SALEP Topic: The Old Fashioned

Adam promised us a classy SALEP meeting and surprisingly (love you, Adam!), he delivered. There were classic cocktails, jazz music, and Ginger Cats Cookies for People (the classiest of animal cookies, obvs). Does it get much better?

History:
1806: The Old Fashioned is the embodiment of the first recorded definition of cocktails in general, which comes from the letters page of a 1806 New York newspaper: "Cock tail, then is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters."

1895: The recipe for an "Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail" first appeared in George Kappeler's Modern American Drinks published in 1895.

1919-1933: During Prohibition, the quality of liquor greatly decreased and The Old Fashioned's combination of sugar and bitters proved an excellent way to mask the taste of poor-quality liquor, increasing the drink's popularity in speakeasies across the country.

2007: After decades as a bar staple, The Old Fashioned had eventually become primarily known as your grandmother's drink of choice. However, the premier of Mad Men in 2007 and the introduction of The Old Fashioned as Don Draper's drink of choice coupled with the craft cocktail revival in general served as a catalyst to push The Old Fashioned back into the sphere of popularity.

Recipe:
1 Sugar Cube
3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 oz Rye Whiskey
Water
Orange Peel

Order At:
Pope House Bourbon Lounge
Rum Club
Interurban
Kask

Past SALEP Topics: 

• Vermouth
• Green Chartreuse 
• Campari   
• Beer Cocktails  
• Drambuie 

SALEP Topic: Drambuie

For this month's SALEP meeting (SALEP = Society for the Advancement of Libation Edification and Potation), Brian taught us about Drambuie, a new liqueur to both Kelly and me. Thanks, Brian!!

What is it?
Drambuie is a sweet, gold colored liqueur with a Scotch whiskey base that is accented with the flavors of Scottish heather honey, herbs, and spices. The whiskey is a blend of malts from the Speyside and Highland regions of Scotland.

Etymology:

"Drambuie" is derived from the Scottish Gaelic phrase an dram buidheach- "the drink that satisfies."

Origin:

(Abridged from www.drambuie.com/us/history)
-The story of Drambuie begins in July 1746. Prince Charles Edward Stuart was on the run after being defeated at the Battle of Culloden, thus ending his hopes of restoring the Stuarts to the throne of Great Britain. 

-The Prince was pursued by the King’s men across the Highlands and Islands of Western Scotland, aided by many Highland Clans. Among them was Clan MacKinnon whose chief, John MacKinnon, helped the Prince escape from The Isle of Skye. In thanks for his help and bravery, the Prince gave John MacKinnon the secret recipe to his personal liqueur.

-In 1873, the recipe was passed on to John Ross of The Broadford Hotel on Skye, who started making it to serve in his hotel. Customers who tasted it commented in Gaelic that it was “an dram buidheach," the drink that satisfies, shortened to Drambuie. The name stuck and in 1893, John’s son James registered it as a trademark. 

-Malcolm MacKinnon travelled from Skye to Edinburgh in 1900 to work in the wines and spirits business. He recognized the opportunity that the liqueur offered and in 1909 produced Drambuie for the first time. By 1914 he had acquired the recipe and the trademark and he established The Drambuie Liqueur Company.

-Word began to spread about the Drambuie elixir and it became the first liqueur to be introduced to the House Of Lords in 1916. The following year, Buckingham Palace ordered a case for its cellars. The breakout of WWI interrupted the rise of Drambuie’s popularity commercially, however it did gain favor amongst many Army officers, becoming an Officers Mess staple in the Highland regiments. 

Zesty Irishman:

- 3/4 oz Drambuie
- 1 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1/4 oz triple sec
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Ginger Ale
- Lemon twist  

Find Drambuie at: 

Raven & Rose 

Hale Pele 

Clyde Common

Past SALEP Topics: 

• Vermouth
• Green Chartreuse 
• Campari   
• Beer Cocktails 

SALEP Topic: Beer Cocktails

After a nice little holiday season hiatus, we finally managed to get together for another SALEP meeting (despite #snowpolcalypse keeping half of our members at home). Doug was in charge this time around and chose a topic near and dear to his heart: beer cocktails! 

Beer Cocktail: A libation made by mixing beer with another beverage

 Category 1: beer + a non-alcoholic drink 

Example: Radler

3 parts German Lager or Pilsner + 2 parts Lemonade

Literally meaning “cyclist” in German, this blend was invented in 1922 by Munich bartender Franz Xaver Kugler. Finding his beer garden over run by “13,000” cyclists on a hot summer day, Kugler saw his beer was starting to run out. To keep up with demand, Kugler mixed the remaining beer with lemonade and pretended he created the mix especially for the cyclists so that they could drive home without the risk of falling off their bicycle. During the summer months, radler is still very popular in Bavaria and the rest of Germany, due to its reputation of being a thirst-quencher. Many beer gardens will sell premixed radlers or will refill a half empty beer with lemonade.

Category 2: beer + beer

Example: Black and Tan

1 part Guinness + 1 part Harp Lager

Originated in England, the first written records show Black and Tans dating back to 1889, but many believe they date further back, all the way to the 1700s. The drink is not served in Ireland due its controversial name: the term “Black and Tan” is a reference to the uniforms of British paramilitary forces who opposed Irish independence in the 1920s and the name is seen as contentious and disrespectful.

Category 3: beer + spirit + other stuff

Example: Mai Ta-IPA

1 ½ oz IPA Ninkasi Total Domination IPA + 2 oz aged rum + 1 oz lime juice + ½ oz orgeat + ½ oz triple sec

Created by acclaimed mixologist Jacob Grier, this hoppy summer drink is Grier’s answer to the traditional syrupy island drink. As Jacob writes on his blog, "the classic Mai Tai offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spirituous elements. It doesn’t offer anything bitter. The addition of a hoppy IPA brings just a touch of bitterness to the drink while the carbonation makes it deliciously light and frothy."

Where to Find Beer Cocktails in Portland:

Free House

Try: Horse Blanket

What: IPA, whiskey, bitters

Why: Some may call it “one of the top five cocktails in Portland” (Quote: Doug Franz)

Hop and Vine

Try: Averna Stout Flip

What: Averna, stout, egg, bitters, nutmeg

Why: Head bartender Jacob Grier is the godfather of beer cocktails, creator of the Mai Ta-IPA and forthcoming book, Cocktails on Tap:The Art of Mixing Spirits And Beer.

Hopworks Bikebar

Try: Radler

What: See above 

Why: Mixing the house Lager and lemonade, it’s a perfect thirst quencher while sitting on Hopwork’s

outside patio.

Your Local McMenamins

Try: Rubinator 

What: Terminator Stout + Ruby 

Why: If you have to be at a McMenamins, might as well make the best of it. McMenamins' chocolatey stout with its raspberry ale is a winning combo every time (especially when paired with Cajun tots). 

Past SALEP Topics: 

• Vermouth
• Green Chartreuse 
• Campari  

SALEP Topic: Campari

Another month, another SALEP topic! 

This month, Dana taught us all about Campari! 

Campari (and snacks)

What is it?               

Campari is an Italian liqueur that is characterized by its red color and strong dry, bitter taste.

As an aperitif:

- An aperitif is an alcoholic drink that is served before dinner to stimulate the appetite.
- Aperitifs originated in Italy in the 18th century and are always dry, rather than sweet.

As a bitter:
-  A bitter is consumed to aid digestion and health, thus Campari is also a digestif.

-  Bitters/digestifs are usually drunken straight or with soda water. 

History 

Campari was invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari and is comprised of a secret combination of herbs, spices, and fruit peels. For forty years, Campari could only be found within Italy.  In 1904, Campari was first exported to Nice, in the French Riviera.  Campari is unique in that it is its own brand; there are no “off” brands of the liqueur. Campari’s distinctive red color is derived carmine, a dye created through the crushing of dried cochineal insects.  Campari’s color was created this way up until 2006. 

Classic Campari Cocktails:

Negroni

1 oz Campari

1 oz Gin*

1 oz Sweet Vermouth 

Orange peel for garnish 

*for those who want to cut the bitter taste of the negroni, chardonnay can be used instead of gin. 

Campari & Soda

1 part Campari

4 parts soda water

Americano: 

1 oz Campari

1 oz Gin

1 oz Soda Water

Old Pal: 

1 oz Rye Whiskey

1 oz Dry Vermouth

1 oz Campari 

Pouring at:

-  Nostrana (SE Morrison & 14th)

-  Woodsman Tavern (SE 45th & Division)

-  Circa 33 (SE 33rd & Belmont)

Thanks Dana! 

Past SALEP Topics: 

• Vermouth
• Green Chartreuse