With its sun-splashed patio and colorful decor, Roy Choi’s Sunny Spot is tailor-made to host a fantastic brunch. Several months after its opening, the Venice restaurant is debuting a much-anticipated new Brunch Menu this weekend. Earlier this week, the Sunny Spot crew took the new menu for a test run at a hosted friends and family preview. By the time I arrived, my fellow imbibers Caroline on Crack and The Savory Hunter had already worked their way through a few dishes and a cocktail or two.

Brian Butler

As I looked over the new menu, I sampled the remnants of the Sunny Spot Egg Plate: Korean style confit eggs, jerk fingerling potatoes, and mojo glazed grilled pork belly and hanger steak. Though the menu says “pork belly OR hanger steak,” my blogger buddies had cleverly asked for both in their Egg Plate, and I’m definitely going to do the same next time.

Bloody Mary

To help shake off the effects of the previous night’s Cinco de Derby / Kentucky de Mayo festivities, the Bloody Mary (vodka, Dirty Sue olive juice, tomato, Jamaican jerk spice, celery) was just what the doctor ordered. Along with the Piña Colada and the Jamaican Coffee, the Bloody Mary is one of three new brunch cocktails from Sunny Spot barman Brian Butler. The remaining drinks on the list were culled from the regular menu.

Dry Harbour: pot still rum, lime, absinthe, habanero pineapple shrub.

Salt Cod Brandade Benedict

The standout dish was the Salt Cod Brandade Benedict: poached eggs, coconut hollandaise and cherry tomato vinaigrette. Every bite offers a different mix of flavors: pierce the eggs and let the yolks run, then stir them with the hollandaise over the salt cod brandade fritters. Alternate with a hit of acid from the tomato vinaigrette, and you’ll soon be in brunch nirvana.

Piña Colada

Of the new brunch cocktails, the can’t-miss is the Piña Colada, made with Antigua rum, pineapple and ginger coconut sorbet. It’s a superb version of the classic Puerto Rican cocktail, with the sorbet (available as a dessert during dinner) providing body and a bit of snap. Summer has arrived early, served in a chilled coupe and garnished with a mint leaf.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs

The sun was peaking, and even with the tree cover the patio began to heat up. The next dish matched the rising temps with a serious kick of its own: Smoked Baby Back Ribs in a jerk barbeque glaze with orange wedges. If the Eggs Benedict are the quintessential brunch entree, these ribs are the epitome of a beachfront Caribbean BBQ: fall-off-the-bone tender, smoky and spicy.

Jamaican Coffee: Americano, Jamaican rum, golden rum cream whip.

Sunny Spot Skillet Coffee Cake: brown sugar, rum cream and berries.

Though we had lingered for a couple of hours, several brunch items will have to wait until another visit, including: Savory Festival Bread (rum honey, guava jam, goat’s milk butter), Hearts of Palm Salad (pineapple vinaigrette, pickled shishito peppers, melon, carrot coconut puree), Jamaican Oxtail Stew (spicy gremolata, tripe, plantain chips, root vegetables).

KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole

Bridgetown Swizzle

The Bridgetown Swizzle was the perfect conclusion to the preview: Barbados rum, Averna, falernum, lime, bitters. KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole was laying down the beats, and after you take a seat at the burlap-wrapped bar and sip from the Bridgetown Swizzle, you’ll swear you can hear the ocean nearby.

Sunny Spot serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday, 11am-3pm.

Sunny Spot
822 Washington Blvd. (at Abbot Kinney)
Venice, CA 90292
(310) 448-8884
www.sunnyspotvenice.com

On Tuesday, May 8th, The Wine House presents its first Clear Spirits Fest, an evening of education and mixology featuring Aidan Demarest, Marcos Tello and a dizzying array of spirits. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about gin, vodka, rum, rhum agricole, pisco, vermouth, vodka, grappa and eau de vie, this is a can’t-miss event!

To help educate attendees, The Wine House has invited distillers, brand ambassadors and top bartenders like Rich Andreoli, Mia Sarazen and Joel Black. Executive Chef Todd Barrie will provide the bites, and a live band will keep guests in the groove.

Following is the most recent list of featured spirits, with more TBA:

Stoli Elit
Hendrick’s Gin
Martin Miller Gin
Dos Maderas 5 + 3
Dos Maderas 5 + 5
Rhum Clement Blanc Martinique Rhum Agricole
Rhum Clement VSOP
Rhum Clement Creole Shrub
Rhum Clement Agricole Cane Sugar Syrup w/ Cinnamon & Cloves
Bols Genever
Lillet
Hangar One Vodkas
St George Gin Terroir
St George Gin Botanivore
Brugal Rum

The Botanist Gin
Nardini Acquavite di Cedro Liqueur
Nardini Acquavite di Vinaccia Bianca alla Ruta
Poli Po’ Traminer
Poli Miele
Poli Jacopo Poli Torcolato
Pitu Cachaca

Aviation Gin
House Spirits Coffee Liqueur
Barbancourt Rhum
Encanto Pisco
Leblon Cachaça
Caorunn Gin
Edinburgh Gin
Death’s Door Gin
Death’s Door Vodka
Voli Lyte
Voli Orange Vanilla
Voli Raspberry Coco
Original Moonshine

G’Vine Floraison Gin
G”Vine Nouaison Gin
Rhum JM
Barsol Pisco Premero 100% Quebranta
Barsol Pisco Supremo Mosto Verde Italia
Charbay Vodka
Charbay
Purity Vodka

Nolet’s Gin
Ketel One

Leopold’s Gin
Leopold’s Navy Strength Gin
Jewel of Russia Ultra
Cocchi Americano
Dolin Vermouth

Square One Organic Cucumber Vodka
Blue Ice Potato Vodka
Batiste Rhum Blanc
Blade Gin
Rusty Blade Aged Gin
Tempus Fugit Crème De Menthe
Tempus Fugit Crème De Cacao
Gabriel Boudier Curacao
Gabriel Boudier Saffron Gin

Clear Creek Liqueurs
Grappino Bertagnoli
Grappa Bertagnoli Toreldego
Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka
Comb Gin
Imbue Vermouth

Junipero Gin
Junipero Genevieve
No. 3 Gin
Don Cesar Pisco Italia
Meyer Kirsch (Eau de Vie)
Meyer Mirabelle (Eau de Vie)
Meyer Poire (Eau de Vie)
Ypioca Cachaca Ouro
Luxardo Sambuca
Luxardo Grappa
Chinchon Spanish Anis
Christian Drouin Blanche Norman
Pink Pigeon Vanilla Infused Rum

Clear Spirits Fest
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
7:30-9:30pm
$59
Tickets: www.winehouse.com/product.php?sku=CLEARSPIRITS&d=CLASSES/EVENTS

The Wine House
2311 Cotner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 479-3731
www.winehouse.com

All cocktails are regularly priced at $12 unless otherwise noted.

Luau Old Fashioned

The session began with one of the big guns, the Luau Old Fashioned ($13): Franklin’s ’cue-infused Old Granddad 114° and Balcones Brimstone, roasted pineapple syrup, smoked espresso-cherry bitters. The menu notes that “Allan went down to Austin to get the nation’s greatest ribs into your drink. From there we layer on everything you’d find at a luau except the volcano.” Crouch explained that this latest iteration of the cocktail ups the meat and smoke factor; vegetarians are urged to try something else on the menu.

The Original Fog-Killer ($14): Old New Orleans Cajun Spiced Rum, Plantation Overproof Rum, Plymouth Gin, St. Vivant Armagnac, a spoonful of bitters, fresh pineapple and citrus, house coconut cream and orgeat, “evil.”

Apparently imitation isn’t the sincerest form of flattery, at least according to the Caña menu: “Our Frankenstein-ing of two tiki classics inspired theft!” An epic mashup of the classic Fog Cutter and Painkiller tiki drinks, the Original Fog-Killer first made its Caña debut as a punch. Though it’s now in a more manageable single-serving size, it’s still dangerously good and loses none of its firepower.

Angela Gomez

Rope Burn: Smith & Cross, Aperol, Bonal Gentiane.

One of the standouts of the spring menu, the Rope Burn by Dave Shenaut Ron Dollete is a riff on a drink created by Justin Pike (The Tasting Kitchen). As Dollete wrote in his blog post, the Smith & Cross “takes the bitter elements away and replaces it with funky and sweet notes.”

Coffee & Cigarettes

We moved on to the Pistols, drink-for-drink the best section of the new menu. First up was the delicious Coffee & Cigarettes, a Crouch creation made with Vietnamese-style coffee, Jamaican Rum, dashes of Campari and Cedilla Açai liqueur, finished with a spray of Cohiba tincture. While there’s no literal “cigarette” paired with the cocktail (as in the 1886 cocktail of the same name), the subtle hint of smoke comes through in the finish. The cocktail’s name alone seems to be a draw; several were ordered during the tasting.

Snake Eyes, a Pistol by Milan de la Rocha made with Banks Rum, fresh lime, pasilla pepper, eucalyptus syrup, Yellow Chartreuse and two drops of absinthe.

Burmese Madam

Most people would describe the Burmese Madam as a Pegu Club variation, an excellent sipper made with Plymouth Gin, lime, house-made grenache curacao and orange-rose bitters. Of course, Katz isn’t most people, so the menu lists the Burmese Madam thusly: “If there existed a secret brothel beneath the original Pegu Club this would be its house specialty.”

Spring Street Cobbler

Katz describes Spring Street in Downtown LA as the “Talladega Speedway for walks of shame.” For those unfortunate “squirrels” who are (hopefully) making their way home, he’s thoughtfully created the low-proof Spring Street Cobbler: Vino de Verdejo, Citadelle Gin, fresh lime, canela syrup, elderflower.

St. Raphael Sour: Don Q Añejo, fresh lime, Farigoule, pineapple, crème de cacao.

With her St. Raphael Sour, Gomez pays tribute to F. Scott Fitzgerald, who is credited with the first published record of the daiquiri. Farigoule, a thyme liqueur from the Provence region of France, was popular in St. Raphael, where Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby. Who says drinking isn’t educational?

Gostosa: Novo Fogo Aged Cachaça, rye whiskey, citrus, spiced passionfruit syrup, orange flower water.

A sample of Erbin Garcia’s Erb & Rye punch, made with Old Overholt Rye, fresh lemon, black tea, ginger, pomegranate, blueberry.

Arms Race

We went back to the Cannons and finished the tasting with a bang. The Arms Race ($13) was inspired by a visit to New York’s Amor y Amargo, where Sother Teague introduced Katz and Dollete to the Eight Amaro Sazerac. Never one to back down from a challenge, Katz fortifies the Arms Race with nine kinds of bitters, an absinthe rinse and a dash of Peychaud’s. Over to you, NYC!

There’s also a raffle, with prizes including Bar Keeper items, “forbidden rums” and a date with Caña bartender Milan de la Rocha. Proceeds from the raffle benefit charity: water, a non-profit organization that brings clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

In honor of last year’s Thirsty in LA 2-Year Blogiversary bash at Caña, Katz composed an ode to bartenders, bloggers and enthusiasts the world over. Remember these verses as we stretch our livers and prepare to celebrate Caña’s second birthday:

~A Pledge to the Bar Rag~

Whether bartender or imbiber; shaker or typer, let us each toast the spirit of the world’s greatest fighters,

the men and the women dedicated to making souls brighter.

So let’s raise ‘em high and make this an all-nighter!

Caña Two-Year Anniversary
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Doors at 8pm
No cover
Featuring:

• Jeremy Sole (KCRW, 10pm to close)
• Raffle
• No Jodas Cuban Kitchen food truck

Caña Rum Bar
714 W. Olympic Blvd. (at Flower)
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 745-7090
www.canarumbar.com

Roy Choi, creator of the iconic Kogi BBQ truck, has opened Sunny Spot in the former Beechwood space in Venice. Sunny Spot is Choi’s largest brick-and-mortar restaurant, and marks his third collaboration with bar owner and restaurateur David Reiss, who began featuring Choi’s truck menu at his Alibi Room bar in 2009. Choi’s first sit-down restaurant was Chego, a fusion rice bowl spot that opened in 2010. Later that year, Choi and Reiss partnered to open A-Frame in Culver City. For Sunny Spot’s “roadside cookshop” concept, Choi takes on another Executive Chef role and offers his spin on Caribbean cuisine. Beechwood’s Chris Houlihan continues in the location’s new incarnation as its Chef de Cuisine.

Front Room

Follow the neon arrows and enter Sunny Spot through the Front Room, which features two-tops, communal tables and a long, burlap-sheathed bar. An expansive patio offers nearly as many seats as the Front Room. The third space is the Rum Den, which features a second bar, dining tables and a volume slightly lower than the lively and energetic main room. Sunny Spot accepts reservations for the Rum Den, while the Front Room and patio are self-seating.

Montego Bay native Sean Knibb, who also designed the mid-century look of A-Frame, returns to his roots to create a funky, beachfront vibe for Sunny Spot. Floral patterns, turquoise beams, brightly-colored stools, marble tops and gilt mirrors are all part of the eclectic visual mix. Reed grasses along the walls and a blanket of trees provide an intimate setting for the patio. Knibb ups the formality in the Rum Den with white linen-topped tables, while adding a bit of whimsy with a “birdcage booth” swathed in Persian silk.

Brian Butler

Imperial Fizz

As he did previously with A-Frame and the Alibi, Brian Butler oversees the cocktail menu at Sunny Spot. I pulled up a stool at the main bar, sat down under the amber lamps, and started with an Imperial Fizz, a great variation on a traditional sour made with rye, Jamaican rum, egg white, lemon juice and Angostura Bitters. The Imperial Fizz is the ideal intro to Butler’s menu, which features a number of rum-based creations and a few other spirited signatures. My dinner companion soon arrived and went with a lovely Champagne Cocktail: Brut Champagne, Angostura and Creole Bitters.

The Sunny Old Fashioned was a popular order: Nicaraguan rum, honey, allspice, Angostura Bitters.

Dictator

Next up was the Dictator, a wonderful sipper made with Trinidad rum, Dolin Blanc, Galliano and CioCiaro. As befitting its name, the Dictator is served in an elegant, vintage Tiffany glass that Butler sourced during one of his frequent flea market and vintage store excursions.

Butler’s drinks are worth the trek alone, but for most guests the initial draw will be the bold flavors of Choi’s cuisine. Like the menu at A-Frame, the moderately-priced dishes are designed to be shared, which we did with enthusiasm after ordering from the randomly listed apps and larger plates with the too-cute names. Though it was only the second day of service, the kitchen was on point and the food was well-executed.

Diablo Prawns

We began with the rum-glazed Diablo Prawns with garlic butter and herbs ($13). Despite the name, the heat from the nicely cooked and flavorful prawns was moderate. A side of the Yellow Salty Rice ($3) is great on its own, and works even better when mixed with the prawn sauce.

Charred Squid

Next was the Charred Squid with passion fruit, coconut, chilies and mint ($10). The perfectly cooked squid, with its tropical notes and spicy kick, was just what we needed before we dove into the heart of the meal.

Fried Plantains

The kitchen really hit its stride with the next trio of dishes. First up were the marvelously addictive, sweet and salty Fried Plantains ($4). Choi describes his goal for the plaintains in a recent Food & Wine interview: “As soon as this dish hits the table, I want everyone to grab it and eat it and then it’s gone. And then say, ‘Get me two more plates, these are freaking delicious.’” And sure enough, we ordered another plate. Overripe plantain spears are tossed with cane and pulverized palm sugars, then fried “until they’re almost black.” Before plating they’re tossed again with sugar, salt and lime.

Fried Pig's Feet

Fried Pig’s Feet ($6) are brined with sugarcane, braised, then deep-fried. We dipped them in the accompanying chili vinegar and began the delectable task of working the tender meat, cartilage and fat from the bone.

Slow-roasted G.O.A.T.

Living up to its “Greatest Of All Time” acronym, the slow-roasted G.O.A.T. ($15) is cooked sous vide for 24 hours in Red Stripe and rum with allspice and clove, among other spices. The idea is to spoon some of the meat into an iceberg lettuce leaf along with a slice of pickled mango. It’s a superlative combination of the earthy goat with the sweet-sour, tart mango wrapped in the crunchy lettuce.

We finished with the Coconut Ginger Sorbet ($4), a welcome hit of cool coconut with a gingery bite, served in a vintage silver goblet.

Half a dozen courses and a few hours later, and two thirds of the menu remained tantalizingly untried. According to the Sunny Spot website, Choi will change the menu monthly or “based on what I’m feeling,” so frequent return visits will be a necessity. Judging from the packed house, there are already plenty of fellow travelers ready to tour the West Indies by way of Venice.

Sunny Spot
822 Washington Blvd. (at Abbot Kinney)
Venice, CA 90292
(310) 448-8884
www.sunnyspotvenice.com

For the first time since it opened, La Descarga has launched a cocktail menu that doesn’t include new drinks created by Steve Livigni and Pablo Moix. The Fall Cocktail Menu has 16 drinks, with half the list featuring rum classics and Descarga signatures, and the other half dedicated to cocktails fueled by cachaça, mezcal, tequila, rye, white dog and pisco.

Head bartender Kenny Arbuckle created most of the new drinks.

Favorites like the Mojito, Hemingway Daiquiri and Tapping the Admiral are back, along with new drinks created by the Descarga crew, under the supervision of head bartender Kenny Arbuckle (St. Vincent Syrups). Livigni said, “Kenny did most of the drinks, but Meghan Malloy and Armando Conway contributed as well. Pablo and I are super proud of the menu and our staff.” Livigni noted that La Descarga now carries over 100 rums, an expanded list that includes “some great stuff from Angostura, Plantation, Ron Abuelo and Rhum Clément.”

When Caroline on Crack organized a meet-up to take the new menu for a spin, I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to join my cocktailing comrades. After reading Caroline’s recap, I went into full-on dirt-kicking mode. Fortunately, I was able to stop by La Descarga the following week, joined by Bill Esparza (Street Gourmet LA) and Lauren Clark (Drink Boston), who recently moved to LA from Beantown.

Cartographer

I started with the Cartographer, made with El Dorado 12-Year, Cynar, Angostura Bitters and superfine cane sugar. Arbuckle explained that a couple of guests had asked him for a rum Old Fashioned, which developed into the Cartographer. Like its inspiration, the excellent Cartographer is a pared down cocktail with depth that opens up with each sip.

Aperol M'ama

My second round was the Aperol M’ama: Campo de Encanto Pisco, Aperol, sugar and lime. This delicious tall drink was created by Malloy, and may well have been my favorite of the night. Bright, well balanced and one of the best cocktails featuring Encanto Pisco that I’ve had, and there have been some great ones of late.

Two other drinks, both created by Conway:

Martinique Smuggler: Clément Première Canne, orgeat, Disarrono, grapefruit and lime.

Blood and Samba, a Blood and Sand variation with cachaça, Carpano Antica, Cherry Heering and orange juice.

Following are the remaining drinks on the Fall Cocktail Menu, which I am eager to work my way through.

• Avesta: Bulleit Rye, Benedictine, lime, Angostura Bitters, ginger beer
• Bermuda Swizzle: Goslings Black Seal, Velvet Falernum, pineapple, lime, sugar, Angostura Bitters
• Circumnavigate: Blanco Tequila, Bitter Truth Xocolatl Mole Bitters, tamarind syrup, lime, ghost pepper salt
• Daiquiri: Plantation Barbados 5-Year, lime juice, superfine sugar
• El Presidente #1: Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-Year, Punt e Mes, Carpano Antica, Angostura Orange Bitters
• Hemingway Daiquiri: Bacardi 1909, Luxardo Maraschino, grapefruit juice, lime juice, sugar
• L.A. Lupe: Leblon Cachaça, Velvet Falernum, St. Vincent Infused Coconut Syrup, lime juice, tonic
• Maguey Sour: Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Benedictine, orgeat, lemon juice, egg white, grated nutmeg
• Mary Pickford: Starr Rum, lime, maraschino, grenadine, pineapple
• Mojito: Bacardi Superior, lime juice, superfine sugar, soda, mint
• OnBeat: House Spirits White Dog Whiskey, lemon juice, mango-basil syrup, Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters

The Conganas are up there somewhere, playing Salsa and vintage Latin music.

Livigni said that guests have clamored for more live music to dance to, so along with the new drinks, La Descarga is now dedicating Wednesday nights to music and dancing. Lead by Christian Moraga, The Conganas are playing live Salsa and vintage Latin music all night every Wednesday. As Livigni said, “it’s turned into the best night to get your Salsa fix and beat the weekend crowds.” Indeed, with plenty of room to move around, sipping an Aperol M’ama while The Conganas are laying down the grooves becomes that much sweeter of an experience.

La Descarga
1159 N. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 466-1324
www.ladescargala.com

The morning after landing in New Orleans on the opening night of this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, I made my way to the Royal Sonesta for a sold out seminar called 6 Rums You’ll Probably Never Taste Again, moderated by Ed Hamilton. After sailing the Caribbean for more than twenty years, visiting dozens of distilleries and tasting hundreds of rums, Hamilton is recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on sugar cane spirits, sharing his passion for rum through his books, seminars and the Ministry of Rum website. For his Tales session, Hamilton called in a few favors to procure extremely rare family or distiller’s private reserves and exclusive expressions from distilleries in Tennessee, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela and Martinique.

Prichard's

Hamilton began with his own background before leading us on our journey, which didn’t begin in the Caribbean as one would expect, but in Tennessee, with a 12-year-old rum from Prichard’s. Phil Prichard himself was in the room as we tasted the special spirit that was “just too good to be put in a bottle,” as the Tales site puts it. The 90-proof rum was aged in new barrels from a cooperage in Arkansas, picking up strong wood notes along with roasted nuts and vanilla, with a fruity finish.

Botran Rum

Our next stop was Guatemala, and a taste of Botran Rum’s Reserva and Solera 1893. Botran’s family blender created a special expression exclusively for the seminar, an 80-proof blend of rums (some as old as 30 years) aged in sherry, port and Los Hermanos barrels. The sweet, floral profile offered distinct orange peel notes. Hamilton said that the Botran rum had only arrived in New Orleans that morning.

Flor de Caña

The next rum was a barrel sample from Flor de Caña of Nicaragua. The barrel was put away in 1987 and the sample literally arrived as we waited in line to be let into the seminar. Unlike the previous rums we tasted, the Flor de Caña was not a blend; everything in the barrel was 24 years old. The rum was not as clear as the others, unfiltered and reduced to 90 proof from 130 proof. Lots of oak, with the complexity and smooth, endless finish that were the hallmark of all the rums we tasted in the seminar.

Abuelo

Although the Centuria rum from Panama’s Abuelo is the only commercially available rum we tasted, it’s not easy to acquire: there are only 3600 bottles in the world, retail priced at $135 each. The Centuria is a blend of rums that range from the youngest (at 8 years old) to the oldest, over 30 years old. The Centuria is sweet, rounded, with a viscous quality and a smooth and tempered finish.

Santa Teresa Bodega Privada

The penultimate rum was a barrel sample from Santa Teresa, the oldest and only family-owned distillery in Venezuela. For its Bodega Privada private barrel program, Santa Teresa sells a blend of aged rums, which is stored in casks at the distillery warehouse until it is bottled for the owner. (According to the Tales site, Jimmy Carter and Mikhail Gorbachev are among those who have barrels.) The Bodega Privada we tasted was a 12-year-old blend, with a light color, fruit and vanilla notes, and a smooth and lingering finish.

Neisson

The tasting ended with a rhum agricole from Neisson, in Martinique. Hamilton and the distillery owners personally selected the 18-year-old rhum, blended from select cognac casks. The proof is slightly higher than 42% ABV. The rhum’s complex character was quite different than anything we had tasted that morning, dry with almond and coconut notes from the French oak.

The 90-minute seminar more than delivered on the promise of its name, tasting the audience through six remarkable rums that none of us will likely ever encounter again. It was an excellent session to begin my first time at Tales. Hamilton quipped that “getting six rum distillers to meet a deadline is miraculous,” but no one in the ballroom had any doubt that he would be the man to pull it off.

When you’re trying to deal with the withering summer heat of New Orleans, relief doesn’t get much better than an ice cold drink like the Piña Colada. At last month’s Tales of the Cocktail, seventeen bartenders from around the country presented their modern interpretations of the tropical classic at the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Piña Colada Competition. The sold out event took place at The Foundry, was hosted by Dan Dunn (The Imbiber) and sponsored by Bacardí and In the Mix Magazine.

Bartenders and their entries were judged according to the following criteria: technical skills and presentation; appearance; aroma; balance of flavors; taste; creativity; and the overall appeal of character. All participants were required to use rum as the base spirit and Bacardí Superior Rum was “preferred.”

Technical judges included USBG National President David Nepove, USBG National Past President Livio Lauro, and Ronaldo Colli, who was awarded Best Technical Performance at the 2009 USBG National Cocktail Contest. Tasting judges included USBG Vice President Aaron Gregory Smith, Bacardí Global Brand Ambassador David Cordoba, and Mike Maven, the Managing Editor of In the Mix. A preliminary group of judges, consisting of members from USBG National and Tales of the Cocktail, voted on the best qualifying round recipes for each chapter.

Finalists represented their respective USBG chapters from the following cities and regions: Austin; Chicago; Cincinnati; Connecticut; Denver; Hawaii; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Milwaukee; New Orleans; New York; North Texas; Northern California; Philadelphia; Phoenix; and St. Louis.

L to R: David Nepove, Debbi Peek, Dan Dunn, Juan Rovira (Chief Marketing Officer, Bacardi USA). | Photo: Jennifer Mitchell for Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC)

The first place Judges’ Choice and Best Technical Performance went to Debbi Peek of Chicago. Judges praised her No Passport Required for its technical precision and complimentary flavors. Peek (the USBG Illinois Chapter President and mixologist at The Bristol) received a check for $1500, a trophy, and a spot at the World Cocktail Competition in Warsaw, Poland.

The People’s Choice award went to Matt Meyers of Las Vegas, who received the majority of the votes cast by the 550 attendees. His Thai Piña Colada was notable for its unique presentation, paired with spicy cashews to create a memorable flavor experience. Meyers said that his entry is currently being served poolside at The Bellagio.

Naomi Schimek enjoys her Havana Au Go Go.

Chris Hannah's Piña Cafe Au Lait.

Personal faves included the Havana Au Go Go by Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room) and the Piña Cafe Au Lait by Chris Hannah (French 75 Bar), who gave his creation a local spin.

Tales of the Cocktail founder Ann Tuennerman: “The goal of the USBG Piña Colada competition was to inspire today’s generation of bartenders to re-imagine this classic cocktail and take it forward into the second Golden Age of cocktails. The winning cocktails had true balance and complexity of flavor and deserve their place in history alongside the Original Piña Colada.”

“As the largest network of professional bartenders and mixologists, the USBG was honored to work with Bacardí and In the Mix on an event that brings together the trade community and celebrates the craft of mixology,” said Nepove. “The bartenders invited to compete set the standard for the profession across the country and we were thrilled with the enthusiasm this group showed using Bacardí rum to reinvent the Piña Colada.”

Following the jump are the Piña Colada recipes by Debbi Peek, Matt Meyers, Naomi Schimek and Chris Hannah.

For more photos from the event, visit the Thirsty in LA Facebook page.

No Passport Required by Debbi Peek | Photo: TOTC

No Passport Required
Created by Debbi Peek
Ingredients:

• 2 oz Smoked Bacardi Añejo Rum*
• 2 oz coconut milk
• 1 oz roasted Pineapple Puree (Perfect Puree)
• ½ oz Brown Sugar Syrup (equal parts brown sugar/water)
• ½ oz Ginger Puree (equal parts fresh ginger/water/sugar, blended until smooth)
• Garnish: glass dipped in honey and rimmed with toasted coconut

Directions:

• Shake all with ice.
• Strain into toasted coconut-rimmed Piña Colada glass filled with ice.

*Smoked Bacardi Añejo – Cold smoke over cherry wood for 45 minutes.
Note: One hour of prep time needed to toast the coconut, melt the brown sugar, and puree ginger.

Thai Piña Colada by Matt Meyers | Photo: TOTC

Thai Piña Colada
Created by Matt Myers
Ingredients:

• 1½ oz Bacardi 8-Year
• 2 oz Pina Colada Mix*
• 1½ oz Thai Syrup**
• 6 leaves & 1 crown mint leaves (crown = top of mint sprig), muddled & for garnish
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, muddled & for garnish
• 1 shoot lemongrass garnish

Directions:

• In an Old Fashioned glass, bruise 6 mint leaves and 2 kaffir lime leaves with Bacardi 8 rum.
• Strain rum into blender with Thai Syrup, Pina Colada Mix and 1 scoop of ice. (Reserve glass with bruised leaves.)
• Blend until smooth.
• Pour contents into the reserved glass with bruised leaves.
• Stir leaves quickly. Garnish with 1 lemongrass shoot, 1 kaffir lime leaf and a slapped mint crown.

*Piña Colada Mix (per drink)

• ½ oz Coco Lopez
• 1½ oz pineapple juice
• ½ oz heavy cream
• Mix thoroughly to beat up and chunk from the Coco Lopez.

**Thai Syrup:
(1 batch Thai Syrup yields 12 portions)
Ingredients:

• ½ bunch lemongrass washed, chopped
• ½ pint ginger peel, chopped
• ½ pint kaffir lime leaves
• 1 liter Fee Brothers Rock Candy Syrup

Directions:

• Bring syrup in a medium saucepan to a low simmer.
• Add aromatics and stir.
• Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Allow to cool to room temp.
• Strain off chucks and reserve the syrup.

Havana Au Go Go by Naomi Schimek | Photo: TOTC

Havana Au Go Go
Created by Naomi Schimek
Ingredients:

• ½ oz lime juice
• 1¾ oz cream of coconut
• 4 oz pineapple mango puree
• ¼ oz Green Chartreuse
• ¼ oz St. Germain
• 1½ oz Bacardi Superior
• 8-10 lemon balm leaves
• Lemongrass essence

Directions:

• Place first six ingredients in blender with crushed ice.
• Blend for approximately 11 seconds, adding lemon balm leaves in at the 8th second.
• Pour (unstrained) into a Piña Colada glass.
• Garnish with flower, pineapple, lemon balm leaves, and lemongrass essence in the glassware.

Piña Cafe Au Lait by Chris Hannah | Photo: TOTC

Piña Café Au Lait
Created by Chris Hannah
Ingredients:

• 1 oz Bacardi Superior
• 1 oz Bacardi Gold
• 1 oz fresh Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz Coco Lopez steeped in community coffee for one day, and strained.
• 1 oz sweetened condensed milk that was also sat overnight with community coffee grinds and strained.
• 2 oz So Delicious Coconut Half and Half
• 6 oz ice
• 2 ground cocoa nibs
• 1 cinnamon stick for grating

Directions:

• Pour first 7 ingredients into blender and blend.
• With proper microplanes and shavers garnish the Piña Colada, the nibs and cinnamon stick.

Don vs. Vic was packed with thirsty tiki enthusiasts and cocktailians, including Eric Alperin (The Varnish), Allan Katz and Danielle Crouch of Caña, Dave Stolte (Home Bar Basics), Joby Bednar (TikiGeeki.com) and Ereich Empey (Musings on Cocktails).

Jason Schiffer

Marcos Tello

Service with a smile: RumDood at the punch station. | Photo: Dave Stolte

The tiki battle would pit Don against Vic in three cocktail rounds, as well as a punch round. 320 Main proprietor Jason Schiffer and LA’s own Marcos Tello (1886) were behind the main bar, while Matt Robold (RumDood) was manning the punch station. Guests could vote for their favorites in each round by dropping tickets in bowls, which entered them in a raffle for various prizes at the end of the night. In order to sample every cocktail, most people teamed up and tasted each other’s drinks. The setup made for a fun, interactive session; debates could be heard throughout 320 Main as the evening progressed and the rum started to work its magic.

And now, a sip from our sponsor.

Following is a list of the four Don vs. Vic rounds, including the winner of each round as chosen by popular vote.

Mai Tai | Photo: Ereich Empey

ROUND ONE

• Q.B. Cooler – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, DonQ Anejo Rum, El Dorado 12yr Rum, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Honey Syrup, Falernum, Ginger Syrup, Angostura
• Mai Tai – Appleton 12yr Jamaican Rum, Clement VSOP Rum, Creole Shrubb,Lime Juice, Orgeat, Rich Simple Syrup
• WINNER: Mai Tai (Trader Vic)

L to R: Tortuga vs. Dr. Funk

ROUND TWO

• Dr. Funk – Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum, Lime Juice, Pernod Absinthe, Grenadine
• Tortuga – Lemonhart 151 Rum, Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Italian Vermouth, Crème de Cacao, Orange Curacao, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Grenadine
• WINNER: Dr. Funk (Don the Beachcomber)

Fogcutter

ROUND THREE

• Zombie – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Lemonhart 151 Rum, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Pineapple Juice, Demerara, Angostura
• Fogcutter – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, Barsol Pisco, Plymouth Gin, Orgeat, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Sherry Float
• WINNER: Zombie (Don)

Mmm...punch... | Photo: Joby Bednar

PUNCHES

• Cinerama Luau Punch – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, White Wine, Orange Curacao, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice
• Scorpion Bowl – Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Brandy, Orgeat, Lemon Juice, Orange Juice
• WINNER: Scorpion Bowl (Vic)

The people had spoken, and the results were in: Don vs. Vic ended in a tie! But really, everyone who was at 320 Main that night was a winner. Tasting legendary tiki cocktails with friends old and new, is there a better way to spend a summer night?

Tiki Night wasn’t quite over yet, however. Some of us indulged in a round of bowling:

Scratch this off the Bucket List: drinking a Scorpion Bowl out of the bowl

June 27, 2011 11:28 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@ThirstyInLA

Thirsty in LA

Mmm...bowling...

The next Tiki Night is on Monday, July 18th and the theme is the Tropical Drinks of Cuba. All drinks will feature Bacardi 1909 and will be priced at $8.

Following is the cocktail menu for Tiki Night 3:

• Mojito
• Daiquiri
• Hemingway Daiquiri
• Pina Colada
• El Presidente
• Bacardi Cocktail
• Mary Pickford

As with previous Tiki Nights, $4 hot dogs will be available and DJ Ken Caldretti will be providing the grooves.

Tiki Night: Tropical Drinks of Cuba
Monday, July 18, 2011
7pm-11pm
Featuring:

• Jason Schiffer, Matt Robold and Marcos Tello
• Classic tiki drinks with Bacardi 1909 ($8)
• LA and Chicago-style hot dogs ($4)

320 Main
320 Main Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 799-6246
www.320mainsealbeach.com

Ahh, the Fourth of July: barbecues, fireworks and…rum? Good ol’ whiskey is probably the American spirit that first comes to mind for many people on this most patriotic of holidays, but rum has a long and important role in American history, dating back to colonial times. In fact, as Matt Robold (RumDood) explained at the latest gathering of the Caña Rum Society, rum “has more history in America than any other spirit.” Last week’s Rum Society meeting (dubbed “R.U.M. in the U.S.A.”) was one of the most interesting editions to date. The American rums we tasted were top notch, representatives from two of the distilleries were in attendance to talk about their releases, and Ministry of Rum founder Ed Hamilton (who is importing the legendary Lemon Hart 151 back into the U.S.) was in the house as well.

RumDood gives a quick lesson on the history of rum in America.

Before starting the tasting proper, Robold gave a crash course on rum’s integral role in the colonial economy. As he notes in Rum 101: Rum in the USA, “rum had seeped into just about every facet of American life” by the time the War of Independence broke out. The colonists’ thirst for rum was prodigious; according to Tom Standage (A History of the World in 6 Glasses), “rum was being consumed at the rate of nearly four American gallons per year for every man, woman, and child in the colonies.” Author Wayne Curtis (…and a Bottle of Rum) said in a 2006 interview with NPR that “at one point there may have been as many as 160 rum distilleries in New England.” Even as rum was being consumed in the colonies it was also used as a currency to purchase slaves in West Africa; this trade model of rum, sugar and slaves has been called the Atlantic triangular trade.

To make rum, New England distillers used molasses imported from French sugar islands. This didn’t sit well with the British, who passed the Molasses Act of 1733 to levy heavy taxes on French molasses and thereby “encourage” the American colonists to buy inferior British molasses. The colonists defied the British law and distillers continued to produce rum with smuggled French molasses. Subsequent unpopular laws were passed, such as the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Tea Act of 1773; the latter would result in the Boston Tea Party and eventually lead to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775. Rum would fuel American soldiers throughout the war with Britain, but after the American victory rum would eventually be eclipsed by whiskey as settlers headed west.

Americans may collectively think of tea as a key inspiration for the fight for independence, but thanks to rum, the spirit of revolution was fomented decades earlier with the British taxation of molasses. Standage notes that years after the British surrender, John Adams wrote to a friend: “I know not why we should blush to confess that molasses was an essential ingredient in American independence. Many great events have proceeded from much smaller causes.”

L to R: Prichard's Fine Rum, René Alambic Rum, Charbay Tahitian Vanilla Bean Rum.

The first rum that we tasted was Prichard’s Fine Aged Rum, from Kelso, Tennessee. Robold noted that when Phil Prichard launched his namesake distillery in 1999, it was the first new distillery in Tennessee in fifty years. The Prichard’s website describes its 80-proof Fine Rum as “an accurate recreation of the ancient rum of an older time.” The Fine Rum is distilled from premium table grade molasses and Tennessee spring water in copper pot stills. The rum is aged 3-5 years in hand-made, 15 gallon charred white oak casks. Robold commented that Prichard operates somewhat by the seat of his pants, a description that Christopher Uhde of JVS Imports supported when he said that the Fine Rum is a blend of various rums that average to “around 80 proof.”

As always, Robold encouraged Rum Society members to share their impressions throughout the tasting. On the nose, the Fine Rum offers bananas, orange peel, floral notes, brown sugar and oak. The grassy, vegetal palate has notes of leather, licorice, white pepper and raisins. Robold compared the Prichard’s Fine Rum to a heavy, funky Jamaican rum and suggests enjoying it as a sipper, paired with a cigar, and in variations of an Old Fashioned or a Sazerac.

Next was the René Alambic Rum from Solomon Tournor Distillery in Mendocino, California. Robold introduced Master Distiller Chris Solomon, who gave us a brief overview of the rum before we tasted it. The René is made from sugar cane molasses, double distilled to 80 proof from an alambic pot still. The distillate is reduced with filtered rain water, which adds a softer, sweeter reduction. The rum ages in 90 gallon cognac barrels for a year and a half. The taste is pure, without too much oak. With no added sugars or caramels, Solomon said the René Alambic Rum has a “true taste” that represents pure sugar cane product. At Rum Society we were tasting the 2007 expression. Solomon suggested that we cleanse our palates, then sip the René a few times in order to fully appreciate it. On the nose we got notes of butterscotch, a profile of grass or hay. The smooth, velvety palate brings notes of violets and olives,while the finish is warm and long.

Our final rum was the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Rum from Charbay Winery and Distillery in Napa Valley, California. “The Still on the Hill” is located on Spring Mountain above St. Helena, where Miles and Susan Karakasevic began distilling Alambic Pot Still Brandy in 1983 and never looked back. Their son Marko is a 13th generation distiller, and with his wife Jenni carries on the family’s artisan distilling tradition. For this release, Miles spent a year on research before deciding on rare, whole Tahitian vanilla beans. The beans were extracted for three months, then blended into Charbay Cane Rum, sourced by Miles and Marko from fresh Hawaiian sugar cane honey and distilled in the Alambic Charentais pot still. The blend is lightly filtered to impart the natural flavors and fragrance of the rum and vanilla. The nose offers strong notes of vanilla and caramel, while the first sip immediately brings Nilla Wafers to mind. Charbay suggests pouring the 70-proof Tahitian Vanilla Bean Rum over ice. Robold recommends some acid to cut the sweetness, making it a good candidate for Tiki drinks, or perhaps poured over ice cream or pancakes.

Allan Katz

Mmm...PKNY...

With the tasting over, Rum Society members and Caña guests enjoyed cocktails from GM Allan Katz and bartender Danielle Crouch. In keeping with the spirit of independence, Lush Angeles ordered a couple of delicious Painkillers PKNYs, complete with a special message for a certain British Navy Rum.

Cheers!

320 Main proprietor Jason Schiffer.

A few weeks ago, 320 Main became an enchanting Tiki room for several hours when the popular Seal Beach restaurant hosted its first Tiki Night on Memorial Day. Inspired by Blair Reynolds’ Tiki Nights at the Teardrop Lounge, 320 Main proprietor Jason Schiffer, Matt Robold (RumDood) and LA’s own Marcos Tello (1886) are teaming up to present a SoCal series of Tiki Nights on the last Monday of every month.

RumDood is in the zone.

As the Dood notes in his Tiki Night announcement: “We’ll be spending the evenings exploring different facets of Tiki history with menus that capture different eras of Tiki or its progenitors – from classic Mai Tais and Zombies to Planter’s Punches and Hurricanes and new Tiki drinks being created by the cocktail cognoscenti today.”

Marcos Tello

Tiki aficionados and cocktail enthusiasts from parts north and south convened at 320 Main for the debut Tiki Night, including Chuck Taggart (Looka!), celebrity barback Tatsu Oiye, TikiGeeki and Dave Stolte (Home Bar Basics). A steady flow of guests throughout the night ensured that the trio behind the bar was kept busy mixing drinks, no small task given the complexity of some of the cocktails.

Three Dots and a Dash

To kick off the Tiki Night series, 320 Main featured a menu of selected Tiki classics. Since it was Memorial Day, I naturally started with the Three Dots and a Dash (“Victory” in morse code): DonQ Gold Rum, Rhum Agricole, lime juice, orange juice, honey syrup, falernum, Allspice Dram and Angostura bitters. As fine a version as I’ve ever had, no surprise considering it was Tello who made it.

PKNY

Next was a Painkiller PKNY, made with DonQ Añejo, Cream de Coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice and freshly grated nutmeg. A refreshing take on the Caribbean original, created by Daphne Henderson at the Soggy Dollar Bar.

Nui Nui: Dark Jamaican Rum, Allspice Dram, vanilla syrup, cinnamon syrup, lime juice, orange juice, Angostura.

Rum Barrel: DonQ Cristal, DonQ Gold, Demerara 12-Year, Falernum, Allspice Dram, honey mix, lime juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, Pernod Absinthe, grenadine, Angostura.

Jamaican Planter's Punch: Jamaican Rum, Falernum, grenadine, lime juice, simple syrup, mint and nutmeg.

Volcano Bowl

It wouldn’t be a night in Polynesia without a fiery Volcano Bowl: DonQ Gold, Demerara 12-Year Rum, Jamaican 12-Year Rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, maple syrup, simple syrup and a float of Overproof Demerara. Of course this was a single-serving version of the classic, which is usually shared by a few thirsty imbibers.

If Rocky Yeh is there, it must be the happiest place on Earth.

Bumbo

The session finished on a particularly tasty note when Schiffer offered up a Bumbo, featured on 320 Main’s special $5 Tuesday cocktail menu: Coruba Dark, 320 Falernum, Allspice Dram, cane syrup and lime. If requests for more sips were any indication, the delicious Bumbo was the unofficial winner of the night; superb at any price, and dangerously good at just $5 on Tuesdays.

The next Tiki Night is on Monday, June 27th and it promises to be a doozy: Don vs. Vic, an epic showdown between the cocktails of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic.

Following is the Don vs. Vic cocktail menu:

DRINKS

• QB Cooler – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, DonQ Anejo Rum, El Dorado 12yr Rum, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Honey Syrup, Falernum, Ginger Syrup, Angostura
• Mai Tai – Appleton 12yr Jamaican Rum, Clement VSOP Rum, Creole Shrubb,Lime Juice, Orgeat, Rich Simple Syrup
• Dr. Funk – Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum, Lime Juice, Pernod Absinthe, Grenadine
• Tortuga – Lemonhart 151 Rum, Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Italian Vermouth, Crème de Cacao, Orange Curacao, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Grenadine
• Zombie – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Lemonhart 151 Rum, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Pineapple Juice, Demerara, Angostura
• Fogcutter – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, Barsol Pisco, Plymouth Gin, Orgeat, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Sherry Float

PUNCHES

• Cinerama Luau Punch – Appleton Reserve Jamaican Rum, White Wine, Orange Curacao, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice
• Scorpion Bowl – Ron Matusalem Platino Rum, Brandy, Orgeat, Lemon Juice, Orange Juice

On Tiki Night, 320 Main offers LA (L) and Chicago-style hot dogs.

To pair with the Tiki goodness, the kitchen will once again serve LA and Chicago-style hot dogs for $4 each. And if all of that wasn’t enough, 320 Main is also holding a raffle in conjunction with the voting! Everyone who casts a vote for one of Don or Vic’s drinks has a chance to win a prize, including: a bottle of Appleton 12-Year Rum; an authentic Martinique swizzle stick; a 320 Main $25 Gift Card; a bottle of Lemon Hart 151; or a Tiki mug with $100 worth of 320 Main drink chips. Raffle winners will be announced at 10pm and must be present to win.

Tiki Night: Don vs. Vic
Monday, June 27, 2011
7pm-11pm
Featuring:

• Don the Beachcomber vs. Trader Vic
• Jason Schiffer, Matt Robold and Marcos Tello
• Classic tiki drinks ($10)
• Punches by the glass ($6)
• LA and Chicago-style hot dogs ($4)
• Raffle

320 Main
320 Main Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 799-6246
www.320mainsealbeach.com