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Cocktail Menu: Winter Drinks at Cana in Los Angeles

The new winter menu at Cana Rum Bar in LA looks amazing. One of everything!

DAGGERS

Royal Oil |12

Without naming names, we’ve devised a new cocktail to replace a very old one
that’s recently found favor with Polynesiacs and cocktail nerds enthusiasts. The
result isn’t just tasty, it’s difficult to say after you’ve had a few of them.
St. James Royal Ambre, Black Strap, lime, falernum

Misti Dawn Swizzle |12

Keeping with naming gin swizzles after actresses, Mr. Goodyear was conscripted
to provide you a cocktail that “tastes like it’s been places.” With ingredients
from Africa to Austria this is one well-traveled inebriant.
Roiboos-infused Plymouth Gin, passionfruit, lime, Zirbenz,
Angostura & ‘Elemakule bitters

Camelot |12

The Kennedys were synonymous with good taste. So was the JKO.
Here is the JKO in fashionably wintry attire.
Añejo rum, Amaro Montenegro, lime, poached pear, & white pepper

Texas Early |12

Named for a species of blackberry, not the tiny Texan town (pop. 2558), this
swizzle takes the southern spice of rye and tells it to act like a beach bum.
Kind of like Kenny Chesney, but enjoyable for extended periods of time.

Old Overholt, Don’s Mix, blackberries, lemon

P ISTOLS

Palmetto |12

In honor of our Rum Society’s fearless leader, Mr. Matt “Rumdood” Robold, we
offer our favorite variant of this classic as it appears in the Savoy Cocktail Book.
El Dorado 12 yr Demerara & Carpano Antica Vermouth, orange bitters

Twist on a Twist |12

Like a red button you just can’t resist pushing, Allan had to have his own Last
Word variation. Chartreuse is exchanged for Amaro, maraschino for darker
cherry liqueur, and gin for Smith & Cross. A dash of bitters blesses this beast.
Overproof Rum, Amaro Cio Ciaro, Sangue Morlacco, lime, Angostura

Crimean Collins |12

Originally made by Jerry Thomas himself to serve over thirty whilst toasting an
Italian war hero, this adaptation was worth the arithmetic it took to scale it down.
Cognac, two kinds of Jamaican rum, lemon, orgeat, champagne

The Good Word |12

By way of good fortune and bad decisions we sometimes find ourselves with
more than we bargained for. When that happens, just say something nice.
Reposado Mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, maraschino, lime

C ANNONS

Putnam’s Point |12

The world looks different from great heights. It also looks different when you’ve
enjoyed a few of Rhachel’s drinks. Skip the climbing and go straight to the top.
Rye, Dos Maderas, Amaro Lucano, ginger, lemon, J.T. recipe bitters

Red Eye to Rio |12

Take a Trader Vic classic like the Night Flight. Trade rums, and add the evilest
thing from Klagenfurt, Austria since Pungent Stench: Stroh. It’s one hundred
and sixty proof. Prepare for take off.
Cachaça, lime, maple syrup, a lil’ bit of the aforementioned evil rum

The London Cut |12

The first time we adulterated the Gordon’s Cup all were happy with the results.
But like a Japanese carmaker, we’re relentlessly pursuing unattainable things.

Anaheim and Serrano pepper-infused Bols Genever and El Dorado rum,
cucumber, lime, smoked salt ‘n’ pepper

Deer Hunter|12

Our friends at The Tar Pit recently found themselves with more Serrano-infused
heering than they knew what to do with. Allan suggested it play russian roulette
with tequila and rye. The resulting cocktail was so good he stole the heering.
Añejo tequila, Old Overholt, Mr. Winters’ Heering

WEAPONS OF CHOICE

When you just can’t let go of a drink, neither can we.


Mai Tai |13

The Elvis of tropicalia knows just one thing: It’s the king, and it’ll never die.
Neisson Eleve Sous Bois, Appleton 12, lime, orgeat, and curaçao

Rum & Coconut Water |14

Available in tropical paradises like Tobago, New York City, and now L.A.
Cruzan Black Strap rum served in a freshly cut young Thai coconut

Nilsson Sling |12

Recently fortified with vintage rum for the winter.
Plantation 1999 Bajan Rum, Dolin Blanc, Benedictine, citrus,
strawberry, Mexican Coke

Natural Daiquiri |12

Now and forever, nature’s perfect alcohol delivery system.
Don Q Cristal, lime, just enough raw sugar

PUNCH S ERVICE

HERE we’ve taken some of our house favorites and given them the “more is
more” treatment. Each punch is lovingly prepared just like any one of our
cocktails… Except the preparation involves large measuring cups and small
power tools.

The Woodmoor

As Victorian as sexual repression and Charles Dickens using clerical names as
Code for his favored tipples, Katie’s very classically styled punch celebrates the
timeless pursuit of questionable behavior in the company of undeniably good spirits.

Zaya, ruby port, chamomile-infused Batavia Arrak, lime, turbinado sugar

Captain Rio

Rhachel came up with this terrifically complex and quaffable bowl of joy in honor of its
namesake, a bundle of joy lucky enough to already have a drink named after him.

Cucumber-infused Plymouth Gin, fresh citrus, orchard pear, and amaretto


Blue-Foot Mambo

Remember those family functions when half the liquor cabinet went into a bowl topped
up with some mixture of soda and Riunite? This isn’t one of them. But it is a calculated
effort to get you to do a dance known only by sailors, fools, & Kurt Vonnegut.

Trinidad 2000, lime, kiwi, pineapple, Champagne, Boylan’s lemon soda


Fog-Killer Punch

If a Fog Cutter and a Painkiller were in a horrible bus accident and their survival meant
that they had to be sewn together and cauterized with a liberal dose of bitters… They’d
make an awesome punch. Not to dilute its power, this one’s large-format only.

Overproof Spiced Rum, Plymouth Gin, St. Vivant Armagnac, plenty of
Angostura bitters, pineapple, citrus, house-made coconut cream, orgeat

Sherry Region Food Pictures

In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are food pictures from the area.

Food in the sherry region is all about seafood and Iberian ham, all served tapas-style. I think the meat eaters on my trip must have had ham ten different ways. 

(Langostinos.) 

(Mmm, gazpacho. I had tomatoes about 15 different ways.)

(Two of the writers on our trip, sweaty and crazed, post-hamgasm.)

(Eating outdoors in Jerez. This was before the 40 or so plates of tapas arrived. I focussed primarily on the sherry.)

(Bull meat in the market.)

(A nightclub near our hotel serves a San Francisco cocktail. It shows how much they know about San Francisco: It's non-alcoholic.)

(And one more sherry picture to wash it all down.) 

The New Anchor Empire

Several months back, Anchor Brewing, the company that makes Anchor Steam Beer, Junipero Gin, and a few other small batch spirits, was sold. But I didn't realize until last week that this was just one part of a much larger change: Anchor is now the centerpiece of a new spirits company in the likeness of Diageo, Beam Global, and Skyy Spirits.

The new company, called Anchor Brewers & Distillers, LLC, is made up of three formerly separate companies who are now partners in the new one:

• The old Anchor Brewing and Distilling
• Preiss Imports, an import spirits company with small brands like Springbank scotch, Chinaco tequila, and Old Raj gin. See the full list of products here. Preiss was purchased a couple years ago by Tony Foglio and Keith Greggor. These guys, often referred to as Tony and Keith, helped make Skyy spirits a success and sold their stakes in it to Campari. They also invested in Brewdog beers, so this is part of the portfolio too. Keith and Tony are Chairman and CEO of the new Anchor Brewers & Distillers.
• Berry Bros. & Rudd, a 300 year old wine merchant company from London.  Anchor will be importing some of the spirits they own, including a new gin and a ginger liqueur that just hit the market in San Francisco.  

A press release about the new company is here, and here is a good story with some background about the switch from Jay Brooks.

So the portfolio is pretty interesting already. And I'm very, very interested in this:

"With the closing of the acquisition and the partnership with Berry Bros. & Rudd, Anchor Brewers & Distillers is further reinforcing its intention to establish a 'Center of Excellence' in San Francisco for craft brewers and artisan distillers from around the world... The Anchor Brewers & Distillers 'Center of Excellence' will serve as an epicenter of development, education, entertainment and innovation, all designed to further contribute to the culture and heritage of craft beer and artisan spirits."

Celery Bitters are the New Grapefruit Bitters

Brands of celery bitters include The Bitter Truth, Scrappy's, and Fees. It's the hottest flavor in bitters since grapefruit.

In my latest post for FineCooking.com, I briefly introduce the trend and list a recipe for the Garden & Tonic, a G&T spin-off created by Wayne Collins and Naren Young.

 

Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana

In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, which is located in Sanlucar de Barrameda. 

(La Gitana is their most famous brand. It's a manzanilla; similar to fino but aged in Sanlucar.)

(The bodegas were wonderfully old, moldy, and dusty.)

(One of the old bullfight posters taped to the wall in the bodega.)

(Our host, a curmudgeonly sort who basically disagreed with everything we learned all week. We liked him anyway.)

(A view of the bodega.)

 

• More humidity and less exreme temperature swings in Sanlucar
• Flor is thicker and remains year round
• Make a single-vineyard manzanilla. It may be the only single vineyard sherry
• The vineyards and grapes not nearly as important as the place where the solera is
• Sanlucar is the oldest part of the sherry region- producing wines there the longest
• Most of the casks in these bodegas over 200 years old. They hate new casks. 
• Replace staves with staves from old casks bought on market
• La Gitana has 14 level solera. 
• Manzanilla typically has more ciraderas (levels to the solera) than fino. Have to move it faster between levels.  
• Tastes like salt spilled in the relish. Yum.
• Manzanilla can pair with asparagus- is most versatile with food
• Says you can leave an open bottle in the refrigerator 4-5 years and it will still be good 
• During the peninsular war, they supplied both Napoleon and the Allies. Now have both Napoleon and Wellington brands. 

 

Choosing Seminars for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

For the second year of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, they are having people vote on which seminars they'd like to see.

I hope the ones I've proposed are of interest, as I'd like to come to New York this May. To vote, simply go to this page and select a minimum of 5 and not more than 30 seminars you're interested in. You get one vote per email and you must do so before February 16th.

(Shortcut: Search for "Camper" and click those three first.)

My proposed talk topics are below:

23. Tequila is the New Vodka, Tequila is the New Scotch
with Camper English

Tequila is one of the fastest-growing spirit categories in America, with a slew of new brands hitting store shelves each month. But is the tequila becoming the new vodka: over-saturated with expensive designer bottles, celebrity sponsorships and flavorless imitation brands that are all made at the same few distilleries? Or is the 100-percent agave category more like scotch whisky, showcasing innovation in ingredient sourcing and processing, barrel finishing and distillation technology while working within the rigid framework of government regulations? Join this lively debate moderated by journalist Camper English in which we discuss the rapidly-changing tequila category and all the hope and hype that comes with growth.

24. The Reluctant Blogger: Using Social Media for People Who'd Rather Not
with Camper English

This session will focus on the fastest and easiest tools and formats of blogging and other social media for people who are technically challenged or reluctantly dipping their toes into the new century: writers who want to promote their work, brands and brand ambassadors who want to share news (and not rely on expensive designers to make small site changes), PR agencies who want to share their clients' placements, bartenders who want to promote themselves, and bars who want to keep their calendars current and customers updated. In this fast-moving era, everyone should have a website and no website should be static.

In this fast-paced session, blogger/journalist Camper English will review the top blog hosts and platforms (WordPress, TypePad, SquareSpace, Tumblr, etc. and whether or not to just use Facebook for everything) to compare set-up and ease-of-use, describe effective strategies for getting content online quickly, and choosing the right platform for different content: links, scans/photos, videos, events, and text. Then we'll look at the best tools for other social media (FourSquare, Ping, TweetDeck, etc.) the best practices for using Facebook, Twitter and your blog to avoid excessive cross-posting, and discuss how to use social media with only your cell phone on the subway. Participants should leave with a clear plan of action based on their individual content needs, budgets, and goals.

25. Terroir in Spirits
with Camper English

Terroir, a.k.a. "sense of place", is a term for how the the soil, geography and climate of a particular place contribute unique qualities to the crops grown on/in it. In wine this concept is well understood. In spirits, though much more processing is done to the raw ingredients, terroir can sometimes show through to the final product. In this seminar we'll discuss terroir in spirits generally and look deeper specifically at tequila, cognac/armagnac, French and Brazilian rums, and scotch whisky with experts in each on the panel. Attendees will learn about (and taste) terroir in spirits to come away with an understanding of the concept generally and qualities of terroir specific to different spirit categories.

Winners of the 42Below San Francisco Cocktail World Cup

I helped judge the San Francisco regional cocktail competition for 42Below. The two winners of this contest will compete in the national competition, then three winners from the US will make up the team that will compete in New Zealand in March. 

The first winner was Michael Callahan of Azul.

His drink, the Fugutini, was made with 42Below Manuka Honey vodka, ume-shu plum wine, Mathilde Poire, and lemon juice. It was fantastic with a long, dry finish. The garnish, which was was a bit...excessive, was dehydrated and shaved pickeld ginger with black Hawaiian sea salt and fugu poison on the rim, plus wakami seaweed, baby's breath, and a piece of sushi in the glass. 

The second winner was Dominic Venegas of 83 Proof, John Walker & Sons, and until last week Smuggler's Cove.

His drink was the Mi Ruca, made with 42Below Manuka Honey, Benedictine, orgeat, pineapple juice, and meyer lemon, with a garnish of cinnamon. It was just a lovely combination of harmonious flavors.

Good luck in New York, fellas!

Some fun pictures from the photobooth at the event are here.

Cocktail Menu: Winter Drinks at the Walnut Creek Yacht Club in Walnut Creek, California

The Walnut Creek Yacht Club is not actually a yacht club nor is it anywhere near water, but you can still get your whistle wet there from the new drinks by Jay Crabb. Check Jay's website for some of these drink recipes.

 

WINTER FAVORITES

Cranberry-Ginger Smash
Fresh cranberries and ginger, Meyer lemon juice, Berentzen German apple liqueur, Bombay gin

Commodore's Hot Toddy
Daron Calvados, Crusoe organic spiced rum, Drambuie, honey syrup, Meyer lemon juice, orange zest, boiling hot water.  Served in an over-sized snifter with crushed pink peppercorn, orange zest, and organic sugar on the rim

Equinox
Aperol, rhubarb bitters, house-made Antilles syrup, fresh blood orange and Meyer lemon juices, Wodka Polish vodka, Prosecco


SAILOR'S CHOICE

Rum, Rhum, Pisco and Cachaca 

Inca Cloud
Encanto Pisco, Rothman & Winter apricot liqueur, fresh lime juice, muddled pineapple, egg white, grapefruit bitters 

Arawack
Batiste rhum blanc, serrano chile pepper, cilantro, pomegranate and lime juices.  *Also goes great with tequila instead of rum.  Try it with Milagro Reposado tequila.

WCYC's 1944 Mai Tai
Appleton V/X and Crusoe organic spiced rums, orgeat, orange curacao, fresh lime juice, Coruba dark rum float

Brazilian Trader
Leblon Cachaca, house-made hibiscus syrup, fresh blood orange and lime juices, Tiki bitters, and A.J. Stephen's ginger beer


VENERABLES

La Louisianne
Redemption Rye whiskey, Benedictine, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth. La Fee Absinthe, Peychaud bitters; served with a flamed orange peel and house-made brandied cherries

French 75
Hayman's Old Tom Gin, fresh lemon juice, sugar, chilled Champagne 


WCYC HOUSE FAVORITES & ORIGINALS


The Green Whisper
Muddled cucumber, house-made green peppercorn syrup, fresh lime juice, La Fee Absinthe, Cap Rock organic gin; served with a crushed gray sea salt/green peppercorn rim 

Zen
Bombay gin, house-made ginger syrup, fresh mint, fresh lime juice

Latin Eyes
House-made chili-citrus syrup, Agavales tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, picasitos on the rim  

Ciello Rosso
Campari, citrus vodka, ruby red grapefruit juice, fresh lemon, fresh basil leaves