One advantage I have in my career – and believe me, I thank my lucky stars every day for my good fortune in this regard – is that I travel a lot. And when I do travel, I get to visit the greatest bars in the world and spend time picking the brains of the world’s greatest bartenders.
The most recent drink to grace our cocktail list is the result of my travels.
Taking inspiration from many sources, my initial interest in bitter, sour and sweet with a distinctly tropical bent was taken directly from the ever-brilliant Giuseppe Gonzalez and his now-famous Trinidad Sour.
While I, and the rest of the world, was taken by the combination of bitter, herbal, sweet flavors, it never really struck me as a an extensible sort of drink style until I came across Andrew Bohrer’s amaro-based Mai Tai variation called the “Elena’s Virtue”. Now here was a drink with legs, and a hint of what was to come in the world of cocktails, in my humble opinion.
But what New York and Seattle do well, San Francisco often does better, and usually with a lot more Fernet Branca, and that’s the conversation I had with Josh Harris while competing in the Domaine de Canton finals in St. Maarten this spring. And after tasting his simple concoction of ginger liqueur, pineapple and Fernet Branca I knew it was time for me to get my feet wet and try my hand at the herbal tropical sour.
The result has been a smash hit at the bar, as it very much follows in the style of our restaurant bar, a reflection of the crafted European style of cooking that emerges from the kitchen on a nightly basis. In other words, earthy, sour, herbal flavors do very, very well where we work.
Put all of this together, throw in a desire to explore the dusty, neglected bottle of Drambuie, and an early morning racking one’s brain to come up with a drink name (the original intent was Brixton Club) and a star was born:
Kingston Club
1½ oz Drambuie
1½ oz pineapple juice
¾ oz lime juice
1 tsp Fernet Branca
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake ingredients with ice and finish with 1 oz soda water. Strain mix over fresh ice into a chilled collins glass and garnish with an orange twist.
A side project, an experiment or just a simple curiosity that turned into a delicious phenomenon that we're still serving to much delight at our bar, barrel aged cocktails explore the gentle manipulation of a drink's flavors over time. This post details the inspiration, the history and the methods behind my barrel aged cocktails.
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.
Turned off by the glop you find in the grocery store, and unable to endure another long egg and cream whipping session, I set out to build an egg nog recipe from the ground up that retained the character of the orginal formula, was easy to make in a few minutes at home or at the bar, and tasted absolutely delicious. See if you agree with the result.
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 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 recipe is part two of my New Orleans Mixology Monday post. For the complete story behind this drink, please click here.
¾ oz Wild Turkey rye
¾ oz Clear Creek apple brandy
¾ oz Carpano Antica Formula vermouth
¼ oz Strega
2 dashes cinnamon tincture*
1 large strip orange peel
Stir ingredients over cracked ice. Strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass and garnish with orange peel.
*To make cinnamon tincture, soak 4 ounces whole cinnamon sticks in 16 oz grain alcohol for three weeks. Strain solids and bottle.
And here’s a short video of the Autumn Leaves shot by Philip Beech:
Thanks, Neyah. I’m a big fan of The Witch as well and wish that more people tried substituting it for Benedictine and Chartreuse, if only for curiosity’s sake.
Given that they’ve apparently decided that we only need B&B in Washington, and not just straight Benedictine, I may have to try subbing Strega when my carefully guarded stash finally disappears.
The Vieux Carré at the Hotel Monteleone was just “okay.” I’ve been eyeing a bottle of Strega at Astor for far too long. Today is the day I finally pick one up. Thanks for the recipe!
Nice work my friend! And even better, the Strega idea is PERFECT for an upcoming OBG class that I have to make a cocktail with some farmers market ingredients.
Thanks, everyone! And Rick, thanks for the photo compliment. Coming from you, that does indeed mean a lot.
29 Jul 2008 at 6:04 PM 8. Tokyo Tea
Unfortunately I, like many others, couldn’t attend T.O.C. but I keep hearing about how the Carousel “butchered” their signature drink. Extremely confused as to how even a not-so-experienced tender could screw this up given a jigger, the appropriate recipe and a little time. Any ideas?
Ever been the last man standing in a dodgeball match? Now imagine being that guy, then having all your old teammates grabbing balls and throwing at you from behind. That’s pretty much what it is like to work a circle bar. Not many people are up to it. Even fewer experienced bartenders I suspect.
Marvin is great guy and very capable. However, he has got a serious Sisyphus syndrome going on down there.
Hey, Jeffery. Is Strega on the list of Oregon approved liquors? I’d love to get some for whatever bar I end up working at when I move back, but I’m wary of the OLCC. Also, do you know if Herbsaint is on there as well? I’d prefer using that over Ricard in my Sazeracs.
The bartenders at the Carousel did an amazing job dealing with all of us. I think people just wished that they’d staffed a little more appropriately for the mountain of drink nerds that descended upon them every day and night.
Erik – thanks, that rock kept me nice and cool as I sipped on that thing for an hour and a half.
John Claude – It doesn’t look like Strega is listed by the state, but I haven’t had any problems yet finding bottles here in Eugene. Someone must be doing some special orders and keeping us in The Witch.
30 Jul 2008 at 11:32 PM 13. John Claude
As in you’re finding them at the liquor store? That’s good to know. Stupid OLCC. : P I still need to find out if my bottle of Creme De Violette is legal.
Excellent cocktail and pic! and that ice rocks! Thanks for recipe.
01 Aug 2008 at 5:11 PM 15. Belinda
Yes, Stega is available in Oregon. For Oregon retail liquor stores, it is on special order, which means they have to buy a case at a time and wait 3 months to get it. Uptown Liquor on NW 23rd Place has it.
Here is a drink recipe using Stega that Chris Hannah of Arnaud’s French 75 bar in New Orleans made up using a touch of the local Saffron vodka.
Saffron Tea
1 1/2 oz Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
2 oz green tea
1/2 oz Strega
3/4 oz limoncello
1/2 oz honey
Shaken,strained over ice in a Collins glass.
01 Aug 2008 at 10:18 PM 16. John Claude
Thanks Belinda! Does that store carry some of the more esoteric stuff? When I was living in Portland (I’ll be moving back in February) I could barely find rye whiskeys at my local (the one near the Safeway off of NE Broadway. The store we ordered from for work (Wonder Ballroom/Cafe Wonder) had a little better selection. Is there anywhere to see or print a list of the liquors that are ok to have in Oregon?
01 Aug 2008 at 11:07 PM 17. John Claude
Almost forgot. I know about the two lists on the OLCC website. There’s the Price List and the Current Product List. One being incomplete (Price) and the other just being a clusterfuck and a nightmare to find anything in (Product List). I was hoping for something more concise and organized.
John Claude, the Broadway liquor store is god awful. You will want to explore Uptown Liquor in NW Portland; 11th Avenue Liquor on Hawthorne; and the new Pearl Specialty store (just over the Broadway Bridge). That store has some bizarre deal going with the OLCC and can sell beer & wine as well as liquor. Plus, they’re open until 10 and they’re open on Sundays. They’ve been good at getting higher-end specialty booze, although both of the other stores have larger selections. Uptown has whatever rye is available in the state, same for bourbon and great single malt selection.
John Claude – The Creme de Violette is now legal in Oregon. I was shocked and delighted to find Lemon Hart Demerara at the Pearl Specialty Shop – you won’t find that much of anywhere on the east coast.
02 Aug 2008 at 11:12 PM 20. John Claude
Oh great, thanks! When I move back from Rhode Island in February, hopefully wherever I end up working again will do their ordering from someplace decent. Otherwise I’m not above trekking to a particular store (which I have in the past) and bringing a receipt to work to get reimbursed. My last job I was the head bartender so I had the say on what we brought in. I have a feeling I’ll be starting off low-man this time and I’ll have to work my way up to talking the owners into carrying the more esoteric stuff.
Also, the iPhone CocktailDB app? Amazing. And only $4.99 until August 31st (when after it shoots back up to $9.99)
08 Sep 2011 at 4:24 AM 21. Kostas Alexiou
Hey Jeffrey!
I am making some cinnamon tincture. In this recipe you call for three weeks and in the video for six. Should I go three and see if I want more maturation?
And I used vodka because here in Greece it’s not that easy to find grain alcohol. Is it a lot different in the final product?
Cheers from Greece!
12 Nov 2011 at 9:20 PM 22. Fiona
This is the first drink that drew me to your blog, and it remains one of my favorites. Now that autumn has rolled around again I pulled it back out and it’s just as tasty as I remember. Thanks so much for sharing!
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28 Jul 2008 at 12:25 PM 1. NW
Nice job bud. ‘The Witch’ is totally underutilized in my opinion.
28 Jul 2008 at 12:27 PM 2. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks, Neyah. I’m a big fan of The Witch as well and wish that more people tried substituting it for Benedictine and Chartreuse, if only for curiosity’s sake.
28 Jul 2008 at 4:03 PM 3. Stevi Deter
Given that they’ve apparently decided that we only need B&B in Washington, and not just straight Benedictine, I may have to try subbing Strega when my carefully guarded stash finally disappears.
29 Jul 2008 at 6:36 AM 4. Paul Zablocki
The Vieux Carré at the Hotel Monteleone was just “okay.” I’ve been eyeing a bottle of Strega at Astor for far too long. Today is the day I finally pick one up. Thanks for the recipe!
29 Jul 2008 at 7:26 AM 5. Rick
Beautiful shot Jeffrey.
29 Jul 2008 at 8:12 AM 6. Lance J. Mayhew
Nice work my friend! And even better, the Strega idea is PERFECT for an upcoming OBG class that I have to make a cocktail with some farmers market ingredients.
29 Jul 2008 at 1:04 PM 7. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Thanks, everyone! And Rick, thanks for the photo compliment. Coming from you, that does indeed mean a lot.
29 Jul 2008 at 6:04 PM 8. Tokyo Tea
Unfortunately I, like many others, couldn’t attend T.O.C. but I keep hearing about how the Carousel “butchered” their signature drink. Extremely confused as to how even a not-so-experienced tender could screw this up given a jigger, the appropriate recipe and a little time. Any ideas?
29 Jul 2008 at 6:13 PM 9. NW
Ever been the last man standing in a dodgeball match? Now imagine being that guy, then having all your old teammates grabbing balls and throwing at you from behind. That’s pretty much what it is like to work a circle bar. Not many people are up to it. Even fewer experienced bartenders I suspect.
Marvin is great guy and very capable. However, he has got a serious Sisyphus syndrome going on down there.
29 Jul 2008 at 7:51 PM 10. erik_ellestad
Wow, nice rock. Cocktail sounds good, too.
29 Jul 2008 at 9:52 PM 11. John Claude
Hey, Jeffery. Is Strega on the list of Oregon approved liquors? I’d love to get some for whatever bar I end up working at when I move back, but I’m wary of the OLCC. Also, do you know if Herbsaint is on there as well? I’d prefer using that over Ricard in my Sazeracs.
30 Jul 2008 at 4:44 PM 12. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
The bartenders at the Carousel did an amazing job dealing with all of us. I think people just wished that they’d staffed a little more appropriately for the mountain of drink nerds that descended upon them every day and night.
Erik – thanks, that rock kept me nice and cool as I sipped on that thing for an hour and a half.
John Claude – It doesn’t look like Strega is listed by the state, but I haven’t had any problems yet finding bottles here in Eugene. Someone must be doing some special orders and keeping us in The Witch.
30 Jul 2008 at 11:32 PM 13. John Claude
As in you’re finding them at the liquor store? That’s good to know. Stupid OLCC. : P I still need to find out if my bottle of Creme De Violette is legal.
31 Jul 2008 at 7:23 AM 14. Tiare
Excellent cocktail and pic! and that ice rocks! Thanks for recipe.
01 Aug 2008 at 5:11 PM 15. Belinda
Yes, Stega is available in Oregon. For Oregon retail liquor stores, it is on special order, which means they have to buy a case at a time and wait 3 months to get it. Uptown Liquor on NW 23rd Place has it.
Here is a drink recipe using Stega that Chris Hannah of Arnaud’s French 75 bar in New Orleans made up using a touch of the local Saffron vodka.
Saffron Tea
1 1/2 oz Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
2 oz green tea
1/2 oz Strega
3/4 oz limoncello
1/2 oz honey
Shaken,strained over ice in a Collins glass.
01 Aug 2008 at 10:18 PM 16. John Claude
Thanks Belinda! Does that store carry some of the more esoteric stuff? When I was living in Portland (I’ll be moving back in February) I could barely find rye whiskeys at my local (the one near the Safeway off of NE Broadway. The store we ordered from for work (Wonder Ballroom/Cafe Wonder) had a little better selection. Is there anywhere to see or print a list of the liquors that are ok to have in Oregon?
01 Aug 2008 at 11:07 PM 17. John Claude
Almost forgot. I know about the two lists on the OLCC website. There’s the Price List and the Current Product List. One being incomplete (Price) and the other just being a clusterfuck and a nightmare to find anything in (Product List). I was hoping for something more concise and organized.
02 Aug 2008 at 5:27 PM 18. Jeff Frane
John Claude, the Broadway liquor store is god awful. You will want to explore Uptown Liquor in NW Portland; 11th Avenue Liquor on Hawthorne; and the new Pearl Specialty store (just over the Broadway Bridge). That store has some bizarre deal going with the OLCC and can sell beer & wine as well as liquor. Plus, they’re open until 10 and they’re open on Sundays. They’ve been good at getting higher-end specialty booze, although both of the other stores have larger selections. Uptown has whatever rye is available in the state, same for bourbon and great single malt selection.
02 Aug 2008 at 7:14 PM 19. eas
John Claude – The Creme de Violette is now legal in Oregon. I was shocked and delighted to find Lemon Hart Demerara at the Pearl Specialty Shop – you won’t find that much of anywhere on the east coast.
02 Aug 2008 at 11:12 PM 20. John Claude
Oh great, thanks! When I move back from Rhode Island in February, hopefully wherever I end up working again will do their ordering from someplace decent. Otherwise I’m not above trekking to a particular store (which I have in the past) and bringing a receipt to work to get reimbursed. My last job I was the head bartender so I had the say on what we brought in. I have a feeling I’ll be starting off low-man this time and I’ll have to work my way up to talking the owners into carrying the more esoteric stuff.
Also, the iPhone CocktailDB app? Amazing. And only $4.99 until August 31st (when after it shoots back up to $9.99)
08 Sep 2011 at 4:24 AM 21. Kostas Alexiou
Hey Jeffrey!
I am making some cinnamon tincture. In this recipe you call for three weeks and in the video for six. Should I go three and see if I want more maturation?
And I used vodka because here in Greece it’s not that easy to find grain alcohol. Is it a lot different in the final product?
Cheers from Greece!
12 Nov 2011 at 9:20 PM 22. Fiona
This is the first drink that drew me to your blog, and it remains one of my favorites. Now that autumn has rolled around again I pulled it back out and it’s just as tasty as I remember. Thanks so much for sharing!