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A Sip of Nectar

A Sip of Nectar

by | Dec 22, 2017 | December 2017/January 2018, Eat

Hummingbird, the first brick and mortar restaurant from Posh Nosh Catering owner Coleen Speaks, opened in a converted warehouse at Dock 1053 on Whitaker Mill Road last month. The cafe’s signature vodka cocktail is Hibiscus-infused and garnished with an orchid; it’s fresh as a flower and will have you humming.

Hummingbird Fizz

1 ½ oz Hibiscus infused vodka

¾ oz lime juice (fresh squeezed)

¾ oz simple syrup

Dash of Peychaud’s bitters

Top with soda

Method: Shake

Glass: Collins

Garnish: edible orchid

The Bourbon Revival

The Bourbon Revival

by | Mar 31, 2016 | April 2016, Eat

Bourbon is having a revival.

If Hali Haught hadn’t moved to Raleigh, the bourbon bar at the Oak, kitchen & bourbon bar on Lake Boone wouldn’t exist.

“We knew we wanted the Oak to have a great cocktail bar, but Hali convinced me and my partner and brother Justin that bourbon wasn’t just trendy,” says JMR Kitchens owner Ryan Riek.

Today, Haught is the general manager, and time is proving her right. Bourbon and Tennessee whiskeys have outsold all liquors, even vodka, for the last two years, making it a $3 billion business. In an age of wanting the newest, most improved version of everything, why is our go-to drink over 225 years old?

Haught believes bourbon drinkers like the taste and flavor of bourbon but says it’s more than that.

“It’s all about the story, and every bourbon has a story with real history.”

The birth of bourbon is a deliciously ironic tale of an inventor who was a Baptist minister by day and distiller by night—Elijah Craig. He is credited with inventing bourbon in 1789, but what he really invented was the process of aging corn whiskey in charred oak barrels. The result was a somewhat sweeter and smokier tasting alcohol.

Bourbon is nowhere near as complex as wine, or even scotch, but there are a few things you should know.

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. By law, for a whiskey to be bourbon it must be made from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels. It must be made in the U.S. and bottled at 80 proof (40 percent alcohol by volume) or higher. It can be made anywhere, but 95 percent of the world’s bourbon is made in Kentucky.

Ordering bourbon can be intimidating for a newcomer. Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association shared this advice.

“Ask the bartender to suggest a small-batch, low-proof bourbon… such as Basil Hayden or Four Roses,” says Gregory. He suggests working your way up to a single-barrel bourbon that’s a bit higher in proof such as Knob Creek and Blanton’s. “Then you’ll be ready to try a barrel-strength bourbon with 120 to 130 or more proof like Booker’s by Jim Beam or Stagg Jr.”

When ordering, be careful not to throw around cocktail terms like “neat” unless you know what they mean. You could end up with a drink you don’t want. For a bourbon without ice or mixer, order it “neat;” for water and ice, order it “on the rocks.”

Experiencing Bourbon

The Oak’s bourbon experience goes beyond its selection of 60 to 70 bottles.

• Adopt-a-Barrel Program. Offers bourbon drinkers the chance to re-age
bourbon in a 2-liter barrel in the restaurant for a fee. It’s so successful, there’s a long waiting list; it seems no one wants to give up their barrel.

• Bourbon Dinners. Intimate, four-course meal paired with unique bourbons.

• Bourbon & Bites. Tastings on select Saturday afternoons include a house-aged bourbon Old Fashioned, a tasting of select bourbons and chef-paired bites.

The Jargon:

Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey: Bottled from one barrel only. They are entirely unique, meaning each barrel has its own temperature and character.

Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey: Bourbons made from a few select barrels married together for consistency.

Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Whiskey aged for at least 2 years in brand-new charred barrel – that means barrels can be used only once for bourbon. After that they’re shipped to Mexico for aging tequila or to Scotland for aging Scotch.

In the 50 Best Bars issue, RM readers Voted on the 5 Best Whiskey/Lounge Bars

Visit raleighmag.com/best-bars for the complete list.

Shaken or stirred?

Shaken or stirred?

by | Mar 31, 2016 | April 2016, Retreat, Stuff

At home bar carts add glam to cocktail hour TV shows depicting the glamorous ‘60s have helped us feel more comfy with the notion of having a full bar at home.

There’s just something about offering a guest a glass of wine and beer from behind a bar that feels very grown up. It’s like wearing red bottom heels instead of ballerina flats. The result? More of us are setting up home bars.

It doesn’t have to be a headache: Invest in basic equipment, stock up on essential liquors, and you can have a spread that will impress amateurs — and even make professionals nod in quiet approval.

Every month Crude Bitters and Sodas offers “how to” classes on creating cocktails at home so we asked owner Craig Rudewicz to help us with a shopping list.

What basic tools are needed for a home bar?

In my opinion, the three most important tools for the home bar are the jigger, a cobbler shaker, and a bar spoon.

The jigger (a one ounce/two ounce split with graduations) allows you to carefully measure for the perfect cocktail with correct proportions.

A cobbler shaker, or three-piece cocktail shaker, is a great tool for most drinks. The pour spout of the shaker allows for easy access to the drink. Cocktails that are stirred are best done so in glass, but a shaker will work for home use.

A bar spoon, while not absolutely required, will make your life easier when making cocktails at your home bar. A bar spoon is elongated and twirled to allow it to fit in any glass, makes it easier to stir, and can help with garnishes as well.

Decanting liquors or whiskeys?

I don’t personally recommend decanting liquors for display. I think it’s a better idea to have an interesting display for the liquor bottles themselves. I used pieces of old pallets and hung them on the wall in my home. It lets you see the brands and interesting bottle styles, and you do not ever run into the situation of not remembering what is in the decanter. Use the label designs and bottle styles as decoration.

What are basic mixers that every bar should include?

The type of mixers is very dependent on what types of liquor and cocktails you prefer. A newer trend for mixers is for small batch companies to produce concentrate syrups and tonics. These syrups and tonics are made without high fructose corn syrup and/or preservatives and allow you to mix a drink as sweet as you’d like. If you need carbonation a simple addition of seltzer water does the trick. It’s perfect especially for homes with a soda stream.

Since I own Crude Bitters and Sodas here in Raleigh, I always recommend having cocktail bitters on your home bar. Bitters are called for in most classic cocktail recipes and there are now many different styles of bitters to choose from. Bitters will add a unique element and round out the drink with just a few dashes or drops.

Barware?

I’ve found that the best glassware for the average home bar is the classic rocks or old-fashioned glass. They’re small and durable and can fit into any small bar setup. Rocks glasses work well for most cocktails, whether the drink is served over ice or neat. Another glass style you should have is the martini glass. I use the rocks glass more often, but the martini glass is a classic and gives the drinker a sense of style, which is definitely a part of cocktails.

Liquor Selection?

This is absolutely dependent on what a specific person prefers. My recommendation is if you like one brand or style of whiskey, rum, vodka, etc., stock at least two different styles of that one spirit. It’s amazing how different two brands can be in terms of flavor and aroma. I love gin and keep a few different styles at home, as well as my favorite bourbon, rye and rum. I will stress to keep your bottles in your bar set up, never in the freezer. The liquor should melt ice and add dilution to a cocktail, using already ice-cold spirits will make your cocktail too strong and harsh.