News Segment

Here is the clip from the news. Big thanks to Syma for being a great host, as always.

Recipes

The first cocktail is the Holiday Bramble. This is a simple cocktail that uses Cranberries an ingredient I don’t find used much beyond relish.

Holiday Bramble

• 2oz Whiskey (I used Canadian Club Reserve)
• 1/2oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2oz Fig Syrup
• 6 Cranberries
• Muddle berries in the bottom of a mixing tin. Add remaining ingredients and ice then shake. Strain into a coupe glass or this lovely handmade Cordial Cup.
• Fig syrup is 2 parts jam and 1 part water warmed over the stove to combine. Strain into a jar and store in the fridge.

The Hot Toddy is so versatile and you can have a lot of fun experimenting with it. Here is my version to help cleanse you of 2020.

2020 Cleanse

• 2oz Spiced Rum (I used Bumbu Rum)
• 1/2oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2oz Honey/Sage Syrup
• 4oz Hot Tea (I used Earl Gray)
• Add everything to a preheated mug and stir.
• Honey Sage syrup is made by warming 1 part honey to 1 part water. Remove from the stove and add a few leaves of sage. Once cool, remove the sage and store in a jar in the fridge.

I have a love hate relationship with beer cocktails. I’ve experimented with many of them. This is a fun way to make a pilsner more holiday festive as you try to hit the last square of this crazy year.

Jumanji

• 1/2oz Irish Whiskey (I used Fighting 69th)
• 1/2oz Cherry Herring
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Pilsner Beer
• Spritz of Peety Scotch (I used Ardbeg 10yr)
• Shake the Irish Whiskey, Heering and bitters with ice then strain into a pilsner glass. Top with beer and spritz with scotch.

The post Delicious DIY Holiday Cocktails appeared first on Nick Drinks.

The Holidays are upon us and it’s time for another gift guide. I get the privilege to review a lot of gear and spirits. Here are my pick for some unique items specifically for people that are hard to buy for.

Never break a bottle again

Nearly every vacation, business trip or overseas journey I went on, I brought back at least one if not several bottles of alcohol home. It was always a great adventure to bring something back that wasn’t sold near you. On occasion bottles did break. I wrapped them in socks, shirts and whatever I was traveling with. Enter the VinGardeValise. This adorable suitcase not only holds enough clothes for a short trip but it also stores 5 BOTTLES OF WINE OR SPIRITS. This is the perfect gift for anyone who is a wine or spirit adventure. Full disclosure, we were sent one of these bags to review but I stand by the recommendation as a solid choice. Use code NICKDRINKS for 15% off too!

Beautify your backbar

When I visit people’s home bars, I’m always amazed at the creativity. I’ve never seen two bars that look the same. However, many of the brands we love will always be the same bottle no matter where you purchase them. This is where decanters come in. Note only is it a great way to show off your favorite spirits but it is unique to your style and can be personalized. Check out Prestige Decanters for a full line of unique products. They are a small business from Louisville, Kentucky. Also check out our video where we made an infinity decanter. Another great idea for someone who has tried ever spirit imaginable. Note, we were also sent a decanter to review and stand by this recommendation.

Big cubes with out the hassle

Making nearly clear ice for yourself at home isn’t impossible but it takes skill, the right tools and is never perfect. Having access to a Clinebell Ice Machine that freezes giant crystal clear blocks of ice is really the way to go. Trust the professionals at Detroit Ice Works to make beautiful packaged ice that is sold at fine liquor and grocery stores. These cubes will keep spirits chilled and won’t overly dilute them. Crafty!

Homemade BBQ anytime you want

I love eating BBQ and am terrible at cooking it. Every time I make brisket it is dry. What would you do if you could just sit in your house and someone would ship you delicious Southern-style BBQ to your home? You would jump up and down. Speakeasy Meats, based out of Ann Arbor, makes a range of slow smoked products that will remind you of a Summer picnic. Check out their full line on their website.

A better way to make cocktails

I own hundreds of cocktail books and something that they don’t do well at is being a rapid and efficient resource to make cocktails. Maneful solved a number of problems by changing the traditional cocktail book into a deck of cards. These recipes are water-proof, full of useful information and easy to use. They can be shuffled, sorted, and passed around the room. Very unique and a great stocking stuffer.

All your whiskey needs

Supporting local spirits producers is paramount at this time. Traverse City Whiskey Co is taking it one step further and making kits that make gift giving a snap. My big recommendation for shopping for spirits is go local, go barrel picks or go both. Looking for some good barrel picks? Check out Kako’s in Birmingham.

The post 2020 Boozy Gift Guide appeared first on Nick Drinks.

Can you make black tater tots with squid ink? 100%. How do they taste? Actually, not too bad. Check out my recipe below.

On this date in 1970, the last tot of rum was issued to the sailors of the British Royal Navy. This day was known as Black Tot Day. It ended a nearly 325 year tradition of providing a ration of rum every day to sailors.

This was a dark day for sailors but is probably a necessary evil. Rum was issued as a source of water and even calories. Hundreds of years ago, it was tough to travel with potable water. It would spoil and could grow algae, YUCK! Prior to the start of issuing rum, sailors were provided with beer. As much as a gallon a day. That’s a lot of beer. Rum was more compact and with the exploration of the West Indies, plentiful.

Enter Admiral Edward Vernon who in 1740 decided that all this rum was making the sailors unproductive and even unsafe. He ordered to cut the ration with water, 4:1. Sailors, not happy about this, could exchange their bread and salt ration for limes and sugar. Mix that with the diluted rum and you have what the sailors called grog. This was one of the first cocktails.

Why was it called Grog? Admiral Vernon wore a weather-proof coat made of a fabric called grogram. Sailors, who were bitter about their new diluted rum, called their impromptu cocktail after the man that necessitated it.

1970 rolls around and the modern Royal Navy says this is a thing of that past. The House of Commons votes to stop the tradition and on July 31st, 1970 they stopped issuing rum. This day was called Black Tot Day.

50 years later in 2020 we are still talking about this event. Nick Drinks wanted to mark the occasion with an epic black tot. Tater Tots made with squid ink.

Squid ink is a natural food coloring that makes its way into pasta, bread and even ice cream. It tastes slightly like sea water and is bit salty. A little goes a long way and my two soy packet sized containers were enough to dye 2 lbs of potatoes.

Tonight, raise up your glass to the brave sailors around the world. Pick your favor rum, make some grog and honor the tradition of Black Tot Day. Cheers.

Black Tater Tots

• 2 lbs Russet Potatoes, peeled
• 2x 0.14oz packets of Cuttlefish Ink
• 1.5 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• Seasonings of your choice (I used garlic & onion powder as well as dried dill)
• Kosher Salt to taste
• Neutral oil for deep frying

Peel the potatoes and shred them with a box grader into a towel lined bowl. Gather the towel into a bundle and wring out the extra liquid over a sink.

Put all your ingredients into a bowl and mix. I used gloved hands as not to dye myself. You are looking for a consistency that will hold it’s shape when pressed into a ball. Add a bit more flour if it’s not sticking.

Form into tater tot shapes. I did this by rolling them into a small ball then squeezing into a log. Place on a plate.

Fry immediately at 350° until most of the bubbles have stopped. Make sure you are doing this in a well lit kitchen as the dark tots are hard to see when they are getting crispy.

Alternatively, you can refrigerate overnight and they should keep their shape a bit better when frying.

Grog

• 1oz Dark Rum
• 1oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1oz Demerara Simple Syrup (1:1)
• 4oz Cold Water

Add all the ingredients into an iced shaker and shake. Strain into a copper or stone mug filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The post Black Tater Tots & Rum appeared first on Nick Drinks.

In a partnership with BevFluence and Michigan Wine Collaborative, I was sent a few bottles of wine from the Michigan winery, Aurora Cellars. This initially was part of a Michigan Wine Month (May) but the pandemic had other plans.

Aurora Cellars is based in the Leelanau Peninsula which is a designated AVA (American Viticultural Area) and has been growing in national fame.

We spoke to the winemaker, Drew Perry, and learned about the extensive care and work that goes into producing these products.

Additionally, I found myself up in Traverse City for an overnight so I popped into the cellars to try a few of the wines on-site as well.

Michigan’s climate is well-suited for white wines and Pinot Grigio is a great example. This 2018 varietal clocks in at 12.9% ABV and shows off bright fruit flavors with a smooth finish.

The still Rosé was a lovely treat as I’m a huge fan of this style. On top of that, Ice Box Brand stocks a full freezer full of ice cream novelties that pair with the wines.

The Rosé is a bit lower proof at 11.8% and is bright with flavors of Meyer lemon and Michigan tart cherries.

I had zero familiarity with Blaufrankisch but this German variety is perfect for our Michigan weather. In the US, this grape is also know as Lemberger which reminds me of the cheese. I approve of the German lead for this label.

12.4% ABV and 18 months in French Oak make for a tasty sip of blueberry and spicy pepper flavors.

Being a cocktailer, sparkling wines are my preference for mixing classic drinks.

Aurora’s sparkling rosé is 11.7% ABV and filled with fruit and dry.

Big shout out to the team at Aurora Cellar’s and the teams at BevFluence and Michigan Wine Collaborative. This exploration of my home states wine was a treat.

The post Visit to Aurora Cellars appeared first on Nick Drinks.

If you can’t venture out of your house for any reason but still want to support your local watering hole, here are a list of bars around Metro Detroit that offer fully online gift card ordering. This will allow you to inject some money into their cash flow and save the gift card for a future visit.

This not an exhaustive list. If you have additional bars to add, please email me at nick@nickdrinks.com. Stay safe out there.

Detroit

• Bad Luck Bar
• Candy Bar
• Checker Bar
• Detroit City Distillery
• Eastern Market Brewing Co.
• Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co
• Lost River
• Magnet
• Mudgie’s Deli & Wine Shop
• Norma G’s
• Roast
• Smith & Co
• Standby
• Sugar House
• Takoi
• Wright & Co

Suburbs

• Ale Mary’s Beer Hall
• Cadillac Straits Brewing Company
• Clubhouse BFD
• Kickstand Brewing Company
• Pinky’s Rooftop Bar
• Relief & Resource
• Valentine Distilling
• Voyager

The post Support Local with Gift Cards appeared first on Nick Drinks.

Nick Drinks is pleased to announce the 2nd year of the Golden Jigger Awards. The mission of the awards is to recognize the great work done by Metro Detroit’s Bartenders, Locations, Events and Brands over 2019. It was a great year for the industry and there are far more people responsible for the success of the region. We thank everyone for their hard work.

This year, awards were nominated by Nick Drinks and public  based on capabilities, knowledge and service. To select the winners, a combination of public vote, Industry/Media panel and the Nick Drinks staff will make the final decision.  ​​Voting is live now and will remain open until December 1st, 2019 at midnight. Everyone is welcome to vote once in the public vote. The Industry/Media panel is a cross section of the leaders in the industry from food/beverage media and hospitality focused groups:

Better on Draft, Bitter Detroit, Brew Export, Chartreuse/Oakland, Cocktail Detroit, Daily Detroit, Detroit Cocktail Camp, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Detroit Optimist Society, Drinks with Destiny, Eater, Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, Greater Detroit USBG Board, Grey Ghost/Second Best Bar, Hungry Dudes, Mabel Gray, Man Cave Happy Hour, Michigan Tea/Coffee Week, Michigan Craft Beverage Council, Royce/Marrow/Mink, Sazerac Company, Standby/Skip/Deluxx Fluxx, Tammy’s Tasting, William Grant and Sons, Willis Show Bar, Working Class Outlaws, & Yelp.

A number of sponsors have helped make this event possible:

• Autentico Nativo Rum sponsoring the Best Bartender Award
• Becherovka and JP Wisers sponsoring the Best Whiskey Program Award
• Coppercraft Distillery sponsoring the Best Retail Program Award
• Amaro Montenegro of E&J Gallo is sponsoring Best Wine Program Award
• Mover & Shaker Co is sponsoring, developed the logo, provided a custom pin and is presenting an award.
• Old Nation Brewing Company sponsoring the Best Beer Program Award.
• Watershed Distillery sponsoring the Best Non-Alcoholic Program Award
• Wheatly Vodka sponsoring the Best Bar Award

The categories and nominees are as follows:

• Best Bartender (presented by Autentico Nativo Rum) – Giancarlo Aversa, Jorge Cherriz, Roger Fruin, Tara Jagodinski, Bin Khulayf, Melissa Kim, Shelby Minnix, John Neely, Katrell Thomas, & Chas Williams
• Best Beer Program (presented by Old Nation Brewery) – Ale Mary’s Beer Hall, Clubhouse BFD, Grand Trunk Pub, Mudgie’s Deli & Wine Shop, and One Eyed Betty’s
• Best Beverage Event – Detroit Cocktail Camp, Detroit Cocktail Classic 2019, Detroit Whisky Festival IV 2019, Michigan Brewers Guild 11th Annual Fall Festival, and Miracle Pop-Up
• Brewery of the Year – Batch Brewing, Odd Side Ales, Old Nation Brewing Co, River’s Edge Brewing Co, & Royal Oak Brewery
• Best Cicerone – Peter Bruno, Annette May, Mike Turriff, Bobby Vedder, and Gregg Wilmes
• Best Bar (Presented by Wheatley Vodka) – Evening Bar, Hammer & Nail, Kiesling, The Last Word, The Library, Lost River, Monarch Club, Mutiny Bar, Standby, and The Sugar House
• Best Brand Support – Banhez Mezcal, Campari Group, Copper & Kings Distillery, Watershed Distillery, and William Grant & Sons
• Distillery of the Year (presented by Mover & Shaker Co) – Coppercraft Distillery, Detroit City Distillery, Long Road Distillers, Traverse City Whiskey Co, and Two James Spirits
• Best Brand Launch – Casamara Club, Copper Queen Whiskey, Eastern Kille, Glyph Molecular Whiskey and Lake Life
• Best Non-Alcoholic Program (presented by Watershed Distillery) – Castalia, Lost River, M Cantina, Smith & Co, and Standby
• Best Retail Venue (Presented by Coppercraft Distillery) – 8 Degrees Plato, Holiday Market, Kako’s Market, Motor City Wine and Tippins Market
• Best Sommelier – Caitlin Payne Buquet, Catherine Kurth, Gerry Baker, Michael “Mick” Descamps, and Liz Martinez.
• Best Tea or Coffee Program – Anthology Coffee, Astro Coffee, Eli Tea, Madcap Coffee and The Red Hook.
• Best Whiskey Program (Presented by JP Wisers & Bechervoka) – Butter Run Saloon, The Last Word, Standby, Sugar House & Thomas Magee’s
• Best Wine Program (Presented by Amaro Montenegro) – Michigan by the Bottle, Motor City Wine Bar, Paramita Sound, Prime & Proper, and The Royce
• Winery of the Year – Big Little Wines, Mari Vineyards, Mawby, St. Julian Winery and Youngblood Vineyard

On December 8th, 2018 at 7pm EST there will be a live awards ceremony at Detroit Shipping Company in Detroit. Buy tickets here.

Please contact me if you would like to get more information about the event or set-up an interview. nick@nickdrinks.com. Good luck everyone.

The post Golden Jigger Awards 2019 appeared first on Nick Drinks.

I was curious how a chain with 20+ locations would execute a speakeasy-style craft cocktail menu. Overall, I was impressed.

Spirit Tasting flights are typically reserved for high-end and specialized bars. Eddie Vs take on it pairs three solid spirits with one aged rum (Real McCoy 12 year Old), one bourbon (Old Forester 1920 – a fav of mine) and a rye (WhistlePig 10 year old). While they are bigger brands, these niche expressions aren’t normally seen on chain menus. The flight also comes with a filet mignon teaser. I approve.

The menu features four cocktails and a rocks pour. Starting with the rocks pour, the restaurant calls attention to the WhistlePig 10 Year. It pairs it with a crystal clear ice cube. These are likely ordered and not made in-house in a tray. Another sign that the group is going the extra mile. However, it is listed as a cocktail which is debatable.

The Gatsby Sour is a take on a New York sour which typically features a wine float. This cocktail is quite beautiful. The flavor is a bit all over the map. If you don’t stir it, the wine is all you taste followed by a whiskey sour that needed more balance. The official recipe does not list simple syrup but I was told some is in there.

The 24 Karat is another beautiful cocktail. While the drink alone is tart, the pairing with the sugar rim balances it out. I’m impressed with the restraint to not make a sweet cocktail paired with a sweet rim.

Is Butterfly Pea Flower going main stream? This has been a trick of craft cocktail bars for a few years now. It’s natural blue color is a great alternative to artificial coloring and with a slight change in the acidity of the cocktail you can change it to purple. Eddie V’s creatively freezes Butterfly Pea Flower Tea into an ice cube so the pairing with the cocktail of Vodka, grapefruit liqueur and lemon makes the drink change over your enjoyment of the drink. This drink did remind me of fancy Kool-Aid but I appreciate the table side presentation.

Rounding out the cocktail list is the Bee’s Knees. This was by far the best balanced cocktail and featured Plymouth Gin, Honey and Lemon Juice. The addition of dried thyme on top adds to the nose of the drink.

Overall, I applaud the effort of the Eddie V’s group. Tackling this menu over 20+ locations is a feat. There is certainly room for improvement but they are taking on a challenge I would welcome to see at more places. Bravo.

The post A chain’s take on the speakeasy appeared first on Nick Drinks.

Enter Francesco S. Viola and his son Luca Mariano. Francesco is the founder and Luca is the namesake of Luca Mariano Distillery.

The company was founded in 2013 and is based out of Plymouth, Michigan. However, the company is currently producing products in Kentucky. They have a 300 acre farm in the state that will be the future home of their distillery and tasting room. For now, they are working with a partner distillery in Kentucky to produce the products they want.

Earlier this 2019, they released their Old Americana Bourbon. The current batch (#4) is aged over 4 years, clocks in at 41.5% ABV and has a mash bill of 85% corn, 10% barley and 5% rye.

Their new Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey launches October 18th in Michigan and they are throwing as big party to celebrate. The rye is also aged over 4 years and comes in at 41.5% ABV while it’s mash bill is 95% rye, 4% corn and 1% Barley.

Full disclosure, I have not tried either of the products yet and for those of you in the same boat, here is your chance. The rye release party is on October 18th at the Majestic Theater in Detroit. For $25, you’ll get to try both the rye and bourbon as well as enjoy some live entertainment. The brand is a big fan of country music and has assembled a six-piece band featuring Jordan Kirkdorffer of The Voice and Rachel Lynae (local Nashville celeb). The first 100 people at the door will get a chance to meet the band and the first 500 will get a t-shirt or hat.

As Nick Drinks fans, we have a pair tickets to giveaway. Leave a comment on this post with your favorite way to enjoy rye or bourbon. I’ll pick a random winner Sunday (10/13/19) at 9pm EST.

The post Intro to Luca Mariano & Rye Release Party appeared first on Nick Drinks.

However, Cocktail Classic, one of the biggest spirited events in Metro Detroit falls on #SoberOctober. We don’t want anyone to fail on their goal this month. Therefore, we have issued a permission slip that will allow you to skip one day Friday, October 4th 2019 to attend and enjoy Cocktail Classic.

Download link

Please return this Permission Slip to the Nick Drinks Booth at Cocktail Classic and your skip day for #SoberOctober will be forgiven.

Cheers – Nick

The post Sober October Permission Slip appeared first on Nick Drinks.

Full disclosure: This was reviewed as part of a media preview. The food and drinks were provided for no charge to the press.

The building formally housed the Smith Welding Supply & Equipment Company that closed in 2007. They retained and restored a number of elements including a beautiful sign. This could be confusing as it wasn’t obviously a restaurant from the signage. There was, however, a temporary banner for my visit on (9/19/19). As build out progresses, I imagine this won’t be an issue. Especially, if you see people eating inside.

Nick Drinks did our due diligence in tasting a number of beers and cocktails along with an assortment of food. I’ll divide it into two categories and give a summary at the end.

The Drinks

Beer will obviously be their focus with the adjacent brewery. Head Brewer, David Hale, wants to have a straight forward program with a max volume of 2,000 barrels a year. Dave is a “Beer First Purist” and wants to let the beer speak for itself. They will be making both ales and lagers with maybe a sour and barrel program in the future. David’s background from previous work at North Peak (whose owners were a guest on Nick Drinks at Night) has opened his mind to the potential of Michigan ingredients. Over his time he has found a love for the state’s hops and wants to use them where ever possible.

The brewery will also be paired with a capital “B” – Barcade (the name brand). While Detroit does have a handful of arcades, this will be the first national name and one tied to a brewery.

The most intriguing part of the brewery is the partnership with Eastern Michigan University. This will be a hands-on training facility for new brewers including a classroom. While there aren’t plans for “civilian” classes, my fingers are crossed.

The launch menu features three Nain Rouge draft beers; Detroit Hibiscus Wheat, Confus Guava IPA and 644 Amber with a fourth IPA to come soon. An additional 16 beers are on draft with a number of cans/bottles as well. They are focused on Michigan products with a few National treasures. Three omissions from their program are the marcos; Bud, Miller and Coors. I don’t think it makes sense to serve them, either.

I sampled the Confus Guava and was pleased with the subtle fruit notes. It was very dry and not overly “IPA Bitter”. There was no sugary essence from the guava which is added along with dry hops for the flavor kick.

The cocktail program is approachable with just enough small chances to convince some vodka soda types to expand their horizons. Shrubs, anise, unusual bitters, home made syrups and Italian liqueurs are all used. There is a mezcal cocktail but it’s the only brand I saw on the back bar was Monte Alban which I personally don’t like.

They are launching with one kegged old-fashioned and four bottled cocktails. While kegging is getting much more common, bottled cocktails tend to play a behind the scenes role. I don’t believe any other establishment has a full selection and section of them on their menu.

I tried the Prom Night Punch, Hop Ritchie and Bourbon & Lacs. Each one was very drinkable and enjoyable. The aren’t overly “wow-worthy” but for a restaurant of this size, I think it’s the right road to go.

The Food

Chef Greg Antioho is transplant from Blue Tractor in Ann Arbor. His take on the menu is to use as much local Michigan ingredients as possible. The food has a traditional concept with international flair. This augments the beverage program nicely. Approachable with calculated risks.

I tried the Smith Burger, Rainbow Trout, Roasted Carrots and Steak Frites. Everything was executed very well with the crispy things being crisp and the tender things being tender (#peabodyAward).

Verdict

This is a solid visit. If you are timid with expanding your beverage and food boundaries, this is a perfect place to slowly expand your comfort zone. If you are chasing the next James Beard or Michilin list contender, you won’t be disappointed but nothing is world changing. I look forward to the opening of the brewery and Barcade in the future. Congrats on the opening Smith & Co.

The post Smith & Co Review appeared first on Nick Drinks.