Inspired by a visit to see Tony Conigliaro at the unnamed bar at 69 Colebrooke Row in London last fall, where Manhattans are aged in glass vessels to sublime and subtle effect, the barrel aged cocktails I’ve been serving at Clyde Common this year are a decidedly American curiosity.
The rub of aging cocktails in a glass bottle is that the whole premise is built upon subtlety, as we know that spirits aged in glass or steel do so at an unremarkable pace. Being from the United States, where – as everyone is aware – bigger equals better, I pondered the following question: what if you could prepare a large batch of a single, spirit-driven cocktail and age it in a used oak barrel?
A hundred some-odd dollars in liquor later, I was nervously pouring a gallon of pre-batched rye Manhattans into a small, used oak cask whose previous contents were a gallon Madeira wine. I plugged the barrel and sat back in anxious anticipation; if the experiment was a success I’d have a delicious cocktail to share at the bar – if it was a failure then I’d be pouring the restaurant’s money down the floor drain.
Over the next several weeks I popped open the barrel to test my little concoction until I stumbled upon the magic mark at five-to-six weeks. And there it was, lying beautifully on the the finish: a soft blend of oak, wine, caramel and char. That first batch sold out in a matter of days and I was left with a compelling need to push the process even further.
Now, three gallons of Negroni might not be practical for the home enthusiast, but the average bar or restaurant should be able to afford that sort of quantity quite easily. For those of you trying this at home, try searching the internet for one-gallon charred oak casks (stay away from the fancy lacquered kind meant for display in dens and 1980s wine bars) and be sure to let us know what you find in the comments section below.
We procured a small number of used whiskey casks from the Tuthilltown distillery and proceeded to fill them with a large batch of Negronis; and that’s when the magic of barrel aged cocktails grabbed our attention. After six weeks in the bourbon barrel, our Negroni emerged a rare beauty. The sweet vermouth so slightly oxidized, the color paler and rosier than the original, the mid-palate softly mingled with whiskey, the finish long and lingering with oak tannins. We knew we were on to something unique and immediately made plans to take the cask aging program to the next level.
Negronis are now prepared in five-gallon batches and poured into multiple bourbon barrels. Robert Hess’ ubiquitous Trident cocktail is currently resting inside single-malt barrels. The El Presidente (à laMatt Robold), Deshlers, Remember the Maines, they’re all receiving the oaked treatment in a little storage room in the basement of the restaurant that I refer to as my “office”.
Once the cocktail is aged long enough for my taste, I then drain the bottle, straining out any charred bits of wood, and bottle the contents for use by my bartenders. To order, the cocktail is then measured out and poured over ice in a mixing glass, stirred, strained into a cocktail glass, and then garnished with the appropriate garnish. It’s quick and simple, as all of the real work has already been done by the barrel.
Anyway, on to the recipes. As simple as it seems to do, I figured not everyone is going to want to do the math to get started on some of these recipes, so here are a few I’ve figured out:
Negroni
Makes Three Gallons
128 oz (approximately five 750ml bottles) dry gin
128 oz sweet vermouth
128 oz Campari
Stir ingredients together (without ice) and pour into a three-gallon oak barrel. Let rest for five to seven weeks and pour into glass bottles until ready to serve.
Manhattan
Makes Three Gallons
256 oz (approximately ten 750ml bottles) rye whiskey
128 oz (approximately five 750ml bottles) sweet vermouth
7 oz Angostura bitters
Stir ingredients together (without ice) and pour into a three-gallon oak barrel (I prefer a barrel that has previously stored sherry, Madeira, or port wine). Let rest for five to seven weeks and pour into glass bottles until ready to serve.
Trident
Makes Three Gallons
128 oz (approximately five 750ml bottles) aquavit
128 oz dry sherry
128 oz Cynar
7 oz peach bitters
Stir ingredients together (without ice) and pour into a three-gallon oak barrel (I prefer a used single malt barrel). Let rest for five to seven weeks and pour into glass bottles until ready to serve.
Feel free to leave any questions in the comments section below.
My problem with homemade tonic water has always been a flavor profile that was too esoteric for the general audience. This recipe takes some of the positive qualities people have come to understand from commercial tonic water and updated them with fresh ingredients.
One question I'm often asked is "Do you have any drink-related book recommendations?" Well, funny you should ask, I've compiled a list of the ten books every professional bartender or home mixologist should own. I keep every one of these close at hand and have read most of them several times. I suggest you do the same.
The problem with living in Oregon is the absence of little wooden shacks by the sea that sell cases of fresh ginger beer stacked on back porches. But with some readily-available ingredients, a recipe I've been revising for several years - and a few free minutes - I can easily transport myself to a little fishing boat on the ocean as I sip a Dark and Stormy made with fresh, house-made ginger beer.
It's always mojito season somewhere, so this advice is timely in your area about half the year. Wether you're making them or simply enjoying them, this advice will help you look like a pro in no time at all.
The flavors of the Richmond Gimlet are imbued with sunshine. Fresh mint mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now.
You'll get a lot of snarky advice on this site about how to make a proper drink, but if you ever need to know what not to do, this is the video for you.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning "little blood") is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
The world of booze can be mystifying to people that don't work in bars or around alcohol all the time. I hear a lot of assumptions about the industry I'm in that are - much like 90% of what you hear in bars - completely false. Here are a few you've probably heard yourself.
The debate rages on: Should we try to look cool and crack open the Boston shaker or be tidy professionals and use the Hawthorne strainer the way God intended? Be sure to leave your two cents in the comments section.
The traditional garnish for a Pisco Sour is a couple of drops of bitters in the foam, but I've never been particularly impressed with the way these few paltry drops of bitters sat in their little egg-white mattress and didn't play along with the rest of the drink. I envisioned a Pisco Sour with a uniformly-distributed bitters-scorched foam: slightly crisp as the fire burnt the sugars, and slightly warm as the foam insulated the rest of the frosty cocktail from the heat. A pisco creme brulée in a glass!
I get so many visitors looking for tips on how to write a bartending resume that I thought I should finally post a tutorial on how to write your own. Click the headline to read more.
I always love showing up to a party with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas, so I've decided to share my recipe. This margarita recipe is the perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour. But be warned: this recipe packs a serious punch.
There isn't much I can say about this video that hasn't been said already. If you've read anything I've written about cocktails, you'll understand why this video symbolizes everything wrong with the state of bartending in America today. Watch and learn, but be warned: this one isn't for the feint of heart.
About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. Mixing drinks has become something of a passion for me in recent years, and I strive to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
This being my first ever time hosting Mixology Monday, I’m a little nervous. So bear with me. Also, my schedule has taken a turn for the busier… I’m leaving tomorrow morning to celebrate Repeal Day with the folks from Dewar’s scotch in New York City!
As Repeal Day is coming up on the 5th, I thought we should all get in the spirit by mixing our favorite Prohibition-era cocktails. On to the entries!
Getting an early jump on the competition was Anita at Married… with Dinner. On Friday, she posted a delightful concoction from the Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book called the Ampersand.
Shawn over at Rejiggered gives us an original cocktail, the Snowbird Rum Runner, which Shawn informs us was inspired by the rumrunners of the Prohibition era.
My good friend Erik Ellestad put together a thread at the eGullet forums, with several people contributing cocktails. Thanks, Erik!
Scomorokh over at The Science of Drink showed up with The Angel’s Tit. I don’t normally go for that sort of strong language, but the drink looks interesting – to say the least. I’m going to have to try this one out at work tonight.
Chip and Andy at Chip and Andy’s Universe burst through the door with the Maiden’s Kiss, another sexually-charged cocktail that they’re using to kill two birds with one stone, Mixology Monday and Raiders of the Lost Cocktail. Nice work!
Dinah at MetaGrrrl showed up with a little something called the Ruby Cocktail that she found in a book from 1908 called The World’s Drinks And How To Mix Them by William “Cocktail” Boothby.
Marshall at The Scofflaw’s Den came through with the Star Cocktail, which he found in Mr. Wondrich’s new book Imbibe!
Bunnyhugs brings us a lengthy and well-informed post about the Pisco Punch, one of my favorite cocktails. I hadn’t had the pleasure of visiting Bunnyhugs before, but this sort of writing reminds me why I love our ever-growing community.
Our friend Chuck Taggart at the Gumbo Pages went above-and-beyond the call of duty, cracking open his copy of The Saloon in the Home, or A Garden of Rumblossoms, by Ridgely Hunt and George S. Chappell from 1930. The drink is called the Hunting Horn, and the post is full of Chuck’s usual style of valuable information. A must-read.
If you like complex cocktails, you’re going to love Craig’s post at The Brotherhood of If, a drink called Everybody’s Irish American.
Robert over at Explore the Pour is a lot like me. He loves eggs in cocktails and wrote about ten pages explaining his fascination. He brought his ovoid love to the table with the Morning Glory cocktail. Another drink I’m going to be trying out tonight.
Despite my very Teutonic last name and a year of German classes in college, I still don’t speak a lick of German. But that won’t stop me from trying Christian at Cocktailwelt’sBijou cocktail. Now to find a metric jigger…
My fellow Oregonian Blair at Trader Tiki wrote a nice piece about the history of Prohibition in Portland, and submits one of my all-time favorites (and yours, I hope) the Monkey Gland.
Thanks to everyone who participated. If I somehow left you out, just leave a comment in the comments section and let us know – I’ve got to go pack my bags!
I typically rely on being at least five hours ahead of the US to avoid my entry being late. I wasn’t banking on such a speedy round-up!
Anyway, my entry is up here. Happy Repeal Day for the 5th everybody! Even if I can’t enjoy any of the festivities myself as we had the good sense not to have a prohibition in the first place over here… ;)
You mean by posting the wrap-up before the end of Monday?
I’ll write my own blurb here:
“Jimmy Patrick over at Jimmy’s Cocktail Hour (www.mixographer.com note the new url) provides the recipe for a Silver Gin Fizz AND a great holiday gift idea at the same time. Way to go Jimmy!”
So sorry to force the early post, but here’s my story:
I don’t normally work on Monday nights. For weeks now, I’ve set aside this Monday night as the time I was going to sit back with a cocktail, and write my Mixology Monday post.
That all changed at around 1PM my time, when the fine folks at Dewar’s scotch called and asked if they could fly me out to New York City tomorrow morning for two days of Repeal Day festivities.
Naturally, I scrambled to get my shifts covered at the bar, and this required that I cover the Monday night shift tonight starting at 3:30PM.
I’m hopping on a plane tomorrow morning at 10 for two days of Repeal Day merriment in Manhattan, courtesy of Dewar’s. I’m absolutely beside myself.
So there you have it. I’m sorry for the early post, I thank you all for participating so eagerly in my half-witted Mixology Monday, and I’ll be posting from the road tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Hey, I wish I knew exactly where you were drinking in NYC tomorrow. I figure I have to hit the bars for at least one drink, I’m leaning towards McSorley’s, as the oldest bar in New York for the place to drink.
I saw a repeal Day ad from Dewar’s in the onion today.
I absolutely hate it when someone sends me a box full of sex toys in the mail. Sure, it might sound like fun to some of you (you know who you are), but receiving a big box of free sex is much more trouble than it’s worth. Believe me. So I get a [...]
03 Dec 2007 at 3:47 pm 1. Dood (Matt R.)
*eventually finds a proper place to submit his entry*
http://www.rumdood.com/archive/2007/12/03/mixology-monday-repeal-day–the-rum-runners.aspx
03 Dec 2007 at 4:54 pm 2. Jamie Boudreau
Add me to the mix, and have a good time in NY, you lucky bastard!
http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2007/12/03/mixmo-prohibition/
03 Dec 2007 at 5:00 pm 3. paul
As someone who typically posts his MxMo entries at ten minutes to midnight, I’ve gotta point out — it’s still Monday!
03 Dec 2007 at 5:52 pm 4. Jay Hepburn
I typically rely on being at least five hours ahead of the US to avoid my entry being late. I wasn’t banking on such a speedy round-up!
Anyway, my entry is up here. Happy Repeal Day for the 5th everybody! Even if I can’t enjoy any of the festivities myself as we had the good sense not to have a prohibition in the first place over here… ;)
03 Dec 2007 at 6:41 pm 5. Hanky Panky
The ladies of LUPEC Boston are throwing their (extremely fashionable) hats into the ring as well. Check us out at lupecboston.blogspot.com.
Chin Chin!
03 Dec 2007 at 8:17 pm 6. Alex, Emma and Parysa
Such a speedy round up – we managed to post in time (yesterday actually) but did forget to link so here is our (1st) attempt at Mixology Monday
http://fizzflipandfancy.blogspot.com/
03 Dec 2007 at 9:05 pm 7. Michael Dietsch
Uh, yeah. I didn’t realize I had to post by 6pm, but I guess I’m sitting this one out.
03 Dec 2007 at 9:55 pm 8. Sonja
Just under the wire in my timezone, I’ve got my post up at
http://thinkingofdrinking.blogspot.com/2007/12/mixology-monday-repeal-day.html
Whew! Happy Repeal Day Everyone, cheers!
03 Dec 2007 at 9:57 pm 9. Marleigh
Figures I’d be the latest of the late.
http://sloshed.hyperkinetic.org/2007/12/03/leave-it-to-me-cocktail-no-1/
Have fun on the (freezing cold snowy) East Coast!
04 Dec 2007 at 12:00 am 10. Jimmy
“If I somehow left you out…”
You mean by posting the wrap-up before the end of Monday?
I’ll write my own blurb here:
“Jimmy Patrick over at Jimmy’s Cocktail Hour (www.mixographer.com note the new url) provides the recipe for a Silver Gin Fizz AND a great holiday gift idea at the same time. Way to go Jimmy!”
http://www.mixographer.com/2007/12/mixology-monday-silver-gin-fizz.html
04 Dec 2007 at 12:02 am 11. Jimmy
look at that, he even set is clock an hour ahead….
04 Dec 2007 at 12:10 am 12. Jacob G
My first attempt at MxMo is up here:
http://www.jacobgrier.com/blog/archives/845.html
Have fun in NY!
04 Dec 2007 at 2:02 am 13. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Hey everyone
So sorry to force the early post, but here’s my story:
I don’t normally work on Monday nights. For weeks now, I’ve set aside this Monday night as the time I was going to sit back with a cocktail, and write my Mixology Monday post.
That all changed at around 1PM my time, when the fine folks at Dewar’s scotch called and asked if they could fly me out to New York City tomorrow morning for two days of Repeal Day festivities.
Naturally, I scrambled to get my shifts covered at the bar, and this required that I cover the Monday night shift tonight starting at 3:30PM.
I’m hopping on a plane tomorrow morning at 10 for two days of Repeal Day merriment in Manhattan, courtesy of Dewar’s. I’m absolutely beside myself.
So there you have it. I’m sorry for the early post, I thank you all for participating so eagerly in my half-witted Mixology Monday, and I’ll be posting from the road tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Drink well,
Jeffrey
04 Dec 2007 at 4:47 am 14. Dominik MJ
Dear Jeffrey,
sorry my delayed post – I was quite a bit busy in the last couple of days!
Please check my post out on: http://web.mac.com/opinionatedalchemist/the_opinionated_alchemist/the_opinionated_bar-log/Entries/2007/12/3_mixology_monday_-_repeal_day.html
Cheers!
Dominik MJ
04 Dec 2007 at 7:04 am 15. Christian
Hi,
thanks for posting my mxmo! but you don´t need an metric jigger to make my bijou-cocktail
1 ounce = 3cl
greatings from germany
…and now let us start the new mxmo for 2008! ;-)
04 Dec 2007 at 8:05 am 16. gwen sutherland kaiser
hey don’t forget about me!!!!
http://intoxicatedzodiac.com/blog/2007/12/04/unto-death/
cheers to REPEAL DAY : ) gwen
04 Dec 2007 at 10:20 am 17. Natalie - The Liquid Muse
Hey Jeffrey,
Happy Repeal Day!
So sorry I missed this MxMo!!! Dammit! Got busy, threw a party on Sunday – totally spaced about MxMo.
This is a great bunch of cocktails, though!
Have a blast in NY.
The Liquid Muse
04 Dec 2007 at 10:41 am 18. Rick
Here is the entry from Kaiser Penguin:
http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/zombie-recipe-comparison/
Jeffrey, it’s ok. We all get invited to special spirit events weekly … :)
04 Dec 2007 at 10:47 am 19. Paul
After bitching that the roundup was done early, I forget to give you the URL for my post. Damn Bee’s Knees making me forgetful.
Here y’go.
04 Dec 2007 at 12:03 pm 20. jimmy
Hi Jeff,
I finished up the wrap-up, just like you asked. It’s over at my site:
http://www.mixographer.com/2007/12/mixology-monday-wrap-up-part-ii.html
04 Dec 2007 at 1:23 pm 21. 6th Floor Blogger
Hey, I wish I knew exactly where you were drinking in NYC tomorrow. I figure I have to hit the bars for at least one drink, I’m leaning towards McSorley’s, as the oldest bar in New York for the place to drink.
I saw a repeal Day ad from Dewar’s in the onion today.