Phew.  It was a legendary one, to say the least.
Many thanks to our Boston friends and the many sponsors who made this trip happen.

- Hotel accommodations at the beautiful Hotel Commonwealth (thanks Don Q!)
- A splendid happy hour and full dinner downstairs at Eastern Standard (thanks Jackson, James, & Bombay Sapphire Gin!)
- A spooktastic “Ghosts and Gravestones” trolley ride (thanks Pernod Absinthe!)
- Bartender Wars at The Ames Hotel (thanks Corey & “English” Bill, thanks Plymouth!)
- Punch at Drink (thanks Misty and John! thanks Charlotte and Hendrick’s!)
- shots and more cocktails at Citizen Public House (thanks Joy, thanks William Grant!)
- Lunch at Toro (thanks Kitty!, thanks Bacardi USA!)
- Private tour of Harpoon Distillery (thanks Joy & Harpoon!)

Here are the photos of Bartender Wars that were sent to me from photographer Melissa Ostrow at my request:

By law, Chile and Peru are the only countries allowed to produce Pisco—a  clear, grape-based spirit.  In both Peru & Chile, Pisco is distilled in single batches in copper pots.  However, in Chile, a column contraption is adapted in order to obtain Pisco at a high alcohol content on the second distillation.  In Peru, Pisco is distilled only once and then is rested for a minimum of three months in ceramic, plastic, or stainless tanks.  Most artisanal Piscos spend up to a year resting prior to being bottled.

In Peru, There are two distinct types of Pisco: Straight and Mosto Verde.  Straight Pisco is produced from distilling fully fermented grapes, while distilling partially fermented grapes yields a spirit referred to as Mosto Verde.  Both Straight Pisco and Mosto Verde can be Single Grape Aromatic, Single Grape Non-aromatic, or Alcholado (a blend of varietals.)

In Peru, the Consejo Regulador de Pisco (government regulatory body, CRP) has approved eight grape varietals (four aromatic and four non-aromatic) for use in the production of Pisco.  The four non-aromatic grapes are: Quebranta, Negra Corriente , Mollar, and Ubina .  The approved aromatic grapes are: Italia, Mustcatel, Torontel (or Torontes,) and Albilla.  The most popular, the Quebranta grape, is found in most Pisco.

Where did Pisco originate?

While there is definitely a controversy over whether Chile or Peru is responsible for the origins of this versatile spirit, it is important to mention that Pisco is a port city in Peru founded in 1640.  Most available historical accounts point to Peru as being responsible for the invention of Pisco, and it would seem that really the only serious claim that Chile has to the spirit is the fact that they produce much more of it than Peru—they are responsible for about 95 percent of the world’s Pisco production.

Although the majority of Pisco production occurs in Chile, the vast majority of artisan Pisco is produced in Peru.  The main reason for the difference: Chilean Pisco is mass-produced in column stills and diluted with water while Peruvian Pisco is small-batch produced in pot stills and distilled to bottle proof.

Why Pisco?

Because it is a neutral spirit, it is amazingly flexible as the base spirit for cocktails.  Being a type of brandy, most brandy cocktails can be made with Pisco as a viable substitute.  Tasting the Pisco used alongside the brandy that the original recipe calls for will provide a good idea of what modifications (if any) need to be made in the recipe.  Different spirits introduce unique flavor profiles to any cocktail, and simply substituting one spirit for another similar one may not always work.

It may come as a serious surprise to most people that as recent as forty years ago Pisco was one of the most popular spirits in the western United States.  Its disappearance from the market place was due primarily to the political arena in South America.  A Peruvian coup d’état in 1968 saw General Velasco seize power, and in an attempt to redistribute the wealth of the country, the government acquired and parceled out much of the land that was producing grapes used in Pisco production.

The inexperienced new landowners didn’t know how to properly operate the vineyards, causing yields to plummet, and cheaper, more readily available distillates were added as filler.   The obvious outcome was a much lower-quality end product, and the resulting reaction from the consumer was equally as predictable: few people chose to consume Pisco.

Even with over 230 artisan producers currently in Peru, only ten are being seriously exported at this time.  As more oenophiles and spirits enthusiasts start to see the complexities capable from this amazing distillate, certainly more variety will be available.  Just as with wine; terroir, grape varietal, agricultural practices, etc. all have an impact on the final product.  As the complexities of the grape are influenced by its treatment, so, too, are the complexities of the spirit.  With CRP involvement, artistic integrity, and consumer education, the future looks very promising for Pisco.

While tales of the Barbary Coast and legends of Duncan Nicols’ famous San Francisco Pisco Punch are now resting in the annals of history, as we all know, history repeats itself.  Pisco cocktails and punches are once again starting to be found on menus all over the country, and with the resurgence of classic cocktails and demand for high quality spirits rising, Pisco is poised to once again be a spirit held in high esteem.

Popular Pisco Cocktails

(all drinks with Pisco, of course)

Sour – egg white, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters.

Algarrobina – algarrobina syrup, cinnamon, egg yolk, and cream.

Canario – mandarin and lime juices, and pineapple syrup

Capitán – sweet vermouth.

Chilcano – lemon juice, and ginger ale.

Piscola – Coca-Cola.

Pisco Collins – lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda.

Serena Libre – papaya juice.

Sorpresa – Gin, Cointreau, Rum, raspberry juice, grenadine, a squeeze of lemon, and a splash of soda.

Click on image for story

Click on image for story

Marriage in the Woods

1 oz Brugal anejo

1 oz Apple juice

.5 oz BenRiach 15yr Rum cask

.5 oz BenRiach 15yr Sherry cask

.5 oz Hidalgo PX Sherry

.5 oz Lime juice

Drill some blocks of ice with a hole saw, sandwich an apple wheel with a heart cut out between two cylinders of ice from aforementioned hole saw, shake above ingredients over different cylinders, strain over cylinder and apple-wheel frozen glasses and serve.

Steve Olson (along with Andy Seymour, Leo DeGroff, Willy Shine, & Elayne Duke) presented an exclusive, trade-only Gin seminar, comparative tasting and cocktail clinic.  Walking attendees through the history of juniper spirits while dispelling some of the myths surrounding them, Olson engaged the audience and highlighted the category in so doing.  After the history lesson, he walked attendees through a blind tasting of the various styles of juniper spirits, tasting through six different spirits before unmasking what they were.

Tanqueray, Plymouth, Old Raj, Bols Genever, Ransom Old Tom, & Tanqueray Ten were unveiled, and each product represented their respective category fabulously.  An enormous selection of juniper spirits were available for tasting after the seminar, with over twenty different products to choose from.

A Tasting, Pairing Dinner, and Seminar

sponsored by:

Siembra Azul, Tequila Ocho & Stolzle Crystal

with

A Four Course Meal and Cocktail Pairings by:

John Pomeroy and Junior Merino

Hours and location: Sunday, May 16^th from 7-10pm at La Esquina sold out! and Monday, May 17th from 6-9pm at Mayahuel.

Number of tickets: 20 (LE)/30 (M)

Description of the event: Tequila Ocho (the first and only vintage tequila on the market) is teaming up with Siembra Azul (a leader in discussions of terroir in tequila and social justice in the agave fields) to put on a never-before-seen presentation on the relevance of terroir and social justice.

Siembra Azul will taste through its portfolio of tequilas, from Blanco to Reposado to Anejo.  Tequila Ocho will be presenting all available vintages from the ’08, ‘09 and ‘10 estates. The 2010 vintage will be available to taste for the first time in NYC at this event.

After a tasting and discussion of the products neat, there will be an interactive presentation on the relationship between terroir in tequila and the plight of the jimador.  Guests will learn about terroir in agave, as well as about how harvesting practices directly affect those who harvest it.

A four-course meal will be served after the presentation, with two cocktails each from Junior Merino for Siembra Azul and John Pomeroy of Tequila Ocho.  Guests will be presented a very special gift upon completion of the event.

Event organizers: John Pomeroy (jpomeroy@altmarbrands.com) and David Suro (siembraazul07@aol.com)

From left: Flying Dog "Raging Bitch" Belgian-style IPA, Kulmbacher Bavarian Pils, Erdinger Weissbrau Hefe-Weizen, Kulmbacher Monchshof Schwartz, Ballast Point "Victory at Sea" Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter, Nectar Ales "Black Xantus" Imperial Stout, & Saison de Pipaix Belgian Spiced Ale

Union Beer Distributors “The Taste of Great Brewers”

With over 600 beers from over 200 breweries spanning the globe–Belgium, Germany, England, United States, Japan, France, Scotland, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, Finland, and Spain–the floor plan for this event was a bit daunting.  Without some sort of attack plan, the brewers and their selections would all blend together like drinks in a slush bucket, so I devised a way to filter out some of the breweries.  As a cocktailian, my primary interests are spirits and cocktails, so I set out to find the breweries that were either distilling their beers or using barrels from spirits to finish them.  Upon entering the venue, the first feature was the Cask & Barrel-Aged Section, so I knew my method for filtering would prove successful.  My journey had begun.

The newest trend in the American craft beer scene is barrel-aging beer.  Often adding hints of smoky, vanilla, and oak flavors to the beer, this long-standing technique puts a twist on modern American brewing.  Cask ales or “real ales” are unfiltered, unpasteurized, and served without added pressure from a cask.  Combining unique and complex  flavors and a natural element, these ales are for those who appreciate quality and character in their beer.

Ballast Point “Victory at Sea” Imperial Porter (seasonal) was my first taste after sampling the barrel-aged beers at the entrance.  Finished in a whiskey barrel, there is definitely a beautiful, rounded taste to it.  Almost black with a creamy, frothy, tan-colored head, immediate smells of dark roasted brewed coffee and vanilla flood into the nose.  Those same aromas delight the palette, understating the validity of the name.  Full bodied and lightly carbonated, the flavors and mouthfeel dance together beautifully in the mouth, finishing nicely over a long period of time, with coffee and vanilla flavors lingering with whiskey undertones.  This beer is screaming to be paired with a nice genever in a cocktail… stay tuned for that!  Ballast Point makes a gin that might have to be used…

Nectar Ales‘ “Black Xantus” (limited release) Imperial Stout was at the table adjacent to the Ballast Point, and when I inquired as to other breweries that were doing spirit-cask finishing, I didn’t have to travel far.  Finished in bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill distillery and infused with fresh organic/fair-trade coffee, this beer is full of bourbon and espresso aromas, with flavors of chocolate and black cherry on the tongue.  Like the Ballast Point, the finish is long and seductive, with bourbon and espresso flavors lingering long after the flavors of chocolate and cherry are gone.  It’s 13% ABV is softened by time in barrels, and the cocktail geek in me just wants to marry it with some Heaven Hill bourbon, muddled bing cherries and liquified dark chocolate.  THAT’S sure to be an ass-kicker!

With the two big, dark beers safely in my belly, I set off to find a Hitachino Nest beer that I heard was finished in Shochu (distilled sake) casks. The XH (not pictured) strong Belgian-style brown ale is matured in Shochu barrels for three months after three weeks in stainless steel.  Amber colored with large white head (from its highly-carbonated bottle) it brings with it aromas of citrus, sour cherries, and lightly toasted oak.  Tastes of caramel, citrus, & sour fruits finish with an elegant, hoppy flavor that doesn’t linger long.  Another in a series of beautiful beers from Hitachino Nest.

The remaining beers in the picture were beers suggested by friends whom I ran into during the tasting.  As they are not spirits related, I am not going to review them in this post, but I plan to use them in cocktails, so stay tuned.  I’m especially excited about the amazing, grapefruity “Raging Bitch” (far left in the photo) from Flying Dog, a brewery that has consistently produced some of my favorite beers.  I see a grapefruit juice cocktail in my future… Raging Bitch Fizz anyone?