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.
An authentic Dark and Stormy made with Gosling’s rum and homemade ginger beer is the ideal prelude to summer, when the spring months are arriving like lions and one’s mind turns to thoughts of lambs.
The national drink of Bermuda, a true Dark and Stormy is never made with Jamaican ginger brew or weak ginger ale. Only the real stuff made in small batches will do, so try this recipe at home or seek out a case of Barritt’s or Blenheim if you can.
Have you tried Cruzan Black Strap Rum? It’s even darker and stronger than Black Seal. Stands up to Blenheim’s pretty well, but makes it a slow sipping drink.
24 Apr 2008 at 10:42 am 2. Dan
I absolutely love a good Dark and Stormy. I like to add about half an ounce of lime juice to mine.
How do you feel about the Bundaberg Ginger Beer. It is the only one I can find locally on a regular basis that has enough bite for me.
I do make ginger syrup for cocktails, and I have always wanted to experiment making my own ginger beer, but wanted to let it ferment naturally. After Googling it I just got frustrated reading about starters and such.
But WAIT, now I have your recipe and your method sounds much easier. Thanks for the yeast resource
25 Apr 2008 at 6:10 am 5. Kelsey Crenshaw
My family’s from Birmingham, Al…I really Like Buffalo Rock Gingerale…it is so spicy you swear there was a ginger farm in the container…it’s been around for like 100 years….if you can find it try it. This website is one of the best out there, Mr. Morganthaler you have stollen my heart…
Sheesh, Mike, I was trying to score some free samples. But I guess I’ll go shopping for yet more cocktail ingredients.
Thanks a lot!
Jeff
02 May 2008 at 8:06 pm 11. dave
My favorite Ginger Beer is Regatta, it’s nice and spicey but has a real mellow finish, even a little citrusy, it’s a Bermuda Ginger Beer so makes a great Dark and Stormy. I usually drink with Gosling’s but but Mt Gay and the dark Tommy Bahama Rum work great.
I’ve not had the Blenheim for years. Thanks for reminding me that I must order a case!
17 Jun 2008 at 6:46 am 13. Marcus
do you take the photos of your drinks? the photo up the top there is a beautiful shot of a dark n stormy! i’m off out to buy some black seal today because of it…
Gosling’s should buy the picture to use on their site because their’s looks rubbish.
Well I can’t even get the black seal from my local wine merchant. They do 24 other types of Caribbean rum! Bah… I looked online and found http://www.blackseal.co.uk though so I’ll buy a bottle there I think.
Can’t get Barritt’s either by the way (though I’m going to try your recipe first I reckon!). The site reccomends “Old Jamaican” Ginger Beer. I’ve tasted the difference between this one and supermarket stuff. It is a hell of a lot better.
Seriously! Bermuda is a “British overseas territory”… And we can’t even get their beer.
Really looking forward to trying the ginger beer recipe. Any idea if this method is applicable to other sparkling beverages? Sparkling fruit juices, per chance?
Yes, this method does work well with other types of sparkling beverages.
14 Jan 2009 at 9:20 am 18. Laura
Is this drink also known as a Stormy Sailor? A friend that sails one of the #1 rules is to keep the Captain supplied with Stormy Sailors. She said it is rum and ginger beer. This is the only drink I have found close to that description on the internet.
Laura – As I’ve never heard of rum and ginger beer referred to as a “Stormy Sailor” I’m going to guess that your friend is one of the very few people that uses that particular name. The rest of us just call it a good old fashioned Dark and Stormy.
14 Jan 2009 at 11:45 am 20. Laura
Jeff,Thank you for your quick reply. She may have heard it called that in her sailing circles. Especially since the ginger is good for any landlubbers that may be nausea.
21 May 2009 at 2:25 pm 21. Janet
What about using Whaler’s Original Dark Rum? Anyone tried that? I saw it at Trader Joe’s for $10….
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 [...]
24 Apr 2008 at 9:59 am 1. jason0x21
Have you tried Cruzan Black Strap Rum? It’s even darker and stronger than Black Seal. Stands up to Blenheim’s pretty well, but makes it a slow sipping drink.
24 Apr 2008 at 10:42 am 2. Dan
I absolutely love a good Dark and Stormy. I like to add about half an ounce of lime juice to mine.
24 Apr 2008 at 11:22 am 3. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I actually do like the Cruzan Black Strap with ginger beer, Jason. Very dark. Very stormy.
And Dan, the big squeeze of fresh lime is essential. I wouldn’t even think of having a Dark and Stormy without it!
24 Apr 2008 at 11:55 am 4. syoung68
How do you feel about the Bundaberg Ginger Beer. It is the only one I can find locally on a regular basis that has enough bite for me.
I do make ginger syrup for cocktails, and I have always wanted to experiment making my own ginger beer, but wanted to let it ferment naturally. After Googling it I just got frustrated reading about starters and such.
But WAIT, now I have your recipe and your method sounds much easier. Thanks for the yeast resource
25 Apr 2008 at 6:10 am 5. Kelsey Crenshaw
My family’s from Birmingham, Al…I really Like Buffalo Rock Gingerale…it is so spicy you swear there was a ginger farm in the container…it’s been around for like 100 years….if you can find it try it. This website is one of the best out there, Mr. Morganthaler you have stollen my heart…
25 Apr 2008 at 8:24 pm 6. Marc @ NoRecipes
I’ve never had homemade ginger beer. Gonna have to give this one a try.
25 Apr 2008 at 10:20 pm 7. Mike S.
I think Bundaberg (“The Bunda from Down Unda”) is excellent. My favorite of the commercially-available ginger beers.
Cheers!
26 Apr 2008 at 11:53 am 8. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I haven’t had the opportunity to try Bundaberg. Anyone want to send me a sample?
Jeff
30 Apr 2008 at 9:52 pm 9. Mike S.
Beverages & More in CA carries it, and I think they’ll ship — http://www.bevmo.com.
Cheers!
30 Apr 2008 at 9:55 pm 10. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Sheesh, Mike, I was trying to score some free samples. But I guess I’ll go shopping for yet more cocktail ingredients.
Thanks a lot!
Jeff
02 May 2008 at 8:06 pm 11. dave
My favorite Ginger Beer is Regatta, it’s nice and spicey but has a real mellow finish, even a little citrusy, it’s a Bermuda Ginger Beer so makes a great Dark and Stormy. I usually drink with Gosling’s but but Mt Gay and the dark Tommy Bahama Rum work great.
03 May 2008 at 11:25 am 12. Ouroboros
I’ve not had the Blenheim for years. Thanks for reminding me that I must order a case!
17 Jun 2008 at 6:46 am 13. Marcus
do you take the photos of your drinks? the photo up the top there is a beautiful shot of a dark n stormy! i’m off out to buy some black seal today because of it…
17 Jun 2008 at 10:03 am 14. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Marcus – Yes, I’m taking all the photos for my site now, and thank you. I was really happy with the way that one turned out.
Mike S. – Picked up some Bundaberg this weekend at Cost Plus and you’re right – it is excellent stuff.
17 Jun 2008 at 6:52 pm 15. Marcus
Gosling’s should buy the picture to use on their site because their’s looks rubbish.
Well I can’t even get the black seal from my local wine merchant. They do 24 other types of Caribbean rum! Bah… I looked online and found http://www.blackseal.co.uk though so I’ll buy a bottle there I think.
Can’t get Barritt’s either by the way (though I’m going to try your recipe first I reckon!). The site reccomends “Old Jamaican” Ginger Beer. I’ve tasted the difference between this one and supermarket stuff. It is a hell of a lot better.
Seriously! Bermuda is a “British overseas territory”… And we can’t even get their beer.
(Actually I just found this one too: http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=2745
What is the overproof version like? Would be fun to have it flaming aswell, haha!)
19 Nov 2008 at 5:31 pm 16. Corey
Really looking forward to trying the ginger beer recipe. Any idea if this method is applicable to other sparkling beverages? Sparkling fruit juices, per chance?
21 Nov 2008 at 10:31 am 17. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Yes, this method does work well with other types of sparkling beverages.
14 Jan 2009 at 9:20 am 18. Laura
Is this drink also known as a Stormy Sailor? A friend that sails one of the #1 rules is to keep the Captain supplied with Stormy Sailors. She said it is rum and ginger beer. This is the only drink I have found close to that description on the internet.
14 Jan 2009 at 11:31 am 19. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Laura – As I’ve never heard of rum and ginger beer referred to as a “Stormy Sailor” I’m going to guess that your friend is one of the very few people that uses that particular name. The rest of us just call it a good old fashioned Dark and Stormy.
14 Jan 2009 at 11:45 am 20. Laura
Jeff,Thank you for your quick reply. She may have heard it called that in her sailing circles. Especially since the ginger is good for any landlubbers that may be nausea.
21 May 2009 at 2:25 pm 21. Janet
What about using Whaler’s Original Dark Rum? Anyone tried that? I saw it at Trader Joe’s for $10….