Barfly's Beat: An Autumn Cocktail Crawl

The Old Wench is a keeper!

Big surprise! Autumn is our friggin favorite season. Besides the crisp cool air, the opportunity to wear tweed jackets, and enjoy the colorful foliage, there is another great reason to love the season. Imagine a time of year that has four months that end in the letter “R” in a row? Folks, that’s a helluva lot of oysters!! And seasonal boozy cocktails go perfect with oysters and other tasty bar foods!

Keeping this in mind, start your Autumn cocktail crawl off at the acclaimed Maison Premiere in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for Oyster Happy Hour (4 - 7pm) - there are over 60 types of oysters on their menu for half price! Order a duo of Autumn Absinthe Juleps to wash them down, then hit the Little Neck clams. I have never considered the julep a post-summer option but barman Maxwell Britten has successfully changed my mind with the Autumn Absinthe Julep.

AUTUMN ABSINTHE JULEP

By Maxwell Britten

1 oz Pacifique Absinthe

1 oz still water

1 Heavy barspoon Crème de Framboise

¼ oz Demerara syrup

1 Sugar cube

Ice: Crushed

Tools: Julep Tin, bar spoon, jigger

Method: Muddle, remove mint, add ingredients, muddle sugar, add ice, swizzle, add more ice, garnish with Mint Bouquet

Where to get it: Maison Premiere (298 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn)

Properly toasted with this refreshing aperitif and oysters, we head across the river to Soho and visit tiki haven Lani Kai. Forget Old Man Winter, autumn’s Old Wench cocktail is the one to watch out for! Share a delicious Pu Pu Platter (crab wontons, delicata squash tempura, char sui baby back ribs, and escabeche tacos) paired with Julie Reiner's tiki’d up this variation of the old fashioned called the Old Wench. This libation features potent Lemon Hart 151, rich demerara syrup, and Elemakule Tiki Bitters – which adds cinnamon and allspice essence to the cocktail. Make a date with the Old Wench - she’ll warm you right up.

THE OLD WENCH

Adapted by Julie Reiner

1 ½ oz Bourbon
½ oz 151 Demerara Rum
4 dashes Elemakule Tiki Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 bar spoon Demerara syrup

lemon and orange twist

Method: Stir and strain over ice in a chilled dbl rocks glass

Where to get it: Lani Kai (525 Broome Street, Soho)
 

Next up, we head downtown to Tribeca’s Ward III to sample their autumn cocktail menu. Partners Michael Neff, Kenneth McCoy, and Abdul Tabini put together a top notch menu using seasonal ingredients. One of the stand outs is a boozy little number called The Stag. The Stag has a citrus fragrance and smoky nose thanks to the Balvenie 15 years single malt scotch which features smooth flavors such as vanilla, honey, bitter, citrus. The Gran Classico bitters blends well with the scotch without up staging it. Pair the Stag with some of Ward III's famous pulled pork sliders and that's dinner! This is a stud of a drink and will fortify you against the chilled nights.

THE STAG

2 1/2 oz Balvenie 15yr Single Malt Scotch

1/2 oz Gran Classico Bitter
3 dashes of Regans Orange bitters
Angostura rub

Tools: Mixing tins, muddler, jigger,
 

Method: Muddle 4 gloves with lemon and orange peels in a mixing  glass. Add scotch and gran classico. Stir with ice. Add a few dashes of angostura to a coupe and rub the inside of the glass with orange 

peel, serve up with a orange twist.

Where to get it: Ward III (111 Reade Street, NYC)

Finally, here is a great drink for your home bar compliments of drinks blogger Joshua Hoffman of SpiritedCocktails.com. This punch hits on all the classic Fall seasonal notes – cinnamon, apple cider, with the warming hand of Anejo rum – and adds some bubbly for effervescence.

AUTUMN HARVEST PUNCH

Adapted by Joshua Hoffman

2 oz Anejo Rum (Flor de Cana Anejo – 5years)
1 oz Apple Cider
½ oz lime juice
½ oz cinnamon bark syrup (Trader Tiki is recommended)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Top with sparkling wine (prosecco)

Tools: Mixing tins, jigger, bar spoon
 

Method: Combine all the ingredients except the sparkling wine in mixing tin, add ice, and shake until well chilled. Strain into a frosted goblet and top with sparkling wine. Add a Star Anise or two as garnish.

Where to get it: At your home bar!

SALUTE!