high-proof preacher

The Margarita is without a doubt my favorite cocktail and I don’t think I’m alone in that. However, like so many other great classic recipes, the Margarita went through the dark ages of mixology in the 80’s and 90’s and barely made it out alive. However, making a quality margarita is not hard, and only requires a few simple ingredients. When done right, it’s a truly incredible drink.

The city of Portland, Oregon, has a growing and thriving craft distilling scene. Despite being a recent addition to this flourishing community, Freeland Spirits is a brand that’s already making waves in the industry.

This month’s Prep Talk we sit down with Portland, Oregon phenom Jordan Hughes, better known as @highproofpreacher, to hash out his climb to insta-fame, his top Portland haunts and a few pointers for getting into the cocktail photography game. Jordan’s photography has been invading Instagram feeds over the past two years, branching out from the Northwest into top industry publications from Thirsty Magazine to Liquor.com. We’re extremely excited and honored to bring you an exclusive behind the scenes look into the man behind the lens of @highproofpreacher!

It’s a simple process and recipe, but it really is the little details that make or break a quality Old Fashioned. Because there are so few ingredients, it’s even more important to be attentive to the details; like the type of sugar, the proof of the spirit or expressing the orange oil over the top. Poor quality ingredients will obviously make for a sub-par cocktail, but even too much (or too little) of the right ingredients can diminish the overall experience. Making cocktails is all about adding different elements together to create unique and balanced flavors, and a well-made Old Fashioned is likely the best example of the craft.

Consisting of just whiskey, lemon juice, sugar and often (not always) egg white, a classic Whiskey Sour is always a crowd pleaser. It’s simple, delicious and easy enough to make a good one at home. However, if you’re feeling a little creative, it’s also an easy drink to upgrade.

Rum is hands-down the most diverse spirit in the world– and I’d fight anyone who says otherwise. A big part of why it’s so incredibly diverse is because there aren’t many rules around how to make it. Basically each country (and in some cases, different regions within the same country) will have their own methods and traditions for producing rum.

I came of age during rise of the "coffeehouse culture" and espresso counters of the 1990s. Starting at age 17, I found my way into barista jobs where I learned about drink quality and coffee preparation techniques. When I turned 21 the microbrew movement was a part of Portland culture, and I fell in love with learning about beer…

Welcome to Bible Club, a speakeasy-esque Portland bar that is often described by both the staff and regulars as a swanky Prohibition-era museum that you can drink-in. There isn’t a sign out front but don’t let that deter you, simply walk right up to the door of this little 1920’s house in a SE Portland neighborhood. No need to knock or utter a secret password, just step inside and you’ll feel like you’ve entered into a black and white photograph.

Portland, OR has no shortage of cool craft cocktail bars. However, this new spot that’s slinging frozen daiquiris and Cuban bar food has been a packed house ever since opening their doors in April 2018. Initially it might sound a bit out of place for the rainy, Pacific Northwest but Palomar could be just what the Portland bar scene has been missing.

A Cognac Sidecar is pretty classic, but I thought this would be a fun spin. Most Cognacs have some banana notes (which has something to do with the French oak used for aging apparently 🤷‍♂️) so it was a no brainer to pair it with banana liqueur. Tiki bitters added some tropical spice, and finishing it off with a mist of funky, heavy pot still Jamaican rum just made this cocktail something special.

For this recipe, I wanted to make like a Last Word + Piña Colada sort of thing. I initially felt like it was my weakest recipe, but it ended up being the clear favorite of the night. Funny how that goes!

Refreshing and eye-catching, and featuring gin and mezcal, the Cadillac Swizz comes to us from the creative bar staff at Bibo Ergo Sum in Los Angeles. This stylish bar has a slightly Art Deco vibe, and is somewhat hidden in Robertson Plaza between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Find the Cadillac Swizz on the menu under the “Neon” section, which lists various drinks described as “the life of the party.”

Empress Gin is infused with butterfly pea flower and gives this Negroni riff its vibrant hue. Lavender bitters provide balanced, delicately floral notes.

I received a bottle of Trä Kál a while ago & finally got around to mixing with it. This bottle is crazy; so different from anything I’ve tried before! Apparently Trä Kál is a totally new type of spirit from Patagonia, & is made solely from local ingredients. It starts out like an apple & pear brandy but is then infused like a gin with local botanicals & essential oils. Like I said, I haven’t had anything quite like it.

Long days + rainy evenings... I’m not busting out any fancy cocktails tonight. I spotted this super simple, build-in-glass drink on Punch and thought I’d give it a go. It only takes a few ingredients and a few seconds to prepare, but it’s still interesting enough to sit and sip on 

One of my favorite aspects of cocktail making might sound kind of basic; but I love the process of balancing different flavors and ingredients to create something new. Just swapping out one ingredient or changing the measurements slightly can result in a completely different result. Basically, when it comes to creating cocktails the possibilities are endless… there is just always more to discover and learn. To take that even further, even the individual spirits and liqueurs used in most cocktails all have their own histories and recipes behind them. One such ingredient with a fascinating history is Amaro Lucano.

This tiki-classic is made with Green Chartreuse as the base spirit. It might sound a little weird at first but this French herbal liqueur combined with pineapple, lime and Falernum, is just one of those special combinations. Add a few dashes of absinthe or maybe even a 1/2 oz of overproof rum for some extra fun.

Don’t be disappointed when you try squeezing a lemon peel over your drink! Just take the peel in your hands and gently squeeze. You should see a very light mist of fragrant citrus oils that will rest over the top of your finished cocktail.

For whatever reason I’ve been on a big rosé kick lately. So naturally it’s been finding its way into more and more of my cocktail creations. One evening, I threw the tale end of a bottle of rosé wine in a sauce pan with some sugar and made a simple syrup. I had this idea of using my new syrup to make a Rosé Margarita. But I didn’t want it just to be a marg with rosé syrup in it. It had to be different and kinda “elevated.”