There’s an unwritten set of rules that bartenders and beverage managers follow when designing a cocktail menu: Keep recipes and preparations simple and consistent; offer something familiar; don’t fluster or overwhelm the customer. For patrons, there are guidelines for ordering drinks at a bar, like finding a drink that works for you and sticking with it — as long as it’s not too labor intensive. These days, however, the most innovative mixologists are breaking their rules and encouraging drinkers to abandon theirs, so the next time you’re ordering a cocktail, try taking the “wrong” approach for a unique drinking experience.
A good place to start is with the new spring cocktail menu at The Gibson (2009 14th Street NW). The list of 13 original drinks looks intimidating, but you’re bound to find your new favorite in there somewhere.You can expand your horizons with the salad-like Resolve, a Kappa Pisco cocktail mixed with a kale syrup and garnish, lemon juice, and lavender bitters is enjoyably citrusy and floral for all that green veg, or go for the extremely drinkable Chiquito, made with Cabeza Tequila, hibiscus vanilla syrup, lemon juice, and tonic.
The Gibson’s bartenders acknowledge that Prohibition-era themed bars can frustrate brand-loyal drinkers, as vintage ingredients are often substituted for more modern favorites. For instance, you can’t order a standard Pain Killer cocktail since Malibu rum and coconut cream were not in fashion in the 1930s, but the Gibson’s version, called the SimmerDown, will placate die-hard tiki fans with Smith & Cross blackstrap rum, orange, pineapple, and lime juices, almond syrup, allspice dram, and Kahlani coconut rum. Another entry humorously called “The Drink I Had One Time At This Bar!” pokes fun at guests who can’t remember that great cocktail they had somewhere else, blending Deep Eddy grapefruit vodka and lemon juice with a thyme, raspberry, and blueberry syrup into a fruity cocktail more memorable than a typical Cosmo. All jokes aside, The Gibson’s message is clear—trust the bartenders and you’ll have a good time.
If you’ve never ordered a cocktail at a beer bar, TAKODA Beer Garden and Whiskey Bar (715 Florida Avenue NW) has an Old Fashioned that might change your mind, using a beer syrup to add a nuanced flavor to this classic cocktail made with High West bourbon and orange and Angostura bitters. When slowly cooked down and sweetened, Flying Dog Bloodline ale, rich in grapefruit and blood orange notes, translates well to an Old Fashioned’s bitter citrus flavor. But manager Sean MacDonald says they eschew consistency by regularly rotating the beer they use: imagine an Old Fashioned with chocolatey Port City Porter, hoppy Heavy Seas Loose Cannon IPA, or spicy 3 Stars Peppercorn Saison. In this way, MacDonald says, this house favorite can be a “living and breathing cocktail because, every week, it is going to be something different.”
When you go to a tequileria, your go-to drink should include tequila or mezcal. But you can get a margarita anywhere, so try the Red And Smoky at El Centro D. F. (1819 14th St NW). A rich and floral cocktail with chili ginger simple syrup, lime juice, and El Silencio mezcal, it gets its red color and sweet flavor from thick hibiscus flower purée. The smoke from the mezcal stands out, as does the chili and ginger spice, a welcome respite from traditional tequila cocktails.
Ramos Fizz
Can’t get a bartender to make you a Ramos Fizz? Make one at home. Orange flower water is key to making it authentically. It’s easy to find at the store, but not every bar will have it.
• 3 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/2 ounce half-and-half
• 3 – 5 dashes orange flower water
• 1 egg white
club soda
Combine all ingredients except soda in a shaker. Shake vigorously to create foam. Add ice and shake again until chilled. Pour into a chilled Collins glass. Add ice if necessary and top with soda.
