Summer Fun @ 1886

I have been a fan and advocate of 1886 Bar at the Raymond since it opened in November of 2010 in South Pasadena.  Marcos Tello & Aidan Demarest built a strong program by hiring talented bartenders, a thorough training, and encouraging innovation.  Garrett McKechnie, the head bartender, has continued to helm the program and all the bartenders have the opportunity to create cocktails on the seasonal menus.  At this point, 1886 is unquestionably among the top 5 cocktail bars in the Los Angeles area.  There is deep bench strength among the bartending staff, so that regardless of who is on shift, customers are guaranteed a quality craft cocktail experience.

I was recently invited to try the current seasonal menu focusing on summer cocktails.  Highlights are below.  I encourage you to check it out for yourself:

After Hours is a summer spiced rum swizzler that is a collaboration between bartenders Lacey Murillo and Brady Weise.  Weise is known for his beer cocktails, so there is no surprise that this drink is topped with hazelnut porter.  Spiced rum, passion fruit, pineapple, and a touch of bitters are the other ingredients.  This tiki drink walks on the wild side, and as the menu notes includes Rosanna Arquette and Griffin Dunne.  Marcos Tello, the godfather of the 1886 bartending clan, is a huge advocate of swizzles, so this drink fits well within that tradition, yet takes it to a new tropical destination.

The Kai Lani was originally conceived by Brian Miller (ex Death & Company) of Manhattan and head bartender Garrett McKenchnie has put his own spin on this modern tiki classic.  In true tiki style this cocktail includes two rums: an aged rum and Wray & Nephew overproof Jamaican rum, as well as peach liqueur, fresh lemon juice and Garrett's Spice Mix #1. Adhering to another tiki tradition, McKechnie would not divulge the secret ingredients of his spice mix.  The Kai Lani  looks festive and the peach liqueur comes through loud and clear.  It is shaken, which gives it a cool frothy element.

The Tranquilizer is described as "a tropical delight that will knock you on your ass" and that description is accurate.  Wray & Nephew overproof rum and Batavia Arrack provide the kick, while coconut and pineapple juice provide the mellow disguise.  This drink is one of the tastiest on the list, each sip takes you one step closer to the islands, and to having your butt on the floor as this is indeed a powerful beverage.  Get a designated driver and drink these til the hula girls come home.

The Rosebud is an unusual flavor combination as it is made with house-made hibiscus liqueur, Benedictine, lime juice, Reposade tequila, and topped with Fever Free lite tonic water.  The flower garnish matches the hue of the cocktail, which is lightly fizzy due to the tonic water.  The flavor is tart and berry and light.  If you like the Mexican drink Jamaica, you will enjoy this, if not, steer clear because despite its color, this is no Cosmo.

La Brigada is another Murillo creation, this one inspired by her family trips to Baja California.  It includes mezcal, homemade agave liqueur, fresh pineapple and lime juices served over crushed ice with a shard of frozen coconut water.  It is also garnished with a chicharron (unpictured) garnish.  The mezcal provides a smoky element and takes what could have been a sweet drink into more complex territory.  The use of the chicharron is a whimsical touch, that showcases Murillo's creativity and her reputation as one to watch.

The Southern Belle Whistle is a collaboration from Greg Gertmenian and pastry chef Jeff  Haines. The whistle is a bottled soda pop made with with fresh yellow peaches, floral sweet black tea, and 1886 Buffalo Trace bourbon.  It is fun to open up a bottle and smell the sweet scent of peaches as they bring old fashioned soda pop into the 21st century in a playful way.  As Weise has developed expertise in beer cocktails, Gertmenian may be the premiere bottled cocktail mixologist in town.

The Strawberry Paleta created by McKechnie is my favorite cocktail on the menu.  Despite its appearance, this is no kiddie treat, but an adult popsicle that is nothing short of extraordinary.  Garrett has taken a traditional Latin summer dessert and innovated it by putting  fresh strawberries, cream and "a healthy dose of rum" in -300 degree Farenheit liquid nitrogen, creating something very special.  Served in a glass with a fresh strawberry, the creamy popsicle is boozy and refreshing at the same time.  As this is the first of their rotating summer paleta "pop shop", I can't wait to see what they have in store next.

Peter Lloyd Jones and McKechnie worked together to create the Summer Shrub Fizz.  Fizzes seem to be everywhere this year; they are alcoholic beverages with a vinegar base. With the egg white froth, the texture of this cocktail is key as is the contrast between the strawberry shrub and the meyer lemon essence.  The kick comes from both demerara rum and London Dry Gin.  It is a smooth and attractive addition to the menu.

For those looking for a classic stirred cocktail, look no further than the Dutch Kills, created by Eveleigh head barman Dave Kupchinsky.  This cocktail is especially apropos for 1886 as it includes Bols Genever, which Tello has evangelized.  Barrel Aged Bols Genever, Italian vermouth, bitters and a dash of apricot liqueur are all stirred together with ice in a shaker before being poured into a cocktail glass.  The barrel aging of the Genever gives this cocktail extra depth.

BBC aka Bols Genever Basil Collins is a simple drink of Bols Genever with lemon juice, basil, sugar and carbonated water.  Light and easy sipping, this Marcos Tello cocktail is just right for sitting on the 1886 patio and enjoying the sun go down on a warm Pasadena day.

The perfect snack to munch on while sipping on the summer cockails are the house-made potato chips, which are crunchy and unlike some chips, not oily at all.  The signature 1886 spicy ketchup is served with it to keep things interesting.

If you are hungrier for a more substantial meal, the best choice is the Roasted Lamb Necks & Afghan Bread.  The lamb is spiced with vadouvan and roasted til tender.  No knife is necessary to cut through the meat.  The afghan bread is similar to a lavash and with three dips, you can season the dish to your liking.

My favorites on the list are the Strawberry Paleta and the Tranquilizer but you can't go wrong with this menu.  Get to 1886 while you can.  Fall is rapidly approaching, and with it more exciting cocktails.

1886 at the Raymond

1250 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena | 626.441.3136 | www.theraymond.com

Warm Up with the Winter Cocktail Menu at 1886

1886 only gets better and better.  Pasadena's premiere cocktail spot has settled into a comfortable groove of innovation in its just over one year of existence.  Cocktail consultant Marcos Tello still provides guidance but now the team led by talented head barman Garrett McKechnie has been allowed to shine.  The new winter menu, which is smoke and beers themed, has cocktails created by many of the staff members.  This collective approach which highlights the deep bench, rather than focusing on a single wizard, is a telling sign of the 1886 ethos: unpretentious quality and comfortable fun.

The most dramatic cocktail on the menu is undoubtedly The Smoking Jacket, a Lacey Murillo cocktail served in a brandy snifter.  The base is Pot Still Irish Whiskey with house-made 1886 tobacco bitters, maplewood smoke and orange-vanilla ash.  As the smoke fills up and rises out of the glass, other patrons will inevitably look at your cocktail with curiousity and perhaps a twinge of jealously.  The cocktail is completed with the addition of the orange-vanilla ash, which adds a sweet and smoky element.  With such strong visual and olfactory elements there is a danger that the flavor might not live up to the other senses, melting away like the smoke into the night air.  Fortunately the taste delivers, enabling this take on an Old Fashioned to be a feast for all of your senses.

Marcos Tello descrived Brady Weise's Coffee and Cigarettes as "a chocolate version of a White Russian, but it's lengthened with stout, so it has this heavy chocolate coffee note and looks like coffee.  So when you drink this cocktail, you get the chocolate and coffee notes, and then you eat the cigarette and the vanilla flavor comes in. From afar, it actually looks like someone drinking their coffee and eating their cigarette."
The cocktail is made with Vodka, Dark Crème de Cacao, Yeti Stout, Hand Whipped Cream, & Vanilla Paper Rolled Cigarette.  The coffee notes from the Stout Beer come through loud and clear as this cocktail embodies both themes of smoke and beer.

On a cold night the warming effect of a Grog Logged, a creation of Greg Gertmenian, is just what the doctor ordered.  The cocktail is made with Black Rum and 1886's own proprietary grog recipe which includes ale, sugar and lime.  The drink name is a tribute to Jeff "Beachbum" Berry.  The cocktail is served in a jar wrapped in a koozie made out of rope.  This beverage is as potent as it is warm.

Another noteworthy addition to the 1886 repertoire is Danny Cymbal's Oak Knoll Manhattan, which is a twist on the classic incorporating housemade mulled wine vermouth.  It incorporates Bonded Bourbon with dry vermouth, mulled vermouth and garnished with dried sugar (the snowflake in the cocktail above).   The vermouth is housemade mulled wine vermouth utilizing several locally grown spices and botanicals.  Now Pasadena has its own Manhattan variation.  Who knows, perhaps soon bartenders will name their versions after neighborhoods in the area instead of those in Brooklyn.

Whether it is house-mulled vermouth, house-made bitters or creating their own grog, 1886 is focusing on putting their own touches on their cocktails by making their own ingredients.  The other new additions to the Winter Menu are:

Con Abuelita: Ancho-Chile infused Reposado Tequila, 1886 Hot Chocolate Mix, & Ancho-Chile Marshmallow
Chic(ory) Flip: Chicory-Coffee infused Rye Whiskey, Yeti Stout, One Whole Egg, & Carmelized Chicory-Coffee Sugar
Pimm’s Cup No. 2: Scotch based Pimm’s No. 2, citrus juices, ginger, mint, cucumber, & soda water Holland Daze: Bols Genever, Housemade Pistachio Orgeat, Maraschino Liqueur, Lemon & Housmade Sambuca Bitters
Per-Sin-Amen: Mescal, Fresh Persimmons, Housemade Cinnamon Bark Syrup, Lime, & Chocolate-Creole Bitters

1886 at the Raymond: 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena.  Phone: 626.441.3136 | theraymond.com

Recharge After Christmas at the Boxing Day Social

Christmas is such a tiring day of the year.  So much preparation. So many dishes to cook, presents to wrap and stockings to stuff.  The day after you need to recharge after one last helping of Cousin Florence's fruitcake.  What better way than at the Boxing Day Social at the Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel?

A $10 minimum suggested donation gains you entry to the "Social" event of the year on Monday the 26th.  The event is a fundraiser for the Hospitality Kitchen, which feeds and cares for the homeless.  Live music will be provided by Hobo Jazz, who contrary to expectations are not homeless clients of the Hospitality Kitchen.  In addition to the live music, your donation gets you a bottomless glass of punch (which puts any bottomless cup of coffee to shame), bar bites and entry to the legendary Jenga Tournament.  If you strapped for cash after being guilt tripped into buying too many presents for friends and relatives, blankets, sleeping bags or warm clothes will also be accepted as entry donations in lieu of cash.

In addition to all proceeds from entry benefiting the Hospitality Kitchen, there will be the First Annual Bartenders with Bar Tabs Auction.  You can bid on drinks with one of the top bartenders in LA at one of the best bars in the city.  Each bartender is generously donating their time and a bar tab at their establishment; the tabs will be mixed and matched and you can bid on an evening with folks such as Kate Grutman, Aidan Demarest, Marcos Tello, Dave Kupchinsky, Lacey Murillo, Lauren Osbourne and more.

This Social will be hosted by Naomi Schimek, so you know it will be legit.

Monday December 26th, 7 - 11 pm @ the Spare Room at the Roosevelt.
7000 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood.  Phone: 323.769.7296 | Website: http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt/drink/the-spare-room

The Scene: 1886 Anniversary Party

1886, the Pasadena cocktail bar created by Marcos Tello and Aidan Demarest inside The Raymond restaurant, recently celebrated its 1st anniversary.  There had not been anyplace in the area that offered cocktails on this level until 1886 opened and the neighborhood has really embraced it.

The parking lot was tented and there was ample cocktails, spirits and snacks galore.  Buffalo Trace (above) was one of the sponsors, so there was no danger of being bourbon-less at this party.  Beef and chicken skewers, canapes of foie gras, a table laden with cheese were just some of the bounty on offer.  This was the true kickoff to the holiday season.

Lacey Murillo (below), one of the bartenders at 1886, was making Hudson Baby Bourbon cocktails in the tent; it was hard to pry us away from her bar.  Inside, Danny Cymbal, Garrett McKechnie were turning out Therapists and other signature boozy house concoctions.  The turnout for the festivities was impressive as several hundred revelers enjoyed the plentiful refreshments.  As a bonus there was even live music.  It was great to see so many people there to celebrate the success.  To those who are skeptical that customers at suburban locations will embrace quality classic cocktails, 1886 is exhibit A.  Case closed.  If you haven't been, what are you waiting for?

1886 at the Raymond: 1250 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena.  Phone: (626) 441-4770.