Robert Heugel

The list - this is the best thing I've ever been part of behind a bar. I definitely think that one of the fun things about this list is that it is gaining attention among mixologists about their favorite cocktails and what should and shouldn't be on a list. BUT, that's not what this list was for. We can certainly have this discussion, and I will thoroughly enjoy the conversation, but this list has less to do with all of us and more to do with people who are new to classically prepared cocktails. I don't bartend in NYC, San Fran, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Boston, or anywhere else with more than two options for well-made cocktails. I bartend in Houston, Texas, and there are two places in this city that make serious drinks, our bar Anvil, and Beavers where we introduced classics to Houston and others continue that tradition today. Unlike other cities, there was no cocktail revival in restaurants before developing a bar scene, and this environment means that to most Houstonians, classically-made cocktails are somewhat of an uncommon experience. Houston more than any other city I have worked in or visited has a bar scene that focuses on speed, not quality, and southern traditions that are difficult to break. Don't get me wrong; I love Houston and there may not be another city on the planet this large with such a friendly, comfortable personality. But, recently, I tried to name as many bars as I could in an evening that had been open more than 30 years - I came up with three...in the country's fourth largest city. Sure, there probably are more, but my point is that Houston drinking traditions have less to do with places, bartenders, and recipes than anywhere else I know. But I could really care less, there is no other city I would rather live in and no other people I would rather have sitting across from my bar. However, this means that making classic cocktails may encounter more resistance than in other cities. This undoubtedly has its ups and downs as a business owner, yet the best way to overcome these challenges is to share our passion for cocktails with others. I have been writing the blog Drink Dogma for over three years now and trying to build a market for classics in Houston for about the same amount of time. The list is the next step in an effort to be educational about cocktails and make them well. Sure, we could all choose some we would like to see and others we would like to keep, but for us, this list was about giving people who might be new to cocktails a walk-through that would give them an appreciation and historical perspective on a decent drink. The list has drinks that seem similar to show people how the smallest change in cocktails can impact the drink (i.e. the whiskey skin and the toddy). We intentionally chose to include some very similar drinks especially for this purpose. In some situations, we chose to leave drinks off of the list because we have house cocktails that are similar to or derived from these classics, for example our Border Strom kept the Dark N' Stormy off the list. In other places, we chose to leave drinks off because we collectively hate the way they taste that much - like the Bronx - you've got a Satan's Whiskers on there which is a much better variation. Other times, we just happen to like some cocktails that may not be popular with everyone, like the Dulchin. The point though is that this is how our bar has chosen to go about educating people about cocktails. It shares our perspective on drinks with guests to our bars and was never intended to be a online list about the best 100 cocktails ever. If this was the goal of the list, it would definitely be different. I hope this doesn't discourage these types of discussions; I think they are a lot of fun and would like for them to continue and be a part of them. I do however think that people should be aware of what the purpose of this list is and keep that in context at all times. The list is getting so much attention that I can't tell you the last time that I was asked to make a cosmo; people come in and explore the list for several minutes before carefully choosing or asking for a recommendation. Anvil was not designed to be a speakeasy; it was supposed to be an accessible bar for Houstonians searching for a well-made cocktail. The list is playing a huge part in this effort, and as a huge fan of this approach to bartending, I can't say I've ever been happier making drinks.

← Thanks for the reply. I just had a friend acquire some oude Bols Genever too from someone who recently visited your neck of the woods. So time to do the taste test and compare them, after I track down some of the new US stuff. I wish I had known he was going because I would have sent him your way. I know it will be my first stop if I get there at some point.

Anybody know if the bottle from the link below is of the same recipe as most recent Bols release? We can't get the new Bols here, but there are some dusty bottles to be found from when it was last available in the States (all I've seen look like the one in the link). I tried to find information on this bottling online, but I couldn't even find another pick with a green bottle, only the familiar old brown versions. I'm sure this bottle is pretty standard, but they are very uncommon down here, so I wouldn't know how this bottle compares to the recent release. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/320603..._f13606a072.jpg I tried to upload the pic to egullet but I only got an error...so the link should work for this purpose.

I don't have a "house" bourbon at my house, but at work we pour the 8 year old Jim Beam, which I like quite a bit. My go-to rye is the Wild Turke, Rittenhouse BIB not being available in Texas. For that matter, Carpano antica isn't either, but I find Cinzano and Martini & Rossi more than adequate for everyday use. For white rum, definitely the Flor de Cana 4 year for me and lately I've been getting a good deal on the Hardy VS cognac, but otherwise I like Martell. I think dark rums vary so much that it's hard to put out one that works well in all, or even most, situations, but Appleton Extra is very good, and a go-to for me for punches and the like. ← Andy, any idea why we can get the Rittenhouse 21 here in Texas, but the BIB is unavailable?

Robert, I wouldn't be so quick to impute nefarious practices to Campari just yet. First of all, Gruppo Campari doesn't "owe" responses to random emails from bloggers and internet forum participants (which, for all intents and purposes, describes almost all of us). Second, although the differences in taste seem quite clear, it is far from conclusive that Campari changed its formula. ← Just to clarify, I am not saying that Campari has really done anything wrong here. I think that if I were interested in the well-being of Gruppo Campari more than the taste of the Italian aperitif, I would likely find myself making similar decisions. If anything, it is a shame that more people don't appreciate Campari resulting in a situation where change would be accepted by the public and become a viable option for the company. So, I don't think they have done anything wrong by any means, but I do think the uncertainty associated with possible changes is disturbing for those of us who enjoy spirits and cocktails because we never know when changes do take place, and may remain uniformed thereafter. Again, this isn't a wrongful act, but it is concerning from my point of view, and I think that a few actions could (even if they are minimal impacts) help us to avoid these types of situations to some degree or educate one another. I also don't think that Campari "owes" it to anyone to respond; I was just hoping, like I said, that they would feel "compelled" to do so if they read the thread and received a few e-mails. I just thought that instead of supposing about changes, I would see if they would respond if I put some effort into it. I hope I didn't come off all anti-Campari previously on here. I was kind of just trying to describe why the situation concerns me personally and the e-mail I was hoping would shine some light on the situation. I did receive an e-mail from Campari today, but it doesn't say much - "Dear Robert, Yes as of 2007 Campari now has artificial coloring to give it that bold red color. Carmine is starting to run out so we need to use something else. Cheers! " It does, however, introduce another possibility I don't remember if anyone brought up. Is there a short supply of carmine in the world? Maybe this is why a change was necessary. Kind of a short e-mail; I guess they don't think they owe it to anyone either, lol. And, I certainly wouldn't describe this response as very compelled. Oh well, I gave it a shot.

No reply from Campari today. I am going to give them a few more days and then send them a link to this thread; maybe they will see the conversation and feel compelled to contribute something by responding to my e-mails. As Tiare pointed out, this issue concerns me not only because it might be screwing up one of my favorite spirits, but more importantly, the way that the changes appear to have been conducted demonstrate how more companies might attempt to alter recipes without informing the public. If this continues, the subtle threat to our favorite cocktails and spirits grows more concerning. Ok, I think that was a tad too dramatic...but seriously this sucks.

I sent an e-mail to the company last night detailing the discussion here. We'll see what they say. I'm betting on a generic reply, but we will see...

Thanks, I was able to get a friend working in California last fall to pick me up a couple of bottles, but since then it's caused quite a sensation at work when I took it up there one day and let people try it. I still haven't gotten around to playing with it in cocktails much, but my boss will be tickled to know it's available now. Is Glazer, in fact, the distributor? -Andy ← That's funny; I actually had a friend out there buy me a bottle the day before I actually found it at Spec's. Oh well. I can't say for sure right now if Glazer is the distributor because we just bought it retail from spec's and had them tag it, but for some reason, sitting on my couch at home right now, that sounds right. Good luck with this week's search.

Andy, I finally got St. Germain at the bar today. Apparently, it finally got Texas approval. You should be able to get through your rep, or assuming they don't get back to you as soon as you want it, you might be able to head to Spec's. I got some there today, but the Spec's downtown in Houston has a wider selection than anywhere. Either way, it is in your reach!

I think Andy is dead on. But, also, if you are asking for a way to think about bitters in relation to cocktails, you might want to think of them as the "seasoning" for drinks. For example, you might use salt, pepper, or something else in a dish because it helps to make the dish less bland or merge two ingredients together. Bitters serve the same function in drinks and are used generally in similar amounts. Too much and you can ruin a drink; leave them out and the flavors are less prominent, complex, and cohesive. Anyway, that's kind of how you can think about them. It's not a technical response, but I do think it is a good way to use bitters in cocktails.

Oh, I downsized the recipe -- considering the look my wife gave me when I proposed the idea, and the general squeamishness of the extended family, it sounds like I'm drinking this myself -- so I'm only gambling about a cup of bourbon, plus an ounce or two of rum and cognac. Plus, y'know, my health. ← 3 weeks later...Cocktail Chronicles goes quite. I pass on the aged egg nog. Haha, j/k; you are all braver than me, please make sure to keep us posted.

After practically writing a novel on eggs in cocktails last night, my opinion is that this isn't a good idea. I am sure that somebody has done this and not gotten sick, but I've seen people live through a bunch of stupid stuff thanks to reality tv. Eggs maintain their integrity because of their concealed environment, which once broken allows for the quick deterioration of the egg. Even with the high-proof liquor, I would expect this to end badly for a couple of reasons. Eggs are not like fruit, they contain high levels of protein that cannot be preserved by the addition of alcohol; formaldehyde yes, but not rum. I might be wrong about that because I am about as far from a scientist as you can get, but I think the distinction s noteworthy. Second, unless the eggs are going to just be dropped into the nog, once agitated the egg's proteins begin to regroup near air, creating the egg foam we see on drinks such as the pisco sour. The same will occur in egg nog, though the foam may not be as developed without the extreme shaking. Either way, the egg will rise to the surface, which in my opinion is just beginning for bacteria growth. True, the egg does function as an emulsifier, but the proteins also tend to gravitate to the surface when agitated. As you can tell from my blog, I love eggs, but even this seems to be a bit too extreme for me. I am sure that someone has figured out how to make this work, as we do have advocaat, but I wouldn't try and imitate them in a million years. Just my thoughts, though I am unsure how accurate they are.

I have met several people from eGullet at the bar recently and just want to thank everyone for coming in and introducing themselves. It has been a lot of fun meeting people who are enthusiastic about food and drinks and open to creativity. It has made my job a joy and, I think been a nice way to get to know people on here. Humorously, some eGullet members have been running to each other, which I thought was kind of cool as well. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their support and the positive comments received thus far. Hopefully, the experience has been as enjoyable for you as it has been for me. For those of you who haven't been in yet, please introduce yourself to me at the bar if you choose to come in.

It is not an order at counter place; it has servers who really try to be an asset to the experience. In other words, they strive to be guides and helpful as opposed to people who just bring out food and keep drinks full before collecting on the check. As far as the cocktail goes, I think that anyone who comes to the bar at Beavers will be very surprised by the quality products on the shelves and the available beer. You can just get stuff here that you can't get anywhere else, and we really make a great drink. The "odd marriage" that you referred to between the cocktail and bbq maybe indeed be strange, but to be honest, I don't know any place that effectively uses cocktails to balance their food anywhere. I could certainly do so if you were so interested at our bar, but in that light, I think it becomes more evident why a good drink would go with our place. Cocktails are viewed (by most) as a casual and celebratory activity, which would indeed go well with the fun atmosphere of Beaver's. The food is great and very high quality, but we still serve it in baskets. We just want everyone to feel comfortable and be able to get a quality product at all levels: food and drink. I really like the idea of upscale cocktail bars and am going to open one in Houston one day, but the opportunity was available at Beavers to work with great products and co-workers, so I feel like doing so in a casual concept works well too. Our bar is great for those who wish to seek this out or stumble upon it when coming in for the food. Even if the concept of bbq and cocktails doesn't work in your mind, ask this: why not? I mean if a place has great food (in any varietal), why not do everything right and have great drinks as well? This is how I thought about it, and I can make you that drink whenever you are ready.

Just to let everyone know, Beavers is open to the public as of today. I am not sure if you had the wrong location or went before we opened, but we opened today at 5:00 and had a very successful opening day. Perhaps, you went for lunch. We are not doing lunches currently, and not being in charge of those decisions in any way, don't know if we will or plan to in the future. I might try and find out for everyone, but as of now we open at 5:00PM seven nights a week. Please come in and see us and introduce yourself to me at the bar (ask for Bobby). I really think you will enjoy yourself and have some great food. By the way, our address is : 2310 Decatur Houston, TX 77007 I found Mapquest directions to be confusing (maybe I am navigationally challenged) when I was first trying to get there back when. Take Washington to Sawyer, and go South, two blocks and you cant miss it. If coming from Studemont, which is what Montrose turns into right after Buffalo Bayou, go east on Washington and Sawyer is just a few blocks down. Area landmarks include the Pig Stand and Sunbeam Bread Factory.