Guerrilla Cocktails
I’d rather walk into a nice bar that offers no classically influenced cocktails than those who offer poorly executed ones. Using the techniques I’ve developed doing Guerrilla Cocktails, at least I have half a chance of getting something I’ll like.
Back in the days of no classically crafted cocktails outside of major metropolitan cocktail centers – you know, like two or three months ago – I could walk into almost any reasonably stocked bar with one of the formulas from my Five Archetypes of Classic Mixology and I would coach an unsuspecting barkeep through a classic drink, a variation or adaptation of a classic drink, or spontaneously create something new.
My Guerrilla Cocktail Blog has served as a journal documenting those experiences and off-the-cuff creations. But with the seemingly sudden proliferation of classically influenced drinks throughout the land, I find I must now expand the role my blog will play. Sure, I’ll keep doing the spontaneous thing – there remain plenty of nice places that are keeping their heads buried in the sandbar – but where a joint is offering a classic or something dressed up like one, I’m gonna talk about it.
You see, there are too many places where I’ve been where a little bit of historical knowledge became an unfortunate assault on classic mixology. Places where somebody read an article about the craft cocktail revolution. Places where a little basil, rosemary, sage – or all three – added to some mixture of spirits, juices, bitters, and hey! I think I’ll use that Fernet Branca we bought last week! And they’ll call it by some sort of classic name when it’s not even close to anything resembling that classic. Well, I’m getting into blog territory with this, now. I’ll be sharing some of these sorts of experiences on the blog as well as experiences of those who get it right.
At the other end of this dangerous-with-a-little-knowledge spectrum are those who might have read another article and erroneously concluded that classically crafted cocktails are synonymous with specialized equipment and/or obscure or one-of-a-kind handmade ingredients. Somewhere between the extremes of the slam ‘em back meat market clubs, shot-and-a-beer joints, and the high-end, big city bailiwicks of the bar chef and whiz-bang mixologist are the local watering holes that just want you to enjoy a nice drink, some decent chow, and a friendly good time. These are the places in our neck of the woods and extended travels that Ann and I go to most often. (By the way, Ann is my dear bride of almost 40 years. She’ll be coming along for many of these Guerrilla Cocktail skirmishes, so you may as well get to know her, too.)
And so, it is the function of Guerrilla Cocktails to show the former group the errors of their ways and to let the latter group know that all the better bars already have them on their cocktail menus; its time to join your peers.
Now, excuse me while I slip into this liquor cabinet to don my Johnny Applejack garb; it’s time to sow the seeds for spreading classically crafted cocktails everywhere I go. Have at it, folks … Onward to the Guerrilla Cocktail Blog.
