If there’s one thing I hate about living in the Pacific Northwest, it’s the stretch of time from late October until late June, when the sun makes only the most occasional of appearances. I typically pack on an extra 10-15 pounds during those rainy months, party due to over-consumption of wintertime drinks like dark beer, egg nog, hot-buttered-anything and wassail. I wanted a drink for the winter that I could add to my cocktail menu that was more like the light, café-style cocktails I typically gravitate to during the summer.
Jerry Thomas prescribed a drink called “sangaree” that, to the best of our knowledge was a colonial adaptation of the Spanish “sangria”. The recipe, which calls for anywhere from 1½ to 4 ounces of port, Madeira, gin or brandy dolled up with sugar and dusted with nutmeg in a glass sounded less than exciting to me, but the challenge of updating this old chestnut sounded like a fun January task.
We began with ruby and tawny ports but found both way too sweet. White port got us much closer to our target, but it wasn’t until a healthy dose of dry vermouth was applied that we knew we were on to something. To provide additional depth and hint at the drink’s colonial origins we sweetened with a maple-nutmeg syrup and finished the whole thing off with a teaspoon of allspice liqueur and orange oil.
The Dry Vermouth Sangaree
3 oz dry vermouth
½ oz maple-nutmeg syrup*
1 tsp St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1 large strip orange peel
Shake everything – yes, even the orange peel – with ice until well-chilled and strain into a cold cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh strip of orange peel.
*To make maple-nutmeg syrup, combine 8 ounces each of Grade B maple syrup and water, and 1 tbsp freshly-grated nutmeg. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Let cool, strain out solids, bottle and chill.
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.
I like to use Buffalo Trace’s Sazerac 6-Year rye in my Sazeracs. The nose is sweet and fruity, but the palate is nice and dry with a lot of spice – a perfect choice for the Sazerac experience.
Fill an Old-Fashioned glass with ice and water, and set aside to chill. Once cold, drain ice water and rinse with Herbsaint.
Muddle together until sugar cube is dissolved (skip this step if using simple syrup, obviously)
Add:
2 oz rye
Fill mixing glass with ice and stir contents until well-chilled. Strain into Herbsaint-rinsed Old Fashioned glass. Twist lemon peel over drink to express oils, and discard peel. Serve!
Not to sidetrack the Sazerac discussion but the only Absinthe I’ve seen in my neck of the woods (Clearwater, FLA) is Lucid at $60/bottle. Is it any good/worth it?
A recent visitor to Oregon is Le Tourment Vert, which is offered in a truly lovely bottle at something around $56 (IIRC). Tempting, yes, until I checked it out at The Wormwood Society. http://tinyurl.com/4g74na
The only positive review came from someone who found all the other absinthe he’d tried “too strong.”
The Tourment Vert is the only absinthe listed in Oregon, which is a shame because it isn’t really absinthe.
It tastes like it might actually be half Listerine and half Axe Body Spray. It’s garbage. Steer clear.
19 Apr 2008 at 7:05 pm 8. Aimee Scarlett
I am so insanely jealous that you went to the same high school as Steinbeck.
So on a more technical note (and maybe this should go on the Saz blog) I attempted to make a Sazerac for a young guest the other night at work and in a hurry as usual, I couldn’t get the sugar cube to dissolve and I couldn’t keep stirring it for time’s sake, which resulted in unsightly white crystals in the bottom of my cocktail. I was irritated but had to go serve food to people. I had considered using the simple syrup, but John had hidden it from me.
Anyway long story short, is there any good way to ensure the darn sugar cube disintegrates in a timely fashion without compromising the drink quality? Many times I have much less time than I’d like to craft the drink.
Okay, here it is, so what’s wrong with my sugar cube?
Use a splash of water and a muddler to dissolve the sugar cube before adding the alcohol. Sugar doesn’t readily dissolve in cold water or alcohol, so you need to use the muddler with a little water before you add the booze.
Hope this helps!
Jeff
28 May 2008 at 11:45 pm 10. John Claude
I actually prefer Herbsaint over Absinthe in a Sazerac. Absinthe is overrated in the same was as Jager. It’s all psychosomatic.
John, anyone with a palate is going to take you to task for comparing absinthe the Jägermeister.
The truth of the matter is that while Herbsaint makes for a wonderful – and quite traditional – Sazerac (I’ve been making and drinking them with Herbsaint for years), Herbsaint can’t match the depth of flavor that a good absinthe like Lucid can provide.
I mentioned this on the Dos & Don’ts page, but will reiterate my plug for my favorite pastis: La Muse Vert. (Not Le Tourment Vert!) Can be had from bevmo.com. I haven’t had too much experience with absinthe (aside from the listerine-like stuff they have everywhere in Prague), but it beats the hell out of Herbsaint and Pernod.
22 Jul 2008 at 7:41 pm 13. NJ Lady
One thing I’d be curious about regarding Herbsaint is that it is intended to leave the breath “perfumed” and not smelling of alcohol. Is it really that floral?
I am very happy that I found your blog. Keep up the good work.
08 Sep 2009 at 11:31 pm 16. confused...
Hi Jeffrey,
just wondering with your recipe, does it still require a small splash of water if one is using simple syrup?
What is the correct level of dilution for this drink? (correct being what you have found works best for peoples palates today.)
Thanks!
14 Oct 2009 at 8:09 pm 17. NickS
@confused: At least for my palate, no additional water is necessary if using simple syrup. The water is only necessary to help the sugar cube dissolve. I do tend to let the liquids sit over ice for 30 seconds or so as I cut my lemon peel, so that probably provides a fair amount of dilution.
Just watched a well meaning, but terribly bad Sazerac recipe video at about.com — http://video.about.com/cocktails/Sazerac-Recipe.htm. I gave it a try, and Oh Lord, is that version awful, at least with the amount of simple syrup displayed (if not shown — he appears to squeeze much less than 1/2 oz of simple syrup). I just tried it, and 1/2 oz of simple syrup + a pernod rinse is disgustingly sweet. Like drinking alcoholic sugar water.
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05 Apr 2008 at 7:03 pm 1. jimmy
blasphemer!
05 Apr 2008 at 11:05 pm 2. Sidney
I’d skip the Herbsaint and use Absinthe. You can get it now legally in the US, no more clandestine boxes arriving from across the pond.
07 Apr 2008 at 9:08 am 3. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Great point, Sidney.
09 Apr 2008 at 12:56 pm 4. Mark Parry
Not to sidetrack the Sazerac discussion but the only Absinthe I’ve seen in my neck of the woods (Clearwater, FLA) is Lucid at $60/bottle. Is it any good/worth it?
09 Apr 2008 at 12:58 pm 5. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Yes, Mark, it’s well worth it. And if you have any extra, send me a few bottles – Oregon gets very little of the stuff in.
10 Apr 2008 at 9:47 am 6. Jeff Frane
A recent visitor to Oregon is Le Tourment Vert, which is offered in a truly lovely bottle at something around $56 (IIRC). Tempting, yes, until I checked it out at The Wormwood Society.
http://tinyurl.com/4g74na
The only positive review came from someone who found all the other absinthe he’d tried “too strong.”
10 Apr 2008 at 9:53 am 7. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
The Tourment Vert is the only absinthe listed in Oregon, which is a shame because it isn’t really absinthe.
It tastes like it might actually be half Listerine and half Axe Body Spray. It’s garbage. Steer clear.
19 Apr 2008 at 7:05 pm 8. Aimee Scarlett
I am so insanely jealous that you went to the same high school as Steinbeck.
So on a more technical note (and maybe this should go on the Saz blog) I attempted to make a Sazerac for a young guest the other night at work and in a hurry as usual, I couldn’t get the sugar cube to dissolve and I couldn’t keep stirring it for time’s sake, which resulted in unsightly white crystals in the bottom of my cocktail. I was irritated but had to go serve food to people. I had considered using the simple syrup, but John had hidden it from me.
Anyway long story short, is there any good way to ensure the darn sugar cube disintegrates in a timely fashion without compromising the drink quality? Many times I have much less time than I’d like to craft the drink.
Okay, here it is, so what’s wrong with my sugar cube?
21 Apr 2008 at 6:04 pm 9. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Aimee
Use a splash of water and a muddler to dissolve the sugar cube before adding the alcohol. Sugar doesn’t readily dissolve in cold water or alcohol, so you need to use the muddler with a little water before you add the booze.
Hope this helps!
Jeff
28 May 2008 at 11:45 pm 10. John Claude
I actually prefer Herbsaint over Absinthe in a Sazerac. Absinthe is overrated in the same was as Jager. It’s all psychosomatic.
29 May 2008 at 10:03 am 11. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
John, anyone with a palate is going to take you to task for comparing absinthe the Jägermeister.
The truth of the matter is that while Herbsaint makes for a wonderful – and quite traditional – Sazerac (I’ve been making and drinking them with Herbsaint for years), Herbsaint can’t match the depth of flavor that a good absinthe like Lucid can provide.
12 Jul 2008 at 11:49 pm 12. rhesuspieces00
I mentioned this on the Dos & Don’ts page, but will reiterate my plug for my favorite pastis: La Muse Vert. (Not Le Tourment Vert!) Can be had from bevmo.com. I haven’t had too much experience with absinthe (aside from the listerine-like stuff they have everywhere in Prague), but it beats the hell out of Herbsaint and Pernod.
22 Jul 2008 at 7:41 pm 13. NJ Lady
One thing I’d be curious about regarding Herbsaint is that it is intended to leave the breath “perfumed” and not smelling of alcohol. Is it really that floral?
23 Jul 2008 at 8:06 am 14. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I’m not sure I follow you, NJ Lady.
15 Feb 2009 at 10:41 pm 15. Absinthe
I am very happy that I found your blog. Keep up the good work.
08 Sep 2009 at 11:31 pm 16. confused...
Hi Jeffrey,
just wondering with your recipe, does it still require a small splash of water if one is using simple syrup?
What is the correct level of dilution for this drink? (correct being what you have found works best for peoples palates today.)
Thanks!
14 Oct 2009 at 8:09 pm 17. NickS
@confused: At least for my palate, no additional water is necessary if using simple syrup. The water is only necessary to help the sugar cube dissolve. I do tend to let the liquids sit over ice for 30 seconds or so as I cut my lemon peel, so that probably provides a fair amount of dilution.
Just watched a well meaning, but terribly bad Sazerac recipe video at about.com — http://video.about.com/cocktails/Sazerac-Recipe.htm. I gave it a try, and Oh Lord, is that version awful, at least with the amount of simple syrup displayed (if not shown — he appears to squeeze much less than 1/2 oz of simple syrup). I just tried it, and 1/2 oz of simple syrup + a pernod rinse is disgustingly sweet. Like drinking alcoholic sugar water.