high-proof preacher

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.

Tis the season for gift guides! In case you didn’t get all your shopping done by Black Friday weekend, here’s a list of 10 gift ideas that would give any boozy nerd a smile come Christmas morn.

“Like most (but not all) of the cocktails on the menu at Deadshot, the Diplomatic Prince is inspired by a classic,” Robinson explains. “Some of our cocktails are a bit more obvious as to which classic was the inspiration, but for this one it was inspired by the Negroni. It’s not quite as bitter as a classic Negroni but does have all of the original components

“Going to the library” probably isn’t what most people think of when describing plans for an exciting evening out. However, what if all the shelves were filled with different styles of whiskey and various spirits from all around the world? That may sound too good to be true, but in Portland, Oregon such a place does exist.

What people ask for the most is just one, simple post about what bottles they should get for "starting out." I'm afraid it's not very simple but here you go! Here you can find a fairly stripped down version of what I recommend for a budget home bar.

Some of the best cocktails are relatively simple, but you'll need a little more than just spirits to make properly balanced drinks.

Let's go over some of the basic building blocks for crafting good drinks at home...

Since I started a cocktail blog and Instagram account, I figured I'd get some insight from someone who's actually in that industry. Turns out the guy isn't just "in the industry," he's a world-renowned bartender, consultant and creative force behind many incredible bars and brands. He's a big deal, but you'd never know it just talking to him.

There are some really helpful resources out there for the home cocktail enthusiast and professional bartender alike– and hopefully this site is one of them! However, it just so happens that some of my favorites are in printed form. Maybe it's been a while since you bought a non-kindle-edition piece of reading material. I assure you that these publications are well worth it, especially if you want to up your home bar game!

The origins of the Sazerac go way back to the early 1800’s, so the exact specs have undoubtedly changed in that amount of time. Early on it was made with brandy or cognac before bartenders started subbing in rye whiskey (which was a little more plentiful in the US). Lately, I’ve been enjoying splitting the base and using both cognac and high-proof rye.

Sotol has to be the weirdest spirit I’ve ever come across. This incredibly vegetal spirit is made from Dasylirion or “desert spoon plant.” It primarily grows wild in Northern Mexico. Sotol is transparent, earthy and basically tastes like the desert from where it came.

Judson Winquist is an industry veteran who has been hard at work building out Normandie’s beverage program. He was willing to share this recipe for one of their most popular cocktails. According to Winquist, it drinks like a smoky Old Fashioned, featuring a split base of high-proof rye whiskey as well as mezcal.

People have been spiking their coffee with booze since the dawn of mankind… or something like that. Point being, throwing a shot of something into your cup of joe isn’t exactly an exciting cocktail. But hey, if you feel like making things a little more interesting and showing off for your friends a bit, make a Spanish Coffee.

There are a lot of orange liqueur options out there, so I can’t blame someone for just randomly picking a bottle off the shelf. However, liqueurs are often used as sweeteners in cocktails but the problem is that many of them are way too cloying & overly loaded with sugar. So the name of the game is finding a balanced orange liqueur that provides sweetness as well as a sophisticated flavor.

It doesn’t matter where you’re at, if you order an Empress Gin cocktail, it’s going to turn some heads. There’s just something so mesmerizing about that color. I always have a deeper appreciation for a spirit after meeting the makers & seeing the where & how it was made. After visiting Victoria Distillers in BC in Sept. 2018, it’s been fun using their naturally indigo gin in various cocktails like this one.

Cachaça + Drambuie + Amaro served Old Fashioned style. It just works so well. Maybe I’m behind the times & everyone is already aware of this magic, but I’m pretty thrilled with how this drink turned out.

Recently the good people of Croft Port, which turns out to be the oldest producer of port wines still active today, reached out & asked if I’d like to try some of their tawny port & even give it a go in a cocktail recipe. I wasn’t completely confident in my ability to mix with it but I decided to go for it anyway.

Any Baijiu fans out there? This Chinese spirit is really funky stuff. Even though it’s the best-selling liquor in the world, it’s not very well known in other parts of the globe.

For this concept I really wanted to make a stirred and boozy sipper that showcases Bacardi Añejo Cuatro, which is a delicious blend of tropical aged rum. This rum has hints of vanilla, clove and toasted cedar and would be a decent replacement for bourbon in a lot of the usual whiskey cocktails.