KD1191

I'm shocked, SHOCKED to find there is Cuban rum in that bar.

Not true, in my experience. I went there on a crummy Thursday a couple of months ago, and arrived around 1:00. I waited around 100 minutes (yes, one hour forty minutes) to be served. When I left around 3:00, I noticed that the line was significantly longer than when I arrived, and looked like a two-hour wait. Based on the reports above and the semi-daily postings of wait times on Twitter and Facebook, I believe what you experienced would be an aberration these days, far from the norm...they are always busier during the summer, but I've noticed a greater than normal drop-off this fall. It seems like some of the cultish following may be settling down, despite recent reports. ETA: Hard to believe anyone would be getting/standing in a hour+ line at 3 PM, as the place closes at 4...but I guess it's possible you happened upon a bus load of tourists.

Do people really prefer stepping away from their computer to run down to the liquor store to buy a bottle of booze? I thought people across the World were getting lazier by the day, and that internet shopping was the future. Lazier, maybe, but also far less patient. Delayed gratification is not a concept with a particularly large audience these days. It's far easier/quicker to drop into the shop than to register at another online retailer of questionable repute, pay for shipping (assuming the retailer can ship to your state, the laws are varied and ridiculous), wait a week and hope that the shipment doesn't get snatched off the stoop...or even worse, have to arrange for someone to be home or make a special trip to the shipper's warehouse, because someone 21+ has to physically sign for the package containing alcohol.

Recently added a few more ryes to my bar: the 2010 Thomas Handy, the Van Winkle Family Reserve & Russell's Reserve. The Handy (6.25 years - 63.45% abv) is the spiciest (ryeiest?) rye I've tasted in recent memory. Very drinkable with just a touch of water, but it pulls no punches. Seriously like biting into a hunk of the strongest rye bread. Can't wait to try this in a Sazerac and Old Fashioned. The Van Winkle (13 years - 47.8% abv) is a tough one to judge. It doesn't have the strength or depth of character of the Handy or even Rittenhouse. It's sippable straight, but not entirely pleasant...a bit woody. Has 13 years simply mellowed this too much? Or, was it ever really that spicy to begin with at only 51% rye in the mash? I'm inclined to give it a go in some classics, a Manhattan with CA or PeM, maybe? But, I wonder if it isn't going to mix more like bourbon. The Russell's Reserve (6 years - 45% abv) was a pleasant surprise. We only stopped at the Wild Turkey distillery to pick up a few things for my wife's father, but Jimmy Russell is an extremely affable man and talked me into a bottle. It's eerily similar to the Sazerac 6 year, in my opinion. Perfectly mixable, if a bit expensive (my general opinion of the Saz 6 as well), but I guess with Rittenhouse and Wild Turkey 101 rye supply problems cropping up ever more frequently, the days of cheap, superb mixing rye may be coming to an end.

The Bittercube guys are great, and their products are top notch. In fact, theirs are the best orange bitters I've tried, and the Bolivar are frequently subbed in for Angostura at my house. They've made a few limited editions that knock my socks off...a Lemon Tree variety for spring/summer this year and a Mole-like preparation for Milwaukee's Cafe Corazón that I can't get enough of. We've no business affiliation, but they are good friends.

I literally just ate lunch at Hot Doug's. Got there around 11:15a. There was one party in front of me when I arrived and the counter was empty when I left, maybe about 30 minutes ago. However, I’ve got to admit this is unusual, but it was damn nice to just walk in, order, and have my sausages in less than 10 minutes. That's actually pretty much par for the course once the weather turns a bit dreary. I think nsxtasy's description is pretty much only true on warm/sunny days and Saturdays. I pick my spots based on the weather, but I'm frequently able to drive to Hot Doug's, wait in line, eat and get back to work in 60-75 minutes...from Streeterville.

The various Antique Collection bottlings ranged from $69 - $75 at the several stores I visited in Kentucky. I'm pretty sure the Stagg was acquired at the lower end of that range...though I got it more or less by chance. The proprietress of the store had to "check in the back" and came out with a bottle she said had been put aside for someone who had not come to claim it. It's worth noting that I did not see the Sazerac 18 or Eagle Rare 17 anywhere...store personal mentioned selling out before they could even get the boxes unloaded onto the shelves. However, Thomas Handy Rye was plentiful most places. The one store where I found William Larue Weller had a decent stock of it, but I'm glad I picked it up there, because I did not see it again on the trip. All of this was within 1-3 days of the product being released locally...so, plan accordingly.

The 2010 George T. Stagg (diluted 2:1 with water...straight out of the bottle, it's 143 proof even)...one of the most beautiful things I've ever tasted. Tobacco & leather one moment, lavender the next. Caramel and vanilla, of course. Entirely worth the 5-hour drive to Frankfort and scouring of a half-dozen liquor stores.

Completely agreed...those who are generally most frustrated either don't entirely understand the system or are bringing their own beliefs about how the reservation making process should work to bear on the place. If they would simply do away with the voicemail, I bet there would be many fewer frustrated with Schwa, which is rather counter-intuitive. Thinking of the voicemail as being on the waitlist, I guess, could help folks. That said, if you call every day between lunch and dinner, you'll have a reservation much more quickly than you ever could at many other places.

If you truly care about the chance to eat amazing food prepared by a master of his craft, yes. Undoubtedly, yes. If you worry about having your perfect Saturday thrown into a tizzy because the help couldn't be responsible with their reservation book, then no, don't bother. I don't begrudge people not wanting to eat at Schwa, honestly, I don't...more mind-blowing courses for me, served by some of the most affable people I've ever met. I just hope they're seeing the whole picture.

The macaron are superb. I don't think you'll be disappointed...this is a regular after-work spot for my wife and I. The bartenders really know their stuff, and the food has always been quite good. I had this conversation with another visitor recently, and I'm sorry to know that others see this as "rudeness"... I can't defend Schwa, if you're hurt that they did not acknowledge your attempts to contact them. I long ago gave up on the misconception that leaving a message of any sort there entitled me to anything. If I don't speak to a live human being on the phone, I just try again later. All I can really say is that we tolerate certain behaviors of geniuses, of which I consider Carlson one, that we would not accept in others...and what I probably wouldn't put up with to eat anywhere else, I for some reason completely accept for Schwa. ETA: The comparison to Alinea is inapt...Alinea employs a team of receptionists. Schwa is a different beast, entirely.

Everest is terrific, but I didn't find it exceptionally memorable. If you have a soft spot for Alsatian cuisine and wines, then certainly it's worthwhile, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way to return. (ETA: Since you mention it, it's worth noting that Brasserie Jo has closed and the space is being reworked into a "funky neighborhood French restaurant and bar" by the same folks.) The Publican has been my favorite restaurant in the city for some time. The food and beer are both impeccable. The ambiance is more German beer hall than gastronomic temple, but that doesn't bother me in the least. That said, I'm an unabashed Kahan booster, count Avec and Big Star among my favorites as well. Have not visited either, but have heard all the same good things about Girl & the Goat and generally middling reviews of Blue 13. If you're in the mood for something sort of like Sweets & Savories, but want to branch out, try The Bristol or Purple Pig. As the wild card, I'll throw out Schwa. If you can get past the voicemail (don't bother leaving a message, just try back later) and the potential for loud music, dinner just might be the best bang for your buck anywhere. Someplace I haven't been in awhile, but which has always been near the top of my list, is Topolobampo. Currently on Opentable they have availability for lunch on the days before and after Thanksgiving...

Grant is a chef, one of the best, but he's not a cocktail expert or even a bartender. He's awful good at getting press, though. And, he's bringing a ton of enthusiasm and a powerful brand to this concept. That said, there are a lot more knowledgeable folks involved, who (even if they'd never say it) probably had the same reaction as you to that piece, Erik.

What part of California? Check the websites of larger stores in the area. For example, K&L (by all appearances) keeps their website updated with their inventory across their various locations, so you'd have a pretty good idea if the store had what you were looking for before you asked someone to make the trip. If inventory isn't listed on line for other stores, call or e-mail ahead. I'd venture that Rittenhouse will be a less than likely proposition given the current shortage out west...Wild Turkey would be my second choice in the same general price range. Sazerac 6 year appears to be in stock at K&L, which is a pretty good option, too.

That's NOT an Old Fashioned...it's a FREE MAN. Sorry, couldn't resist. That actually sounds delicious.

I just made some of this the other day...it is delicious, evocative of molasses (naturally). I've only tried it with Rhum Agricole so far, but the vibe I get is pretty different from the agave syrup that I've had. Your mileage may vary, as there appears to be significant variability between brands of panela/piloncillo, at least from appearance on the shelf.

Yes, there's a Hellfire Bitters recipe in Baker...though as with most of Baker, the recipe could be clearer. Here's an adaptation. I'll add that the "rules" might come off a bit snooty, but for the most part they have their reasons. They can't make a Cosmo because they don't have cranberry juice. They don't have cranberry juice because they refuse to use juice they can't produce on-site.

Why not kill two birds with one stone and call it a Chiapas Cock-tail? It would drive home the point you're trying to make while not wrinkling the noses of the Old-Fashioned police.

They're back.

Far more reasonably stated than I ever could... While I would continue to disagree with any attempts to redefine this cocktail, this is what I've been trying to say all along.

Jeremiah Weed or Firefly?

Why can't you? There are Old-Fashioned Cocktail variants available in bars across the World . It's a bit silly to say my argument breaks down considering yours is based around what you get when you walk into a bar and order an Old Fashioned. Any one of us could walk into fifty different bars in Scotland, England, the US, Germany and France, order an Old-Fashioned in each and never be given the same drink twice. Because while there are millions of ways to make the old-fashioned within the actual confines of the four ingredients of the drink, Cherry Heering doesn't enter into any of them (in the minds of anyone but yourself, as far as I can tell). I've ordered cocktails in all the countries you mention, not to mention Ireland, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan...never have I seen anything close to the drink I mentioned above referenced as an old-fashioned. The mind should recoil... I am not opposed to using anything, it is you who is saying that it is not an Old-Fashioned Cocktail when the fact of the matter tells you otherwise. No, I don't...in fact, I love rum, tequila and genever old-fashioneds. You haven't pointed out anything except the fact that you disagree, against all evidence to the contrary, that the definition of an old fashioned precludes the inclusion of ingredients beyond those that define the drink. It's in its very nature to preclude gilding. The only "fact of the matter" I can see is that you're the only person here who seems to think that it would be perfectly reasonable for a bartender to serve you an Fancy Cock-tail or something even more outlandish when you order an Old-Fashioned. When I admit there are countless variations of the drink, I hardly consider it "strict"...the fact that I'm trying to apply ANY definition, appears to be what's concerning you. Tea doesn't enter into it...get back to me when there's such abuse to the traditional means of tea preparation that people who enjoy it are forced to start calling it something else to specifically refer to the traditional manner of preparation, then we can talk about tea. But, needless to say, if I requested tea, I wouldn't abide receiving lemonade.

Except you can't walk into any bar on earth and get Gin*/Cherry Heering*/Ginger Syrup** & Peychaud's*** stirred with ice**** by ordering an Old Fashioned. So, what's the worth in grasping at straws to call it one after the fact? At some point your argument breaks down. There is a limited amount of customization that this cock-tail (in particular) will take...because there are definitions and a lexicon that developed to discuss the various types of adulterations that the cock-tail underwent, as Dave's post above elucidates. A perfectly good name exists for your old-fashioned + curacao, I don't know why you're so opposed to using it.

Discussions require a purpose? Oops, here I thought I was just bored at work...I sometimes forgot that Philosophy majors should only speak when spoken to. Doubtful. Depends...practically, it'd probably be a waste of time, as Dave will just show up and set us straight. Though I do enjoy etymology. I like this one best. That's a good one, Dan. I'm also awfully fond of this.

Well, I'm speaking from a very antiquated place, and as Dave says, I think we're arguing at cross purposes...but, if the bartender knows that "spirits distilled from fermented Agave in Oaxaca can't technically be called 'Tequila'" then why would they put any in? Even if you were emphatic about it when ordering, what are the chances they get the proportions of Tequila/Mezcal close to right, or think to use agave syrup (assuming they even have any...) to sweeten the drink?