Feb13

213 Day Today, Free Membership to Cana Rum Bar & Win a Trip to San Diego

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Tears of a Clown

Tears of a Clown

Today, February 13 marks the first 213 Day for the 213 Nightlife Bars – The Varnish, Seven Grand, Las Perlas, Caña Rum Bar, Casey’s, Cole’s, Broadway Bar, Golden Gopher, 4100 Bar, and Tony’s.

Everyone who goes to any of the 213 bars will receive a complimentary membership to Caña as well as a raffle ticket to win a trip to San Diego. The winner will receive train tickets to San Diego, hotel stay and drinks for two all night at Seven Grand San Diego.

Juniper Flats

Juniper Flats

In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying the new drinks menu at Cana.

My faves so far are Tears of a Clown (Campari, Cocchi Americano, lime, maple-thyme syrup, fizz) and Juniper Flats (Tanqueray gin, Averna, lime, guava, canela). Both are simply delicious, easy drinking and thirst-quenching after a round of dancing with the new Thursday night music made more lively by DJ Anthony Valdez (KCRW).

Red Eye to Rio

Red Eye to Rio

I didn’t have a chance to inquire about the Red Eye to Rio (Leblon cachaca, lime, maple syrup, “that evil rum,” Peychaud’s bitters) as I was a bit busy. I should have asked what that evil rum was but maybe it’s a general observation about rum? Perhaps I’ll ask tonight during 213 Day!

Cana Rum Bar

714 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 – (213) 745-7090

For all 213 bars locations, check out 213 Nightlife.

© The Minty // LA Cocktails  2013

Feb1

Culver City: Happy Hour at Bigfoot West

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Bigfoot Lodge West

Bigfoot West

 

Bigfoot West is one of those places I’ve been to a bunch but just never got around to writing about.  I’ve also been to their Eastside sister bar, Bigfoot Lodge, a bunch as well. It’s always reliable for happy hour and at Bigfoot West, you can even order empanadas from the bar until about 8:15 or so.

Several years ago, there was a movie with Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel called Yes Man. There’s a scene at Bigfoot Lodge. Rumor has it, a set was built imitating the bar and when the movie shoot was done, they turned the fake Bigfoot into Bigfoot West. Is it meta or is it genius and the ultimate use of reusing materials? Either way, Bigfoot West seems bigger, very stylized and well-decorated

bfman

I had a couple of happy hour drinks, choosing the classics like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned. These were reasonably good and the $5 price tag didn’t hurt.

empanadas

empanadas

 

Bigfoot doesn’t have food per se but you can order empanadas that get deliver hot. Very hot! Watch out for that first couple of bites. I got the beef which was reasonably satisfying and not a bad companion to my old fashioned.

wall of whiskey

wall of whiskey

Bigfoot claims to have over 100 whiskies. Maybe next year’s goal is to try all of them. That’s only one new whiskey a night for a 100 days, right? Totally doable.

 

bfold

Hey girl…

Guys, this old fashioned is legit.

I’m always a bit surprised how much more fun I have at this location but I think it’s because it’s generally not so crowded when it’s early. Bonus, happy hour is daily from 5-9 PM. Those $5 Manhattans and Old Fashioneds are $12 after 9 PM.

Bigfoot West

10939 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064  –  (310) 287-2200
Feb1

Los Feliz: Cocktailing at Big Bar

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Most Interesting Cocktail In the World by Matt Schaefer

 

I just got word Big Bar is rolling out their new cocktails soon. Hurry over to try these before these are gone.

Matt Schaefer isn’t at Big Bar anymore but he did leave behind the legacy of the curiously or maybe not so curiously named:

Most Interesting Cocktail in the World -Mezcal Vida, lime, cinnamon, chocolate chili bitters

I hope they keep this cocktail on the menu. As promised by the name, it is very interesting with a blend of smokey, tart and a dash of sweet to balance it out.

Bollywood Style! Prom at Big Bar on Valentine's Day, February 14

Bollywood Style! Prom at Big Bar on Valentine’s Day, February 14

 

If you don’t have any Valentine’s Day plans, Dan and Eugene at Big Bar invite you to their annual Prom shindig. This year’s theme is Bollywood. Expect some shenaningans.

 

Sal Paradise

Sal’s Paradise – Oro Torontele pisco, grapefruit, lime, honey, sour cherry bitters

Whenever I’m feeling like I should take it easy, I turn to my buddy pisco. At Big Bar, there’s an easy sipper called Sal’s Paradise that does the trick. But because it’s so easy to drink, expect this to go faster than a Manhattan or another stirred cocktail. Insert a lip smacking “ahhhh” here.

 

La Rosita

La Rosita – Partida reposado tequila, Campari, Dolin dry vermouth, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth

Do you love Negronis? I’ve been replacing the gin with other spirits and one of my favorites is a reposado tequila. This is a classic cocktail known as a La Rosita. I like that it uses both dry and sweet vermouth so it’s not entirely too cloying.

 

Selero Gin Fizz

Selero Gin Fizz

 

Selero Gin Fizz – Plymouth gin, Green Chartreuse, lime, celery, egg white

If I sat at Big Bar and counted up what was the most popular drink off the current menu, I would have to go with the Selero Gin Fizz. I finally tasted one earlier last month and I don’t know what took me so long to get around to it. It certainly has some of my favorite ingredients like Green Chartreuse and I love fizz drinks with egg whites (I also love flips and sours). This is a savory cocktail that would be great during brunch as well.

St. Anne’s Helper

St. Anne’s Helper – Eagle Rare 10-Year bourbon, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Amaro Meletti, Forbidden bitters

My first love though are still brown, bitter, stirred drinks. And St. Anne’s Helper fits the bill perfectly. Plus it has one of my favorite amari, Amaro Meletti.

See you Valentine’s Day! Now I have to find a sari…

 

Big Bar at Alcove

1927 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027 — (323) 644-0100
 

© The Minty // LA Cocktails 2013

Jan28

Recap: St. George Spirits at Harvard & Stone

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Andie for St. George Spirits

Andie for St. George Spirits

A few months back, I checked out the R&D bar at Harvard & Stone for St. George Spirits. St. George maven Andie Ferman was in town. After the fabulous distillery tour last summer, I am still a big supporter of the craft spirits brand.

Daily

Your Daily Value

After looking over the menu, I decided on Your Daily Value first.

Your Daily Value – St. George Bontanivore gin, lime, celery juice, dill, apple maple syrup, Miracle Mile “Damn You Matt Wallace” bitters, salt & pepper

I imagine if I ever went on a cleanse and had to juice every meal, it would sort of taste like this. Minus the booze. Or maybe with the booze. You can live on this vitamin-filled drink right? It has fresh juices! Well, I suppose you can say the same about a lot of the cocktails I drink. It was a good opening drink though with a slight savoriness. All the cocktails would actually be good to pair with food.

As a side note, Matt Wallace used to bartend at Harvard & Stone and I suppose he didn’t take his special bitters with him when he left. Good for the patrons of H&S!

rye

Dry Rye Thai Delight

 

Dry Rye Thai Delight – St. George Dry Rye gin, lime, Thai simple syrup, coconut milk

So I was reading the other day how most Asians got their calcium from things like fish bones. But coconut milk was used to impart creaminess to dishes. I think I rather get my calcium from broccoli while drinking something like the Drye Rye Thai Delight. I’m not overly fond of coconut but I like coconut milk. I wouldn’t have thought to put the Dry Rye gin with something sweet or even citrusy but Andie made me a believer.

monkey

Monkey Rides The Bear

 

Monkey Rides the Bear – St. George Terroir gin, pineapple juice, lemon, Small Hand Foods pineapple gum syrup, St. George Absinthe Verte

I’ve always had a problem picking just one thing. And St. George makes it harder to pick just one gin. It’s a good thing I like all three of them and got to try all three in a cocktail this night. If anyone thinks pineapple juice makes a drink girly, they have to try this one. The absinthe definitely pumps up the drink a lot, leaving just a hint of pineapple rather than just heavy-handed pineapple juice. Terroir gin has always been the most fascinating to me- I feel I can explain the bontanivore (herbal) and the dry rye (use like whiskey) but the terroir is just a classic gin to me. I tend to like this one in classic cocktails so I’m always happy to be introduced to it in new ways.

tiki

Taking Your Tiki

Taking Your Tiki – St. George Breaking & Entering bourbon, lemon, banana-brown sugar simple syrup, chai tea- soaked pineapple, Small Hands Foods orgeat, tiki bitters

I really like the trend of neo-tiki drinks where they are complex but not overly sweet. And a tiki drink without rum? I totally dug this Taking Your Tiki with the B&E bourbon. I’ve seen cocktail recipes call for banana — usually in a form of a liqueur and it seems to end in disaster. But banana has traditionally always worked with whiskey. Add some orgeat and now you have a neo-tiki cocktail worthy of the modern palate. Later this drink got a pineapple garnish which really made it more tiki-like. I could go for one of these on a hot summer day at the beach.

 

Is this what Trevor has on the menu tonight?

Is this what Trevor has on the menu tonight?

Another SF bartender takes over the R&D Bar at Harvard and Stone this week. Check out Trevor Easter with Beefeater and Plymouth gins tonight, January 28th. Trevor took over the English Gins ambassadorship from Erick Castro about 6 months ago and claims he’s rusty at bartending already. Let’s go see! And let’s hope there are no energy drinks involved.

 

St. George Spirits

Harvard & Stone

5221 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027-4908 - (323) 466-6063

© The Minty // LA Cocktails 2013

Jan28

The Minty Mixes: Caorunn Cocktails plus Ramos Milk Punch at Bagatelle

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Caorunn Gin

Caorunn Gin

When I talk to people about gin, they are often surprised how enthusiastic I am about Scottish gins. And then I tell them that one of their favorite gins is actually Scottish, they’re floored. When you think gin, most think London dry style. But there are plenty that are soften, more floral. Caorunn gin I’ve found lends itself very well to fruit forward cocktails. At a gin tasting last year, I really liked the Caorunn drink with apple.

Caorunn has an unique system to infuse the botanicals into their gin. They spread the juniper and other botanicals on trays and when the gin is distilled, the vapor meets the botanicals and picks up the various flavors. This is different from how some gins infuse the botanicals directly into the gin. By spreading the bontanicals around and away from the gin, only the vapors mixes in which is why it’s lighter in character.

Caorunn punch

Caorunn Ramos Milk Punch

 

At Bagatelle last Fall, I tried the Ramos Milk Punch made with Caorunn.

This was a take on a Ramos but made punch style. Along with the Caorunn, there was both lemon and lime juices, simple syrup, vanilla almond milk, orange blossom water, grated nutmeg and soda water. And if it’s a birthday, light up sparklers like Bagatelle. It’s just so festive.

 

Punch makes people smile

Punch makes people smile

 

I was playing around with Caorunn and came up with a cocktail using Caorunn and a few things I had picked up from Tales of the Cocktail.

Shiso Lovely

  • 2 oz Caorunn gin
  • 1 oz Berentzen Pear liqueur
  • 1 oz Dry Sack sherry
  • .75 oz lemon juice
  • . 25 oz agave syrup
  • 3-4 leaves shiso
  • 3 dashes Jerry Thomas Own Decanter bitters

 

Muddle the shiso with lemon juice and agave syrup in a mixing glass or tin. Add the gin, pear liqueur, sherry and ice.  Shake hard (for about 40 seconds), strain and serve up. Add a few dashes of bitters.

I don’t like sweet cocktails but if you like it sweeter, add more agave. The shiso adds a not uncommon but different herbal flavor.

 

Caorunn Gin

Bagatelle

755 N La Cienega, Los Angeles, CA 90069 — (310) 659-3900

© The Minty  // LA Cocktails 2013

 

Jan23

Las Vegas: The Hottest Cocktail Spots

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Even slightly close to the Cosmopolitan? Go to the Vesper!

Even slightly close to the Cosmopolitan? Go to the Vesper!

It’s not really a secret The Vesper at the Cosmopolitan is my favorite bar on the strip in Las Vegas. It’s pretty much like coming home.

Bangkok

One Night in Bangkok

It’s apparently been a while though since I looked at Vesper’s menu. I prefer to go off the cuff but bartender George Sproule said I should try some of the new cocktails. Quite a few looked attractive and I tried a couple including the One Night in Bangkok (Tanqueray Rangpur gin, ginger beer, cardamon, lime, coconut cream, kaffir leaves, egg whites). The Tanqueray is rangpur lime flavors — a sort of hybrid of mandarin orange and lime.

This was so delicious that my friend who tasted all my drinks this weekend asked for another sip. This fragrant and frothy concoction is probably something I’d sip at the end of a night at the bar.

Mulberry

The Mulberry

Next I tried The Mulberry (Baker’s bourbon, Nonino Quintessentia, DOM Benedictine, whiskey aged bitters, Creole bitters) which is generally my brown, bitter, stirred style. I liked it though I still love the Mayan more from their opening menu. Check out George in this video mixing the Mulberry.

My other picks from the menu would be:

#1 License – Laird’s applejack, La Gitana Manzanilla sherry, pear eau di vie, lemon juice, bitters

Fear & Loathing – St. George Terroir gin, Crema de Mezcal, maraschino, lemon, pineapple, cherry bark bitters

Corpse Bride – Bols Genever, Aperol, Solerno, absinthe ice sphere, lemon, strawberry-rhubarb syrup

rye

Redemption rye, Swedish Punsch, Citron Sauvage

I was at the Vesper three times my last trip so there are a few more cocktails to cover. George asked if I had tried the Bittermens Citron Sauvage yet which I haven’t. Bars are using the Citron Sauvage in place of orange curacao (Triple Sec). With the Redemption Rye and the Kronan Swedish Punsch, this cocktail was not as “old man drinks” like as my usual whiskey drinks. Tart, odd, different came to mind. None of it bad, of course. Actually, I liked it because it made you think about the drink a bit.

mezcal

Don Julio blanco, basil eau di vie, mezcal, absinthe

On my way out of Vegas, I hit up the Vesper for old time’s sake– er, sure, okay I was planning on an one & done sort of thing but we had some time to kill. We had just come from a great buffet lunch upstairs at the Wicked Spoon but I was saving my drinking for Vesper. I wanted some brunch cocktails.

Bloody with St. George Breaking & Entering Bourbon

Bloody with St. George Breaking & Entering Bourbon

First I asked George for something along the lines of a Bloody Mary but no vodka. He got to work and about 7 minutes later presented me with a Bloody with St. George Spirits Breaking and Entering bourbon. A guy sitting next to me was so fascinated by the use of Bitter End Memphis BBQ bitters and the amount of time it took to make the drink. “I think it took him half an hour!” No, really, it was more like 7 minutes. It was delicious of course with the right amounts of savoriness and piquancy.

Then I let George have at it with both tequila and mezcal. For good measure, there was also basil eau di vie and absinthe. Although it didn’t taste the same as the Scotch drink I had the night before, it reminded me of that wizardry.  I don’t have a great shot of it but imagine a brown, bitter, stirred drink with: Macallan, Talisker, Cocchi di Torino, Amer Picon, Fernet-Branca and Campari at Vesper. Luckily though I got the recipe.

Flying Scotsman

  • 1.5 Macallan
  • .5 Talisker
  • 1 cocchi di Torino
  • .5 Campari
  • dash Fernet-Branca
  • dash Amer Picon

Stir, strain, serve up and garnish with lemon twist.

Flying Dutchman

Flying Dutchman

The Vesper Bar at the Cosmopolitan

3708 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas, NV 89109  –  (702) 698-7000

Clear jiggers at RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay

Clear jiggers at RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay

Over at RM Seafood at the Mandalay Bay, I’ve been hearing good things about the bar program where Nathan Greene (formerly of Vanguard) just took over. He says he’ll be rolling out a new menu at the end of this month. And for those in the know, he’ll also have a secret menu. Now you know.

1

gin & byrrh

I let Nathan have free reign over what I was going to drink and he gave me a cocktail of St. George Terroir gin, Byrrh, Drambuie 15, Dubonnet Rouge, Dolin Blanc, bitters, orange oil. The Drambuie 15, Dubonnet Rouge and Dolin Blanc is his custom blend he likes to use in cocktails. Normally I’m not a Drambuie sort of gal but the 15 is actually pretty good.

pisco & June

Pisco & June

Next I spotted June, one of my favorite liqueurs. I first had it in Seattle and haven’t seen it in LA yet. I don’t think it’ll be as popular as St. Germaine but it has a similar floral quality but it’s less sweet and cloying. This unnamed cocktail is pisco based. Nathan used Barsol pisco, Espirit de June liqueur, orgeat, lemon, orange blossom water and grapefruit bitters.

RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay

3930 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas, NV 89119  —  (702) 632-9300
 
Herbs & Rye menu

Herbs & Rye menu

When I originally did research on cocktail bars in Las Vegas, I came across Herbs & Rye but never quite made it. Downtown Cocktail Room was the furthest off the Strip as I got.

Bijou

Bijou

I enjoyed reading through menu mentioning the different eras of cocktails. I usually get a house specialty but since we were at a table, I couldn’t talk to any of the bartenders. I ordered a classic cocktail, the Bijou (gin, Green Chartreuse, sweet vermouth) off the menu. It was very good.

Aviation

Aviation

Next, I decided to have an Aviation– made properly with both maraschino and creme de violette. I hadn’t had one in a while and felt like one. Like the Bijou, it was perfect. I ran into some (bar) industry folks as I was leaving and Herbs & Rye is definitely their hang out spot (like the Varnish in LA) but we were off to our next adventure.

Herbs & Rye

3713 W Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89102  —  (702) 982-8036
 
Frankie's Tiki Room

Frankie’s Tiki Room

 I love a good tiki bar and had been dying to go to Frankie’s Tiki Room ever since I found out the designer also did the Tiki Room at Disneyland. Of course, they do say a bunch of respected tiki carvers contributed to the overall aesthetic to the bar.
mai tai

mai tai

Sadly, I think things have changed at Frankie’s. A local bartender in Vegas told me they stopped doing the fresh juices. My Mai Tai was way too sweet. I could not finish my drink and we left early. It would have been fun to just hang out if we were at the bar but the tiny carved wooden seats at the tables were well, tiny, carved wooden seats with the thread-bare cushions. They looked cool though.

 
Frankie’s Tiki Room
1712 W Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89102  — (702) 385-3110
 
© The Minty // LA Cocktails 2013
Jan18

Spirits of the Times: Whiskey Tasting at Sassafras Saloon

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Sassafrass Saloon

Sassafrass Saloon

LA Times’ Spirits of the Times sponsored a whiskey tasting at Sassafras Saloon on Repeal Day last month. I’ve enjoyed previous tastings in the past such as Artisinal Spirits and a gin tasting. They are $20 and well worth the price of admission for food, unlimited tastings and a bit of education if you want it. On Repeal Day though, the mood was a bit more celebratory and joyous rather than studious.

Maurice for Hirsch

Maurice for Hirsch Whiskey

Over at the Hirsch Whiskey table, Maurice Chevalier for Anchor Distilling was serving up the Le Colonial Punch (Hirsch Small Batch Reserve Whiskey, Oleo-Sacchrum, Pommeau Normandie, Clos Norman Brut Cider, Black Walnut bitters, freshly grated nutmeg).

This was a tasty punch and I appreciated the trouble Maurice went to make the oleo-sacchrum (a classic punch ingredient) and it had a nice fizz between the Pommeau Normandie (a type of eau de vie) and the cider. He also very carefully grated nutmeg on each glass.

auto

Auchentoshen – Triple Threat Punch

As with previous tastings, the crowd crowned their favorite which happened to also be my favorite. Robin Jackson from Oldfield’s Liquor Bar created the Triple Threat punch with Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Scotch, Bonal Gentian Quina, ginger syrup, lemon, champagne, sparkling mineral water and persimmon.

Brian Summers, Lanae Lee, Yuval

Brian Summers (The Parish, Balvenie), Lanee Lee Neil, Yuval Soffer (Neat)

I spent a lot of time over at the Balvenie table as it is one of my favorite Scotches. Brian Summers, Brand Ambassador for Balvenie and bartender at The Parish, was conducting tastings. I asked him to start me out with what he thought I should try first. This tasting, I enjoyed the 12 Year Doublewood and then the Caribbean cask as well. Sharing his table was Monkey Shoulder. Bartender Yuval Soffer from Neat created a hot drink which stood out against the many cold punches this evening.  Monkey Shoulder Hot Holiday Punch (Monkey Shoulder Scotch, unfiltered apple juice, Snap, Gran Marnier, Holiday spices, gooseberries, orange zest, lemon zest, gingerbread bitters) was so good, I would have kept getting more but then remembered I had some other tables to check out.

Rebel Yell

Rebel Yell

I consider Rebel Yell an inexpensive mixing bourbon to keep on hand since I can find it at my local Trader Joe’s. For this tasting, they brought out their reserve and did a tasting. Their cocktail was a simple Rebel Yell, orange juice and grenadine.

Templeton Rye

Templeton Rye

I love Templeton Rye so I was excited they were at the tasting. They were doing a Templeton Milk Punch (Templeton Rye, Vanilla bean, Sarsaparilla root, milk, nutmeg, lemon). This punch was a bit bitter for me (and I like bitter!) but possibly because it was nearing the end of the tasting.  Knob Creek actually ran out of their punch so I couldn’t taste it. They even then ran out of bottles so they couldn’t do tastings anymore either.

Macallan

Macallan

Over at the Macallan and Highland Park table, I tried the Orcadian Autumn (Highland Park 12 year, apple cider, fresh lime juice, cinnamon syrup). You could also do individual tastings of the various expressions as well.

But probably the best single dram I tasted this night? Johnny Walker Blue. Boom.

LA Times Events

Other Spirits of the Times Recaps

Artisinal Spirits

Gin

Sassafras Saloon

1233 N Vine St., Los Angeles, CA 90038  —  (323) 467-2800

© The Minty // LA Cocktails 2013