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.
Although there are only three states on the West Coast of the United States, many people can only name California. Few people east of the Rocky Mountains can even pronounce Oregon (Or-uh-gun). Yet in the world of alcoholic beverages, bartending and mixology, Oregon is becoming a strong force, alongside such historical greats as New York, Louisiana, Kentucky and California. Here’s why.
Oregon is the home to fabulous mixologists such as Lucy Brennan and Kevin Ludwig. Lucy was voted one of the top bartenders in the country by Playboy magazine recently. She tended bar at the wonderful, innovative restaurant Saucebox for years before opening her own two establishments. Kevin Ludwig of Park Kitchen has been noted recently for his mixology acheivements, including the creation of his own tonic water.
Juniper can be found growing all over Oregon, and is now being used to flavor some premium brands of gin – House Spirits’ Aviation Gin and Bend Distillery’s Cascade Mountain and Desert Juniper gins. The presence of wild juniper makes Oregon’s burgeoning gin industry a natural.
The existence of wild Oregon hops has been one of the factors contributing to the explosion of Oregon beers. Oregon is the second-largest hop-producing state in the country, and as a result Portland has more breweries than any other city in the world. Oregon beers such as Widmer, Rogue, Full Sail and Deschutes are being exported all over the globe.
Oregon just happens to reside at roughly the same latitude as Burgundy, France. This, in conjunction with Oregon’s climate and soil, have made the state a natural home for cool-climate wine grapes, most notably the Pinot Noir variety. In 2005, there were 314 wineries in Oregon.
Oregon grapes are also used to create Clear CreekBrandy, whose pear, apple and grape eaux de vie are winning awards and gaining accolades all over the country.
Oregon is the birthplace of Imbibe Magazine, a brilliant bi-monthly magazine about all things liquid. If you’ve not had the opportunity to read Imbibe, I strongly recommend you visit their blog and then head over to the magazine’s website to pick up an inexpensive subscription.
Spearmint grows wild all over Oregon, making mint-based cocktails such as the Mojito, Mint Julep and Richmond Gimlet feel right at home here.
Finally, Oregon was on the map last year for its celebration of Repeal Day, a day which is now poised to be the next major drinking holiday in this country.
I forgot to mention that there are some fantastic Oregon weblogs out there that specialize in mixology, and Phil’s blog Lamb Martini is one of them. Definitely check him out!
I’ve heard about this! I subscribed last month or so (finally) but I haven’t received an issue yet. I look forward to trying out Kevin’s recipe.
I tried Fever Tree tonic at the Vegas bar show today, and I was suitably impressed. I’m going to talk to my Young’s Columbia rep tomorrow and see if I can get it in Oregon.
See, the problem with people here in NYC is that they just don’t understand.
“Fresh air? Mountains? Oh, we have those.”
“Err, no. You have absolutely no idea.”
I miss Oregon and everything about it. Kids growing up in Oregon go get drunk in the woods just like everyone else, but we did it with micro-brews. I think that speaks volumes.
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 [...]
Juniper can be found growing all over Oregon, and is now being used to flavor some premium brands of gin – House Spirits’ Aviation Gin and Bend Distillery’s Cascade Mountain and Desert Juniper gins. The presence of wild juniper makes Oregon’s burgeoning gin industry a natural.
The existence of wild Oregon hops has been one of the factors contributing to the explosion of Oregon beers. Oregon is the second-largest hop-producing state in the country, and as a result Portland has more breweries than any other city in the world. Oregon beers such as Widmer, Rogue, Full Sail and Deschutes are being exported all over the globe.
Spearmint grows wild all over Oregon, making mint-based cocktails such as the Mojito, Mint Julep and Richmond Gimlet feel right at home here.
19 Feb 2007 at 10:55 pm 1. Phil
Oregon rules!
19 Feb 2007 at 10:58 pm 2. Jeffrey
Thanks, for sharing, Phil!
I forgot to mention that there are some fantastic Oregon weblogs out there that specialize in mixology, and Phil’s blog Lamb Martini is one of them. Definitely check him out!
20 Feb 2007 at 3:02 am 3. Mike
Gah! You’re reminding me that I really, really want to head out to Oregon. Perhaps this summer when the weather’s a little nicer!
20 Feb 2007 at 6:16 pm 4. paul
Dude, your article made it onto mixology.eu – great site if you speak German. I love how this sounds:
Oregon – das neue Mekka der Trinkkultur?
Sweet. If there’s an Oregon board or Tourism they should sponsor you!
06 Mar 2007 at 11:57 am 5. Siobhan
Thanks for the mention of Imbibe….and speaking of Kevin’s legendary tonic water, his recipe appears in our March/April 2007 issue.
06 Mar 2007 at 7:59 pm 6. Jeffrey
I’ve heard about this! I subscribed last month or so (finally) but I haven’t received an issue yet. I look forward to trying out Kevin’s recipe.
I tried Fever Tree tonic at the Vegas bar show today, and I was suitably impressed. I’m going to talk to my Young’s Columbia rep tomorrow and see if I can get it in Oregon.
09 Aug 2007 at 9:50 am 7. Alex
See, the problem with people here in NYC is that they just don’t understand.
“Fresh air? Mountains? Oh, we have those.”
“Err, no. You have absolutely no idea.”
I miss Oregon and everything about it. Kids growing up in Oregon go get drunk in the woods just like everyone else, but we did it with micro-brews. I think that speaks volumes.