 2008 Tales of the Cocktail© has held a ‘Cocktail Funeral’ in memoriam of a drink’s death. The ceremony of retiring a cocktail so far has been devoted strictly to these 80’s and 90’s party drinks beginning with the Appletini, Red-headed slut, and last year’s Sex on the Beach.<br /><br />So what gives? Are party drinks really experiencing a comeback or is the bar community just poking fun at our embarrassing past?<br /><br />Hard to tell just yet, but for the moment let’s all enjoy this journey to a simpler time. A time when people rode skateboards, wore flannel shirts, slept till 11, and drank Flaming Dr. Pepper shots. What a magical time indeed.brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-7571748088962197032011-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:002011-03-29T17:57:12.750-07:00“How to Gain Fame and Fortune as a Mixologist”<em>A video game guide to greatness</em><br /><br />I grew up with video games. They were a part of my life since I opened my first Nintendo Entertainment System on Christmas morning when I was eight. We, of the video game generation, have sought the glory of saving a princess and collected a fortune in coins from question marked blocks. Imagine my surprise all these years later when I was informed there was a game where you are challenged to ‘gain fame and fortune as a mixologist’. Time for a trip to Gamestop…let’s just call it ‘research’. Here’s a rundown of what the brilliant minds at EA Sports and some folks in the bar business have to say about getting famous behind the stick.<br /><br />Level 1: Read books on mixology to increase your skill level<br />Centuries of history shape the barmans’ legacy. In the Sims 3: Late Night Edition, one of the first opportunities to grow as a tender is by reading up on the subject. Books are available for your virtual character to purchase with your hard earned ‘simoleans’. Fortunately, so are classic cocktail books for us corporeal mixers. Learning the history of bartending can help to avoid some rookie mistakes along the way.<br /><br />“It sucks when you realize your newest creation already exists. It’s even worse when a customer tells you,” says Mary Bartlett of the Teardrop Lounge in Portland, Oregon.<br /><br />For me it was David Embury’s ‘Fine Art of Mixing Drinks’ that first opened my eyes to the rich tradition of tippling. From Jerry Thomas to contemporary scribes like David Wondrich there exists a living history in print of the evolution of cocktail culture from which to shape your path to greatness.<br /><br />Seattle’s bar star Evan Martin of Naga Cocktail Lounge sums it up well, saying “Education is important because you can't know where your craft is going without knowing where it's been.”<br /><br />Level 2: Attend mixlology classes <br />In the Sim’s virtual world there are mixology classes which will build upon your skill set and create some flashy career opportunities. Most of us ‘in the business’ agree that the bartending classes you see on the back of those alternative newspapers are bullshit. Well, I suppose if you’re not looking to actually bartend and just want to learn how to make a Slippery Nipple then those classes are just fine. There are, however, a few real life courses that can help you become adept at slinging drinks. Conventions like Tales of the Cocktail and the Manhattan Cocktail Classic also offer a slew of classes and workshops face to face with leaders in the industry.<br /><br />“Events like MCC, Portland Cocktail Week and Tales have inspired me to want to be a better bartender,” says Mindy Kucan of Anvil in Houston, one of GQ magazine’s Top 25 Cocktail Bars. <br /><br />For some hands on learnin’ Pernod Ricard sponsors BarSmarts, which travels to major markets and offers certification courses. There are also organizations such as T.I.P.S and Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM) that preach the gospel of responsible service and provide their own certifications. <br /><br />Level 3: Practice makes perfect<br />So you’ve read the books and studied up, but only perfect practice makes perfect. And without someone to show you technique all the recipes in the world aren’t going to help. If you want to be the best, you’ll need to beat the best, or at least study them. Mike Tyson’s Punchout taught me that.<br /><br />“I’ve learned that the best bartenders are just as dedicated to technique and form as athletes,” says Ron Dollete of Lushangeles.com. “What separates the average bartender from the cream of the crop is attention to technique.”<br /><br />I recommend to all those in search of fame and fortune as a bartender, find a good mentor from whom you can learn. Just by sitting at good bars and striking up conversation with the bartender much can be learned if you know what questions to ask. Mindy says that when she was learning the craft she’d drive two and a half hours just to learn and absorb from Bobby Huegel. Now that’s commitment!<br /><br />In the video game you can buy a bar for your home to practice making drinks. The real life equivalent I suppose would lead to blogging about booze. And lemme tell ya, there ain’t much money in that! A well stocked home bar is a good way to experiment on wastey-faced house guests at your next dinner party but it gets expensive buying hooch out of your own pocket. I might recommend in both the game and in life, if you want to get rich and famous as a mixologist plan on spending time behind a professional bar to back it up. <br /><br />Level 4: Use better ingredients to make more tips and gain celebrity <br />In Chicago I did an event with Adam Seger, well regarded barman and proprietor of Hum liqueur, famous for using interesting ingredients and flavor combinations. He showed up at my bar with an effing kaffir lime tree that towered almost to the tin ceiling from the mahogany bartop making drinks with the freshly picked fruit. While I’m sure it was a pain in the pinstriped vest hauling a damned citrus tree around, using only the freshest ingredients is the difference between good drinks and swill. <br /><br />The video game version of intoxicology agrees, allowing for new ingredients to be unlocked as your skill level increases. I’ve never mixed a drink at my bar with “life fruit’ or ‘flame fruit’ but you can impress all kinds of fancy folks in the game that way. And by making fancy new friends with your fancy drinks your celebrity level grows. <br /><br />And let’s not forget about the booze! Just because of the glaring omission of alcohol in the game doesn’t mean that’s not what we’re talking about here. <br /><br />“The more the bartender knows about their craft, the ingredients on the bar with which to play, all the tools at their disposal, the better they will be able to serve the needs of the patron,” attests Danny Ronen, representative of Fair Trade Spirits and artist of fine cocktails.<br /><br />Know your product. Taste every day. Develop your palate by tasting London dry gin next to London dry gin, and taste those against Old Tom, Genever, New Western gin..you get my drift. The subltleties of each expression can help you bring out layers of flavor that often are masked in cocktails by dominant complimentary components. <br /><br /><br />Level 5: Complete mixlology challenges<br />In the virtual world one can rise to the auspicious designation of Master Mixologist through meticulous accumulation of knowledge, skill, and networking. Challenges like the ‘Cool Creator’ challenge exist where new drinks can be unlocked like the Glow Goo, Morcubus Molotov, Llama Head, and Woohoo on the Beach. I kid you not, those are actually drink names in the game.<br /><br />The cocktail competitions that exist in the bar community are a great way for up and coming bartenders to get their name out there. Notoriety, prizes, travel, and going toe to toe with other talented bartenders are great incentives to hone one’s craft. And if there’s a way to better explore new flavor combinations than picking random ingredients on the fly when there’s a huge cash prize on the line I haven’t found it. Winners are often flown around the world and earn press and accolades for their libational creations, often providing their first intoxicating taste of the glamorous side of the booze world.<br /><br />Level 6: Boost your star status by hanging out with celebrities<br />Impressing celebs with your drinks is the quickest way to entrée into posh society in the Sims. Master mixologists like Tony Abou-Ganim rub elbows with A-listers on a regular basis, but that doesn’t happen overnight. Once you know what you’re mixing with it’s a good idea getting to know the people behind it. <br /><br />To each brand there is a face. Larger brands have brand ambassadors with big budget dollars behind them, an oft sought after job by many bar folk. Prove your worth as a bartender to these brands and they may be flying you around the world in style. Parties, dinners, and all kinds of excess will unfold before you. A cover story in Time and TV appearances are sure to follow. Welcome, young apprentice, to the glamorous world of mixology! Champagne wishes and caviar dreams are now part of your jet set lifestyle. Just don’t forget to break down your well and take out the trash before you turn out the lights.<br /><br />Level 7: Livin’ the Dream<br />I’ve been making drinks behind a bar since before I could legally do so, certainly not in search of celebrity. Most of us do it because we love the expression of creating an experience for our guests, much the same as any chef worth his fleur de sel. Often the career chooses us, igniting our passion through the rich history of cocktail culture or the exhilaration of a three deep bar full of thirsty patrons. But to set out with the goal of fame and fortune as a bartender most of us do not. However, if that is your aim there are some notable parallels from this video game so you, too, can have success as a mixologist of tipulars. Bon santé!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />“Dealer’s Choice”<br /><br />What’s your favorite old school video game?<br /><br /><em>Dave Shenaut Beaker and Flask, Portland Oregon- “Contra. The Code that everyone knows. Never beat the game without out it..”<br /><br />Ali Tahsini Bourbon and Branch, San Francisco “I have to go with table top Ms. Pacman....<br />you can set a pint (or several pints) right on the video game itself. I set high scores son!!”<br /><br />Jenn Hegstrom Pope House, Portland OR “Super Mario 3... Best video game of all time:)”<br /><br />Neil Kopplin Clyde Common Portland OR- “Doom, the first, first person shooter, with real life slayer gore”<br /><br />J.W. Pascoe Pearl’s, Traverse City MI- “Mike Tysons Punchout-Nintendo. What made it fresh: let me count the ways”<br /><br />Sal Corpuz Thatch Tiki, Portland OR-“Pac-Man, simply classic”</em>brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-66696047530969235272011-03-29T17:52:00.000-07:002011-03-29T17:53:12.546-07:00Why would you drink that?In an age where a good libation is more accessible than ever, booze aficionados are gravitating towards barely potable potions of late. From shots to craft cocktails, bartenders are pouring fashionable tipples that cause us to ask, ‘why would you drink that?”<br /><br />Raise your hand if you’ve ever grabbed the pickle jar from the fridge and taken a big ol’ swig of the brine. How about taking a shot of whisky before that pull from the jar? Anyone? Alright, a few of you have and I may or may not be among you. But what is done in the comforts of home at 3am is rarely done in a polite social setting. <br /><br />Chasing whisky with pickle juice, or Pickle Backs as they're known, have become quite the vogue amongst even the most sophisticated tipplers. In fact a number of otherwise unthinkable libations have come to fashion of late, leaving some of the bar community bewildered at these shocking trends. <br /><br />I’ve long mixed cocktails with amaris, Fernet Branca, Cynar artichoke liqueur, and other such bitter potables. Recently, however, these spirits and liqueurs have taken center stage with booze hounds. Fernet is a popular sipper and shot amongst those in the business and can even be found on tap in a number of markets.<br />“We’re in San Francisco, the industry drink is Fernet, why not be the first to put Fernet on tap?” says Duncan Ley, owner of the Russian Hill bars Bullitt and Tonic. (link to previous blender post)<br />Kirk Estopinal from Cure in New Orleans currently has a cocktail featured at Teardrop Lounge in Portland, Oregon, with a base of Cynar and Punt e Mes (two of the most bitter digestives on the market). Aptly titled “The Search for Delicious”, this cocktail is a hit with the industry crowd and highlights ingredients that could give the unwitting a facial expression as bitter as the spirits of which it’s comprised. <br /><br />At Tales of the Cocktail this year I was kindly treated to a newer favorite amongst the daring. A straight shot of Angostura bitters, a cocktail flavoring classified as ‘non-potable’ and as Gary Regan asserts (in The Joy of Mixology) “are not meant to be consumed neat or on the rocks.” While I knew what I was getting myself into I can’t help but be a little concerned if the college crowd catches a whiff of this in the wake of the Four Loko ban. It was less than pleasant, I assure you young readers, and one is better served keeping the dasher on for use in their Old Fashioned or Manhattan.<br /><br />Another order that might make your bartender cringe is any number of the party drinks made popular in the 1990’s. While thankfully the Flirtini has gone out of fashion the Pomegranate Cosmo and Dirty Martini are still going strong. On paper some olive juice or brine should add some salty and savory notes to a cocktail, but having seen the brine that goes into most dirty birds a guest is perhaps better off adding a splash of dishwater. <br /><br />While drinking trends are constantly evolving it never ceases to amaze what curious lengths folks will go to for a little flush to their cheeks. Should you find yourself at a bar where these or other dumbfounding drinks are ordered you can likely share a knowing look with the bartender who’s probably asking the same question you are: “Why would you drink that?”brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-39881194934836190472011-03-29T17:51:00.000-07:002011-03-29T17:52:28.210-07:00The Bartender Wears PradaIn my days in the restaurant industry I've worn many different hats. Donning a suit and tie as a Food and Beverage Director was a bit more cumbersome than the weathered jeans and sport coat worn as a General Manager, and as a barman I've worn a variety of getups behind the stick. But I've never worn a fedora...<br /><br />Harry Johnson proclaimed in his timeless Bartender's Manual first published in 1860"It is absolutely necessary to be neat, clean, and tidy in dress, as that will be more to the interest of the bartender than any other matter."<br /><br />Most bars, especially those housed in a restaurant setting, establish guidelines for employee dress. The encouragement of staff members to personalize their style within those guidelines, remarks Rocky Yeh of Seattle cocktail bar Vessel, "allows an outlet to express individuality, creativity, and care towards professionalism."<br /><br />Though few patrons take notice of the first, and often lasting, impression of the person assembling their drink it is uniquely in this moment when a bond of trust can first be formed.<br /><br />According to Tommy Klus of Portland's Bluehour and Teardrop Lounge, it has less to do with the libation or technique of the barkeep and more to do with appearance.<br /><br />"So much of the guest's experience is based on aesthetic. If you see a well dressed bartender, you might expect that you'll get a better drink," notes Klus.<br /><br />Since the resurgence in classic cocktails, bartenders have become known for their moustachioed, vested, and neo-classicist attire as much as their libations.<br /><br />"Pride in one’s appearance is also often indicative of pride in your work" states Rocky Yeh of Seattle's Vessel cocktail bar.<br /><br />But why the vest, arm garters, suspenders, fedora combo?<br /><br />In keeping with the style of classic cocktail culture bartenders have adopted the style of bartending's heyday. Tommy Klus earned the nickname "Tommy Tweed" after peers remarked that he dressed like an 'old man'. A return to the tradition of bartending pioneers like Jerry Thomas and 'Cocktail' Bill Boothby is evidenced by the trends in dress.<br /><br />Not everyone shares the same opinion on bar fashion, however. Chicago bartender Benjamin Schiller vented in a recent interview with online zine 'The Spirit'.<br /><br />"Far too many bars are infested with pompous, vested gentlemen adorned with curly mustaches, ridiculous headware, and perhaps an arm garter or two" rants Schiller, head barman of Chicago's BOKA restaurant.<br /><br />Suffice to say that Schiller's beef has more to do with substance than style. "Invariably," Benjamin lamented, "they are hocking their own latest and greatest 'riff on a Manhattan.'”<br />Love it or hate it, this look seems to be here to stay as long as the classic cocktail resurgence continues to focus on nostalgia. <br /><br />In true northwest style, some craft bartenders of Portland seem to be adopting their own dressed down code. David Shenaut, of Portland cocktail destination and hipster hangout Beaker and Flask, takes his own approach to bar-wear.<br /><br />"I just wear what's comfortable," Shenaut says, "and I have so many free liquor brand tee shirts I don't have to do laundry for a month this way."<br /><br />As craft cocktails become more commonplace perhaps this more casual approach will follow suit. Until then keep ordering drinks from the vested ladies and gents at our nations finest cocktail bars, but don't be surprised when the bartender in well weathered jeans makes you a perfect Holland's Pride cocktail.brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-46233789153233728512011-03-29T17:49:00.000-07:002011-03-29T17:51:26.228-07:00Vermouth Making a Splash with Craft DistillersAs we pulled into Lemelson winery Neil Kopplin, distiller of Imbue Vermouth, and I shared one of those rare surreal moments that remind you of your place in the world. Surrounded by the rolling hills of Oregon's Yamhill Valley we knew that we were about to participate in something special as the rolling fog lofted over the vines. Being part of the artisan spirits movement is nothing new to the northwest, but something in the air told me that we were on the cusp of something great.<br /><br />In the last five to ten years we have seen beverage culture take great strides in most major markets. Boutique spirits began to pop up on the backbars of cocktail bars and finer restaurants alongside the 'bar wallpaper' of the big box spirits brands we grew up with. Bartenders began to experiment with new expressions and consumers began to expect more in their libations. Classic cocktails re-emerged with a vengence as did the comsumer's desire for high quality ingredients. Enter artisan vermouth, a fortified wine enhanced with botanicals essential to the Martini and Manhattan cocktails.<br /><br />A few years ago, sitting on a rickety barstool in a small Chicago bar, I had my moment of epipheny. In came by way of a well made Manhattan, and what struck me was how simple but perfect the cocktail became when Carpano Antiqua Formula was introduced in lieu of el cheapo vermouth. To that point I'd only been exposed to what was avaialble in your average midwestern bar, be it Noilly Pratt sweet vermouth or what have you. Since then more and more bars began to mix with craft products like Carpano, as well as brands like Dolin and Vya vermouths, thus leading us to this misty morning in Western Oregon<br /><br />"Imbue vermouth began as a quiet little idea over dinner with friends," notes Kopplin. "Who would've thought less than eight months later we'd be here bottling our own vermouth."<br /><br />Imbue is seeking to capture what they recognize to be a growing niche in the beverage market by focusing on the locovoires of the Pacific Northwest. As a barman at Portland cocktail destination Clyde Common, Kopplin became accostomed to using the finest potables. After much recipe development and dialogue with business partner and winemaker Derek Einberger, they thought they'd try their hand at producing their own. If the local community embraces the first 112 cases of their reisling and grappa based aperitif, expansion to other markets may happen in the very near future.<br /><br />Only the third domestic artisan vermouth to hit the market, Imbue is careful to learn from established models. Andrew Quady, winemaker and vermouth producer, is one producer that might warrent notice. Quady's 'Vya' vermouth is a favorite amongst bartenders due to its amped up herbacious notes and rich flavor profile.<br /><br />Like Andrew Quady, Tad Seestedt of Ransome Spirits began as a winemaker prior to distilling spirits. Through interacting with Oregon bartenders as well as cocktail historian David Wondrich he decided to enter the market with small batch spirits that have become highly sought after. At a recent trip to Ransom's distillery in Sheridan, Oregon, Seestedt eluded to an interest in entering the burgeoning vermouth market.<br /><br />"I still need to taste what's out there and fully research vermouth, but I'm really interested in seeing what we might be able to produce," he remarked to Oregon Bartenders Guild president David Shenault and myself.<br /><br />Given the success of Ransom's Old Tom gin and its cousins Small's gin and Whippersnapper whiskey, it's expected that his vermouth will make a big splash. Owner of beverage industry consulting firm 'Live the Lush Life Productions', Lindsey Johnson, has seen artisan spirits take off in New York and San Francisco cocktail bars as well.<br /><br />"I think it's education more than anything else. Companies that reach out to bartenders show they really care, that they're not just a faceless company," Johnson surmised.<br /><br />In a section of the country where 'stay green, buy local' bumper stickers are as abundant as hipsters and micro breweries, it will be surprising if Imbue doesn't find its way behind the majority of Portland bars. Kopplin has plans for future releases, such as an Italian style vermouth and something that may create its own category altogether.<br /><br />"We're really focusing on taking care of Portland first before we expand to other markets," Kopplin says emphatically.<br /><br />It will be interesting to see the market trends of artisan spirits in the coming years, but rest assured the Pacific Northwest will be at the forefront of that trend. With the most micro-distilleries per capita of any city in the United states Portland is now host to one more product of the people, by the people and for the people.<br /><br />"Everyone's hearts are in the right place. It will be a matter of time though until everyone is finished polishing their products," says Rocky Yeh of cocktail bar Vessel in Seattle.<br /><br />Time will indeed tell, but in that time our glasses will be full and our barmen busy crafting potent potables with these unique expressions.<br /><br />-Brandon Wise is a featured contributor of Daily Blender and presiding barman of Portand's Irving Street Kitchen.brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-84491435425614285332010-09-28T22:47:00.000-07:002010-09-29T00:33:27.361-07:00barman's lament<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybUKrUAtxVJTqz8YjHkyDBLTolPwBM6KN4XdGNGGpKOR3VsoJk9XgSzcBOPE2QJwbK9CmNkpC5ycAV6D2YW6RagIMLWXUgcF3-e5mcM89QhmcNaWjgIlyHKtmsFHNyRbCCFbcOav5WHc/s1600/og.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybUKrUAtxVJTqz8YjHkyDBLTolPwBM6KN4XdGNGGpKOR3VsoJk9XgSzcBOPE2QJwbK9CmNkpC5ycAV6D2YW6RagIMLWXUgcF3-e5mcM89QhmcNaWjgIlyHKtmsFHNyRbCCFbcOav5WHc/s320/og.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522232450991831746" /></a><br />the bar was only about three hours old. in that time friends, family, and hoards of locals who had anxiously anticipated this bar's opening had lined up four deep to get their hands on a drink. the four of us, with beads of sweat decending from our brow, sloshed together mojitos and cosmos as fast as our hands could move. i recall exhausting all available space in my area with shaker tins lined up with built cocktails in front of a line of chilled cocktail glasses snaked around the bend of our oval bar, extending farther than my wingspan. <br /><br />once jovial, the crowd was turning surly as they smashed together in wait for their libation. mandi and i shared a glance from her side of the bar to mine that said without words, "i don't think we're gonna make it", then quickly returning our focus to our mixing tins. following a clamourous clinking of shaker tins crashing loudly together a voice rang clearly and loudly, dragging each syllable out for maximum effect.<br /><br />"If I could please have your attention! Ahem..So....You're prooobably wondering why i called this meeting".<br /><br />uproarious laughter ensued.<br /><br />the moments that followed still give me chills; while the simplicity and beauty of that statement is lost on most I can say now was a defining moment in my career. as the eyes and ears of the thirsty mob focused on the vested barman elevated above their eyeline, the remaining three bartenders worked feverishly with a bent ear whilst he spoke. Barry Lovell continued with a succinct but hammy speech to the patrons of the bar and the change in atmosphere was palpable. the surliness of the mob had been asuaged, their scowls turned quickly to applause, and as his oration concluded they chatted and laughed together...with drinks in their hands. <br /><br />later that night, as we enjoyed a cocktail together and counted our tips Barry humbly shared with us, that was all he could think of to distract folks long enough to allow us to catch up on drink orders. our small family of bartenders shared a laugh, Barry gave me a deep look that conveyed that he passed on something significant to his successors, and i returned that look with understanding.<br /><br />since working under Barry, whom we called O.G.1 for his old school status, I have been the 'teacher', as a matter of speaking, at every stop of my career. Barry discovered fresh juices and artisan spirits long after I had left his tutilage, and I've never had much of an opportunity to discuss the journeys we've both led since parting ways half a decade ago. <br /><br />in that time I've managed some large and influential properties and have turned the focus of my energies towards my passion for libation technology. i've learned a great deal as a teacher, and have done my best to further the education and growth of those I'm surrounded by. the staff i hired and trained in Chicago still gives me great pride, as two of my bartenders (with somewhat pedestrian experience when we first met) were amongst the five nominated last year as best in the city by Timeout magazine. No other bar, including the Violet Hour, can claim the same. the chef i hired, in one of the smallest kitchens in the city, has built quite a name for herself. the bar, whose beverage program I had fashioned, is still one of the finest in the city using only artisan spirits (read:not a single bottle of stoli or grey goose). but I haven't had a mentor since Barry Lovell.<br /><br />i suppose it's not neccessary after a certain point, as one finds ways to grow without the tutilage of another. having immersed myself in the northwest cocktail scene I've certainly become aware of certain aspects of technique and hisorical integrity that I hadn't paid much heed to as of yet. the good bartenders here, and the good ones are exceptional, have a wealth of knowledge to share and are rightly well regarded in the global community.<br /><br />one thing I miss in this cocktail scene, however, is the art and showmanship that few posess. Barry Lovell was my Jerry Thomas, a showman and raconteur who could make your experience at his bar rail one that you would never forget. i feel a deep gratitude for my place in the world each day, but it is with great lament that I recount my short apprenticeship. As years pass and I forget the names of barbacks come and gone, I take great delight in passing along the stories and Barryisms I gained in my formative years behind the rail. I never miss an opportunity to remind the 'kids' that 'rockstars have no rules.'<br /><br />and so, as I look forward to a weekend crowd at my bar piled four deep for stirred rye/amaro/stonepine cocktails, I'll always keep a couple of shaker tins nearby in case I need to buy some time.<br /><br />"Ahem....Soooooo...You're proooobably wondering why I called this meeting..."brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-1963402240590608872010-08-11T22:27:00.001-07:002010-08-12T01:48:26.207-07:00Storming the Gates; Stories of a Party CrasherI suppose this post is not so much a 'how to', but more of a 'well, that happened' sort of thing. I don't neccessarily recommend this approach but it worked out well in our case. The following chronicle of my Tales of the Cocktail is that of an ill planned trip with debauchery as its goal. It should be said that I greatly appreciate the hospitality and kindness of the places and people that made my trip such an amazing experience, and in no way do I take for granted the entree we experienced. I know that next year will be markedly different in how I approach the festivities, but this year was pretty epic. Keep in mind this is written well after the fact and may or may not be a factual account of what actually went down. I know, I'm a terrible blogger; I'm working on it so BACK OFF! :) <br /><br />K, so I booked the trip maybe a week or so prior after much hemming and hawing from Mary and Fox as to whether or not we could or should go. Once booked our primary concern was lodging. Fortunately @tallerjen had a great in with Mariott and found us rooms a couple blocks away from the Monteleone Hotel, where all the Tales shenanegins were taking place, for something like $40 per night. Once we had secured a place to crash we did nothing, except pack frantically the day we were to depart. We met up at Fox's place where she was sewing Lewis bags to peddle at the whathaveyou and somehow were sold into indentured serventry an hour before our flight left-mind you I've sewn maybe A ripped pair of jeans or two, and poorly, in my entire life-and proceeded to help her knock out a dozen or so bags before our ride to PDX arrived. <br /><br />Right, so after a double Woodford Reserve and a pint of Rogue Dead Guy in the airport we made the plane. I spent the layover in Houston typing for Imbibe a bitters recipe that should appear on their website soon, all the while feeling a little creeped out that I was in 'George Bush Airport'. Upon arrival in NOLA we hopped a cab to the wrong hotel, which fortunately was close to where we were actually staying. Since Jen had to check us in, and she didn't arrive until later that day, we decide that beniets and coffee with Tommy Klus was the best plan from there. Which led to a sweaty jaunt around the quarter that ended with giant Hurricane cocktails in souvenier plastic cups by the river, and a failed attempt to reply with the attached word document to Imbibe featuring the aforementioned bitters recipe. We walked back towards the hotel, where we had our first proper drink if you can call it that. Fox had a Sazerac, Mary a White Russian, and I believe I had a Vieux Caree at the Monteleone. It was kind of a drag at that bar; a brilliant rotating bar but the barman was so frantically making brandy milk punches that he evidently forgot how to make good drinks across the board. Ah well, I'm sure by that point he was sick of annoying bartenders criticizing his every move so I enjoyed my libation with some commiseration. It was super cool to run into Paul McGee, another Chicagoan, of the Whistler (my absolute favorite bar in Chi) while signing up for the only sanctioned seminar we were to attend during our stay (Gin & Prohibition featuring David Wondrich and two Simons). From there we ran across not one but two of my former Chicago compatriots, Mr. Matty J Seiter (now of Santuraria in St. Louis) and the venerable Danny Shapiro of Perennial Chicago(my former barback turned 'next big thing' as subtly decreed by my boy Dan D'Oliviera). Drinks at Absinthe House were called for, and though Mary was unsuccessful in her attempts to purchase the (I think) 1985 Old Overholt on the shelf we did have some nice cold beers to quench the heat with chasers of Matt's Sweedish Punsch from apothocary bottles. After running into a few other familiar faces on the street we were welcomed to air conditioning at our new home for the week. <br /><br />We proceeded to hear from Matty J about a party later that night at some mansion that he was sure to get us in to, seeing as he allegedly had two extra tickets. We were famished so we decided to meet Quinn for a bite beforehand, and since Matty was positive that the mansion party was formal I donned a suit sans tie. As we ran across Quinn, an absolute gentleman and one of the true masters I had the pleasure of meeting, the Beefeater double decker bus was parked and waiting in front of the Monteleone. As people, including Dan D and Matty J, boarded the bus we bumped into LivetheLushLife who insisted we join her camera crew and attend the Beefeater event. Fucking cool, we were totally on board with that although without the Rold Golds Quinn brought with Mary most likely would've thought otherwise. It was hot and humid as you may expect at that point.<br /><br />The Beefeater party was as indulgent a party as I've ever been to, very Alice in Wonderland style with opulance at every turn. We happened to, after a short ride with some super chill videographers (who turned us on to the Green Goddess), be some of the first arrivals at the party. Conveniently enough we were first in line for Audrey Saunders to mix us a cocktail with Aperol and Beefeater Summer. After some awkward sociality, brilliant punch and cocktillian jikantery from Robert Hess, and running into Tommy and a host of other peeps we bounced out to get a decent bite to eat before the mansion shindig. Green Goddess seemed to be the right place to go, as the local reco is always the right one to follow. Once there Mary was texting back and forth with Daniel of TDL regarding joining up before the party. Unfortunately, or fortunately maybe, dinner at the Goddess is not like that of a drive thru. We were treated with the most personal of service from the chef/owner and had one an incredible meal. The drink list showed traces of brilliance without refinement and the the food was made with heart with incredible components in the sweaty limited space. Go there, it will be worth it I assure you. <br /><br />From there we found our way to the party; I can say without a single doubt that this was the best party I have ever been to. Picture a party with some incredible bar folk crafting brilliant cocktails, punch, scotch, cigars, killer food, live music in an acropolis-like gazebo, and shooting the breeze with the most accomplished folks in the industry. We walked to the front of the line under the assumption that we were on the list with Matt, which we weren't, and proceeded to somehow grease our way into the gig. Having intimate conversations with PDXers like Daniel, Adam Robinson, Ricky Gomez, Neil Kopplin, many Chicagoans, SFers, Seattleans and NYers was the essence of what Tales is about. Talking through the ins and outs of opeinging up your own bar with folks that have not only done it but succeeded valiantly is the ultimate in terms of networking, and smoking cigarettes with a NY Sour in hand with Rocky Yeh by the only oscillating fan outdoors is the ultimate in terms of socializing. My only lament was the suit, f u Matty but barmen shouldn't put on airs. Result: Best. party. ever. Thank you Hendricks Gin!<br /><br />We retired late that night, with swag bottles Mary had lifted now depleted and most likely in Rocky's room 'o swag. Pretty confident we did Absinthe House till late that night, and pretty sure DrinksWithMindy was rocking her "Party in Morgenthaler's Room" tank top that night. They sort of blend together now, each night being a remonsterization of the night before. I can tell you that unlike Portland the drinking crowd pushed the excess, not surprisingly given the context, to the point of combustion. The next couple days followed suit with trips to Cure/Iris/Tonique and more great food and drink. We did have the pleasure of joining Mr. Benjamin Schiller and Dejorn Huffman for dinner at Arnaud's(which took place as the Swag-off went down), which may have been the highlight of my trip. After a Saz at the bar Benjamin ordered a nice Sancerre to go with our first course, and I followed suit with an '05 Haut Beauseujeur Bordeax which went nicely with my bacon wrapped, fois stuffed, quail. From there Dejorn, one of my favorite people in the world, had to sprint to the Bols Genever event which we sauntered to after dessert. Mr. Jacob Grier had arrived that day, and what better place to meet up than over a 'little headbutt' at Grapevine in NOLA. Such a great representation from Portland at Tales, I was and still am so proud to have been a part of it. Unfortunately Mr. David Shenaut was unable to make it down, and I believe upon leaving the Bols event Quinn and I wistfully albeit drunkenly bromanticized Dave, who I consider to be the most talented barman in the northwest (I'll let you know after I sit at Murray's bar in Seattle, but I'm pretty confident in this one-I had the pleasure of witnessing a spectacle of flair on one of his last nights at Teardrop-Obie Wan Shenobi, the return of Neon). Ben took D home and met up briefly at Absinthe House where the debauchery had reached a creshendo. We saw everyone that night, and unfortunately there was too much booze in the air to make any real connections. Suffice it to say that drinks at Cure and Iris that eve were incredible and restored faith in the national drink scene after a meh experience everywhere else.<br /><br />We needed to recover a bit after that and courtesy of Bols Genever we had that opportunity by way of free cruiser bikes with which to tour the city. We sweatily and awkwardly at first pedalled our way out of the quarter into the real corridors of the city of N'Awlans. Coffee and junk store shopping highlighted our ride, along with a creepy trip to a voodoo shop and some haunting photos taken by Fox. We grabbed cocktails 'to go' from a dicey place in the quarter, a harrowing experience from where I sat. I was so thirsty, and had been craving a well made Hemmingway Daiquiri all day- so I order one from the barkeep, and he looks at me like I'm an alien. I see there are no Luxardo products on the backbar, so I ask him to make me a standard daiquiri. He reaches for the blender...no, thank you, just a shaken daiquiri please...nope, not like that just 2 oz rum 1 oz "fresh" lime juice and a half ounce simple please...he proceeds to free pour around 4 oz Mohawk rum, and tells me that he has some fresh lime juice *ah, here it is* in this little lime shaped bottle of RealLime, finished with some stock sour mix and lazily shaken and dumped into a souvenier cup. amazingly, and you can imagine how crushed and horrified I am at this point, I drank it down without as much disdain as one might expect from a snob such as myself. It's like multiplying negatives I guess, so many bad things equal one halfway decent thing if the math is right. At least that's how I've come to terms with that experience. It did provide the fuel neccessary to get us back to the hotel in one piece with minimal damage to the bikes. For the record, the bike rental people were ah-mazing, I think Mary still stays in touch with them and shares family photos, they made us feel so welcome and were super close to inviting us over for dinner. I totally would have accepted.<br /><br />I think the last night we did Cure with Daniel, whom I respect so much not only as an amazing barman and entrepreneur but as a gentleman. His awareness of social situations is something I've yet to encounter elsewhere, and his humble yet commanding presence is the penultimate representation of Portland beverage culture past and present. I'll most likely regret this gushing post later, but today I stand enamored with Portland and its personalities. <br /><br />So after a few more ridiculous excursions we boarded our respective planes and groggily returned home to our loving northwest. As Neil said, "give me a big green hug Portland"...So glad to be home, and equally grateful to have had the experience of Tales with the people I did. So in closing, one can simply buy a ticket and show up at Tales of the Cocktail with no agenda and have a comprehensive experience simply by working in the industry for 10 or so years and busting one's ass thus forming lasting relationships that will get you into all the parties...<br /><br />I know I left a few things out, like the Super Dope Diageo tasting (best cocktails of the entire trip) that we snuck into twice (once before it started and once with Holliss Bulliet), but that is a not so brief snapshot of one man's Tales of the Cocktail experience. Hopefully next year will be less haphazard. Prost!!!!<br /><br />Vieux Caree Cocktail<br /><br />3/4 oz Brandy<br />3/4 oz rye whiskey<br />3/4 oz sweet vermouth<br />1/4 oz Benedictine<br />dash Peychaud's Bitters<br />dash Angostura Bitters<br />stir with ice<br />strain into glass<br />garnish: lemon twist<br /><br />glass: old fashioned<br /><br />tools: strainer, bar spoon, channel knifebrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-4618760170212715482010-06-30T00:57:00.000-07:002010-08-11T22:24:58.180-07:00out to lunch6.30.10<br /><br />After presenting a whiskey tasting this afternoon it was a challenge to accomplish anything productive, so it seemed like a good time to re-introduce myself to the twitterverse. Thanks to Dan @Prost for the hospitality whilst I spent some quality time with my Blackberry over a late lunch of Optimator and a killer Pretzel sandwich. Now that I'm all set up I'll try to post a bit more frequently despite my allergy to the social media craze. <br /><br />The locals tell me that summer is finally here in P-town, but that remains to be seen as far as I'm concerned. Nice, but not what I think of for this time of year. Well with summer in mind I've finally put some new potions out there for Portlanders to enjoy. Still in flux with personnel at Irving Street so tried to keep things simple and user friendly for the bar staff while keeping technique and aesthetic in mind. Installing them two at a time until the staff gets comfortable with more challenging recipes. Really excited to finally move into my own cocktail list; when Dan mentioned he and JM came by I winced a bit at what may have been percieved from the existing list. On the up side it's still a new joint and there's a lot of room for growth. I've been holding my breath but I think I can announce the addition of the talented Fox_Zilla to ISK, whom I have been recruiting for some time now. A big deal in my book, and a huge step in making ISK a legitimate cocktail destination in the Northwest. <br /><br />Tales is right around the corner and Fox and I will both be heading down, along with Mary B and a host of other talented Pdxers. I feel terrible for anyone outside of Nola who goes out for a cocktail during that time, damn near every good barman has an "out to lunch" sign hanging in their well. Looking forward to hanging with Mr. Schiller and some of the Chicago set as well as conversing with some brothers in arms from the national scene. If I run into anyone wearing an Olde English D I may kiss them on the mouth-fair warning-but Detroit, all of Michigan for that matter, needs at least one good cocktail bar to hang its hat on and if there's some representation at Tales that's a pretty good step. That remains to be seen if any progress is to be had in the forgotten realms of the midwest. Thankfully there are events like Tales and the Manhattan Cocktail Classic that work to unite communities often cut off from the progressive nature of beverage culture.<br /><br />One of the most regrettable moments of my time managing In Fine Spirits in Chicago is related to TOTC. Ben Schiller, whom I hired as a server slash bartender and is now one of the most well regarded barmen in all of Chicago, had in a fairly bassackwards sort of way requested time off to attend Tales. At the time the bar was beginning to garnish some great local press and establish a name for itself, not to mention we had a skeleton crew, and I was unable to furnish this request. Fortunately Benjamin is attending this year's event and we can toast to what an asshole boss I was, and for how far we've both come since slaving to build a reputable cocktail bar in a neighborhood that wasn't ready for it. Hopefully all is forgiven and our cities can work together to further the cause of introducing people to quality in their drinks. Cheers to the enduring bonds we share as barmen in the absolute best time to be one!brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-65666753864466662712010-05-27T11:08:00.001-07:002010-05-27T17:39:36.338-07:00sho-nuff<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70H83zWFIFjiY7jaMm0jUcFkPI8jeDtzOKQLSIUp92o5jqngVKNS7OhSaQRvlUYCE8eBeVJf3JWcnroVfOv8PzEHCMt20O3FG8Opo_RIDrk6BxK7lxQXrrtQ_-Vb-zjyHcoXd0NKNEfU/s1600/chauncy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 78px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70H83zWFIFjiY7jaMm0jUcFkPI8jeDtzOKQLSIUp92o5jqngVKNS7OhSaQRvlUYCE8eBeVJf3JWcnroVfOv8PzEHCMt20O3FG8Opo_RIDrk6BxK7lxQXrrtQ_-Vb-zjyHcoXd0NKNEfU/s320/chauncy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476111383032850914" /></a><br />So getting settled in a new city is never easy, but as far as my time here is concerned it has been as agreeable as I could hope for. Such a great cocktail scene here, the tiniest dive bars are firing Corpse Revivers from their wells, and the people pouring them are fantastic. <br /><br />Recently I've had the pleasure of joining the lovely Ms. Bartlett for a sampling of Teardrop's new menu overhaul, vodka recipe experimentation/pig explosion at Gilt, a Amaro & s'mores at Laurelhurst Market, and bumped into some new friends while enjoying a Chauncey cocktail at Beaker and Flask. I still find it hilarious sometimes how small of a town it seems here. Frequently as I'm introduced to someone their reply is "You're from Chicago, right?", and I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my accent. The major difference I've seen here so far is that cocktillians take their craft super seriously; not to say that the barmen of the midwest don't have a similar zeal, but technique is more important here than reputation. Looking forward to learning all I can from some crazy talented people here. Taking this time to dust off some bad habits, working on my 'hard shake' stance, and watching 'The Last Dragon' for extra focus...Sho-nuff.<br /><br />Irving Street is coming together these days, starting to flesh out my first northwest cocktail list. From my limited explorations and my short time in the scene here I feel that there is a niche left unfulfilled in the local beverage market. While the cocktails are certainly craft there seems to be a lacking culinary edge around town. After having the good fortune of working with Mr. Pikus (formerly of Alinea) at Perennial and listening to him geek out about molecular gastronomy I think there may be an opportunity to bring some of that ideology to Portland. Might be a slow build but I think by the end of summer we could be doing some pretty rad, simple, molecular cocktails at Irving. First thing's first though, focusing on balanced drinks that can be executed efficiently for the summer business volume. This weekend I'll be heading to the big farmer's market and Monday I'll be spending the holiday working on tinctures, syrups, potables, and perhaps some alginates. Fortunately the Pearl clientele is a lot like the Lincoln Park & Gold Coasters I'm familiar with...I'm sure we can awaken the 'Dirty Bird' crowd to some interesting libations here as well...<br /><br />Chauncey Cocktail<br /><br />3/4 oz Copper Fox Rye whiskey<br />3/4 oz Martin Miller's Westbourn Gin<br />1/2 oz Carpano Antiqua<br />1/2 oz Germain Robin brandy<br />dash Regan's Orange bitters<br /><br />stir and strain, no garnish requiredbrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-79525579327925906412010-05-07T21:09:00.000-07:002010-05-07T21:48:35.472-07:00pdx<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKPa-s32I-P33Psak-BTZ6NPUkqMiVftIGmBBxPcEQY505LpZ2j0rVhyphenhyphena4WlGrloRA_uxqGsb1qsJyBa8KJ-sWwNeEEbOjGegddvRx5gZMnNjrExkDw5DEIAbQ1ewwUEpwgGW9yE2D1A/s1600/160.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKPa-s32I-P33Psak-BTZ6NPUkqMiVftIGmBBxPcEQY505LpZ2j0rVhyphenhyphena4WlGrloRA_uxqGsb1qsJyBa8KJ-sWwNeEEbOjGegddvRx5gZMnNjrExkDw5DEIAbQ1ewwUEpwgGW9yE2D1A/s320/160.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468755687766826690" /></a><br />Well after three long days blazing a trail across the plains and over the rockies I arrived in the promised land. While I'd looked forward to the experience of a cross country road trip since discovering Kerouac in my early teens, I don't have any desire to do it again. Not to say that there weren't moments of breathtaking scenery and some good times along the way, just a taxing journey. <br /><br />I did have the good fortune of stopping in Templeton, Iowa, home of my favorite prohibition era rye whiskey. Thanks to Keith, Scott, Killmer, and the rest of the TR gang for being so accomodating. Can't forget what one corporate suit told Keith about his rye: "your story's worth more than your whiskey". Well the whiskey's worth every penny, and the story...priceless.<br /><br />So upon arrival in this fantastic little town, I look forward to picking up where I left off in Chicago. You can find me at the brand spanking new <a href="http://www.irvingstreetkitchen.com/">'Irving St. Kitchen' </a>crafting libations, and I can't wait to work with the tremendous array of product on the back bar. So much Amaro and Fernet Branca it crossed my mind that Mr. Benjamin Schiller himself must have put the purchase order through to the OLCC. Gonna be a fun ride, the owners group and the management team are among the finest folks I've had the pleasure of working with. And with so many interesting craft distilleries and wineries in the area, we'll be sure to keep things interesting. The food and wine programs each deserve their own chronicalling, but for now I'll leave it to the public to comment on. With the luxury of a Saturday night off I think I may pick up some local pear butter at the farmer's market, smuggle in some Templeton, and have one of the guys at ISK fire up a cocktail I placed on my first Perennial drink list. My gut tells me that it will go nicely with the Slow Roasted Duck w/gingersnap-brown basmati and "pan drippings"....<br /><br />Orchard Ridge<br /><br />2 oz Templeton Rye whiskey<br />3/4 oz Domaine de Canton <br />3/4 oz lemon juice<br />1/3 oz simple syrup<br />2 heaping bar spoons of Pear Butter<br /><br />build in shaker tin, shake and strain into bucket glass over large irregular ice block. add a slice of pear, ginger, or simple swath of lemon for a garnish if ya like. <br /><br />Prost!<br />Bwbrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-87497801596421047632010-04-27T10:50:00.000-07:002010-04-27T22:10:38.312-07:00the oregon trail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBRiq5DxVUBV64BtyM0aBL21ZhMEgM_nKhYTmAQEEirVEJGb9nOu_L5Xj5XI3W-FiosxF79jHG3yjmcwdMDJnRTwTnI0mWrzociju-N-Cj0wb_gbQKZtSeyvMTjn-XlezRIlDeB9cuTo/s1600/oregon-trail.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBRiq5DxVUBV64BtyM0aBL21ZhMEgM_nKhYTmAQEEirVEJGb9nOu_L5Xj5XI3W-FiosxF79jHG3yjmcwdMDJnRTwTnI0mWrzociju-N-Cj0wb_gbQKZtSeyvMTjn-XlezRIlDeB9cuTo/s320/oregon-trail.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464979274612568706" /></a><br /><br /><br />With a couple days to spare I am pleased to announce the arrival of <a href="http://perennialchicago.com/pdfs/Perennial_Cocktails.pdf">spring cocktails </a>at Perennial. Based on popular demand, and threats from Emily and some other Boka group employees and guests, some of the cocktails have been carried over that remain seasonally relevant. I ended up keeping one of my faves on the list as sort of a 'happy trails' listing. The inspiration for this one came after my last trip to Portland, which ultimately has lead me to pick up and move there. I look forward to immersing myself in the local culinary and cocktail scene, which is quite progressive, as well as working hands-on at some of my favorite distilleries and wineries. So with that in mind here's a tasty concoction that I hope to prepare for tipplers in the Pacific Northwest very soon.<br /><br />Oregon Woods<br /><br />1.5 oz Ransom Old Tom gin<br />.75 oz Zurbenz Stone Pine liqueur <br />1 oz fresh lemon juice<br />.5 oz simple syrup<br />dash angosturra bitters<br />egg white<br /><br />add white of one egg to shaker tin, building syrups and juices first followed by potables and bitters. dry shake for 5-10 seconds with whisk from hawthorne shaker. remove whisk, add ice, and shake vigorously until a nice frost appears on outside of shaker tin. strain into coupe glass and garnish with three drops of angosturra bitters and one smacked sage leaf. <br /><br />Cheers!brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-45404360247873146242010-04-08T11:31:00.000-07:002010-04-27T17:37:59.252-07:00ides of april<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Koc4jxZXO6hQvJ1qwG4192KAazYNn103_GLLx0VONr8b1ZuXoHP27SE_-cukTY14wFkmL4PlmXxf04dPS1Zh87S_X2lKS2x7FQDFFcLNB3599SEj9YdkPHzrI9CjtUqaGagBXl_6oPY/s1600/foodchem01.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 255px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457843759085659730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Koc4jxZXO6hQvJ1qwG4192KAazYNn103_GLLx0VONr8b1ZuXoHP27SE_-cukTY14wFkmL4PlmXxf04dPS1Zh87S_X2lKS2x7FQDFFcLNB3599SEj9YdkPHzrI9CjtUqaGagBXl_6oPY/s320/foodchem01.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Well spring has hit Chicago, and as the weather climbs above 40 degrees we see locals flocking to outdoor watering holes for libations en masse. I've been working on Perennial's cocktail list and think I have it pretty well nailed down. The Lincoln Park clientele is equal parts adventurous gastronome and underexposed tippler, so bridging that gap can be a delicate tightrope walk. The restaurant gets their fair share of trixies who love a bright pink foo-foo 'martini' in their hand, and understanding this venue wasn't ready to be a full fledged cocktail bar took some time for me. I hadn't shaken a martini in years, unless a Bradford was properly ordered, so it took some time for me to get over my pretensions and give the people what they want. After all, the clients are what keep this industry moving, not the culinarians as much as we'd like to think so. So finding a happy balance of innovative beverage options with a few classics mixed in that could appeal to both adventurous and conservative imbibers has been my mission. So far people have taken notice and the beverage culture has made great strides in exposing the clientele to more interesting spirits than Effen black cherry.<br /><br />Next step, having conceptualized the menu and applied some recipe platforms that work on paper, is testing. I have my sodium alginate, calcium chloride, geletan, and all kinds of other goodies en route so we should be able to launch next week without issue. The list is the most ambitious to date for Perennial, and though there are some 'safe' plays there is at least an underlying theme of artisan ingredients in everything produced. And as any craft barman will tell you, at the end of the day that's what it's all about. Here's hoping the thirsty Chicago crowd agrees.<br /><br />Village Idiot<br /><br />1.25 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal<br />.75 oz Combier<br />2 heaping barspoons of Clearbrook farms strawberry preserves<br />1 oz fresh lemon juice<br />1/2 oz simple syrup<br />shake and strain into double old fashioned glass over large irregular ice block<br />served alongside amuse spoon of blood orange espuma (gelatin foam)</div>brandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4112741518591224425.post-73460501032554646902010-03-28T17:34:00.000-07:002010-04-27T17:40:21.840-07:00exploits of an epicurianOccasionally we are fortunate enough to find ourselves amidst a confluence of circumstances that expose us to new and interesting experiences. As I've been asking myself 'why write a blog? the answer is quite simply Propinquity. At the moment I'm near the swirling epicenter of Chicago's culinary scene and am soon to be immersing myself in another progressive market. Hopefully I can share this journey and exchange perspectives along the way.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />At the moment I'm doing my best to stay centered by creating a spring cocktail program for Perennial restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park district. Tomorrow I begin working on this project and am planning on a rollout the day after Easter. Undoubtedly Easter will be ridiculously busy for the restaurant and I'm already anticipating making a few "Perennial Rose", the first cocktail I created for the Boka group which continues to be an extremely popular selection:<br /><br /><br /><br />Perennial Rose<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE28ab75Ta_Aia3vaYBKAEWC2oHFT2t291yUaZqSTxU94GeMowweNUpAMr9_Z7dVjss6SswjPT_GZmbZJcSSTg90HSQePe-7shc_P_tiZJ4OkABMWvZggNxdjN-o9QrnYU3Sv9IGXlqk/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 199px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453859938800061938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgE28ab75Ta_Aia3vaYBKAEWC2oHFT2t291yUaZqSTxU94GeMowweNUpAMr9_Z7dVjss6SswjPT_GZmbZJcSSTg90HSQePe-7shc_P_tiZJ4OkABMWvZggNxdjN-o9QrnYU3Sv9IGXlqk/s320/003.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />1 oz Plymouth sloe gin<br /><br />1/2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur<br /><br />1/2 oz fresh grapefruit juice<br /><br /><br />dash of Peychaud's bitters<br /><br /><br />Build in mixing tin, shake and strain into champagne flute. Top with Sparkling Rose (I use a sparkling Grenache) and garnish with a lemon peel.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />B Wisebrandonrwisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451216408815364742noreply@blogger.com0