There’s no shortage of drinks that could be made from the contents of Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson’s (formerly) well-stocked office bar.

Helena Yankovska / Unsplash

Local news lovers may have seen the ABC7 exposé this week revealing that the chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board stocked his Wheaton office with a full bar and hosted Planning Board meeting after-parties and happy hours in said office.

A whistleblower reported Casey Anderson’s liquor cabinet, which reportedly has more than 30 bottles of liquor in it, along with citrus squeezers and other bar tools, ABC7 reported. An investigation by the Inspector General of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which administers the county planning board, turned up at least three employees who acknowledged drinking alcohol in Anderson’s office, according to the report. In a statement to ABC7, Anderson apologized for keeping the bar at the office.

The planning commission chair has since dismantled the bar — it goes against M-NCPPC’s zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol — but from photographic evidence, Anderson was not serving rail drinks at Club Casey. There’s Bombay Sapphire gin and Bulleit Rye in there, along with some pretty top shelf stuff, including a nearly full bottle of Green Chartreuse, which retails at more than $75.

It also had a row of comically colored bottles that look at first glance like prop liquor, though closer inspection of labels in the photograph — yes, I zoomed in for journalism — reveal that the red one is hand-labeled Aperol, a bar staple and spritz favorite; and the yellow one is Yellow Chartreuse, a slightly cheaper version of the French monk-made botanical spirit. I can’t see the label on the green, but I’m guessing either creme de menthe or whatever they use to make appletinis.

All of this suggests that Anderson has some bartending chops, to say the least. What do we think he was mixing up for Planning Department employees at those post-planning parties? We have a few ideas*:

MoCo Mule: Made with Norbeck Vodka from Rockville’s own Twin Valley Distilling and Zingabier, a ginger golden ale from Montgomery County’s Black Viking Brewing, served in a mug shaped like a donkey, in keeping with the county’s politics.

You’ll Be On The Floor (Area Ratio): Basically a Long Island Iced Tea. Keep track of how many you’ve had vs. your weight and how much you’ve eaten, or the drink’s name will become all too real.

Dark ‘n’ Stormwater: Rum shaken with runoff from a Bethesda resident’s yard.

By Right Russian: Black Russian made with that same local vodka and the Mr. Black (a coffee liqueur) also prominently featured in the photo of Anderson’s bar.

Minimum Shot Size: A dare shot that’s made with a few drops of everything in the cabinet. Despite the small glass, if you fill it to the edges — like you never could on Montgomery County building lots — it packs a punch.

The NIMBY: A twist on a negroni with Nolet’s gin, Ice, Martini Riserva Special Bitter, Barbadillo Antica Vermouth, and a Youngberry garnish. Must be drunk in the corner of the office far away from everyone else at the party.

Manhattan-ization: A twist on the classic Manhattan but made with N/A spirits, because absolutely nothing about Montgomery County is being “Manhattanized.” The secret ingredient? Developers’ tears.

The Gavel: This is actually a Last Word, and consequently, it’s Anderson’s favorite one to make because as Planning Board Chair, he literally gets the last word at every meeting. (Maybe that explains all the Chartreuse.)

*Every drink on the menu can be up-zoned, which means an additional shot of booze.

Filed Under: meanwhile in maryland, montgomery county,