A little over two years ago, I enlisted a good friend to help with a client research project. The goal was to get a real man’s take on the best bourbon cocktails in SF and have my client publish the findings. Said post was never published, but the brilliant wordsmith would shortly go on to become my business partner. I deem it worthy that it should live here, because The Cavalier Gentleman is more than me - it’s all of you. - A. Collazo, TCG
***NOTE: posted below as submitted sans editing
What Can Brown do for ME?
A burgeoning bourbonist’s spirit quest to see if there’s more to libation life than Manahattans and Old Fashioneds
Up until about 5 years ago, Bourbon had never been my “go-to” spirit. Maybe I’m a late bloomer but it wasn’t until I hit my 30’s where I began to develop a fondness for the brown liquor. I’m still admittedly a novice (I’m not a member of a Bourbon of the Month Club or anything...yet…..) but I can confidently claim a majority of the cocktails I order out and about in San Francisco are bourbon based. The problem is I tend to fall into the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix” trap and will generally tend to order my 2 favorites: Manhattans and/or Old Fashioneds.
However, I’ve lately come to realize that in a city with this much mixology craftsmanship at it’s fingertips, it would be a shame if I didn’t branch out to see if the grass is greener (err...browner?) on the other side of the bourbon fence. So I’ve taken on the task of exploring 5 uniquely different bourbon cocktails throughout San Francisco to determine if there’s more to bourbon than Manhattans and Old Fashions, and ultimately answer the question: “what can brown do for ME?”
So, here it is, some normal guy’s opinion on 5 unique San Francisco bourbon based-cocktails that AREN’T Manhattans or Old Fashioneds:
1. Whiskey Improved - Horsefeather
This is a modern take on the Old Fashioned….sorta. However it adds the throat burning, mind-bending (allegedly) goodness of absinthe, along with a maraschino liqueur called Luxardo (see picture for reference). My notes from the first sip were “savage diesel licorice chest warmies.” Translation: a much bolder experience upon first sip than one might expect, due both to the fact that not only are we partying with bourbon here but also the intensely bold Absinthe. Despite the smaller cubes to help diffuse the bite a bit, this thing still packed a heavy punch. Plus absinthe just carries that licorice burn, which does indeed burn oh soo good. However, as with most absinthe shots, I’m usually all set after 1. And that was pretty much the case after a couple sips of the Whiskey Improved. The bite never really settled down and I didn’t find myself truly enjoying sipping the beverage as I do with a traditional Old Fashioned. *Important disclaimer: this drink was NOT on the menu. I asked the barkeep to doctor me up something bourbon based that he would personally enjoy, and this is what i got. While fun and novel, I don’t think I’ll seek out this cocktail upon my next visit.
On the “likelihood to order this over a Manhattan or Old Fashioned” scale: 2 out of 5
2. Bourbon Revenge - Bar 821
A totally different direction than anything I’d considered before, this concoction consisted of Bourbon, raspberry syrup, fresh mint, fresh lemon, and Cynar. Now, my palate may have been a little influenced by the amaro tastings offered while we waited for our beverage (note: the folks at Bar 821 take care of their patrons!), but something about this mix of ingredients just didn’t quite hit the mark. Perhaps too many citrus cooks in the kitchen but it just felt like there was an unnatural, slightly forced attempt to be adventurous, and the bourbon component just wasn’t along for the ride. It felt like the bourbon and berry were combatting each other as opposed to complementing, so the name “Bourbon Revenge” actually seems pretty fitting. Perhaps if you’re the type that likes to mix chocolate and cherries, you might find this juxtaposition to be a bit more appetizing than I did. But for me it was just a bit too sweet, and therefore didn’t hit my sweet spot.
Likelihood of ordering this over a Manhattan or Old Fashioned: 1 out of 5
3. Country Lawyer - Park Tavern
The name initially evoked the mental image of a pleasantly plump, distinguished older gentleman fanning himself while rocking back in forth on a down south porch swing. All the while enjoying a cool and refreshing concoction of mint, ice, and of course Kentucky bourbon. So here I am thinking “mint julep” when in fact what I was presented with was more akin to an Old Fashioned (not mad!). This blend of Knob Creek Bourbon, Sfumato Amaro, vermouth and bitters was served neat and despite being about 85 degrees out (that ONE day in SF this year), I didn’t mind the lack of ice. It was even adorned with orange rind for good measure. My reaction: YEE HAW! This little treat had the perfect blend of all the right stuff; citrus, oak, a bit of licorice on the back flow. However, this is not a drink you’re going to slurp down in a hurry, or even drink en masse. This southern delight should be enjoyed in a slow, deliberate, thoughtful manner, much like the way a distinguished country lawyer might operate….
On the Hattan/Fashioned scale: 3 out of 5
4. The Steve McQueen - Madrone
Ummm...eeek. I’ve had good cocktails at this establishment before, and as I eyed the menu I thought to myself “this variation of a Manhattan could be dangerously delish.” Specifically we are talking Bulleit Bourbon, Punt e Mes, old fashioned bitters, and cherry, served stirred and up in a cocktail glass. I’m not sure if it was the influence of the extremely loud (and funky!) live band that caused that bartender to miss on the ratios but I can tell you this drink just tasted off. Definitely heavy on the punt e mes, and some liberal cherry influence as well. The result was very syrupy drink that was frankly a bit of a struggle to finish, which is a very rare scenario for your truly. But finish I did, for the sake of journalism of course ;-)
Result: I will never realistically order this drink over a traditional Manhattan or Old Fashioned.
5. Kentucky Spice - Harry’s Bar
The Kentucky Spice from Harry’s bar was comprised of Bourbon, lemon and…..wait for it….chili liquor! Also some ancho and sugar for good measure as well. This thing was about as far off the beaten Hattan and Old Fashioned path as you could get and let me tell you, it was F-U-N. I’m not a big spice guy....when asked how I like my bloody marys I’m normally a medium at best. So this was not an obvious choice for me, but for the sake of my journalistic integrity I felt compelled to give it a try (yes, yes, I’m such a martyr). The bourbon in this drink definitely takes a back seat. The first thing you really notice is the citrus tang of the lemon. Shortly thereafter the chili gets it’s hooks in you, and it isn’t until you really start to swallow where you actually taste the bourbon. Unlike the Bourbon Revenge from Bar 821 where it felt like the raspberry and bourbon were having a death match in my mouth to see who could win the favor my taste buds, all the components in here just went together perfectly. Presentation was fun; served in a tumbler with one single large ice cube and a cute little ancho chili for garnish. We only stayed for 1 drink (a man has many more drinks to investigate) but I could have easily seen myself ordering up another 1 or 2 of these to get my juices flowing.
DING DING: A winner here, 4 out of 5 on the Manhattan / Old Fashioned Scale!
Well, my journey to find out what, if anything, I was missing in my libation life was indeed eye-opening. I saw a different side of bourbon that I probably wouldn’t have been exposed to had I stayed mired in my usual cocktail comfort zone. There were a few drinks that I can confidently remove from my future order repertoire, and there were some others that just might nudge their way ahead of a Manhattan or Old Fashioned on future nights out. My palate has been exercised, my predispositions have been successfully challenged, and of course I got a nice buzz along the way! These are all the things that brown did for me, and I’d strongly recommend to anyone reading this that they undertake a similar “spirit quest” to see what can bourbon do for you!
Author Bio: Brad Evans is born and raised Bay Area native who has split his time across San Francisco and London over the past decade. Outside of his daily responsibilities for managing partnerships at a technology company, he spends his free time seeking out all that his native SF has to offer, both outdoors and in.
