Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Last year was amazing, to say the least. I want to thank everyone who came out and supported us. Thanks to everyone who was patient as we worked out some kinks and experienced a few growing pains. On that note, we still don't take reservations, but if we're completely full, there's no longer a wait to get drinks. Come in and we'll get you warmed up in no time...

We've had a bit of a staffing change w/John Star leaving. He's an immensely talented bartender and he will definitely be missed. We recommend everyone visit him at Paratii in Ballard. With the shuffle of covering different shifts, I will be taking over the Monday late night shift. Here's the Industry Menu we're rolling out this Monday:

In addition to Industry Night, we have a Wine Night on Tuesdays where all bottles of wine (including bubs!) are half priced.

And finally, Thursday night is Ladies Night, so all of the ladies can enjoy the happy hour all night long.

We are excited about the future on Hilltop. Keep an eye out for the Peterson Bros bar around the corner which is slated to open sometime early this year. Also, we have a few fun surprises lined up as well...Cheers!

-C

MxMo: Beer!

This month's theme for MxMo was a bit fortuitous as we've been screwing around with beer cocktails for the last month or so. Here's how Frederic over at Cocktail (Virgin) Slut describes our theme:

“While beer being used as an ingredient in modern cocktails has gotten a lot of press as of late, this is not a new trend. Beer has played a historical role in mixed drinks for centuries. For example, it can be found in Colonial drinks like the Rumfustian, Porter Sangaree, and Ale Flip. While many of these drinks are not seen in modern bars save for craft cocktail establishments, other beer drinks are though, including the Boilermaker, Black Velvet, and Michelada. And present day mixologists are utilizing beer with great success including Kelly Slagle's Port of Funchal, Jacob Grier's Averna Stout Flip, and Emma Hollander's Word to Your Mom. Bartenders are drawn to beer for a variety of reasons including the glorious malt and roast notes from the grain, the bitter and sometimes floral elements from the hops, the interesting sour or fruity notes from the yeast, and the crispness and bubbles from the carbonation. Beer is not just for pint glasses, so let us honor beer of all styles as a drink ingredient.”

This theme works for us this week because, as it turns out, we're hosting an event this Sunday as a kick-off party for Tales of the Cocktail. Ted Munat, the ever-charming writer behind Left Coast Libations will be there reading from the aforementioned book and Liberty's Andrew Friedman will be guest bartending. The idea behind the event is that if people procure tickets ahead of time, then they get their choice of 3 cocktails for $20 from a shortened menu which will feature 6 cocktails (3 from our favorite Seattle bartenders that were published in Left Coast Libations, 3 interpretations of those cocktails by 1022 staff). The event is being put on with Tacoma Alcohol Consortium. Check TAC out, Todd's doing really good work.

Anway, here's our interpretation of Jay Kuehner's drink, Cavale. This guy kick's ass. Go see him at Sambar. He's the bartender I want to be when I grow up.

Running Up that Hill
1.5 oz Clear Creek Apple brandy
½ oz Pineau des Charentes
½ oz Domaine de Canton
½ oz lemon juice
Ephemere

Combine everything except for the Ephemere in shaker over ice. Shake and double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Float with Ephemere.

Those of you who've read the blog or checked out our contributions for MxMo, then you know that we're never satisfied doing one. Here's what Corey concocted (w/a few tweaks by me) when someone requested a Flaming Dr. Pepper

Corey's “Flaming Dr. Pepper”
1.5 oz Zaya rum
.5 oz Lazzaroni amaretto
2 dashes St Elizabeth Allspice dram
1 barspoon Ramazotti amaro
Ephemere (Corey used Duvel, but I had a bottle of this open)
Combine everything except the beer in shaker over ice. Stir, strain, into Belgian glass. Float w Ephemere.

Wine Tasting

1022 invites you to drink wine with us! We've just received a shipment of wines through Small Vineyards, a company dedicated to bringing quality Italian wine to the United States, directly from the wine makers. We have bottles from Monte Tondo, Le Rote, Perazzeta and Maurizio Marchetti for the sampling at $5 all together. Light snacks are included in the price. It's a nice way to get to know some fantastic wines that you don't see every day. Quantities are limited, so stop by and pick up a bottle at 50% off today! Bottles will be open for tasting from 4p-7p, Tuesday 6/28.

MxMo: Niche Spirits

Well, it doesn't get more niche than this, I guess. Thanks to Filip for hosting. Pics forthcoming.

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy
1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Green Chartreuse
.5 oz simple syrup
1 egg white
cocao powder
soda water

Combine everything (3 healthy shakes of raw cocoa powder) sans soda in shaker over ice. Shake like a psychopath. Double strain into a short collins over ice. Finish with soda water and more cocoa powder. Drink.

MxMo: Flores de Mayo

Edit: More like Mixology Tuesday...

So, I've missed the last couple MxMo's and have felt...guilty. It's not like I haven't come up with drinks, or been following. I've just been busy. With life. Really, with running the bar. But still, solutions, not excuses.

Here I am! Blog post! MxMo! Here are the perfunctories:
Our host this time around is Dave over at Barman Cometh. Here's what he has to say about this week's challenge:

“The challenge is to feature a cocktail that highlights a floral flavor profile or includes a floral derived ingredient, whether home-made or off the shelf.  With the ever expanding catalogue of spirits (and the kitchen labs of home enthusiasts), there’s a whole host of directions for you to choose from – elderflower liqueur, creme de violette, chamomile infused gin, hibiscus grenadine, rosewater, lavender syrup – or to create.”

We do a lot with flowers from the hibiscus/coriander/black pepper syrup in the Devil's Buck to the sticky, ever-popular Lavender Cocktail. What I wanted to highlight are two of my favorites that are currently featured on our spring/summer menu:




PDX
1.5 oz Bols Genever
1 oz grapefruit juice
.5 oz lavender/chamomile infused honey
Sparkling wine
Shake, strain into a chilled coupe. Top with sparkling wine




1022 Old Fashioned
2 oz Woodford Reserve
.25 oz simple syrup
3 dashes saffron/cardamom bitters
Wide swath of orange peel
Express orange oil into glass and drop peel in. Add remaining ingredients and the largest ice cube you can find. Stir. Drink.

Spring/summer menu 2011

For those that missed the party, here are the new menus. Suffice it to say, I am immensely proud of everyone for their hard work on these, especially Lauren who put together this food menu.

1022 Second Anniversary Press Release

For those of you who didn't see it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1022 South, Tacoma’s nationally acclaimed craft cocktail lounge, will celebrate its two year anniversary on Tuesday, March 29 with a debut party for the delicious new spring/summer menu featuring over 40 inventive, meticulously handcrafted cocktails and exciting new food options.

Tacoma, Washington, March 21, 2011

1022 South will throw a cocktail party to celebrate its two year anniversary and to debut the new spring/summer menu on Tuesday, March 29. Featuring over 40 cocktails, the new menu showcases 1022 South's commitment to seasonal and local ingredients, and passion for classic and apothecary-inspired cocktail construction. Look for the return of some favorite drinks from last spring. Complementing the new cocktails, the 1022 food menu will feature a variety of delectable new plates. The night of the party, all menu cocktails will be specially priced at $6.

Open since March 2009 in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, 1022 South crafts cocktails with a keen observance of the history and evolution of the mixed drink, and an appreciation that the distinction between bartender and apothecary was once only loosely made. 1022 pays homage to the history of bartending by featuring classic and often forgotten cocktails as well as by creating unique and original drinks. 1022 South cocktails include ingredients such as house made bitters, sodas, tonic and botanical infusions, and incorporate herbs such as kava kava, valerian, chamomile, damiana, jiaogulan, tulsi, and ginger.

Two examples of the new spring/summer drinks include:

· La Gitana, a mixture of sotol, sherry, lavender/chamomile infused honey, allspice dram, and housemade Hellfire tincture and

· the herbal Revolver featuring Haitian rum, masala chai, lemon, and maca/ginseng infused honey.

In addition to craft cocktails and apothecary infusions, the menu features a variety of delicious small plate items and includes vegetarian and vegan options such as the Panisse Salad:grilled asparagus, soft boiled egg, red onion, tomato, Blue Rose chevre, basil, and dressed greens, and the Flora Sandwich: marinated summer squash, apple, shaved fennel, Blue Rose chevre, fresh basil, red onion, roasted tomato jam, and aioli.

Expert bartenders look forward to sharing the new cocktails and enjoy an opportunity to experiment: let him or her know what you are in the mood for and they will do their best to accommodate. Questions are welcomed and a sense of humor and adventure are encouraged.

1022 South has been embraced and celebrated by the Tacoma community and received nation-wide accolades for their work. The staff at 1022 South is humbled and excited by the positive reception of their efforts. Jordan Michelman of the NY Times Magazine says “A none-too-precious diamond in the rough, 1022 is worth a stumble off the beaten path” and our Yelp reviews from satisfied customers are a constant source of inspiration:

• “Hands down the BEST cocktails I've ever had.”

• “A great place to go if you are in search of a well-made, creative, and adventurous

cocktail.”

• “It's one of the best bars I've been to not only in Tacoma, but anywhere!”

• “This place is a cocktail bar - they call it an "apothecary" - and they live up to their name

with a menu of creative, artfully crafted drinks.”



1022 South hours are Sun - Mon 4 -11pm, Tues - Wed 4pm - 12am, Thurs - Sat 4pm - 2am.

Happy hour: 4 - 8 everyday featuring $3 wells, $3 draft beers, and $4 glasses of wine.



Industry night Monday: service industry professionals get happy hour all night.

Wine night Tuesday: 1/2 off all bottles.

Ladies night Thursday: happy hour for ladies all night.



1022 South is located on South J Street, between S. 10th and 11th Avenue.

Phone: 253.627.8588.

Email: 1022south@gmail.com.

Website:www.1022south.com.

Blog: http://www.1022south.blogspot.com/

Yelp reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/1022-south-tacoma %20

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/1022South

Twitter: @1022South (http://twitter.com/#!/1022South)



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State of the Hilltop

Well, the last few months have been quite a ride. As many people know (and was noted here a couple of months ago), we were written up in the NY Times. It was a favorable write-up, many people saw it, and inspired a few local publications to do write-ups of their own. The result was that business essentially doubled over night. We did our best to accommodate the increased volume of business and for the most part our guests seemed to understand.

Naturally, there were a few changes. First, we've had to create waitlists on the weekends. We'd love to be able to serve everyone who comes in the door, but when we're out of seats we are at capacity and because of our size, we can't accommodate standing room. Most people seem to understand. Those that don't, well, sorry...

Now, here's the real point of this post: I've had a lot of regulars talk about how busy we are and most ask if business has slowed down yet or when is a good time to come to get a seat. Business has slowed done a lot, so much so that Sunday through Wednesday are more or less what they were before the new year. If people are out and looking for a well crafted drink on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, I'd recommend dropping by after 10pm. Most nights the bar is either empty or emptying out by 11pm. You can always call ahead and we'll let you know if we have seats available.

There you go. We're particularly excited to see so many new and enthusiastic faces and we're looking forward to seeing some of our old regulars again. Here are our specials during the week:

Monday: Industry Night – Service industry folks get happy hour all night.
Tuesday: Wine Night – All bottles of wine are ½ priced all night.
Thursday: Ladies Night! Ladies get happy hour all night.

Happy hour every day from 4 – 8

The Little Bar that Could

A couple of months ago I tried to get in on the Pappy Van Winkle action and bring a few bottles to Tacoma. The liquor stores in Seattle that had been promising to hold one for me for months seemingly forgot and the stores that I found bottles in refused to sell to me as those bottles were being sent to Seattle. I was angry and jealous. We work in a small (very small...) market and we have enough struggles without the state refusing to sell us product. I fumed for a couple days, but eventually let it go. A couple of weeks ago I was reading Imbibe magazine's profile of Boston bars and I commented to a colleague of mine that nobody talks about Tacoma. At best we are Seattle's ugly sister; at worst, we are forgotten or ignored entirely.

Big thanks to Jordan for this piece and mucho, mucho thanks to everyone who has been coming out for the last year and a half. I can't really express how much I appreciate our regulars who sat in the bar when it was 20 degrees and sipped G&T's while playing cribbage or the patience everyone demonstrated as we dialed in recipes or ran out of different items. Much love to everyone who has supported us and helped spread the word. Finally, thanks to everyone who's worked at the bar and had to deal with a moody boss who's constantly adding new product and techniques.

Happy New Year everyone!

2010 Fall/Winter Menu

Fall/Winter menu debut party

The press release:
1022 South, Tacoma's premiere craft cocktail lounge in the Hilltop neighborhood, will celebrate the debut of its Fall and Winter Cocktail Menu with a party, 6 pm on October 22, 2010. The new menu features nearly 40 delicious, innovative, and potentially curative handcrafted cocktails.

Tacoma, Washington, October 18, 2010

1022 South will throw a cocktail party to celebrate the debut of the new fall and winter menu, 6 pm on Friday, October 22. Featuring over 40 cocktails, the new menu showcases 1022 South's exploration and innovation, respect for classic cocktail construction, excitement for apothecary techniques, and commitment to showcasing seasonal ingredients. Also look for the return of some of your favorite seasonal drinks.

Two examples of the new drinks include: the Beatrice, a concoction of vodka, Amaro Averna Liqueur, lemon, and fig balsamic vinegar, and the herbal Echinacea Cocktail featuring echinacea and cayenne infused gin, lavender/chamomile infused honey, orange, and kava kava. In addition to craft cocktails and apothecary infusions, the menu features a variety of delicious small plate items and includes vegetarian and vegan options.

To celebrate, all menu cocktails will be specially priced at $6 the night of the party.

A cocktail lounge open since March 2009 in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, 1022 South creates and serves craft cocktails from quality ingredients. 1022 South is inspired by conscientious observance of the history and evolution of the mixed drink, and an acknowledgment that the distinction between bartender and apothecary was once only loosely made. 1022 South cocktails are made with a variety of housemade bitters and botanical infusions including herbs such as kava kava, valerian, chamomile, damiana, yohimbe, and ginger among others.

The highly-trained bartenders of 1022 South look forward to sharing the new cocktails and relish the opportunity to experiment: let them know what you are in the mood for and they will do their best to accommodate. As 1022 South incorporates many unconventional ingredients from botanicals and infusions, housemade sodas and tonic, to spirits, wines, and beers, questions are welcomed and humor and a sense of adventure are encouraged.

1022 South hours: Sun - Mon 4 -11pm, Tues - Wed 4pm - 12am, Thurs - Sat 4pm - 2am.
Happy hour: 4 – 8pm everyday featuring $3 wells, $3 draft beers, and $4 glasses of wine.

Industry Night Monday: happy hour all night to service industry professionals
Wine Night Tuesday: 1/2 off all bottles
Ladies Night Thursday: happy hour all night for ladies

See what people are saying about 1022 South:

follow us on twitter: @1022South http://twitter.com/#!/1022south

read our reviews on yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/1022-south-tacoma

1022 South is located on South J. Street, between S. 10th and 11th Avenue

253.627.8588. 1022south@gmail.com. www.1022south.com.

Mixology Monday: Limes!

Our Mixology Monday theme this month is limes chosen by our host Doug over at the Pegu blog. We missed last month's Brown, Bitter, and Stirred, but we weren't going to miss this month. There were a number of directions we could've went, but I thought it would be best if we stuck with the adage, "keep it simple, stupid." With that said, we will proceed with the tongue firmly planted in cheek.


Unnamed Kava Drink
1.5 oz rum (Cockspur, but really there's room to play)
.5 lime
.5 house falernum
.5 coconut cream
.5 kava kava tincture*
three dashes damiana/birch bitters
Finish with ginger beer



Or, because I always do two...
Kokovoko #2.1
1 oz kava kava tincture
.5 falernum
.5 lime
cayenne

*1/4 cup ground kava kava to 750 ml NGA. Let steep 48 hours, then double strain.

The first drink looks like a Kava Colada with a few aphrodisiacs for the ladies and the second is, well, a shot.

Mixology Monday

Alright, I missed last month's MXMO challenge, but lord knows I know how to make an obnoxiously difficult drink. Here's how this weeks host at McSology set the rules of engagement:

So my charge to you all is to document your (least) favorite drink that is the proverbial thorn in your side. It can be virtually anything stylistically- The point here is to have fun and share that little ticket item that throws you off your cleaning game 10 minutes before last call!

As usual, I have two entries. Sorry for the lack of pics. I'll try to get some up tomorrow.

Bloody Mary
2 oz horseradish infusion*
2 olives
1 cocktail onion
1 caper berry
pinch of Himalayan salt
pinch of celery salt
.5 oz vegetarian worcestershire sauce (try Amy's)
2 lemon wedges
.5 oz fire cider**
3 dashes of Sriracha
organic tomato juice
garnish: lemon wedge, olive, caper berry, pickled lotus root
Muddle lemon, olives, cocktail onion, caper berry together in mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients and ice, then shake and strain over fresh ice in pint glass. Add garnish, then smile.

So this one is obnoxious for a couple of reasons. First of which, it's a mess; it clogs up dump sinks and will make all of your bar tools smell like fire cider (this isn't a problem for those of you with a dishwasher...) Most of us don't have all of these ingredients in our mise, so we also have to dig all of this out of the coolers (which, again, is not a problem for those of you who don't bartend in a submarine...) Finally, what makes this such a hassle is the making of the following:

Horseradish infusion
1 large horseradish root
750 ml 151 proof neutral grain alcohol

Remove outside of root. Cut remaining into thin strips, then place in clean mason jar. Fill with NGA, then let rest for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, double strain, then add 1 cup of filtered water to bring proof down to around 120.

Fire Cider
1 large horseradish root
1/2 lbs ginger
2 cloves garlic (I use more for batches that are not for cocktails...)
1 lbs ginger
1/2 medium white onion
1 lbs turmeric root
3/4 gallon unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar
1 oz cayenne

Juice horseradish root, ginger and turmeric. Add juice and pulp to clean container. Roughly chop garlic and onion, then add to juiced mess. Add cayenne and apple cider vinegar, then let rest for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, double strain into clean container.

It's a lot of work for a cocktail that most people only drink when they're hungover. Still, it is really good.

Inappropriately Named Cocktail
2 oz bourbon
1 oz cold press coffee (Ethiopian Harrar from Valhalla)
.5 oz simple syrup
.5 oz Grand Marnier
.5 oz Stroh
Irish cream foam*

Rim brandy snifter with sugar. Pour in Stroh, light on fire, use fire to carmelize sugar rim, then extinguish flame. In mixing glass, combine bourbon, coffee, simple syrup, and Grand Marnier over ice, stir, then strain into snifter. Top with Irish cream foam. Smile.

Irish Cream Foam
1 oz Irish cream
.5 simple syrup
splash cream
egg white

Combine ingredients in mixing glass over ice then shake like hell until you have a barely-pourable foamy-cream. Have fun with that.

The second cocktail is very time consuming and well, kinda of tiring to make. You say shaking a cocktail shouldn't be tiring? It's not, but make one and you'll sell five.

God, I hate these cocktails, but they are so good...

More wine!

Several new changes have been made to the wine list here at 1022:

New by the glass- Domaine Sainte Eugénie “Le Clos”. The Estate lies within the Corbierres AOC in the south of France, bordering on the Pyrénées to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. Le Clos is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane and Grenache. From their website:

“Attractive raspberry red color with hints of garnet. Lively, complex nose of red and black fruits. Refined, even exotic, oak fragrance with hints of incense, spices (nutmeg, clove, ginger) anise, autumn woods and tobacco. Soft in the mouth with fresh, tangy acidity. Wonderful balance. Well-structured yet elegant, with fine tannins. Subtle nuances of toast, vanilla and roasted coffee beans. Multiple layers of flavor. Striking silkiness. Truly sensual.”

That’s pretty fair. I found it remarkably rich for the price, and I hope you all do as well. $7/gl, $28/btl.

Delas Cotes-du-Rhone is back! We are now offering this wine by the bottle only. We found that for our purposes as purveyors of all things delicious, it just didn’t last very long on the back bar (read: the wine ‘turned’ quickly). But at $28 a bottle, it’s still a great deal, and one of our favorite Rhone producers. From Robert Parker:

“The amazing Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit (75% Syrah and 25% Grenache) reveals a northern Rhone orientation, but it is loaded with spice and black fruits, and displays a beautiful opulent texture as well as a gorgeous finish with impressive purity… This great northern Rhone negociant, spearheaded by their brilliant oenologist and winemaker, Jacques Grange, has consistently made fabulous wines from the northern appellations, but only recently upgraded the quality of their southern Rhone selections. These are the finest southern Rhones they have made, and their Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit ranks alongside the offerings from Guigal and Chapoutier.”

That’s remarkably high accolades for such a modestly priced bottle. Still half off, every Tuesday.

We also have a (very) few bottles of Ridge’s 2006 Lytton Springs Zinfandel (CA) for $59/btl. These guys are serious nerds about winemaking, and have been since the 1970s. Though zinfandel is the predominant grape, Ridge is known for blending with other varietals for depth and finesse. From the website:

“Lytton Springs is home to 100 plus-year-old zinfandel vines interplanted with petite sirah, carignane, a small amount of mataro (mourvèdre), and grenache. For more than three decades the field blend from this site has produced the quintessential example of Dry Creek Valley zinfandel. Lytton Springs is a prime example of Ridge's commitment to championing Heritage varietals - varietals planted more than a century ago, and surviving in numerous locations. We honor the individual character of these vines by fermenting each variety and each lot separately using natural yeast fermentation, letting the wines undergo natural malolactic, and employing minimal egg white fining.”

I think we’re down to four bottles right now, and once they’re gone, that’s it! The winery released a great discount on the 2006 wholesale price, and we’ve passed that savings right along.

Stay tuned for more from Italy, in June. We’ve got exclusive picks from Small Vineyards headed our way . . .

Santé, Corey

1 year anniversary party

Here's the press release in case you haven't seen it everywhere else:

1022 South, a craft cocktail lounge in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, will celebrate its 1 year anniversary on Monday, March 29 with a party debuting the spring/summer menu featuring over 40 innovative, delicious, and, in some cases, curative handcrafted cocktails.

Tacoma, Washington, October 17, 2010

1022 South will throw a cocktail party to celebrate its one year anniversary and to debut the new spring menu on Monday, March 29. Featuring over 40 cocktails, the new menu showcases 1022 South's respect for classic cocktails, an enthusiasm for apothecary, and a few of the favorite cocktails from the original menu. In addition to craft cocktails and apothecary infusions, the menu will feature a variety of delicious small plate items. To celebrate, all menu cocktails will be specially priced at $6 the night of the party.

A cocktail lounge open since March 2009 in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, 1022 South creates craft cocktails from quality ingredients with a conscientious observance of the history and evolution of the mixed drink, and an acknowledgment that the distinction between bartender and apothecary was once only loosely made. 1022 South cocktails are made with a variety of housemade bitters and botanical infusions including herbs such as kava kava, valerian, chamomile, damiana, yohimbe, tulsi, and ginger among others.

The inventive, delicious, and potentially curative drinks at 1022 can address the stress of a long day, strengthen immune systems, or enhance an evening with aphrodesiacs. Highly-trained bartenders look forward to sharing the new cocktails and relish the opportunity to experiment: let him or her know what you are in the mood for and they will  do their best to accommodate. As 1022 South incorporates many unconventional ingredients from botanicals and infusions, housemade sodas and tonic, to spirits, wines, and beers, questions are welcomed and humor and a sense of adventure are encouraged.
 
1022 South hours are Sun - Mon 4 -11pm, Tues - Wed 4pm - 12am, Thurs - Sat 4pm - 2am.
Happy hour: 4 - 8 everyday featuring $3 wells, $3 draft beers, and $4 glasses of wine.
Nightly specials for $6

Industry night Monday: service industry professionals get happy hour all night.
Wine night Tuesday: 1/2 off all bottles.
Ladies night Thursday: happy hour for ladies all night.

1022 South is located on South J. Street, between S. 10th and 11th Avenue. 253.627.8588. www.1022south.com.

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MXMO: Absinthe

Alright everyone, here's our second foray into the MXMO madness. Yeah, I know we didn't do anything right last time...I think I get the rules now. Or maybe not...

Here is what our host Sonja has to say about absinthe:
"The topic for February is Absinthe. That much maligned, misunderstood, mistreated spirit, suddenly plentiful again in the US and other parts of the world. Absinthe played a role, whether large or small, in a variety of great cocktails from the 1800’s and early 1900’s – the Sazerac, Absinthe Suissesse, Corpse Reviver No. 2… I’m getting thirsty. So let’s celebrate absinthe’s history, and it’s future, with all manner of cocktails using absinthe."

Before I get too far into this, I want to say that a couple of us at 1022 love absinthe. So, there's was lots of fussing around with recipes (some good, some bad, all forgotten)before we came to, well, the deadline. I also want to say, thank you to all the space monkeys. Some of you burned up in the stratosphere, some of you have sailed off into the heavens; either way, I salute your courage. And, with no further ado, here's what we have to contribute:


HR 1022
2 oz bourbon
.5 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
.5 Dolin Italian vermouth
barspoon of lapsong souchong syrup*
barspoon of Pacifique absinthe

Shake, then strain into chilled coupe. While I have never had it, this drink was nevertheless inspired by Tavern Law's Gun Club.

I feel like this next one needs a bit of explanation. We like to do shots at the bar, so we gussy them up, self-deprecatingly call them amuse-booze (actually, we're being quite glib), or whatever. Still, at times we like a cold beer and a shot of hooch to go straight into our faces. With that in mind, inspired by the latest issue of Imbibe, here we go:

Devil's Handshake
1/3 Fernet Branca
1/3 Pacifique absinthe
1/3 raw ginger syrup

This was a fun one. I wish I had written down the recipe for sazerac with the honey/absinthe foam. I guess that's for another time...

*1 oz lapsong tea in 2 cups boiling water, 2 cups sugar. Stir and let rest until it is mas o menos room temp, then double strain.

1022 South

February Happy Hour Menu

I know I'm very late posting this. Sorry everyone. And yeah, that's a cosmo on the menu.

www.1022South.com

1022's website

It's taken a bit and it's not quite finished yet, but here it is. I'm going to use the FB and the blog to keep people updated on whatever nonsense we are working on (caviar, honey/jasmine/absinthe foam, etc.)

1022 South

Nothing is sacred

There's not really any way to pretty this up, so I'll dispense with the lisptick and get straight to the pig. There are a few of us in this lonely outpost between Seattle and Portland (Tacoma) who like being bartenders and who consider it a respectable trade. We are not working our way through college or biding our time until something better comes along. We are not in touring bands (at least anymore) and in need of that temporary employment granted by the bulk of restaurant work. We consider ourselves professionals, craftsmen, or whatever. But, like someone else said elsewhere, don't call us mixologists.

We love serving great beers, wines, and carefully crafted cocktails. We love facilitating peoples experiences, being raconteurs and performance artists. All of this being said, for the most part we don't drink cocktails, we drink beers and shots. I spend enough time drinking cocktails as we R&D new menus, when I'm checking out new bars and watching colleagues work, that I don't tend to mix things up too much. I've covered this elsewhere when I've written about shifters, so I'll get to what I'm here to do: Let's talk about shots, baby.

Here is a not-comprehensive list of shots that we enjoy.
1. Bourbon w/float of Tuaca
2. Bourbon w/float of raw ginger syrup
3. Equal parts yellow Chartreuse and Nassau Royale
4. Equal parts Linie Aquavit and Liquore Strega
5. Equal parts pastis and earl-grey infusion
6. Equal parts Sriracha and vodka (or bourbon or whatever...)
7. Kokovoko - 2/3 kava kava infusion (1 cup kava kava root steeped in 750 ml NGA), 1/3 raw ginger syrup, top with cayenne
8. 1/3 el Jimador, 1/3 kava kava infusion, 1/3 Aperol
9. Equal parts Fernet Branca and Becherovka
10. Stroh

Some are sweet, some are bitter, some are just awful (but that doesn't stop us from doing them every camping trip...) More than likely, if you find us on your side of the rail with a bucket of beer or a tallboy of some domestic swill, then we are probably just sipping on whiskey, Zwack, or pastis/absinthe. Consider yourself warned if we buy you a birthday shot, however.


1022 South

Our first foray into MXMO

Ok, so this is our virgin endeavor here, so bear with us. Here's the explanation from Cocktail Virgin(?):
"Tea has played a historical role in cocktails for centuries. Perhaps the best documented early example was its inclusion in punches as part of the spice role to round out the spirit, sugar, water, and citrus line up. Later, teas appear in many recipes such as Boston Grog, English Cobbler, and a variety of Hot Toddies. And present day mixologists are utilizing tea flavors with great success including Audrey Saunder's Earl Grey MarTEAni and LUPEC Boston's Flapper Jane. Now it's our turn to honor this glorious cocktail ingredient!"


First, we have a riff on a pretty common cocktail, the Blueberry Tea, which we'll call the Blue Monday.
.75 Earl Grey infusion*
.75 Lazzaroni amaretto
.75 Grand Marnier
.5 lemon juice
.5 honey syrup**
1 egg white
Shake and strain into a cocktail glass or something of the sort.

*1 cup of earl grey in NGA for 24 hours. Double strain.
**1:1 honey and boiling water.

And one more:
Hilltop Pearl
1 jasmine pearl infused viognier*
1 vodka (yeah, so what?)
.5 honey syrup
.5 lemon juice
Float with dry sparkling wine
Shake and strain into a brandy snifter. Float with dry sparkling wine.

*1 cup jasmine pearl tea in 750 ml viognier. Steep over night in cooler, then double strain and keep refrigerated.

Sorry for the bad pics...

1022 South