Bars & Nightlife

‘Hey Bartender’ Celebrates Craft Cocktails, Just Not The Craft Cocktails Made in Seattle

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:28:00 -0700

Seattle receives exactly one nod in Hey Bartender, the new documentary about the cocktail renaissance now showing at Northwest Film Forum. Among the handful of bartenders we meet at the film’s start is Jeff Bell of the highly influential PDT in New York. Bell tells the camera that when family or friends come to town he takes them to fellow craft cocktail purveyor Employees Only. We catch under Bell’s gray cardigan a v-shaped glimpse of a purple and white University of Washington Huskies tee. One nod, and it’s a random sartorial decision. (Jeff Bell is indeed from Seattle and bartended here before moving to New York, but that’s not in the movie.)

And that’s it. No Canon, no Rob Roy, no Zig Zag, not even a mention of the Godfather of Seattle Cocktails. In fact, aside from a fleeting scene at Portland Cocktail Week and super brief interview footage with some L.A. bar guys, Hey Bartender doesn’t bother with the Pacific Time Zone.

But what it lacks in West Coast love the doc (mostly) makes up for in compelling story lines. The film follows Steve Schneider, a former Marine pulling his life together after a near-fatal beatdown outside a bar. (To save his life, surgeons inserted three metal plates in his skull.) Schneider’s dream is to be a principle bartender at Employees Only. We also meet Stephen “Capri” Carpentieri, who owns a convivial dive in Westport, Connecticut. Compared to his cocktail-making co-stars, Capri’s a decade behind the times, his top shelf arrayed with flavored vodkas and his bar gun inordinately loaded with Coca Cola.

Both guys, inescapably likable, carry the narrative burden of the doc. We cheer for Schneider, but our hearts rest with Capri, who we learn is recently divorced and whose house is in foreclosure. To save his bar, Capri decides to embrace the culture in which Schneider is already deeply ensconced. They both fly to New Orleans for the annual Tales of the Cocktail convention, where Capri buys a fedora and seeks advice from bartending legends. Schneider flaunts his trademark speed in a cocktail contest and sweats out the convention’s closing awards ceremony, where Employees Only may or may not win the title of Best Bar in the World.

Even those for whom the craft cocktail renaissance is old news (it is old news), or for whom a glaring Seattle snub is normally a deal breaker, the story of these two men reinventing themselves in a profession once considered lowly—and now getting its due—is worth the 94 minutes.

As Schneider, who narrowly dodged death at a tavern, succinctly puts it, “I died in a bar—and [was] reborn in a bar.”

Hey Bartender plays at Northwest Film Forum through June 20.

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Sir-Mix-A-Lot Will Judge the Iron Vintner Challenge

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Apparently big butts aren't all local rapper Sir-Mix-A-Lot likes: He also gets sprung on food and wine. On Wednesday, Mix will help judge the final Iron Vintner Challenge, which pits Lisa Baer, of Baer Winery, against Chris Peterson, of Avennia.

The monthlong challenge puts the cooking and pairing skills of four Woodinville winemakers to the test when Barking Frog chef Bobby Moore gives them a host of ingredients and a secret protein, from which each must craft an appetizer and an entree in 60 minutes or less. The winemakers who survived rounds one and two—aka Baer and Peterson—then battle for the title of Iron Vintner in front of a crowd of hungry admirers. All the ribbing and rivalry benefits Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center.

For the 2013 championship, Sir Mix-A-Lot joins celebrity judges Christie Johnson of KING5; Ted Baseler, CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle Estates; and Joshua Henderson, founder of Skillet and lots of other exciting new projects. Wednesday's smackdown takes place at Willows Lodge in Woodinville. Knives begin flying at 5:30.

What: Fourth Annual Iron Vintner Challenge
Where: The patio outside of Fireside Cellars at Willows Lodge
When: June 19, 5:30-7:30pm
Cost: $50

Five Questions for the Bartender: Darek Betz

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:15:00 -0700

Darek Betz behind the bar at Brave Horse Tavern. Via Darek Betz.

Darek Betz has worn every hat in a bar. Back in his native Arizona, the Brave Horse Tavern bartender says he once “went from kitchen, to DJing, to barbacking all in one week.” After that rapid series of promotions, the next step seemed obvious—manager, a position he now both misses, and doesn’t. "I was able to keep myself busy managing,” he says, “but I also learned that most [people in] management wished they started bartending."

Now a resident of Lower Queen Anne and a full-time bartender at the Tom Douglas favorite in South Lake Union, Betz serves handcrafted specials, including the Spring Sour, made with bourbon, honey, and Tuaca. With 13-plus years in the industry under his belt—and a well-rounded resume—Betz brings more to the table than delicious cocktails. “I’m hoping that the next place I manage will be my own spot,” Betz says. “I’ve got hundreds of ideas.”

Here are five questions we asked Darek Betz:

What is the most underrated spirit?

Tequila. Most people are afraid to revisit the stuff ever since they last hugged the toilet. A nice Anjeo can be sipped just like a fine bourbon, or mixed into my favorite: the Paloma (tequila, squirt, lime).

What do you order when on the other side of the bar?

I'm a craft beer kind of guy. Lately my palate has allowed me to love sours, so if you have a delicious sour on tap I'll take it!

What's one of the craziest things you've seen (or seen someone do) in a bar?

Thirteen years working in the bar scene, you see a lot of shenanigans. Anything from sex being had in any spot you can think of (yes the dance floor too), to a snifter being smashed into someone's forehead. One of my favorite shenanigans, though, would be when one of the managers I was working with back in Arizona conned 16 people throughout the night into doing a “gin sniffer.” Gin sniffer is when you flip over a shot glass, fill the little half bubble with gin, grab a straw, and—you guessed it—start sniffing till it's gone! The reactions to this were priceless!

What are people ordering from you lately?

Ever since I started working in SLU I have been receiving orders for a Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer, lime juice). I had never even heard of this drink until 2 years ago, but everybody wants one. Unfortunately we haven't carried ginger beer since we opened.

What would you say that you do differently than other bartenders?

I would say that the difference between myself and most other bartenders is that I keep the bar clean. I started off as a barback when I got into this business, and have never lost the sense of urgency to keep the bar around me presentable for the public at all times. I can't seem to overlook untidiness!

Distillery Tastings this Saturday at The Foundry

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:30:00 -0700

Imagine: You in one of these chairs, a local spirit in your glass. Weekend accomplished. Photo via The Foundry.

In case you required more evidence we are living in a Golden Age of Northwest spirits, behold PROOF: The Washington Distillers Festival, a high-octane tasting in SoDo tomorrow, June 15, at the The Foundry by Herban Feast. More than 40 Northwest distilleries will dispense samples of locally made vodka, gin, bourbon, whiskey, and other craft spirits, including Dry Fly, Mischief, and Batch 206, many of which appeared in our distillery roundup.

Soak up the booze with eats from local companies like Kickin' Boot Whiskey, Theo, Hot Cakes, and Local 360. And music will pour from the turntable of KEXP’s DJ Greg Vandy.

Because the evening session sold out so quickly, organizers have added an additional second tasting, from 1pm to 4pm. Tickets can be purchased here. Bottles will also be on sale throughout the event.

This Week in Happy Hour: Oyster Edition

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:13:00 -0700

Oyster happy hour here we come! Image via the Ballard Annex Oyster House's Facebook page.

Fresh-shucked oysters are synonymous with Seattle, and restaurants devoted to the all holy mollusk have offered oyster happy hour for years, as you'll see in our "Guide of Seattle’s Oyster Bars." But we wanted to introduce a few relative newcomers to the scene, and a one-day event with bivalves for a buck and free wine.

Wine World and Spirits with Taylor Shellfish
Let’s start with the "Sip-N-Slurp" event at Wine World and Spirits on Saturday, June 22 from 2 to 5pm. You'll sample tastes of the winning wines from the 2013 Pacific Coast Oyster awards, ahem, for free. And shucking experts from Taylor Shellfish will be in the house to serve $1 oysters to pair with those nice crisp whites.

The Bookstore Bar at The Library Bistro
Right off the lobby of the Alexis hotel is a quaint bar perfect for a post work cocktail. And now you can order one off the new happy hour menu, which also includes local draft beers and house red, white, and rose for $5. From 4 to 7pm daily, oysters on the half shell are only $1. Chef Chris Lobkovich selects the varieties, though expect to see kusshi, Barron Point, and Gold Creek on the list. The rest of the menu is seafood driven with mussels two ways, chowder or clam steamers, all for around $5.

Ballard Annex Oyster House
It's all about seafood at this classic East Coast eatery in Ballard. From 3:30 to 6pm daily "shucker's selection" oysters are $1.50, but on sweet, sweet Wednesday that special lasts all night long. The HH menu now includes drink specials, too. Nautical themed cocktails like a Dark and Stormy, Old Cuban, or a Scurvy are $6. White or red wine for $5, bubbles for $6, and a couple tap beers for $4 will help keep that bar tab down, but the drink tally up.

Tanglewood Supreme
This Magnolia seafood bistro represents with its "fisherman to table" motto. The fish and shellfish options are sustainable and locally sourced. And the happy hour menu, which runs daily from 5 to 6pm, is no exception. A local oyster trio with an apple-shallot mignonette is $5, along with 14 other snacks ranging from $3 to $5. Fresh market ceviche and sea bean salad pair nicely with a glass of Adelsheim pinot gris or a "one cup" glass of chilled Ozeki sake.

Hitchcock
It's been a big year for Chef Brendan McGill. He was voted the Food and Wine's People's Best New Chef in March. And his cozy restaurant on Bainbridge Island thrives with residents and tourists lured by classic cocktails, like a Negroni or Manhattan for $5 at happy hour. A select Pacific oyster is $1 and a handful of $5 snacks are available, from wood-fired manila clams to duck liver mousse with quince. "Cocktail hour" runs Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 6 and again from 9 to 10pm.

Two Beers Brewing Launches a Cider Company

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:40:00 -0700

Why, hello there. Image via Seattle Cider Company.

Joel VandenBrink, the founder of SoDo's Two Beers Brewing, is starting an apple-focused enterprise called Seattle Cider Company. While hard cider is experiencing quite the resurgence in Washington, this is the first cidery to open in the city of Seattle in anyone’s memory—since Prohibition, according to VandenBrink. He's planning two styles to start, a dry and a semi-dry, which he says will showcase how complex and non–Jolly Rancherish a good cider can be.

The space in VandenBrink’s facility that used to house Churchkey (the hipster cans have moved manufacturing elsewhere) is now busy fermenting blends of apples custom tailored by sales and distribution director Eric Willard, whose years working at Tiny’s Organic made him a bit of an apple savant. Seattle Cider Company isn’t using the more tannic cider apples. Those are only available at harvest time, says VandenBrink, and are in short supply anyway since bigger cider companies snap most of them up for production. But Willard calibrated a blend of familiar dessert apples—including Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith and both Golden and Red Delicious—with varying sugar content, acidity, pH and other characteristics, that produce a cider that isn’t the cloyingly sweet version of our youth. “You can pull a lot of character out of dessert apples,” says VandenBrink. Fermentation helps, too, as does a special strain of yeast, which VandenBrink says imparts an earthy character.

VandenBrink became interested in cider in part because he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease four years ago. Typically people with this affliction can’t consume beer, he says, but “some part of the universe understands that I own a brewery.” So making cider, which is naturally gluten free and easier to digest, is his way of preparing for the future—“I always want to drink a product that I’ve created,” he says. Brent Miles, the cidery's operations manager, is also gluten intolerant and harbored a love of cider from a year spent teaching in France.

The state technically considers cider a wine, so VandenBrink needed a separate license and separate business, even though the cidermaking process hews more to beer than wine. Plus Seattle Cider Company will dispense its wares in kegs and 16-ounce tallboy cans. The cider should hit the market in September. VandenBrink is also expanding (and getting appropriate licenses) for his tasting room, The Woods, so it can pour cider alongside Two Beers brews. Keep tabs on Seattle Cider Company's progress right over here.

Sean Sullivan's Wine of the Week: For A Song's Caliche Lake Vineyard Riesling

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:13:00 -0700

Every week the founder of Washington Wine Report, Wine Enthusiast contributing editor, and Seattle Met's house wine guru recommends a (typically) budget-friendly Northwest wine.

What: For A Song Caliche Lake Vineyard Riesling Columbia Valley 2012 $10

Where: Fremont Wine, Esquin

Why: Riesling is grown throughout the Columbia Valley but the grape has become a calling card for one region in particular—Ancient Lakes. Situated along the Columbia River and bisected by Interstate-90 (if you've attended a concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre you've passed through the area), Ancient Lakes became Washington's 13th federally approved growing region late last year.

Nearly 1,000 of the region's 1,400 planted acres are dedicated to riesling. And that comes as no surprise after tasting the 2012 For A Song Caliche Lake Vineyard Riesling—the grape positively thrives there. Ancient Lakes wine is known for its bright acidity and mineral notes (think wet stone) and we get both here, along with hints of peach and pear. Though the wine comes with 2.4 percent residual sugar, it's balanced by tart acids, making it a perfect accompaniment to spicy fare like Thai food. And at $10, it's irresistible.

Why Are So Many Breweries Opening in Ballard?

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:35:00 -0700

Image: Lucas Anderson

The brewery and taproom space at Reuben's Brews. Ballard is seeing a lot more spaces like this lately.

It’s not exactly news that a ton of breweries are opening in Ballard. By my count, seven beermaking establishments have taken up residence in the area since 2011 (NW Peaks arrived in 2010), joining stalwarts Hale’s Ales and Maritime Pacific. Most of them are sprinkled east and west of 15th Avenue, an area full of warehouse-type spaces suitable for such enterprises. But that can't be the only reason...right?

“What makes Ballard special is the relatively affordable industrial space that is immediately surrounded by dense residential areas,” says Dave Keller, who cofounded bicycle-celebrating Peddler Brewing earlier this year. For smaller breweries, it’s nigh impossible to compete with the big guys on a wholesale level, so having people come buy beer at the taproom is important. That’s why Reuben’s Brews owner Adam Robbings opted for Ballard rather than similarly industrial SoDo, despite the higher rent: “We wanted people to be able to walk to the brewery, so that we’re part of a neighborhood.” Having other brewers nearby also comes in handy, he says, should one run out of hops or malt or need equipment.

Here, for those of you keeping track, are the breweries operating (or about to open) in Ballard. Am I missing any?

Bad Jimmy’s
The opening is still four or six weeks away, but this newcomer at 4358 Leary Way is planning a slate of brews that mix classics (IPA, reds, etc.) with some bold flavors (the current online taplist calls out a habanero amber and strawberry-mango hefeweizen).

Hilliard’s Beer
It could be the natty cans, could be their enjoyable contents, but the boys at Hilliard's have built up quite a presence since opening in 2011. The taproom at 1550 NW 49th Street is a mellow, stylish place to hang out, and there's usually a food truck or two, plus some taps pouring beers that aren't available in the can (though the saison, blonde, amber, and pils are). I'm partial to the Chrome Satan, a coppery, bubbly beer fermented at high temps with a lager yeast. It's a California common ale, similiar to a highly trademarked beer with a name that rhymes with "wanker dream."

NW Peaks
Visiting owner Kevin Klein's tiny garage-turned-brewery (4912 17th Ave NW) always feels like an adventure. Even though these days he's added more seating and an actual counter. Though Klein likes to experiment, most of his creations are less than 5 percent alcohol, but all are flavorful and named for a peak he has personally scaled.

Peddler Brewing
Bicycle devotees Dave Keller and Haley Woods have turned the former Maritime Pacific Brewing site into a comfortable place to hang out and drink their own creations, like a caramel ESB, coffee saison, or the summery tangerine wheat beer. There's generally a food truck outside and inside you can play cornhole! Just don't beanbag-smack anyone headed for the bathroom—the restroom door is right next to the cornhole boards.

Populuxe
Two neighbors and homebrewers decided to go pro at 826 NW 49th Street, where they now dispense IPAs, saisons, porters, and other classic styles. Again, they coordinate with some great local food trucks.

Reuben’s Brews
Owner and brewer Adam Robbings won some pretty impressive brewing awards even when he was homebrewing back in his garage; his eco-industrial space at 1406 NW 53rd and its German-leaning creations have fast become a favorite of local beer geeks since opening last year. Reuben's Brews (named for Robbings's son) is now bottling and you can find it in Whole Foods, but I love visiting the taproom for pours of imperial rye IPA, roggenbier, the kolsch-style Balsch, and the American brown.

Stoup Brewery
Robyn Schumacher, Marination's resident beer expert and a certified Cicerone, is assistant brewer at this new brewery, readying itself at 1108 NW 52nd Street. Schumacher told Eater Seattle that she and head brewer Brad Benson both have science background and want to inject an elemetn of beer education into the taproom. Follow Stoup's progress on Facebook.

Urban Family
This is technically a bit of an outlier in the Ballard brewing boom, since it's located in the thick of Ballard Ave and is best known as a kickass Belgian-leaning beer bar. But Urban Family now brews its own beers as well; you can find the house wit, IPA, and Belgian pale commingling with other hard-to-find creations on the 25 taps.

Hales Ales
The venerable brewery and pub on the border of Fremont and Ballard hosts events and beer festivals aplenty and makes an enormous range of beers, including relative rarities like a Kolsch style and a cream ale.

Maritime Pacific Brewing Company/Jolly Roger Taproom
Ballard's other brewery stalwart produces standup, often hoppy beers (this time of year I'm partial to the Old Seattle Lager). Unlike some of the area's nascent beer enterprises, the big-boy breweries in the neighborhood serve a full pub menu along with their beers.

Five Questions for the Bartender: Kathleen Manley

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:00:00 -0700

Manley, stirring her signature bourbon and mint cocktail at Shaken not Stirred. Courtesy of Seattle Met Facebook page.

Since her teenage years in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kathleen Manley of Rob Roy has been observing the art of mixology and perfecting her cocktail-crafting skills. “Behind the bar just seemed like the best place to work—they have the most fun—so I tried to learn as much as I could, and annoy the heck out of them,” she says.

When she’s running the show at Rob Roy from behind the black leather-padded bar counter, Manley serves up the pretension-free retro concoctions that the establishment has become known for.

Here, five qustions for Kathleen Manley.

What is the most underrated spirit?
Aquavit! It's every bit as versatile as gin, with a wide range of styles, from rich and woody to bright and crisp.

What is your favorite Seattle bar (besides Rob Roy)?
That's an impossible question! It totally depends on the day of the week, time of day, company I'm with, who's working behind the bar... But in the nine years I have lived in Seattle, the bar I have consistently returned to the most is probably Hattie's Hat on Ballard Ave. Doesn't matter if it's been 24 hours or 6 months since I last visited, every time I'm there it feels like I'm home again.

And favorite place to eat?
Ocho in Ballard. It's a stylish little tapas bar on the corner of Market and 24th. Great drink selection, knowledgeable and creative staff, sunny outdoor seating in the summer. The menu is all Spanish-influenced small plates, seasonally rotated to accommodate locally available ingredients. Their food is SO good and it's one of those spots that works in any situation: weekend day drinking, special occasion date, or late night neighborhood dinner.

What's the worst thing you've seen someone do in a bar?
Well, I could tell a lot of stories about vomit, theft, or inappropriate touching. But one incident that stands out actually happened when I was a patron at a bar that allows dogs. This guy dropped his pint and it shattered all over the floor at his feet, right where his cute little spaniel was patiently waiting. Rather than help clean up his mess or at least get out of the way while the bar back mopped up the beer and glass, this guy just ordered another drink and continued to be drunk and oblivious. I finally had to go pick up a few of the larger shards myself because I was so worried about his dog, I couldn't relax! He didn't even notice.

What are most people ordering from you these days?
Old Fashioned. People love ordering them at Rob Roy because we use a big chunk of hand-carved ice to keep the drink nice and cold, without becoming watered down. Also, I think more people are interested in simple, traditional drinks that highlight the characteristics of the spirit.

Yashar Shayan Launches ImpulseWine.com

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:20:00 -0700

Yashar Shayan has sommed (and wine directed) at places like Seastar, Palisade, and most recently Willows Inn on Lummi Island. He’s a firm fixture in the local wine community and its many events, on both the judging and tasting side of things. Though recently Shayan departed the sommelier world—for the most part—to put his acumen to another use. His new venture, ImpulseWine.com, will dispatch email write-ups on Shayan’s favorite new wine discoveries, along with a link to purchase, naturally.

Email lists are a wine enthusiast’s staple, from specific wineries’ updates to sites like Garagiste or Full Pull. Shayan will focus on Northwest wines—small production wines, sold-out wines, library wines, club wines, and wines you’re unlikely to encounter on most store shelves.

Shayan doesn’t score wines, but he does explain why each bottle caught his eye. “My intention is to bring wines to the customer that they hopefully otherwise wouldn’t have seen,” he says. “The wine you want that you didn’t know you wanted.” Hence the name. His first few communiques, sent this week, read like an insidery guide to the West Coast wine circuit, with a dash of travel journal thrown in.

Some California and imported vintage will make their way on the list, but Shayan spent most of his adult life in the Washington wine industry and says Impulse will definitely reflect his background, connections, and affinity for emerging wineries. “I’m very picky,” he says. “I racked my brain over whether there will be enough wine that I like enough to recommend.” He considers his new venture an opportunity “to only do the wines I want to do,” without worrying about the profitability/accessibility balancing act that often accompanies a restaurant wine list.

Shayan is aiming for about five emails a week, each one recommending a few bottles from a single winemaker. Thus far he has spotlighted a few wines from family-focused winery Sonoris (at $18 and $30) and a sold-out wine from Mark Ryan Winery, available for $45. Bottles can be shipped or picked up at Seattle Wine Storage, and Impulse is working out arrangements with storage facilities like Phenol55, Wine Storage Bellevue, and Elliott Avenue Wine Storage.