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.
The list of increduble experiences I had last fall while attending (and speaking at) the Bar Convent Berlin is a mile long, but up near the top of the list is the afternoon chat I had with Andreas Redlefsen, owner of St. Lucia’s Elements Eight rums.
Elements Eight is virtually unknown in this country, but occasionally you will hear of it whispered in hushed tones between rum aficionados as the brand has acquired a sort of mythical status. Fortunately there was plenty on hand to taste in Europe, and I had the man himself to tell me all about it.
Elements Eight begins with molasses made from Guyanese cane (cane production is no longer commercially viable in St. Lucia). The distillers then take that molasses and ferment it in three separate batches with three different yeast strains from the island. The resulting ‘beers’ are then distilled in three different stills, which results in nine unique rums.
The first is a traditional John Dore copper pot still, the ‘Rolls Royce’ of pot stills – creating a rum that is heavy bodied, pungent and full of flavor. This rum will gain complexity as it is aged and will impart a lot of depth and complexity into the final blend. Still Two is a Vendome pot still – originally constructed for American whiskey production. The end result is a lighter rum than that produced in the John Dore. Aaaaand, still number three is a column still. Very light rum.
Anyway, all of these different rums are hand-blended and aged in used Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels in St. Lucia, which provides a unique microclimate between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic ocean. The warm Caribbean climate helps expand the rum into the barrel, and the chilly Atlantic evenings contract the liquid and help wash that flavor from the wood.
Both rums are aged, the gold for a minimum of 6 years, the platinum for a minimum of 4 years. Yes, the platinum rum is then charcoal-filtered in order to remove the color before it is packaged and shipped.
And what about the flavor? Both are light, clean, buttery, sophisticated and delicate, with the gold providing a touch more richness and caramel than the crisper platinum. Sippable neat, but perfect for mixing in cocktails. I’ve made crisp mojitos, smooth, buttery rum old-fashioneds, light daiquiris and Mai Tais that defy the laws of gravity.
Already available in Europe, Elements Eight is slated for release in the States late this year or early 2010.
Charcoal filtering to create a rum that’s clear but aged is very common and used in dozens of brands. It’s a style that offers the appearance of an unaged silver, but with some of wood notes remaining. I say some, because charcoal filtration removes flavor as well, but you’re still left with more character than an unaged rum. Cruzan, Myers’s Platinum, Flor De Cana, the list goes on and on.
16 Mar 2009 at 10:14 am 3. tekstone
this is not an unusual practice. many white rums are aged for up to 4 years and then filtered to make them clear. this has been my understanding anyway.
Our aim was to create a smooth, complex and flavorful ‘white’ rum. Maturation is a necessary step for this, but to render the rum ‘white’ the filtration is required to remove the color obtained during aging. Hope this clears up your question.
I was lucky enough to get to sample the [e]8 at RumFest UK last October. It’s a superb line.
As Martin says, the charcoal filtering of color for an aged rum is not all that uncommon – in fact my favorite “white rum” (Oronoco) goes through the same process.
16 Mar 2009 at 11:58 am 6. Ralph
Huzzah for more rum in the US. Eventually.
16 Mar 2009 at 12:04 pm 7. Justin
“Already available in Europe, Elements Eight is slated for release in the States late this year or early 2010″
This means Pennsylvania will get it around 2015.
16 Mar 2009 at 12:13 pm 8. Nick
Sounds lovely, but, given the steps and equipment involved in the distilling, perhaps a bit dear to mix into cocktails?
Any ideas on what price range this will fall into?
16 Mar 2009 at 12:18 pm 9. Bastian
Just to make a long list longer: Angostura and Havana Club both age their white rums and filter it.
Yes, this rum is great, as i also can attest in the post i made in january. What i especially like is the buttery aftertaste, its deliscious! and especially the platinum is a dream to sip neat.
Is it good in a Mai Tai? that was intersting to read, actually that drink never crossed my mind to mix with these rums as they are quite delicate.I better go and mix myself one Mai Tai with E8 right away(and now i also got thirsty.)
The best cocktail place in my town features this rum pretty heavily on their shelves, but I’ve always asked for Havana Club instead because the square bottle has been a bit of a turn-off. I guess I was too quick to dismiss it as a gimmick spirit and will try it the next time I get the chance.
25 Mar 2009 at 3:02 pm 16. Garretto
Is it a coincidence? Today Jamie Boudreau posted a shaking-how-to video on the Small Screen Network.
He only covered how to use a Boston Shaker —the banana coupling of the glass and tin, and where exactly to tap it for easy separation. Both points I had not considered and my shaker will be happy when I skip the usual beating next round.
Very good tips actually, coupled with your lengthier, more encompassing video the novice has the complete works of Shakesphere.
(sorry). Anyway, your both great sources; did you guys work this out together?
25 Mar 2009 at 3:07 pm 17. Garretto
Oops,sorry. I hit the wrong comments section. This was regarding the video “My turn in the barrel”
I had the pleasure to try both Elements 8 rums.
My verdict is not as overwhelming as Jeffreys – though not bad at all…
I actually like Elements 8 Platinum most. It has some quite robust flavors – though still is crisp and attractive. I would say, one of the best white rums available [I couldn't yet get my hands on Ruby Rey or Oronoco]!
I would even say that it is as good [or even better] than 10Cane.
Though I don’t find the gold Elements 8 so impressive. It is without any doubt good; though there are other kids of the block, doing the job even better.
By the way – I don’t even know one white Molasses rum which is not aged and not charcoal filtered. Even the folks of Bacardi using this procedure [and if I am not wrong, they actually applied it to rum].
To my knowledge Rhum Agricole and Cachaca [both made from fresh sugar cane juice] are the only products of sugar cane products which can be sold unaged… though I could be wrong…
cheers!
Dominik MJ
02 Apr 2009 at 12:38 pm 19. andreas
dominik,
there are a few molasses based white rums that are not aged. the most obvious that cmes to my mind right now is Wray & Nephew White Overproof, which comes straight off the still, is blended with purley unaged rum and then reduced to 63%abv…
You are sure that W&N white overproof is a molasses rum, which is unaged? I didn’t knew that; and the taste is more like a fresh sugar cane juice spirit, than a molasses rum…
Anyway – we can agree, that most white rums are aged and active carbon filtered – though doesn’t make the Elements eight platinum any worse…
12 Apr 2009 at 3:59 am 21. andreas
all of jamaica’s rums, including Wray & Nephew are molasses based. and it is definitely unaged.
the reason you may think it is an agricole is because it is blended using predominantly high ester, pot still rums – hence the pungent, ‘over-ripe’ fruit nose
12 Apr 2009 at 5:36 pm 22. Rico
I am very excited to taste some of this fine product ;)
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16 Mar 2009 at 9:25 am 1. JohnTheBastard
Charcoal filtered to remove color after aging? WTF?
16 Mar 2009 at 10:07 am 2. Martin
Charcoal filtering to create a rum that’s clear but aged is very common and used in dozens of brands. It’s a style that offers the appearance of an unaged silver, but with some of wood notes remaining. I say some, because charcoal filtration removes flavor as well, but you’re still left with more character than an unaged rum. Cruzan, Myers’s Platinum, Flor De Cana, the list goes on and on.
16 Mar 2009 at 10:14 am 3. tekstone
this is not an unusual practice. many white rums are aged for up to 4 years and then filtered to make them clear. this has been my understanding anyway.
16 Mar 2009 at 10:32 am 4. Andreas
Hey John,
Our aim was to create a smooth, complex and flavorful ‘white’ rum. Maturation is a necessary step for this, but to render the rum ‘white’ the filtration is required to remove the color obtained during aging. Hope this clears up your question.
Andreas
16 Mar 2009 at 10:55 am 5. Matt Robold (RumDood)
I was lucky enough to get to sample the [e]8 at RumFest UK last October. It’s a superb line.
As Martin says, the charcoal filtering of color for an aged rum is not all that uncommon – in fact my favorite “white rum” (Oronoco) goes through the same process.
16 Mar 2009 at 11:58 am 6. Ralph
Huzzah for more rum in the US. Eventually.
16 Mar 2009 at 12:04 pm 7. Justin
“Already available in Europe, Elements Eight is slated for release in the States late this year or early 2010″
This means Pennsylvania will get it around 2015.
16 Mar 2009 at 12:13 pm 8. Nick
Sounds lovely, but, given the steps and equipment involved in the distilling, perhaps a bit dear to mix into cocktails?
Any ideas on what price range this will fall into?
16 Mar 2009 at 12:18 pm 9. Bastian
Just to make a long list longer: Angostura and Havana Club both age their white rums and filter it.
16 Mar 2009 at 12:45 pm 10. Tiare
Yes, this rum is great, as i also can attest in the post i made in january. What i especially like is the buttery aftertaste, its deliscious! and especially the platinum is a dream to sip neat.
Is it good in a Mai Tai? that was intersting to read, actually that drink never crossed my mind to mix with these rums as they are quite delicate.I better go and mix myself one Mai Tai with E8 right away(and now i also got thirsty.)
Which of the rums did you use, both or the gold?
Cheers!
T
16 Mar 2009 at 1:34 pm 11. andreas
We are looking at an RRP of around $35-$40.
16 Mar 2009 at 6:15 pm 12. Gonçalo
… lenthening Bastians comment even further:
After aging and filtering coulor might be added.
Consistancy is the purpose !?
17 Mar 2009 at 4:36 am 13. Phil Gomes
@rumdood:
I agree… Not only is Oronoco incredible, but I often can’t bear to throw away the bottle when finished.
Now… If only I can get my hands on this [e]8 stuff…
17 Mar 2009 at 1:37 pm 14. Alan Akwai
How many colors are offered? ;)
20 Mar 2009 at 4:17 pm 15. Ebbe H.
The best cocktail place in my town features this rum pretty heavily on their shelves, but I’ve always asked for Havana Club instead because the square bottle has been a bit of a turn-off. I guess I was too quick to dismiss it as a gimmick spirit and will try it the next time I get the chance.
25 Mar 2009 at 3:02 pm 16. Garretto
Is it a coincidence? Today Jamie Boudreau posted a shaking-how-to video on the Small Screen Network.
He only covered how to use a Boston Shaker —the banana coupling of the glass and tin, and where exactly to tap it for easy separation. Both points I had not considered and my shaker will be happy when I skip the usual beating next round.
Very good tips actually, coupled with your lengthier, more encompassing video the novice has the complete works of Shakesphere.
(sorry). Anyway, your both great sources; did you guys work this out together?
25 Mar 2009 at 3:07 pm 17. Garretto
Oops,sorry. I hit the wrong comments section. This was regarding the video “My turn in the barrel”
31 Mar 2009 at 1:46 pm 18. Dominik MJ - opinionated alchemist
I had the pleasure to try both Elements 8 rums.
My verdict is not as overwhelming as Jeffreys – though not bad at all…
I actually like Elements 8 Platinum most. It has some quite robust flavors – though still is crisp and attractive. I would say, one of the best white rums available [I couldn't yet get my hands on Ruby Rey or Oronoco]!
I would even say that it is as good [or even better] than 10Cane.
Though I don’t find the gold Elements 8 so impressive. It is without any doubt good; though there are other kids of the block, doing the job even better.
By the way – I don’t even know one white Molasses rum which is not aged and not charcoal filtered. Even the folks of Bacardi using this procedure [and if I am not wrong, they actually applied it to rum].
To my knowledge Rhum Agricole and Cachaca [both made from fresh sugar cane juice] are the only products of sugar cane products which can be sold unaged… though I could be wrong…
cheers!
Dominik MJ
02 Apr 2009 at 12:38 pm 19. andreas
dominik,
there are a few molasses based white rums that are not aged. the most obvious that cmes to my mind right now is Wray & Nephew White Overproof, which comes straight off the still, is blended with purley unaged rum and then reduced to 63%abv…
glad to hear you are a fan of our Platinum rum!
AR
11 Apr 2009 at 2:14 pm 20. Dominik MJ
@andreas:
You are sure that W&N white overproof is a molasses rum, which is unaged? I didn’t knew that; and the taste is more like a fresh sugar cane juice spirit, than a molasses rum…
Anyway – we can agree, that most white rums are aged and active carbon filtered – though doesn’t make the Elements eight platinum any worse…
12 Apr 2009 at 3:59 am 21. andreas
all of jamaica’s rums, including Wray & Nephew are molasses based. and it is definitely unaged.
the reason you may think it is an agricole is because it is blended using predominantly high ester, pot still rums – hence the pungent, ‘over-ripe’ fruit nose
12 Apr 2009 at 5:36 pm 22. Rico
I am very excited to taste some of this fine product ;)
22 Apr 2009 at 6:35 am 23. tumbrourl
mm.. thanks