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I started off with The Deshler, an orange-heavy whiskey cocktail with Dubonnet and Peychaud's bitters. It was a competently made classic featured in most respectable bar books -- but tonight, I was far more interested in the award-winning ingenuity of Sahr than another history lesson. Once I had his attention, he was extremely enthusiastic to show me some of the more novel attractions he'd been working on behind the bar.
First, Sahr served his Barrel-Aged Manhattan, a delicious contribution to the recentNorthwest revival of pre-prepared cocktails left to age in oak casks. After a patient wait in the relatively small barrel, the aged concoction is poured very slowly and carefully over a stout brick of ice and served unadorned in an Old Fashioned glass.
He gave me a taste of the tiny oak barrel twenty days in, which tasted amazing but still definitely "on its way" to what was initially served. I asked him how long he usually aged the drink but he was reluctant to give me a definite answer. He said a month was customary, but that he often waited it out several days later. To what end? Well, tasting the exactness of the answer is obvious, but explaining it is near impossible. Experimentation is the key to the perfection of Sahr's Barrel-Aged Manhattan, making it a deliciously important metaphor for Sahr's overall mixing philosophy.
Up next, I was of course obligated to finally try the winner of last week's Manhattan Shake-Off -- The Northwest Manhattan. Simultaneously unmistakable as the legendary mixture while reinvigorated by Sahr's own Oregon berry-infused cognac, I'm happy to say the drink more than earned it's accolade.
After I was finished with the champion Manhattan, Sahr was also kind enough to let me try the secret ingredient on its own. Oregon berries are carefully insinuated into Hennessey and an unrevealed brandy ("for heat"). I asked him if it was being used in any other mixture, but he claimed the unique taste was simply too fragile to be successfully implemented in any other experiments. Furthermore, the process of making it is extremely time-consuming for a relatively small amount of product.
Sahr's next concotion was an ambitious, unnamed mix that sought to reinvent the Old Fashioned (Shane almost called it "A Bitter Experience," but quickly took it back once he realized how bad "A Bitter Experience at Tini Big's" sounded). What you once knew as the shitty muddled mess that is the Modern Old Fashioned has now been optimized into a crash course on the subtleties of bitters. Instead of chewy maraschinos and pulverized orange wedges, cherry and orange bitters are added to an otherwise classic recipe... Okay, Peach bitters are thrown in the mix too, but they're a necessary evil against the theme to combat Angostura's bully of a flavor.
If I were going to be an elitist prick about this place (a tendency usually stronger than my gag reflex and kneejerk hatred of all things Sam Worthington combined), I would complain about the constant marketing that seems to coat Tini Bigs. Martini glasses are doubly branded with Finlandia vodka and Tini Bigs logos. The "Tini's Classics" section of the drink menu cross-references most cocktails to its corresponding page in the Tini Bigs official bar book (available for sale at a discounted rate after ordering a cocktail!). Even the featured spirits menu above the bar is sponsored by Woodford Reserve.
That mostly meaningless quibble aside, Sahr's enthusiasm for creating new and well-practiced cocktails coupled with the management of Tini Bigs' willingness to fund his passions come together for a powerful alliance that brings excitement well beyond a few mix-off trophies. With a rehaul of the food menu on the way, expect this bar to make some big waves in 2011. Until then, take a seat at Tini Big's and treat yourself to the service of one of the most exciting young bartenders in Seattle
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| Sarah Anne Lloyd, 2010. |
Fresh off his victory at the Tilth-sponsored Organic Cocktail Contest, Tini Big'sShane Sahr came in first place this Monday at the Second Annual Esquire/Woodford Reserve Manhattan Shake-Off against five other local competitors. As per the rules of the contest, Shane Sahr will soon go on to the national finals to crown the year's "Master of the Manhattan" in Smyrna, Delaware (wait, no -- Manhattan, New York).
The event served its honored quaff in three distinct variations, the most traditional of them being the Esquire Manhattan. Served with two ounces of Woodford Reserve, one ounce of red vermouth and a half ounce of Fernet Branca, the drink smacked of rich tradition and the vermouth's stinging back end. The bar staff hurried as best they could to mass produce these three cocktails for a pretty large crowd, but it's hard to nail such a delicate mixture so many times in one night and drinks often made it out a little too strong.
The event was held in the Palace Ballroom so there were plenty of delicious Tom Douglas offerings to pair with the drink of the night. Chocolate, maple and (because it's 2010 and we can't have anything nice without it anymore) bacon were the main themes of a healthy spread, including a heavenly milkshake that made me regret dropping party shots into slushees all my life like a fool.
Judging the event were Ted Lawrence of the Culinary Institute of America; Jamie Bourdeau, Seattle bartender superstar and host of webshow Raising the Bar; and the master distiller of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Chris Morris.
Morris said that a making a solid bourbon cocktail takes talent and creativity. Any person off the street can walk behind a bar and pour a shot of cherry vodka into a can of Coke, but a real bartender -- a bartender who considers themselves a professional -- will take pleasure in working to accentuate the nuances of a complicated liquor like bourbon.
While Morris loves what the Internet revolution has done for more or less levelling the playing field when it comes to knowing how to mix a proper drink, he stresses the importance of diligent research. He says that it's important to know not only the ingredients of a cocktail, but its story.
With drinks as popular as the Manhattan, you can have dozens of different recipes from dozens of different sources. For example: a Manhattan out of Jerry Thomas's 1887 bartender's guide and a Manhattan out of the Playboy Bartender's Guide are both going to be great drinks -- but they're by no means identical. Learning the origin of a concoction that has almost two centuries worth of history is the best way to improve your own mixing technique and create your own spin without looking like a spaz.
The Shake-Off's competition was nothing to scoff at, although it was a bit disheartening to see that craft heavies like Tavern Law, Vessel, and Zig Zag weren't represented. Candidates were chosen via recipe submissions online, so the focus was definitely more on finding a solid product than a solid producer.
The only hard and fast rule I was made aware of was that all Manhattans must feature Woodford Reserve bourbon. The official judging criteria came down to a breakdown between the drink's name (really?), overall creativity, rationale behind ingredients, presentation and taste. However, when asked about the ideal Manhattan, Chris Morris claimed he was looking for a simple mixture that showcased the bourbon above all else, as well as how well any substitutions for good, old-fashioned vermouth.
Representing Daniel's Broiler was Brad Miller with an Applewood Manhattan that blended Tawny port and an apple cider reduction syrup. He said that the drink was inspired by a cognac cocktail named The Waltz, most likely solidifying the Applewood as the crown "fancy-pants" entry.
Crow's Brian Mura brought along the Queen Anne Manhattan; Navan vanilla liqueur and Fee Brothers orange bitters was probably the least flashy of the entrants, but also sounded like one of the sweetest.
Casey Robison of Barrio crafted the Manhattan in Autumn, an intriguing recipe that read like something an alchemist would drink: dashes of Angostura and Ragan's Bitters as well as two drops of St. Elizabeth's allspice dram supplemented a mixture of bourbon, Punt e Mes and Fernet Branca.
Matt Johnson, co-owner of West Seattle's Feedback Lounge, made the Italiano Manhattan. The Italiano featured cinnamon-infused Tuaca, 2 dashes of angostura, three cloves, a bourbon-infused cherry and the white wine-based appertif Cocchi Aperitivo Americano. It was ambitious, and it took quite a long time to make. As much as it sounded like a perfectly amazing cocktail, its resemblance to a Manhattan was pretty liberal.
Finally, Shane Sahr's winning cocktail combined his own oregon berry-infused cognac, Dolin dry vermouth, 3 dashes of Ragan's Orange bitters and three brandied cherries. It was a great compromise of a classic recipe, innovation and elbow grease that seemed to instantaneously command the judges' attention.
When asked about his secret, Sahr told cocktail-crafters to have fun above all else. You never know who you're going to serve and you can't be sure of what they're going to ask for, so a flexible, curious attitude is your best tool. He invited any Whiskey Wednesday readers to come to Tini Big's for one of the bar's monthly "Sunday School" mixology classes -- an extremely enticing idea now that he's proven he has to be doing something right.
There was something strange about a roomful of people salivating over mostly silent bartenders who went about fixing drinks they weren't allowed to try. That's not to say Woodford Reserve and Esquire were wrong in not trying to let the audience in on the judging, as it'd be damn near impossible to rally enough of these homemade infusions and reductions for the crowd present. Furthermore, the slight drop in quality present in the three relatively simple cocktails wouldn't have served more intricate presentations any better. The only way to sate any curiosity these craft Manhattans might've aroused is to check out their respective bars -- a task of which Whiskey Wednesday is more than ready
So, I’m not the biggest fan of bourbon or whiskey … but for those of you who are, this is pretty exciting.
Woodford Reserve teamed up with Esquire magazine to find bartenders and mixologists who can recreate the “Manhattan.”
The drink used to be quite popular, but has lost its luster over time.
Five local bartenders showcased their own renditions of the cocktail at Palace Ballroom, and of course, there was plenty of delicious food to go with the drinks as well .
The bartenders had to demonstrate making their creations in front of a panel of judges, who were comparing the taste, name, ingredients, creativity and presentation of the drink.
The recipes also had to include Woodford Reserve bourbon as the primary ingredient.
Shane Sahr, who works at Tini Bigs, took the big prize for our state.
He says the key to his “Northwest Manhattan” is the fact that he makes his own Oregon-berry infused Cognac … and he cracks his own ice. That’s really impressive!
He now gets to showcase his prized drink at an exclusive event in New York City on January 10, 2011.
Best of luck to you Shane!!
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| The Ginger Jade Gimlet, left, and Shane Sahr's winning Lady Godiva, right. |
The other finalist cocktails included the "Voyage Across Washington" by Michael Kostin ofTASTE (Voyager Gin, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Townshend Huckleberry Port, Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters, Theo's Dark Chocolate), "The Sakuranbo" from Jim Romdall of Vessel(Voyager Gin, Clear Creek Kirschwasser, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, simple syrup, rhubarb) and a "Ginger Jade Gimlet" created by Beth Wilson-Parentice of ECO-BAR (Legacy Vodka, Canton Ginger Liqueur, SIPP sparkling water, cucumber, basil, lime juice).
The recipe for Sahr's winning cocktail is right after the jump. Pen and pad ready?
The Lady Godiva
1/2 oz Domaine de Canton
1oz Voyager Dry Gin
1/2 oz Soft Tail Spirits Vodka
1 1/2 oz Godiva White Chocolate
2 to 3 slices of Fresh Jalapeno
Add Soft Tail Vodka and fresh jalapeno and give a slight muddle. Next, add the remaining ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake together. Finally, strain into a Martini glass and add garnish of Jalapenos and Chocolate shavings. Garnish with one fresh Jalapeno slice and shaved dark chocolate
