Brunch Cocktails on AMNW

KATU was kind enough to have be back again to mix up some brunch cocktails. Check out the video segment following the recipes.

The first cocktail was inspired by the talented and creative Josh Sullivan of Post-Prohibition. Experiments in homebrewing led Sullivan to create the grapefruit hop syrup and subsequent "The Fencer" cocktail. We further riffed off his creativity and used a different strain of hops from our own ventures in homebrewing to create our syrup, and swapped the Campari for her sweeter sister, Aperol. 

Italy in the Morning

• 1.5 oz gin
• .75 oz Cocchi Americano
• .5 oz. Aperol
• .5 oz. Grapefruit-Hop Simple Syrup
• .25 oz Grapefruit Juice

Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 15 to 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass

Class Act

• 1.5 oz vodka
• .75 oz Cocchi Rosa
• .75 oz Lemon Juice
• Soda Water

Add first three ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 15-30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with soda water

English Breakfast

• 1.5 oz whiskey
• 1 tbsp bitter orange marmalade
• 1 oz lemon juice

Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into chilled old-fashioned glass over large ice cube.

Watch the segment below:

Whiskeyfest Northwest

Largest Whiskey Festival in the Northwest Brings Together A Gathering of the Senses in Support of CASA

March 6, 2013 (Portland, OR) – The Pearl District's inaugural WhiskeyFest NorthWest (WFNW), scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 11th, 11am - 10pm, will bring together over 100 of the finest northwest, national and international whiskeys and scotches, signature cocktails, eclectic music, fine cigars, local restaurants, vendor booths, educational opportunities, prohibition and bootlegging themed lounges and much more, for a unique event benefiting CASA for Children. Organized by The Luna Foundation, this innovative festival will feature both local and internationally-renowned musicians, including Bronze Radio Return, Spirit Family Reunion, Danny Barnes, Sassparilla, Stolen Sweets, Inspirational Beets, and Jacob Miller & The Bridge City Crooners, at NW 11th Avenue and NW Northrup Street. 

The craft spirit and craft cocktail boom have led to an explosion of craft and small batch distilleries crafting innovative and interesting whisk(e)ys. This festival is a great opportunity to experience the wide variety of styles (full list at end of article) while enjoying some great music and steady eating to have something to soak up all that whiskey you'll be drinking while supporting a great cause. 

"We’re throwing many of Portland’s favorite things under one roof for an experience unlike anything in the northwest," explains Sam Watson, President of The Luna Foundation. "We're thrilled over the response we've received so far and we are incredibly excited to partner with CASA for Children. We look forward to building awareness for such a noble nonprofit."

The Luna Foundation is an Oregon non-profit, whose mission is to provide otherwise unavailable opportunities to children and families affected by illness or poverty through the promotion of arts and music in the Northwest. This organization has announced that event proceeds will benefit CASA for Children of Multnomah and Washington Counties, whose mission is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every abused or neglected child can be safe, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive. 

Sweet and savory provisions will be prepared and sold by Southland Whiskey Kitchen, Brix Tavern, Bunk Sandwiches, Fire on the Mountain, The Station, Streetcar Bistro and Taproom, Solstice Wood Fire Grill, The Red Fig, Eat at Joe’s Catering, NEPO42, JaCiva’s, What’s The Scoop, Chunky Pig and Sugarknife. Widmer Brothers beer will also be available to attendees in addition to a full cocktail bar.You can get your tickets at whiskeyfestnw.strangertickets.com and are : $20 per person for early bird tickets, $25 for general admission, and $100 for the limited seating May 10th Five-Course Whiskey Tasting Dinner, which includes general admission. All tickets include 3 tasting tokens, access to the all-day festival and live music. Additional tokens will be available for $2 each. This is a 21 and over event. 

www.whiskeyfestnw.com

Like WhiskeyFestNW on Facebook

Follow @WhiskeyFestNW on Twitter

Participating Distillers:

• Angels Envy
• Bernheim
• Buffalo Trae
• Bird Dog Whiskey
• Crown Royal
• Canadian Club
• Eagle Rare
• Glenmorangie
• Henry Duyore's
• Jameson
• Lagavulin
• Macnaughton
• Old Tahoe
• Rittenhouse
• Sazerac Rye
• Singleton
• Whitetail Whiskey
• Talisker
• Rouge Spirits
• Hibiki
• George Dickel

• Basil Haydn's
• Bookers
• Big Bottom
• Bushmills
• Cragganmore
• Devil's Cut
• Elmer T Lee
• Grant's
• Jacobs Ghost
• Kilbeggan
• Laphraoig
• Maker's Mark
• (R1)
• Russels Reserver
• Snake River Stampede
• The Balvenie
• 1512 Spirits
• Wild Turkey
• Brainbridge Distillery
• Hakushu
• Four Spirits

• Pendelton 1910
• Black Velvet
• Bulleit
• Charbay
• Evan Williams
• Glenfiddich
• Hudson Whiskey
• Jim Beam
• Knob Creek
• Larceny
• Oban
• Red Stag
• Ransom
• Sam Houston
• Temperence Trader
• 1792 Ridgemont Reserver
• Templeton Rye
• Ardbeg

Cocktails at Fish Sauce in PDX

"The Renegade is our most-ordered cocktail," says Bui. "And everyone who tries it always orders two." It's made with smoky Teacher's Highland blended Whiskey, tamarind that Bui has shipped in fresh from Vietnam, fresh lemon juice, and spicy ginger syrup.

This article was first published on my column for Serious Eats: Drinks. 

“Tommy Klus is a walking encyclopedia of full of cocktail and spirits knowledge,” says bartender Will Ray of Portland’s recently-opened Fish Sauce. “When I met him, I felt like a newborn baby, even with six years of experience.”

 The two first met when Ray was apprenticing at KASK and they're now shaking up American classic cocktails with a hint of Asian influence at the new Northwest Portland Vietnamese restaurant. "Tommy wanted the drinks to be refreshing and light—they should complement the complex flavors found in Vietnamese cuisine," says Ray.

This cocktail is inspired by a popular pickled tamarind soda commonly served on the streets of Vietnam. The Two Birds gives this street-side treat the booze treatment with the addition of Combier Orange Liqueur and Sobieski Vodka, served tall with a salty-sweet pickled kumquat.

Owner Ben Bui and Klus bonded over their passions for small-batch products, fresh quality ingredients, and home-made mixers fueled by insatiable curiosity for new and exotic flavor combinations. Behind the bar at Fish Sauce, you'll find a bounty of house-made syrups including a gunpowder tea simple syrup and the sweet, tart juice from pickles made by Bui's mother. The drinks incorporate sour tamarind, sweet pineapple, pickled kumquats, and jalapeno charred in Combier orange liqueur.

Funky and vegetal Novo Fogo aged cachaca is the base of this deep and tropical cocktail, mixed with rich Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, bitter Cynar, allspice dram, and pineapple.

The Luck Dragon is a riff on the Pisco Sour: the bright and fruity concoction is made with Control C pisco, fresh passionfruit, lime juice, egg white, and cane sugar, garnished with Angostura bitters.

For this margarita variation, a jalapeno is roasted in Combier orange liqueur, adding spice gently. (The pepper is removed before the liqueur is added to the drink.) The orange liqueur is mixed with fresh lime and orange, agave nectar, and Pueblo Viejo silver tequila.

Bartender Will Ray looking dapper. 

Fish Sauce

407 NW 17th Avenue, Portland, OR (map)

503-227-8000; fishsaucepdx.com/

Sunset Recession

Rosemary is a great match for the botanicals of No. 3 London Dry Gin and the Peychaud's helps to ramp up the anise flavors brightened with a bit of lemon juice. Simple, herbaceous and refreshing. 

Sunset Recession:

1.5 oz No. 3 London Dry Gin

.5 oz Rosemary Simple Syrup (1:1)

.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

2 dashes Peychaud's Bitter

Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with rosemary and lemon zest.