December 29, 2017 (Top of Page)
Out and about, downtown, drinking and relaxing while everyone else runs around trying to return stuff. Sales and deals with no money down? You've had enough. And now, New Year's Eve is only two days away. What with everyone bringing the hubbub, you'd rather just stay away, and that's why you're drinking today. The wonderful Caricature Cocktail you opened with was drawn up very well. It had a softly bitter tropical fruit taste, sweet, but not too. Fresh grapefruit juice bent the gin gently into some rooty red vermouth and bitter liqueur. When your bartender flamed the orange peel for a little burn-and-show, you knew it would be an impressive concoction. Ready to go! Loathe to stop, you proceeded to top off your night with the D.O.M. Cocktail. It was gin hidden by sweet and herbal ancient liqueur, softened with freshly-squeezed orange juice to hide the kick. Nothing burned and every sip made you yearn for just a little bit more. Smooth and peaceful was how it went, time well spent. It was such a joy to be hanging around, out on the town, drinking in peace. You tipped generously, wishing the bartender well on handling the crowd on the big night to come. Happy New Year!
Bartender Dan
December 15, 2017 (Top of Page)
Spirits are high in a barroom full of cheer. Your step is spry as tiny colors festively sparkle all around on draped strings of light. You belly up in time for the Smiler Cocktail, glad to be here. It's good stuff and nowhere near as rough as the ingredients would seem to claim. Fruity with a gentle mood, it's aptly named. You can swirl it around on your tongue and it doesn't generate a burn. It's a light touch and not too much. You can't help but smile, figuring you'll be able to stick around for a while. The next drink comes, it's called the Olé. You might say it's a deconstructed cocktail. The ingredients, except the half-and-half, are stirred in a mixing glass with no ice. The ice sits in your empty cocktail glass, being of the crushed variety. The mix is poured in and then they float the dairy on top, but it can't swim and settles in slowly with some diffusion. You start drinking and it's great: cold and sweet coffee cream with a subtle tequila wash. Everything tastes right and the preparation is quite a show. You can just feel that seasonal joyfulness starting to roll.
Bartender Dan
P.S. Next week we'll be closed for Christmas. We'll open back up on the 29th.
December 8, 2017 (Top of Page)
It was a freezy walk, quite a wintry shock, out there on the sidewalk, but at least the scene was warm inside. Boozers were mingling, Dean was singing, and a seasonal atmosphere was nurtured by all. The mighty tasty Vanilla Daisy was the first drink off the bar. Its bourbon was made extra friendly, shaken with vanilla sweetening and lemon for sour. The grenadine was treated as a garnish and drizzled over the poured drink to filter on down. The bartender upped the ante with bourbon-soaked cherries instead of the usual fare. You could make a pitcher of this whiskey wonder and they'd still be wanting more. What a crowd pleaser! Last call was a Kiss The Boys Good-Bye, an eye-opener that was lemon tart and sloeberry sharp. Smooth brandy countered underneath the attack and a vigorous shake provided ample egg white foam to soften the colorful flow. The drink remained quite bright, though. You'll certainly remember this one after having the pleasure to take it on. It grows on you, like Dean Martin stylings when he sings your favorite songs. Outside it was freezing, but inside it was warm. Fine fellowship was all around. In other words, it was a great night to be out on the town.
Bartender Dan
December 1, 2017 (Top of Page)
The door from the street kept slamming as those frantic boozers kept cramming through the entry, escaping from the outside cold to the warmth of the indoor nightlife. They sure looked deprived, what with spending a grueling two weeks stranded "outside." Their welcome back was the Gin Sour. It had the power for the occasion, sweetness with a bright sour, but not too sharp. The cherry was the treasure, clouded by the bubbles and foam off a hardy shake. The cocktail didn't last long as the boozers were dry, so they brought it on home. Bottoms up! The drinkin' hour really got rolling off the last drips and the bartender was quick to stir up the Hanky Panky for a chaser. It was a gin joy. The even match-up with sweet vermouth made things fruity, tamed, and velvety smooth. A couple dashes of Fernet in cahoots with an orange twist gave things a special little kick. The boozers didn't want the welcoming night to end. Everyone got civilly sloshed and nobody was talking out their rear ends. It was good times with good friends, like a home away from home. What a joint!
Bartender Dan
November 17, 2017 (Top of Page)
When the bar opens, the customers come from near and far. Even if some turkeys come in, that's all right, their money still spends. This time of the year the bartender hears a lot of "Gobble, gobble." What that translates to is "Guzzle, guzzle" and prompts a stir-up of the Bentley Cocktail. It's a harvest of high-proof apple brandy bolstered by the bounty of the herbal orchard Dubonnet. The drink is like a basket of fruit, apples up front, with a streak of heat. Those barflies will stay in their seats and maybe even eat a few appetizers. They'll drink up until there's a natural grin and then the cocktail wins. It's another score for the bartender. After a good meal, a dessert is in order and the Coco Chanel will certainly impress. It's fresh and frothy and will coat your throat with a coffee cream that drifts towards tasting chocolate. With everyone happy and joyously talking, that's entertainment. They'll come in from near and far, because this is their favorite bar.
Bartender Dan
P.S. Too bad, but we'll be closed for Thanksgiving. See you in two weeks!
November 10, 2017 (Top of Page)
It's all laid bare, the spines of trees and the spindly bushes without their leaves. The birds hang around the feeder, looking for seeds, because all the bugs are gone. They rummage around, but there's not much to be found. Normal fare if you live out there, but inside a bustling bar the drinks continue to flow. Season in and season out, that's how it happily goes. The warm patrons are enjoying a Blue Train Cocktail after darkness falls on this brisk cloudy day. It's a flowery and slightly sweet lemony treat that pours into a stormy violet blue out of the shaker. Everyone's amazed how the gin manages to swim in the background with all the delicate flavors, combining with them to lift and excite without imparting any reputational fright. There's no way to lose with this cocktail, it's wonderful. The Flash comes at them next, sweet like liquid candy, stirred to pour golden and clear. It's close to heavy, but not quite there, tasting herbal while boasting luxurious cherry intonations over an orange slickness. It has a holiday feel that gets everybody thinking of a festive mood. That season will be coming soon and they'll all be drinking in this same comfortable room. What a great place!
Bartender Dan
November 3, 2017 (Top of Page)
The regulars hit the stools tonight with a serious bent. They came out looking to start the post-pumpkin holiday season off the right way, no fooling around. The Southern Gin Cocktail quickly obliged, stirring up icy and slim. It tasted crisp, clean, friendly and mean. The gin cut like a diamond with orange facets clearly emerging, accentuated by lemon oil expressed from a classic twist. The hors d'oeuvre was absolute: complex Irish Dubliner cheese over butter crackers topped with chef-made onion jam. Everything was on plan, every sample and sip, a tasty quality combo delivering at the peak of perfection. Top notch! A fancy dessert cocktail was the only thing left to ponder. The Vodka Grasshopper made the scene with no dairy component like in the original
Grasshopper; it was all liquor, syrupy-sweet, and mostly minty with a weighty punch. There wasn't much subtle about this drink, but it was end-the-day smooth and mighty tasty booze. A better night would be hard to get with such good fellowship and the regulars knew it. That's why they were smiling. Cheers!
Bartender Dan
October 27, 2017 (Top of Page)
The leaves keep dropping into the early onset of night. Inside, you're sitting tight in moody atmospheric low light, bellied up to the bar. The sound of your cocktail dancing in the shaker should bring joy, but there's an impending doom that colors the room: Halloween. It's coming too soon, the kids and the candy; obnoxious non-kids will be dressing up too. All of them will be running around like banshees. It's enough to make you want to drink. Finally, your Warlock is served. Lots of ingredients went in, but only one flavor comes out. Its brandy shapes the spicy and sweet orange Strega and juice with the lemon liqueur into an almondy cantaloupe potion. Extra voodoo comes from the New Orleans bitters, but overall it's mild and sweet. You close your eyes and imagine the dark arts purveyor turning babies into carrots; that would be a great Halloween costume. Yikes! Your second drink is Fright Night In The Grove. It erases the medicinal bite of the master hunter's liqueur with agave and sweetened grapefruit juice. It's light and easy, so if you catch a fright tonight, it won't be coming from this cocktail. You take a sip and ponder next Tuesday night: maybe you'll just turn off the lights. You're too old for this stuff.
Bartender Dan
October 20, 2017 (Top of Page)
Cash is king in a bar that swings, opening doors and inspiring tasty pours for cool cats who know how to spread it around. Sit down and show some green for a fine Dubonnet Cocktail to make the scene. Enjoy listening to Tony Bennett sing while you savor the wonderful blend of quiet gin and French aperitif, accented tastily with bitters. It's an opening beauty that's full of fruity flavor with a small amount of sizzle. An expertly applied lemon twist imparts a heightened citrusy mist that tingles the nose on the initial dose. This cocktail is a joy to drink. A healthy tip could get your bartender to stir up another round, but the Pink Creole deserves the spotlight now. It's an eyebrow lifter with bright lime sharpening its clear rum. The half-and-half splash refuses to incorporate and immediately starts to separate after the pour. You have to grab the cherry stem and swirl to keep the mix up, but the cocktail is quite good. The pink is not so prevalent when using authentic grenadine, but the pomegranate sweetness is definitely there and pleasing. The rum-soaked cherry is a winner, a crunchy treat when it comes time to eat. You get what you pay for and tonight's drinks are well worth the scratch. Hit the town and spread that cash around!
Bartender Dan
October 13, 2017 (Top of Page)
Once you sit, the bottles hit the bar; and then the caps come off ... it's all high quality stuff. Sharp measurements ensue, each ingredient added to the ice in the shaker along with a spot of juice. After a long shake from the hip, the concoction pours foamy and cold, followed by an expressed twist. It thankfully gets pushed your way: The Whip Of The Conqueror. It has a snappy and crisp rum flavor that runs deep and trends towards cherry, most likely due to its mix of sweet apricot and complex bitter liqueurs. The bit of lime, its oil and juice, glints, honing the overall light bite. There's nothing heavy about this drink, even though it's dark. It stands alone, a clear and serious victor. After your win, the second isn't too far behind. The La Jolia shakes up lively and light, sweet and happy. Its rich brandy and fruity ingredients mix perfectly into one and no separation occurs. The flavor is reminiscent of pink bubble gum. It's a yummy cocktail that'll have them asking for more, a real treat for any drinker from novice to pro. It appears to be a variation of the La Jolla you've had in the past, flipping the juice emphasis. Nice translation. That's really why you sit here from week to week: to let those ingredients speak.
Bartender Dan
October 6, 2017 (Top of Page)
Cold wind blowing, a bit of light, then clouds. And when it gets dark, there's a chance of frost. Your happy-go-lucky stroll turns into a brisk walk, seeking the sidewalk neon glow of that friendly bar you know. It's chilly outside, but when you step inside only warm smiles come your way. The cocktail to start the night is the Cuban Special. Its light rum gets the run of the glass and things get a little rough. The fresh lime makes it edgier and the pineapple juice and triple sec only soften the taste on the tail. The drink almost bites, but it's not unfriendly. The garnish brings balance if sampled throughout the usage and helps calm the tasty turmoil, unsettled, just like the weather. When done, the bartender assures everyone that adding gin to light rum can be fun. The Judge, Jr. makes a splash with equal parts gin and rum working wonders. It's balanced and smooth, delicate in taste, with a light burn. The lemon juice melts in and the grenadine sweetens with fine-tuned pomegranate precision. This cocktail is done right, providing justice to happy customers up and down the bar. You look out the window as some leaves blow past, then somebody asks, "Did you see that harvest moon?" This is definitely not June.
Bartender Dan
September 29, 2017 (Top of Page) 
Whiskey power! That was the theme for the night. The Bourbon Cobbler sloshed out of the shaker into waiting highballs full of ice. After a little topping and sprucing up, things got started right. It was a bourbon whirl sporting a good amount of peachiness. A bit of sweetness came through, but that whiskey ruled, even against the sparkling water dilution. Taking the peach slice off the rim and dropping it in steeped a wonderful finishing treat. It had a few customers wobbling across the floor, heading back from their tables, looking for more. What was waiting at the bar instead was the Canadian Old Fashioned to represent a more sophisticated dose of whiskey. Smooth VO Gold out of the Great White North got a two-tone treatment of citrus along with the expected bitters. The only sweet came from the triple sec and that was all it needed. The two twists added extra appeal by planting lemon and orange oil onto each super-tasty sip. It was another cocktail that found everyone coming back for more. What a way to get soused. Whiskey in the house!
Bartender Dan
September 22, 2017 (Top of Page)
The afternoon saw the fall season leave the starting blocks. By evening time, the boozers shuffled in looking to hoist one to the autumnal equinox. Finding a suitable drink was no problem. The Apple Jack Cocktail shook up in no time, pouring cold and fresh like a fruit harvest. It achieved an interesting depth of apple and orange goodness; fresh lime juice bridged the two and its double garnish accentuated the relationship. The orchard flavors drank deeply with a calm consistency. Johnny Appleseed would've loved this cocktail. The room was filled with festive chatter and when the boozers finished, they had the nerve to ask if there was something even better! The Fitzgerald came their way in a rocks glass, strained from the icy shaker, but no rocks. You would never know this was a gin drink; it was sweet and pillowy without heat. The bitters were like the rind to go with the lemon juice. Everything melded into a smooth and soothing fruit-flavored treat. The inventor of this quality cocktail couldn't have authored anything much better. When the boozers were done quaffing, they couldn't recall the names of their consumed cocktails or much of anything. It figures. That's what happens when your brain gets doused. Cheers!
Bartender Dan
September 15, 2017 (Top of Page)
You come into the joint with purpose, looking for a belt. It isn't the first time you've felt this way. Dealing with all the stupes and life's inevitable droop, you need a tough, yet commiserative cocktail. With a buddy behind the bar, it isn't long before you're hitching your star to a Sweet Martini. That stirred gin concoction is a hard charger. The six-to-one gin dominance could plop you square on your bum, especially if you're approaching it on an empty stomach. Everything in the gin is set loose on your taste buds. The vermouth softens it a bit, but can't compete. The orange bitters and ample compatriot twist bends the flavor towards the gin, making the attack even sharper. Just what you needed. You put your money down and motion for a second round. It's time to lighten up, so you go for the Sanctuary. It's a comfortable cocktail that's fruity and friendly, a port in the storm. The grand aperitif wine and smooth triple sec bolster and complement each other while the bitter liqueur prickles underneath, a threat that never materializes. You can coast through this cocktail. Everything is good and flows like it should; the drink is a real pleasure. Maybe life ain't so bad after all.
Bartender Dan
September 8, 2017 (Top of Page)
Quick to sit, this is it, the bright part of the day. You're bellied up and primed and in no time expecting something mighty tasty coming your way. The barkeep shakes it and makes a spectacular cocktail called Three Bitters. It has a name that doesn't convey its friendly nature. The tre Italian bitters are offset perfectly by a sweet combination of citrus juices that tamp down any bitterness to a finishing shadow. The cocktail is soft and fruity and a bona fide beauty. The taste complexities are hard to decipher beyond how it all works so wonderfully. You drink it again and again and don't want it to end. What a great opener! The bartender suggests rum highballs next, so you peruse the drink list and say, "I'll have that ASAP." Ice goes in the glass three-quarters high. The liquors and tropical juice go in next mixed with a simple stir or two. Ginger ale tops it up and it's stirred just a bit again and then the lime slice goes in. The Tuaca's butterscotch matches well with the dark rum and the ginger ale pairs up with the Falernum. All the flavors work as one, tasting almost like a cider. If they could freeze it, it would make an excellent popsicle. Drinking: it's the finest part of the day.
Bartender Dan
September 1, 2017 (Top of Page)
With the workday done, the weekend comes, and it's going to be a holiday. You get something to eat, but it's nothing without a good follow-through. Dusk is near, so you get in your car and steer it to the bar. You park on the street, it's a familiar beat, and the usuals are already inside. They're all drinking the Hawaiian Cocktail, so you join the party. The fine drink's combination of flavors is packed together tightly and flows with dense liquorish aplomb. The orange comes through and the pineapple too with the gin pinned down nicely to sidestep any sharpness. It tastes like a liquid flower and delivers a steady, subdued punch. There's plenty of laughter in the air and the drink that comes after is the Bamboo Cocktail. It's watery thin, cold and refreshing, heavy on raisiny sherry, but the dryness of both wines keeps it light. Nobody needs to labor when drinking this one. It's a free-flowing, easy-to-lift, alcohol-slim cocktail built to stimulate friendly conversation. You don't have to fight it at all, just take your sips and drift off into very good times. To Labor Day!
Bartender Dan
August 25, 2017 (Top of Page) 
Tired, disgusted, disappointed, but definitely not beat. The only thing going right the last few days happened just now as you plopped down in your regular drinkin' seat. You order the Whiskey Collins, a drink that can take the stink off of any bad work week. It's a tall, hard chargin' whiskey-of-choice booze-houndin', lemon sour, seltzer sweet, deep-flavored heap of pounding, powerful enjoyment. It's even got an orange slice that's trapped in the ice along with a crisp bourbon-soaked cherry. There's no shaking either. It's built over ice right in the glass, then served and you're off on the road to oblivion. Belly up, good buddy! After you get duly sloshed, it's time to so-called wake up. A Black Russian pretends to do the trick. It's a coffee-centered cocktail built in the glass over ice sporting two parts vodka to one part extra-black coffee liqueur, if you're lucky. You taste it and think you're waking up with a cold cup of java, but it's actually putting you to sleep. We're talking deep sleep here, your head heavy on the pillow. Maybe that's just right as you can sleep tight and pleasantly dream of a better tomorrow. Drink up, pal!
Bartender Dan
August 18, 2017 (Top of Page)
You're sitting down, as comfortable as can be. Your friends are around and the Dave Brubeck Quartet is playing odd-meter. You can all see the work going into the Basil-ica Cocktail. Basil leaves, lemon juice, and sugar syrup are muddled in the bottom of a mixing glass. Liquors, bitters, and ice go in next followed by a serious shake. The bartender double-strains the creation into the chilled cocktail glasses. The garnish is a rolled-up basil leaf fancily trapped inside a long coil of orange zest. And the taste? Oh boy, oh boy! It's an A-number-1, super-prime, absolutely superfine cocktail. The Plymouth gin is calm, allowing elderflowers to blossom as the basil and sweet lemon tip-toe. The bitters make it all go. It's expensive and labor intensive, but well worth it. Wow! After a short break from the excellence, the Cadiz makes for a comfortable close. It's a fine Spanish cocktail. Dry sherry is beautifully bolstered by its blackberry and orange accompaniment and the half-and-half is just enough to smooth it all out, turning it into a drink for any time of day. This one would go great with tapas: olives, vegetables, meat, fish, it would all be great. Beautiful drinks and jazzy good times ... it's another fine Friday night.
Bartender Dan
August 11, 2017 (Top of Page)
It's been scorching hot out the last two weeks without coolant, no fine liquor relief. The clientele gladly returned to their favorite air conditioned refuge as it was mercifully back open tonight. Outside, everybody wanted decline, but inside the canteen, the cocktails rose to new levels. An elevated cooldown got started with the El Floridita No. 2. It was a wonderful citrusy excursion into summertime light rum fine boozin'. Its fresh orange juice and matching liqueur rolled nicely with the lime and smooth-sailing island rum. The sweet cherry on the rim dropped in for even more fun. Nicely done! The cool Apple Dubonnet was a smooth surprise. The taste was a mix of orchard and berry patch with a lemon slice float to enhance the nose. It had a flavor that delved deep and required thoughtful preparation before each sip to silently ask, "What is it?" It was a great drink that went well with a nighttime summer breeze, for starters. Later on, the drinkers piled out onto the street. The moon was waning gibbous in the clear night sky. With the help of a couple of finely tuned cocktails, the heat was soundly beat.
Bartender Dan
July 28, 2017 (Top of Page)
They come and they go, passing by the window. The neon isn't on until the sun goes down, then it lights the sidewalk. And for those who step in, they don't do it on a whim, they're focused on world class cocktails. The opener tonight is the Soul Kiss. It plants itself on you. Though shaken together, every part can still be isolated from the whole to determine its role, the bourbon being the heaviest. The vermouth plays dry harmony while the other components bring sweet and fermented fresh fruit flavors. The flow's thin, but the effect sure is weighty. The Brandy Old Fashioned is your closer. It's built in the glass, starting with a sugar cube, splash of bitters, and a dash of water. After they get muddled together, ice and brandy are added. A few swirls of the bar spoon later, followed by a lemon twist spritz, it's a hit. All you'll need to do is sit back and comfortably sip, appreciating the VSOP's enhanced flavor. Brandy is the show, so drink it slow, and revel in the fact that you know just where to go for finely-crafted cocktails.
P.S. We'll be closed next week for a special occasion, so see you in two!
Bartender Dan
July 21, 2017 (Top of Page)
Notice the chap down there, debonair, sitting on the second-to-last bar stool? There's something about him that's dangerous and cool. That snaky jazz coming out of the trumpet in the quartet plays his every move. Look at the perfectly swept black hair and that impeccable suit. He ordered a Napoleon. Nobody does that. On the first whiff, you know it's sublime. That's what happens when you stir it for just the right amount of time. There's gin in there in a big way, but it doesn't come across bossy. First rate orange curaçao puts out anything hot and then a couple splashes of haughty specialness scales the peak. It's a fine cocktail. You should try it. See that blond guy, European, that just sat down next to him? They came in together and he ordered a Secret. It's made up in the glass, smoky scotch with just a hint of a glint of mint. Add a minimal club soda top-up for a slight bubbly lift and you're done. Go ahead and enjoy something spicy, maybe smoke a cigar, do just about anything and take another sip: nothing conflicts. Hey, it looks like they're about to go. Let's let the music play as they get on their way. It's best to have no clue about the kind of danger they're up to. Here's to the simple life, pal!
Bartender Dan
July 14, 2017 (Top of Page) 
Drinking with ease is like floatin' on a breeze. You just belly up to the bar and order something that'll go down easy, like a Vodka Gimlet. If your thirst is great, you won't have to wait that long either. It's made in an ice-filled old-fashioned glass: vodka and sweetened lime juice go in quickly followed by a lime slice swimmer for garnish. Simple, cold, smooth. The green slice peaks the sweetened juice just right, making it cut. The ice is clear and you would never know it's there if not for the frost forming on the glass. Life is easy with this cocktail in hand. The Sundowner is another effortless cooler and it gets shaken and strained into an ice-filled highball. A gentle stir after its tonic top-up yields a refreshing treat. The gold rum comes off light with its subtle maraschino and orange additions. The lime juice bridges the steady rum with the tonic's semi-sour quinine to create an edginess that glides over the ice quite nicely. It's too bad this one isn't bottomless. Give the lime slice a squeeze if you want more citrus action. There's nothing like relaxin' in an easygoing bar, my friend.
Bartender Dan
July 7, 2017 (Top of Page)
Stumbling through the sagebrush in broiling dry desert heat. The sun's beating down. There are no birds in the sky, not even insects at your feet. Nothing is dumb enough to be out in the open but you. Vital salts are caked on your brow, feeling like sand, and your lips are beyond parched. You feel about as dead as an overworked mule. A persistent shaking noise suddenly commences out of nowhere, a primal warning, making you do the danger-freeze. Then you snap to: it's just the bartender mixing up a frothy Rattlesnake. Your hot hallucination meets reality as you taste the quality straight rye, riding high on lemon juice over beaten sweet egg whites. The absinthe glass coating doesn't play too much of a role, limiting the potential danger. You find yourself warbling that old cowboy tune: "If I can't have rye whiskey, I surely will die!" Here's to being alive! Your Changuirongo helps you finish the ride out of your mental heat. It's tall and cool and a long-lasting quencher, built in the glass, followed by a gentle stir. Squeezing a lime wedge or two tingles the tequila as it cuts through the ginger ale. This one is a good remedy for desert heat stroke. Whew!
Bartender Dan
June 30, 2017 (Top of Page)
The rough week finally came to a close. Your reward is a comfortable bar stool in a cool, darkened room (it's a fine establishment) waiting for your cocktail to be served. The pressure's finally off. Even the tasks you dread, you put to bed this week. Your Elderthorn pours fresh off a brisk stir made only from the finest of ingredients. It smells like apple juice and delicate flowers; cognac wafts through late if you wait for it. The taste is too complex to break down, but it's excellent. The bartender points out a myriad of mystery elements come from the "chee-NAHR" bottle, that one with the artichoke on the label. You've never tried it before, but it's impressive. The drink has a subtly sweet start and a nice finish with a friendly bitterness. Its lightness makes you go right back at it again and again, wondering why it's so good. Your finisher is quite impressive in both name and taste: They Shall Inherit The Earth. It has a beautiful citrus flavor, rich and deep, and there's nothing sharp or bitter and it's not too sweet. The liquors are luxurious and the lemon juice sparkles. The overall mix hints of something almost tropical. The drink is solid through and through and an absolute joy. What a great reward!
Bartender Dan
June 23, 2017 (Top of Page)
Heat in the street! You'll end up red as a lobster if the sunny broil can't be beat, but a sweet refrigerated retreat is just a few doors down. You step into the best bar in town and signal for a tall, cool one. The barkeep ices up your Playa Del Mar, salty-sweet on the rim with a tasty tropical wedge. Ah, this is the resort life! The drink is as cold as cold storage with its cranberry juice ruling the flavor roost, skewing more towards sour than sweet. The rest blends together to present a soft power center with the blue agave and orange down in there deep. You'll be done with this ice-packed glass before you know it, but your countenance won't even show it. All you've got to do is relax and pretend you're on the beach. Your Mike Collins continues to lower the heat, making you as cool as the dark side of the moon. It's a very refreshing, uplifting drink. The whiskey being topped off with club soda really lightens what could've been a pretty heavy load. The lemon juice and sugar syrup turn the soda to lemonade and when everything works, you've got it made. The fruity garnish on the steep makes the ending wrap up neat for this shake-and-pour. Once again, you're glad you walked through this bar's door.
Bartender Dan
June 9, 2017 (Top of Page) 
You're on a yo-yo when nothing takes hold: one day the temp is scorching hot, the next day it's ice cold. One thing is for certain, though, and that's that the heat will eventually take over. You're going to need a Desert Healer when that burn starts to steadily hang around. It's a tall, cool cocktail that can be consumed at the oasis. You can relax as it replaces any vital liquids lost to copious sweat. Sweet cherry and orange play with prickly ginger bubbles in the foreground. The gin stays slim in the back, but delivers a powerful punch to the thinking box; you'd better stay seated until any mental fog clears. It will make you forget the heat, drinking happy, that's for sure. For your next drink, the Sunshine Cocktail No. 2 will do you good. Its rum and vermouth are dry and smooth and groove inside a sweet black currant freshness. This one is light and bright and there's something uplifting about it. Maybe it's the bit of lemon juice providing tang. It's time to get ready for the heat. Hey, with the right drinks it certainly can be beat.
Bartender Dan
P.S. We'll be closed next week for a short break. See you in the summertime!
June 2, 2017 (Top of Page)
The regulars came in after attending a Greek food festival. They were looking for a cold capper, maybe two, served in glass booze receptacles. They came to the right place as the George's Special was already shaking. The drink had no sweetener, so it stayed a little rough; it easily cut the baklava honey taste still on their tongues. The gin showcased acrid juniper berry hits to go with the sharp lemon juice and the apricot brandy was bitter-pit. The cocktail had a nice, adult bite. Sweetness came in at the end from a crunchy red cherry on the stem. The drink would've gone well with some sizzling pork souvlaki, that tasty marinated meat on a stick. The next cocktail was the Ruby Rita, but the bar didn't have any Texas Ruby-Sweets. What they had fresh-squeezed pink, but the gold of the drink's tequila absorbed all its color. The bar's apology was accepted for the sub-par appearance easily, because it was a tasty grapefruit margarita. The sea-salty rim brought a beachy shore feeling to the refreshing mix. Everything was cool, solid, and smooth right down to the finishing wedge of fruit. A food festival was followed by a booze festival. That's a win-win.
Bartender Dan
May 26, 2017 (Top of Page)
It was all-liquor ingredients, not a drop of juice, tonight. Jazz music played in the darkened room, slow and moody, gassing just right. A strange collection of bottles came off the shelf, sowing doubt about the coming mix. The cocktail poured extra cold followed by a grated nutmeg garnish. It was very impressive: The Flying Carpet. Unexpected flavors that wouldn't seem to work together flew beautifully on the taste buds. Dominant hazelnut was paired with cacao, taking its nuttiness down a notch, soothing things out, while the nutmeg sprinkles on top sharpened the edge. The dry gin and very dry sherry almost exploded in the center of the tasty show to lighten the flow. Their herbal and fruity elements added an almost invisible complication, making something that should be syrupy transform into something light and buoyant. The cocktail almost floated out of the glass. The Genoese was another mix with dominant flavors, but they pounded home and wouldn't let go. Anise from the Sambuca made the big play for control of the taste. Grappa jet fuel powered the background with the dry vermouth and vodka trying to moderate. A palate cleanser was required to strip the licorice coating from your tongue, but no problem, the beat goes on.
Bartender Dan
May 19, 2017 (Top of Page)
Strolling down the street under clear blue skies with the sunshine delivering just a touch of heat. You're off the clock and the breeze is cool, heading to the bar for a purchase of a tasty drink or two. Money well spent. Anytime you can meet up with pals is good times. Once inside the bar, you hear the blocky sound of a vigorous shake. The bartender pours the Diamond Head all along the rail. You grab yours and take a taste. It has a soft top, like meringue, full of tiny bubbles. It's tropically fruity and mild, yet it still has some sharp flavor facets. Cutting lemon and gin hone the smooth apricot brandy to form a sophisticated, but easy satisfier with a sunny disposition. It tastes like it should be served in a hollowed out pineapple shell. The only thing missing is Don Ho putting on a show to complete the Hawaiian feeling. For your closer, the Vodka Stinger sparks you up. It's straight mint delivery due to the vodka being neutral; sharp and fresh, simple and sweet. It's a palate cleanser with a friendly burn. A dribble down the side can be sticky on the stem, so it's a bit syrupy. There's no pain, it's more of a friendly poke, like when somebody jabs you after telling a joke. Drinking with friends is great.
Bartender Dan
May 12, 2017 (Top of Page)
You run, run, run until the workful week is done. It sure tuckers you out. But why are you whistling a happy tune? Because you're strolling down the sidewalk to the very best of saloons. They have you drinking soon after the belly-up, a Canadian Cocktail, really good stuff. It's VO whisky time with enhancements to make it shine. There's a taste of orange to lighten the depth with just enough sweetness on the lag. Even slower bitters follow, keeping it salutarily mature with a hint of burn. Hooch, this is not; it's well above average and quite the tasty blended whisky beverage. Hail, Canada! Hot on its heels is the very cool Creamy Orange. The immediate uptake is wholesome, cold, and creamy, but then a slash of fruitiness cuts through quickly in a surprise delivery. Your eyebrows raise and then milkiness delayed covers it all back up like a shell, leaving a smile on your face. The pattern repeats itself with each taste. If they should freeze this and put it on a stick, it would be a big seller. It's fun to drink as it makes you think of summer, when you were younger, and small change could buy a lot of happiness. The prices in this bar are good, too. Maybe that's why you whistle that happy tune.
Bartender Dan
May 5, 2017 (Top of Page)
You're aware it's Friday, but there's even more: it takes your buddy Hugo to call and ask what you're doing for Cinco de Mayo. You completely forgot! Now you're wondering what's up at your next stop, Ralph's Bar. Not to worry, the menu is soaked in tequila tonight. They start you off in style with an Añejo Old Fashioned and it's beautiful, just beautiful. The featured grand tequila is smooth as silk, anything of lesser ilk wouldn't do. The blue agave nectar boosts the sweetness to a peak while the orange peel and bitters sharpen the
presentation. The construction is all in the glass: the nectar, bitters, and orange peel are lightly muddled before ice and añejo are added, then a quick stir and a brandied cherry close the show. This cocktail is so exceptionally good that you're going to tell everyone that if they've never tried it, they should. A Strawberry Margarita comes next and it's another beauty. The usual lime margarita sharpness is tempered with a soft strawberry twist, making it pleasantly sweet and smooth. It tastes so good! The old 5th of May is mostly seen as a Mexican beer holiday, but this place ups the ante. Hey, here comes Hugo!
Bartender Dan
April 28, 2017 (Top of Page)
High temperatures are melting the high country snow, causing high water levels in the populated lands down below. It's a 30-year flood, but your favorite bar is nowhere near the mud. It's built on high, dry ground and it's open all year 'round. It would take a lot to close this joint down. You venture in, but this place isn't dry ... as you'd say with a wink in your eye. You order a Southern Ginger, tall and wet. The recipe called for 100-proof bourbon, but the closest they had was 90-proof straight. Goodly enough. Apparently Old Grand-Dad didn't make it on the last delivery truck. The drink is a tasty ginger bubbler absent any real sense of potency, but it's in there somewhere. It suggests lazy, warm weather relaxation and goes good with just about any appetizer, whether savory or sweet. Shaken, poured and topped up, big twist: this is it. You stop things out with a Godmother, an almondy pleaser. Its vodka dilutes just enough syrupy liqueur sweetness to negate any heaviness, making an easy flow. The last drops slide off the jingling ice with flavor; it's good all the way down. They build it in the glass over ice and stir it to a fare-thee-well. Flood? What flood? A flood of good drinks at this place, that's what.
Bartender Dan
April 21, 2017 (Top of Page)
It's been a long two weeks running on an empty tank. The lights are on at Ralph's and you quietly give thanks. You crack the door. Frank's singing his 1966 version of "All Or Nothing At All."
A smile crosses your face. You can't believe this place actually exists. They even reupholstered the bar stools over the break. You take a very comfortable seat. Before you can say "Hey" to the barkeep, he slides a Triomphe Cocktail your way. A lemony aura announces the liquid sweetened in the glass. It's definitely a triumph as it tastes fantastic. The yellow Chartreuse is the key, providing an herbal heft and depth of flavor to savor underneath the lemon sweet tooth. After you're done, you want more, but the Blue Riband takes center stage. Sizzling gin is the compatriot to colored curaçaos that smooth and sweeten the hard stuff. Blue is the hue, beating out orange to win the pretty presentation prize, but the undertow is substantial. This drink could knock you out of whack if you're not careful. Yowza!
Oh boy, it sure is good to be back.
Bartender Dan
April 7, 2017 (Top of Page)
You're a master at what you do, that is, when it comes to booze. You belly up in style every Friday night; you're a member of a club of those who love fine cocktails. Tonight you take a swing at the stellar Violet Fizz. It's business as usual: the ingredients are shaken and strained into a highball glass three quarters full of ice and topped up with club soda. It tastes spring fresh and unique, like liquid violet petals on a sunny day, clear, with deep blue skies and a light breeze. Special craft gin accentuates the cold bubbly snap of the refreshing drink. It makes you feel new again and then when you're done, it's on to the Frothy Dawn. This one tastes like a syrupy fruit energy concoction; it has to be good for you. The Falernum converges with the rum and melds with the maraschino liqueur to flow smoothly into the fresh orange juice. It has a weight, but there's lightness too. It's like your wake-up call before getting out and treading the dew, hitting a few on the driving range before your next round on the links. Somebody needs to yell, "Fore!"
Bartender Dan
P.S. We're closed next week for the Easter holiday. See you in two weeks!
March 31, 2017 (Top of Page)
Come one, come all, to the drinking hall where nobody is turned away. Friends and good times abound as day turns to night. They make the cocktails right at this wonderful watering hole. If you're feeling light, start the evening with a tasty Maurice. It's kind of dense and flavored guava-like or some such type of fruit. The orange juice and the two vermouths certainly mix well together, that's for sure. The bitters makes pink gin that boosts and sizzles it all in an easy way. This one is pleasantly kind to those who might mind something of the more super-strong variety; it's just a pleasing cocktail all around. When you're done with that one, try the Picon. It's a surprise, tasting like a mix of root beer and cherry cola. It stays in the light theme with snappy bubbles popping from the vigorous shake, accentuating its rooty herbal flavors in the nose. It could match well with any kind of dessert. You might even find a few chocolate overtones in there to boot. Everything is crisp and refreshing with this one. It's a joy to drink. A couple of cocktails to the cap the work week makes everything sit just right. When you finish up, you can't help but smile and exclaim, "What a night!"
Bartender Dan
March 24, 2017 (Top of Page)
As the sun goes down on the 5th day of the work week, it metaphorically comes up for the weekend, so to speak. This night is like a new day with Monday far away, so you belly up and brightly say, "Hey, how about a Tequila Sunrise?" A finer drink couldn't be made to celebrate this occasion. With a highball full of ice, two ounces of tequila go in (nice) followed by freshly squeezed navel orange juice to top things up. The bartender pops a stir and then drizzles an ounce of authentic grenadine over the top; it filters down. The taste is like early morning sunshine, so fresh. The pomegranate syrup imparts a sweet treat that can't be beat. This drink is wonderful refreshment. After you've started the "new day" right, you venture over to the complicated Andalusia. It comes on dry and raisin flavored, but then turns kind of sour as the rum and brandy battle it out with bitters cheering on the side. If you hold it in your mouth it breaks down into its parts. They must like some pain in the south of Spain as it's not a drink for amateurs. This one's like getting kicked by a bull in the tender rear of your inner muchacho. It's entertaining for a mature boozer like you who's equipped to handle adversity, so jackpot!
Bartender Dan
March 17, 2017 (Top of Page)
As luck would have it, the annual Irish holiday of the winter's wane falls on your regular drinking day. You spy a leprechaun and chase him down the street only to watch him vanish through the door where you usually meet. Once inside that friendly local pub, you find a fine treasure: St. Patrick's Day. It's as
green as can be, emerald green, but it's not syrupy. Up front it's minty with a sweetened bitter bite, then the whiskey and Chartreuse sizzle at the finish with jeweled complexity. A small dose is how it goes. You don't want to start the celebratory night off too strong; the high proof Chartreuse already gives the concoction a saintly bump. The atmosphere here is more than friendly when you make the progression to the Irish Derby. This one is deep and fruity with a really good kick. It runs with the best of them. The curaçao and fresh lime compliment the mellow smoothness of the Irish whiskey while the vermouth adds flavor mystery. A hard shake puts a foamy froth on the top and the lime twist creates a shiny wake-up mist. Dubliner cheese makes for a fine accompaniment.
It's a blessing to be here tonight. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Bartender Dan
March 10, 2017 (Top of Page)
When the big shot carrying the weight of the world hits the bar, you can tell trouble isn't very far, but that's the way this character likes it. Important notions of grandiose motions constructs an air above the crowd, so that's why the bartender preps the required Dirty Sanchez. Ice falls into a mixing glass and gets splashed with extra dry French vermouth. Then, using the long spoon, the rocks are dressed and the excess poured out; all this cocktail wants is a hint. Next, the tequila goes in with a skosh of black olive brine followed by a flashy stir. Double garnish waits in a cooled glass. What pours out is aged tequila, tastily soiled, but slippery smooth, a boss drink for accompanying a serious think on what went right or wrong. From the conversation, things were going just fine. The big shot needed to close the night light, so the Go West got the call. It shakes up into a spectacular lemon flavor that finishes with a roasted hazelnut horizon. Dry white wine thins out any liqueur weight while adding a bit of grapefruit to the taste. It's like a fantastic smiling sunset on the week and that's why these movers and shakers grab a seat. Come Monday, that old weight of the world always comes back.
Bartender Dan
March 3, 2017 (Top of Page)
When Frank's singin' the whole bar is swingin' and the booze flows like liquid gold. Everyone is happy and the service is snappy; this joint's as good as you were told. You're out with friends, drinkin' again, and the revelry starts off with the Bourbon Belle. It's a superfine whiskey cocktail fit for the Chairman of the Board. Its bourbon vapors are tamped down into herb and orchard fertile ground with fresh peach flavor conveying southern comfort. The bitters and red vermouth deftly complicate the taste until it's nothing short of great. With a liquored cherry in the bowl, you really can't ask for more. Wow, what a superb recipe. Frank has you thinking Italian and your bartender is quick with the Ti Penso Sempre. It's a beauty. Brandy excellence shoots through the core, clear, buttery and cool. Bitter orangey Aperol rides in tandem with a sugary softness to bring up the rear. Every part rings true and the bright mandarin slice puts sunshine into the night. It's an absolute pleasure to drink and you can't stop thinking about it. Frank could be taking this show into the wee small hours of the morning; you couldn't have found a better place to go. What a joint!
Bartender Dan
February 24, 2017 (Top of Page)
It's as if boozers had feathers the way they all flock together each and every Friday night. Then again, who can blame them? The cocktails are made right and the fellowship is top-notch. Soon after they hit their spots, a Polonaise came their way to get things started. It was complexity over ice, leaving plenty to think about. Its rich brandy flavor was bent into mature and intense shriveled fruit accents, some sharp and others soft. The delivery was dry, but still wet and that made things more confusing. It was primed to hold aloft while doing a polka-stomp, that's for sure. Everyone agreed it would go good with pierogies, you know, varenyky, those great Eastern European dumplings: potato, cheese, or onion. The boozers toasted to long life and good times, then they shifted into the night's closer, the Quarter Deck Cocktail. It was potent dark rum used for sailor's pay, okayed from the officer's deck. The cream sherry intensified the depth of flavor with the lime added in to prevent scurvy. It was solid fun and fast-acting. Job well done. Nobody in the group could put it down. Na Zdrowie! Drinks all around, friends, and sail on!
Bartender Dan
February 17, 2017 (Top of Page)
Once you walk inside this club, you notice its easy cool. The place is packed, but there's no hubbub inside the free-flowing action. There's obvious customer satisfaction; this place has class. They're serving Havana Zombies tonight and they look awfully good. You procure one and join the fun. The hefty fruitiness of the tall one sits over some storied rum tradition. It makes you smile. Lime and pineapple juice mix into a balance of sweet and tart. From start to finish it's excellent rum art in a glass. You watch the suspended lime quarter-slices slowly pack together as the drink goes down. It's wonderful stuff. Just before you get desperate for more, in comes the Cobalt Margarita. It's excellent. The fresh grapefruit and lime juice sure is sublime and the tequila choice is more than fine, 100% agave. Cointreau orange with its companion blue elevates it to top-notch margarita status. With fine sea salt on the rim and that twisty lime spring, there's nothing more to want. Oh, wow! You've got to come back to this place, because they'll keep a smile on your face.
Bartender Dan
February 10, 2017 (Top of Page)
All day long, hittin' those bricks, and all week long, each day was just like this. That's no problem where you come from, but a success story with a swell outcome. And now on Friday night, everybody knows where you are: boozing with friends at your favorite bar. Shortly after you hop your stool, the bartender recommends the Rising Sun. It sounds pretty good. You and your buddies decide to try one. The main event is its ruby red grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed and sweet, exhibiting almost no sharpness. The vodka is invisibly smooth, but the passion fruit syrup is the real key, putting a splash of fruity thickness onto each taste's horizon. This drink is a satisfying one. Thanks, barkeep. A White Way Cocktail follows the fun. It's a deep gin stinger, minty fresh with a heaviness that in no way offends. It turns out to be an entertaining little number that goes well with salty-spicy peanuts on the side. You just bought a ticket to some pleasant numbness, dressed up in sophisticated cool. Hey, wait a minute! You notice a certain somebody wearing the same dang shirt they wore last week. What the heck? Somebody down the bar just lost a bet.
Bartender Dan
February 3, 2017 (Top of Page)
When the boozers get together there's a lot of joshing around, but tonight one of them just couldn't put one thing down: a shirt. One boozer was sporting the same shirt they wore the week before, but also the previous week, and probably even more. Nobody could remember when this boozer wasn't wearing the same dang shirt! The Old Hickory Cocktail was served to break up the battle. It was fine and light and beautifully right, easily built in a double old-fashioned filled with ice. Its lemon twist spritz provided the gateway to an uplifting vermouth shininess, fifty-fifty portioned. The bitters mixture was magic, an orange and New Orleans kind of feel. The drink tasted like a jewel, easygoing and nothing heavy, unlike the big shirt argument. The barkeep stirred up some Remember The Maine cocktails to keep everyone occupied. Each glass was rinsed with absinthe before the pour. It had a deep and complex taste, like old wood planks steeped in rich bitter, but sweet, cherry char. The absinthe rinse imparted a sting to every other sip to keep things jumping and the rye was sharp and strong. There was no way to forget this one. Come next week, there'll be at least one boozer who won't be forgetting another thing. Remember the shirt!
Bartender Dan
January 27, 2017 (Top of Page)
Big-time January close-out boozin' was scribbled on the ticket tonight. With a packed bar, they shook up some Cherry Julep highballs so everybody could start that booze cruise just right. You can really make a stand with a tall drink in your hand. The bold cherry flavor of the iced cocktail had a little rough sloe berry texture and a good dose of sweet. It was ridiculously easy to drink, but in actuality very deceptive, hiding a danger-load of the hard stuff. Its lemon zest strips cut between the ice, diving down from the original garnish pile to infuse a friendly brightness; that added even more deception. It's easy not to think about this kind of drink, but when you're done, you're wondering how you got on the brink. The Cubano finished off the night with a good solid kick. It was light rum heavy, but its sweetened lime juice accompaniment balanced quite well. The waft of the rum was strong and broadcasted a medicinal conveyance as a warning to the non-astute boozer: this cocktail is not for weaklings. Nobody around here fit that description, though. Only big-time boozers were attending this show. February boozing here we come!
Bartender Dan
January 20, 2017 (Top of Page)
This week's grind is over, but you're already starting fresh, looking forward to next week's test. With optimism in your coat pocket, you hit the local bar
and get served exactly what you wanted. Your fine Brandy Vermouth Cocktail is clean and clear. You don't want things too complicated around here, simple is best. The drink's quality brandy is stirred up with herbal modifications that take it to the pinnacle of smooth taste. The delivery is straight forward and if you can't understand that, you're trying too hard. It's a perfect fit when you're looking to get some good drinking done and that's why you ordered this one. Satisfaction guaranteed. After you say you're looking to celebrate, they make you a Chocolatier Cake. The ingredients are layered in recipe order, but the heavy cream dives into the brandy and mixes up the show. It ends up being the frosting to the chocolate liqueur's cake. This is a dessert cocktail that really delivers, especially when premier Callebaut milk chocolate shards come along for the ride, served on the side. It feels like there will be victories in the coming week if things can turn out this sweet. Beautiful.
Bartender Dan
January 13, 2017 (Top of Page) 
This town sure could use some Florida sunshine. A bottom-freezing cold weather wave has definitely overstayed its welcome. It's past time for this scourge to move on. The boozers occupied warm seats and decided their cocktails should go fresh-squeezed with orange juice, about as close to Florida as they could come on this night. The New Day took to the shaker first, pouring out smoothly with temporary bubbles. Its handmade vodka and juice almost tastes hollow, but then the drink falls into a flavorful apricot and apple fruit bowl. It tastes a bit like a breakfast drink, something for the late-rising boozer. The Cliquet came next and used even more of the Sunshine State juice. The bartender chose to go with scotch to flavor it up a notch from the other option, bourbon. The scotch smokiness ratchets up the flavor and bathes comfortably in the juice. The dark rum sweetens things up with a subtle, buttery molasses thud. It's one to savor and quite the favor on an absolutely frigid night. Here's hoping the cold snap doesn't go south and blow out the orange crop!
Bartender Dan
January 6, 2017 (Top of Page)
When the snow pounds down and it never quits, day and night, into drifts, who keeps their walkway clean and crisp? Ralph's Bar! The outdoor lights shine on and the doorway looks very warm, beckoning all cold and weary boozers. If any decide not to venture out, it doesn't make or break Ralph's. The core boozers are always there. On this night they enjoyed a Snowball after shaking off the cold night air. The cocktail was rough and tough with an anise taste that was strong and gin that went long. Its half-and-half was almost just for show. It was a big banger, a real booze-loader, but not a problem for the neighborhood pros who came in from the cold. The Gin Sling was when the weatherworn locals really became glad they stopped by. They watched as some water and sugar were combined in the mixing glass with lemon juice, then gin was added and stirred with no ice. An ice-filled rocks glass was where it went for dilution. It was nothing harsh, just boozin' art, and let that gin shine. The big orange twist filled the open glass with citrus mist, then the sweet lemon and gin sparkled on the uptake. When you a need a break from the wintertime blues, Ralph's Bar is the place to be!
Bartender Dan