Fig Sangria

   I have been extremely busy the last month and haven’t been able to post.  A cocktail book I am authoring is taking shape though and I am very excited about it, more details to come…
   Sangria’s are tough to nail down perfectly because there is no perfect sangria!  There is so much room for experimenting which makes them so much fun to make and can be the staple of a party, bbq or any get- together.  Sangria’s originated the same way most wine based drinks originated early in history by adding herbs and fruits into low quality wine or wine going bad to make it drinkable.  The word sangria means bloody in both Spanish and Portuguese (the regions where the base recipe originates) and has now evolved into countless recipes and techniques (typing sangria into Google returns over 3.5 million results).
   I have put together a fig sangria for a Spanish themed party I bartended with fantastic results.  The wines I like to use for any red sangria are a Tempranillo, Grenache or a blend of the two.  Give this a try and then move on to your own experimenting.  Sangrias are fast sellers behind the bar and perfect for parties, cheers.

       Fig Sangria
       1 bottle Spanish wine (I used a Granacha)
       1/2 cup simple syrup
       1/2 cup brandy (I used Christian Brothers)
       2 cups (or so) Fig Puree
       1 lime sliced into very thin wheels
       1 lemon sliced into very thin wheels
       1 orange sliced into very thin wheels
       Add all into a bowl and very gently press down on the fruit wheels with a muddler to release just a little of the citrus juices.  Refrigerate over night to let all the flavors infuse into the wine.

       Fig Puree
       10 mission figs cut in half
       1 1/2 cup water
       Put figs and water in together then bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to a simmer.  Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes then remove from heat.  Dump all into a food processor leave on for a couple minutes until it is one uniform puree.

   Ice is key in a punch or sangria.  We need to keep this cold but diluting it too much can ruin all your hard work.  A great way to solve this is to add 2 cups of water into a pot.  Bring to a boil and then let cool.  Pour the water into a freezer safe bowl that won’t crack and then freeze.  When frozen, put the bowl in hot water for a minute, remove the mini ice berg and add to your sangria.  The large ice cube will keep the sangria cold but its density will keep it from melting to fast.  If you want to be really cool you can let this freeze a little then add some more figs (or any fruit) into the water and freeze them into your huge ice cube.

By: Mark Sexauer

The Pese

   I received a bottle in the mail the other day with a very nice surprise… Ron Abuelo Anejo 7 year.  Hailing from the Varela Hermanos distillery in Panama, this is one of the better aged rums I’ve tried in a while.  I’ll be honest; I have yet to fully dive into rum and everything it has to offer.  I love the spirit but it is not really a “go-to” for me, although these sorts of products are changing my mind, and quickly.
   Giving myself some time I sat down and opened the bottle to taste test this Panamanian gem.  Pouring an ounce into a snifter and smelling it lends itself a sweet, alcohol and spice scent.  The first sip was surprisingly soft; the nose presents you with vanilla, fruitiness, molasses and spice.  It rounds home plate with the familiar oak elements and a spicy mellow finish.
   Poking around online to find information on the rum and its producer I found a quote that said it was too “refined” to use in a cocktail… it was on, and I love this new cocktail which is perfect for the spring/summer thing we have going on here in Seattle (we’re having an awesome spring).

       The Pese
       11/2 oz Ron Abuelo 7 year Rum
       1/2 oz Simple Syrup
       1/4 oz Amaretto
       1/4 oz Lime juice
       1/4 oz Orange Juice
       1/8 teaspoon Whole Fennel Seed
       5 (or so) Toasted Almonds
       2 dashes Peychauds Bitters
       Combine the toasted almonds, fennel seed and simple syrup together and muddle hard until all is broken up and mashed.  Add the rest of the ingredients with ice and shake hard.  Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange zest length.
       To toast almonds add sliced raw almonds into a pan and heat to med-high.  Stir frequently and toast to taste but watch out because once these start toasting it happens fast, Cheers.

I couldn't get a picture with the glass full... weird:-)

 By: Mark Sexauer

Grand Marnier Mixology Summit 2009

   Day 1
   The plane ride to Vail Colorado was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I seem to always get sat next to the stinky guy or the talk too much guy, but this trip was quick and pleasant.  Quiet and uneventful are all you can hope for while flying.  Seattle to Denver took just over two hours and then another 2 hours in a shuttle bus to Vail which was still cramped but at least very scenic.  I knew I was in the right place when I over-heard someone in the back saying “my test had three questions about aquavit…. Who the hell knows three detailed things about aquavit?”
   Arriving at the hotel was jaw dropping, it was huge and beautiful.  Everyone involved with the Mixology Summit was nice and accommodating.  Your only obligation for the three days is to do a short “consulting lab” that consists of explaining your drinks while you make them.  It is very low key and I have to admit I was a little nervous but that went away as I settled into my surroundings.  Some notable people participating in this year’s event were: Bridget Albert, author of Market Fresh Mixology, she made a lemon sorbet tequila champagne drink.  Jeffery Morgenthaler, Leo DeGroff, Chris Hannah, Lance Mayhew and Danny Valdez along with some local buddies, Michael McSorley, Zane Harris and Jim Romdall were there to name a few.
   Evening came quick, with most of us at the hotel bar slowly filtering out onto a shuttle that took us to the “welcome reception” (aka, party).  The bartenders behind the bar where top notch and so was the crowd.  It was a Great night and before I had one too many I stumbled back to my hotel room to pass out.  Something about traveling is so insanely tiring and I don’t know why.  I didn’t do anything more then sit for four hours and it’s exhausting? 

   Day 2
   The schedule for the day is skiing or intertubing but I wasn’t into either.  I know it’s Vail and this is what you have to do but I didn’t want to rent gear and the whole thing, so after breakfast I went into downtown Vail.  Now Vail is a resort town and beautiful to the point where you have to stop to take it all in.  Galleries, boutiques and small restaurants are plenty with ski and snowboard shops sprinkled in between.  Walking down some of the short brick streets full of metal animal and historical figure statues will lead you right into ski lifts.  After eating lunch with Hanna Feldman, an editor with Imbibe magazine I went back to my hotel room to wait on my wife Amy who was supposed to be in Vail by 3pm.  After taking a quick nap, Amy showed up just in time for the Gala Dinner that Grand Marnier was hosting for the evening.

   The Gala dinner was a four course food cocktail pairing which started out with praises and info about the event as well as thanking everybody who made the event possible.  We also found out that all of our cocktails will be made into an iphone app that you can download along with our pictures.  After the dinner we were treated to an after party including craps tables, blackjack, and three bars serving up a drink menu using Grand Marnier and Navan.  After a couple shots of Don Julio 1942 tequila and countless beers and cocktails, Amy and I made our way back into the room to call it a night.  (By the way, drinking at seven thousand feet is extra fun…)

   Day 3
   With a two hour drive back to the airport, dealing with the airport, then flying for another two hours we left early afternoon from Vail to make sure we wouldn’t be too late into Seattle.  The shuttle into Denver had a handful of San Francisco bartenders on board which made the two hours go by pretty quick, and I found out what a “cat in a bathtub” is… (check out urbandictionary.com if you really want to know, thanks Sierra…).

   The flight back to Seattle was also pretty laid back and at about 6pm the whole thing was over.  For those of you who are interested, make an effort to go next year.  It is a great networking event as well as a great paid vacation and the best hosted mixology event I’ve been to yet, Prost!

By: Mark Sexauer

WSBG Vermouth Tasting!

   The Washington State Bartenders Guild hosted a vermouth tasting this last weekend. It was a great opportunity to focus on vermouth and its importance in cocktails.  I have an affinity for vermouth and brought my homemade dry and sweet versions to see how they stacked up.  Vermouth has lost some market value in the last decades but is seeing a much anticipated return with brands like Vya and Dolin.  We were lucky enough to have Paul Clarke bring a bottle of Noilly Ambre which is not available in this country and scored on some Carpano Antica along with all the usual vermouth suspects.
   Without getting into every brand that was there (I think 25 or so) I’ll share what vermouths made me want to run out of the room with the bottle it was so good!

   Dolin, a vermouth imported by the famous Eric Seed from Haus Alpenz was a show stealer.  I loved the Blanc out of the three which would be perfect just on its own.  I’m going to be searching for cocktails using the Blanc so I can showcase this when it’s available for purchase in a month or so.
   Vya, what can I say, Vya is a great vermouth to show what vermouth can be.  The sweet is amazing on the rocks and is a “bold-forward” vermouth great for “bold-forward” cocktails.  Like finding the right gin to use in a Negroni, experimenting with vermouth is essential to a world-class cocktail.

   Noilly Ambre, this vermouth is only available in Marseillan, France.  This is the pinnacle of balance, subtle flavors and I almost would not mix this vermouth because it is perfect on its own (okay, I would).
   Carpano Antica, this was the first commercial vermouth and its creator, Antonio Carpano is credited with starting the vermouth phenomenon in the late 1700’s.  This has a definite wormwood taste on the nose, turning into a bright spicy herbiness and ending with a complex wormwood backend.  The Carpano made me realize how little wormwood came out in most other vermouths which is ironic because the word vermouth comes from the German word, Wermut, which means wormwood.
   All in all it was nice to taste a full array of vermouths and have a better understanding of which ones I’d like to use in a certain drink.  We also had access to Zane’s bar that we used to experiment with the Martini and the Manhattan using different vermouths.  If you can get your hands on Dolin, get it, it will be available in Washington, through Vinum Distributing by late April 09.  It’s exciting to see bars offering three, four, five or more different vermouths and that the same amount of energy goes into picking the right vermouth bottle as it does picking the right spirit.  Prost!

By: Mark Sexauer

How to Make Ginger Beer!

   Like flowering trees and longer days ginger beer is a sure sign that spring has arrived.  I love the taste; I love making it, and most of all I enjoy the wide range of cocktails and drinks that ginger beer mingles so well with.
   The origin of ginger dates back thousands of years and the health benefits range from healing a sore throat to recently discovered, lowering cholesterol.  With obvious health benefits, and ginger being so readily available it has been a staple of the human diet for as long as we have been keeping track of history.
   I have been making ginger beer for years and every time it seems I make it slightly different but always a reflection of a recipe I stumbled across some time ago in a book simply called, “The Home Cook Book.” It was first published in 1877 using home recipes from the Chicago area and features a straight forward recipe for ginger beer typical of its time. 

   It took a little playing around with because there are no exact measurements of everything used.  For example how many ounces are in “one bottle essence of lemon?”  Either way it doesn’t take much time to figure everything out and once you do you are flexible to add and tweak, making your own unique version of ginger beer.
       
       Mark Sexauer’s Throwback Ginger Beer Recipe
       1 gallon tap water (4 quarts)
       3 cups light brown sugar
       Zest and Juice of four lemons
       Zest and Juice of two limes
       60 grams of fresh ginger (if you don’t have one, buy a scale, they’re twenty bucks…)
       3/4 teaspoon tartaric acid (aid in a sour flavor profile)
       1/4 teaspoon crème of tartar (preservative, mouth feel)
              
       In a large, repeat, large pot, bring the water to a boil.  Once at a boil reduce to med-low and add all ingredients into the water.  Stir everything together then take off of heat and let cool down for about 4 hours covered to infuse. 

Add into 16 ounce EZ Cap bottles and than carbonate with yeast.

This will last a couple weeks in a fridge before it dies and is excellent on its own.  In the near future I will be posting some drinks using ginger beer but in the mean time enjoy it on the rocks, it’s excellent.

By: Mark Sexauer

WSBG Absinthe Forum!

   Ah, absinthe, the “green fairy”, I had no idea how little I knew…
   The Washington State Bartenders Guild put on a great event showcasing absinthe here in the Emerald City, including tastings of some of the best absinthes on the market and two great guest speakers.  The event took place at Zane Harris and Anu Apte’s Sodo district loft with sprawling white walls seeming to stretch up over 20 feet high.  It was reminiscent of a museum or gallery and with a fully stocked bar it was the perfect place to host the show.
   Gwydion Stone started it all off as we sipped on our first drink, Death in the Afternoon, which is simple enough combining just absinthe and champagne with a lemon twist.  As Gwydion talked about the history behind absinthe I realized everything I thought I knew about it was fiction and rumor.  I won’t get into the complete history of absinthe here, but you should check out the wormwood society website if you are interested.  As the presentation continued we were all served Marteau and water, Marteau being the absinthe Gwidion produces and is of course excellent.  Paul Clarke then took the reins with a very informative and funny presentation as he helped end the first part of the event on a high note. 

   The second half was a variety tasting including Taboo, St. George, Pernod and Pacifique (which has an amazing gin as well, Voyager.)

   This event showed how great it can be when people of a common interest get organized together and I for one am looking forward to the future of the Washington State Bartenders Guild… stay tuned for the Vermouth Tasting on February 22nd by checking wsbg.org and the newly designed forum.
       
       To enjoy absinthe historically DO:
       
       Buy a good quality absinthe, the new laws allow the use of the WORD absinthe pretty much regardless of what is in the bottle, so educate yourself and give your hard earned money to quality distilleries.
       
       Use ice water in your Absinthe Frappe’s, drip it in slowly in a 1:3-5 ratio.
       
       Sugar cubes are a matter of taste, remember, the best drink is the one you enjoy… period!  If you do use sugar cubes look for the longer European style as per tradition, but even more important most are not refined like American style (they can impart a chemical taste).
       
       Please, for the sake of humanity, DO NOT:
       
       Light your god damnit sugar cube on fire.  That is modern day marketing magic at work and will ruin the subtle flavor profiles of the absinthe.
       
       Take a shot of absinthe, most are in the 106 to 148 proof ranges (to preserve the color). Absinthe is to be truly enjoyed and sipped by those who enjoy the flavor profile.

Article by: Mark Sexauer

“Oogy Wawa!” and many other ways to say “Cheers!”

   As two men dressed in suits came into the bar the other night I didn’t think anything out of the ordinary about them.  Sitting down I handed them cocktail menus and with little deliberation they both ordered bud lights.
   I try hard these days not to be such a damn snob about what people order and served them the beers and went on with my night.  Half way into their bud lights one of the men ask me, in broken English, if they could have two shots of Grey Goose (what the hell is it with grey goose?) and I gladly obliged.  The two men stood up, and very loudly yelled out “Oogy Wawa” drank the shot and slammed the glass down, then sat back in their stools, going right back to quietly talking and being polite. 
   I’m not surprised I didn’t know this but “Oogy Wawa” is “Cheers” in the Zulu language.  According to good old Wikipedia, Zulu is the most widely spoken language in South Africa.  I respect the social science of the Toast, and wish I was more cultured in other Cheers/Toasts from around the world.  From what I understand the clinking of glasses tells the people you are drinking with that you trust them.  It stems from poisoning in the Middle Ages; the King would pour some wine into everybody’s glass in the room, ensuring the wine was poison free and of course, making a clinking sound with each pour as the glasses touched.
   Most verbal Toasts in general are saying the same thing, to good health, to good luck, to friendship.  Enjoying drinks with friends has evolved into seeing how drunk you can get and how fast, which is not enjoying drinking at all.  Next time you go out with a friend order a good drink from a good bartender, turn to your friend, clink your glasses and say Cheers, a simple, historical ritual to start your evening off with a smile.
   
   Here is a list of Toasts from around the globe, feel free to add any others you may know of, and of course… Cheers.
       Arabic – Shucram or Fisehatak
       Australia – Bottoms Up or Cheers
       Basque – Topa
       Brazil, Portugal – Tchim Tchim or Sauté or Viva
       Chinese – Nien Nien ne
       Costa Rica – Pura Vida
       Danish – Skal
       Dutch – Proost
       Finnish – Kippis
       French – A votre santé
       German – Prost
       Greek – Eis igian
       Hawaiian – Okole maluna
       Irish – Slante
       Israeli – L’chaim
       Italian – A la salute
       Japanese – Kampai
       Russian – Na zdrovia (apparently nobody says this, in fact, there really isn’t much toasting that goes on in Russia, but you might hear Budem)
       Spanish – Salud
       Tagalog – Mabuhay
       Thai – Chayoo
       Ukrainian – Budmo
       Vietnamese – Chia
       Welsh – Lechyd da
       Zulu – Oogy Wawa

How to Make Sweet Vermouth

   I’ve been messing around with dry vermouth for a couple months now and figured it was time to move on to sweet vermouth.  I will also be participating in a vermouth tasting event in February and it will be very interesting to see how some house made vermouths stand up to the mass produced brands.  If you would like an extremely short history of vermouth check out my post on dry vermouth.
   Sweet vermouth is pretty fun to mess around with and like dry vermouth, the possibilities are endless.  You can add pretty much whatever you want, try switching out the base wine, use a different liquor to fortify, or try using different herbs and spices.  Here is a base line recipe to follow in making your own house made sweet vermouth.
       
       Sweet Vermouth
       2 oz brandy (try other liquors)
       1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
       1/4 pure vanilla extract
       1/4 teaspoon coriander
       1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
       1/8 teaspoon wormwood
       1/8 teaspoon gentian
       4 whole cloves
       4 whole peppercorns
       Zest of half a naval orange (try other fruits!)
       Zest of half a lemon
       3/4 cup caramelized sugar (try brown, muscado, or white sugars)
       1 bottle dessert/sweet wine (I used Egri Muskotaly) (try any base wine)
       Combine all but the brandy into a pot and slowly bring to a boil.  Boil only for a couple minutes then bring down to a warm/simmer.  Add the brandy, let sit for about twenty minutes to infuse everything into the wine, strain and refrigerate overnight.
   
   If you use cheap wine (no reason to use pricey wine) and inexpensive ingredients, offering a house made vermouth can be cost effective and practical for your bar.  I find that refrigerating over night “finishes” the infusion by letting everything sit together.  There is a noticeably richer taste after a day or so.

By: Mark Sexauer

World Whisky Index

   For those of you who are interested in investing, why not invest in what you love… Whisky!  Just like the stock market, there is a whisky market and a whisky “stock” index to boot.  At the World Whisky Index you can check how much your bottles are worth and see what kind of return your Bowmore 21 year is gaining (60% by the way.)  The most expensive bottle in the index is a 1943 bottle of Glenlivet going for € 3.650,00 (about $50,000.)  Investing in wine is not new and whiskey is a similar climate which is becoming a very serious part of some investor’s portfolios.
   In the 1990’s the industry really started to see increased demand for premium Whisky’s.  Surprisingly, the biggest markets have been Japan, Russia, China and India.  The demand is growing so fast and the aging process is so long that some experts expect a Scotch shortage in the coming years. 
   With over 4,600 bottles in the index and a total value of over $2.5 million the WWI is an interesting site to navigate around.  You can buy, sell, trade and check the value of any whisky you may have.  Register for the site and you will receive updates about newly added bottles and values.  There’s only one problem with investing in whisky, you can, of course, drink your investment away!!!  Cheers.

By: Mark Sexauer

Caramelized Sugar

   A craft bartender is many things and part chef is a large piece of the pie.  Caramelizing sugar is a very useful skill to know but can take a little practice.  I use caramelized sugar in my vermouths, bitters, and various other bartending experiments.  Not only does is it impart a great flavor profile but it is also the same technique that pre-prohibition bartenders where utilizing.  Using a pan with a very thick bottom or just an all around thick pan will prevent any hot spots.

       Caramelized Sugar
       3/4 cup cane sugar, dry
       Put into a cold pan then start heat, turn up to medium (medium-low) and wait.  After a couple minutes the sugar will begin to melt a little, stir often.  Keep stirring until the all the sugar dissolves into one uniform brown color.  Use as needed.

   The 3/4 cup sugar will end up being about a half cup when you are done.  If you are using this in a liquid make sure the liquid is hot so as to dissolve the caramelized sugar.  If you let this cool down it will turn into a hard sticky mess.  A tip on clean up, boil water in the pan or a large pot to dissolve any sugar, do not wait to clean up!

Article By: Mark Sexauer