I wanted to mentioned that I purchased some sweet, full flavor cigars today and cracked them open and put them in a mason jar with some 80 proof bourbon. why would i waste good cigars, you ask? well, i am making a tobacco tincture for cocktails, of course. 7 days or so, and we will be having smoky cocktails...
*note: recovering smokers should not consume anything with this mixture in it. it is basically a pure cigar tobacco bitters.
Quick update on new things:
New Draft: New Belgium Dig features pale malts that give a generous dusting of caramel and sweet cream butteryness. A little lemon zest and spice from the hops produce a medium-light bitterness. This spring seasonal from the employee owned New Belgium Brewery speaks to the upcoming spring time, and honestly, I brought it on because I think we are all ready t oforget about the winter that never was in Athens and start looking forward to warmer days.
New Bottles: Avery Ellie's Brown Ale tastes like what I think a brown ale should taste like. A nice malty body with no cream notes, but more of a stiff sweetness that disappears into a nutty subtle hop. This is my new favorite brown ale.
Thomas Creek River Falls Red Ale hails from Greenville, South Cackalacka (Carolina) and has most recently won a silver medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. This flagship brew is vegan-friendly, as is all of the beers in the Thomas Creek portfolio. You got to love the small market breweries that kick out very respectable beers, and this is no different. The red ale features a full body of malts and yeasts which carries through the entire sip, with a smooth and delicious flavor featuring subtle grapefruit and banana notes. Be not mistaken, though. This is a beautifully consistent beer, from first taste of light grapefruit and yeast to mild hops on the back end to dry the pallate, I could see finishing this six pack in a night and being satisfied (i.e. a very sessionable beer).
New Wines: The wine list is going through its early year make over, so I will write more about this when the transitions have completed, but one of note that I can mention to you is "Ideale" from La Nunsio. This barbera replaces our "Baby" and is a tender wine, needing a minute to open up before the full bouquet is shown. Ripe cantalope, green strawberry, and green apple skin stick out to me for the flavors with a very subtle tannic back end.
New Spirits: Pierre Ferrand 1st Cru Ambre is a ten year old cognac from one of the most recognized cognac producers in the world. Hot, savory caramel with that smoky vanilla flavor makes this just delicious. Seriously, I feel this is a great above average cognac and certainly pallatable by even the most novice of cognac pallates. The flavors are so well defined that, even after one sip, you will know why cognac is so enjoyable.
Cheers!
PS, New brunch cocktail menu will start up next week. Just to let you in to a few ideas: The Marvel (based on the Norwegian Sunset by Jesse Held of the North Star Bartenders' Guild), The Kentucky Milkshake, Ruby Fizz, and Pistola are all names you should love. Come in for a little after church nipper and let me know what you think.
Tuesdays at Farm will now feature local chicken dishes on a three course pre-fixe menu a long with a featured Kentucky bourbon cocktail.
This week:
{one}
Arugula & Carrot Salad with roasted scallions and black pepper "ranch"
{two}
springer mountain chicken with mustard greens, cheddar cheese biscuit, and saw mill gravy
{three}
bread puddding with bourbon caramel and vanilla whipped cream
And now, for the feature cocktail:
-Joy's Manhattan-
House Infused Six- Spice Apple Pear Kentucky Bourbon
Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth
Homemade Lemon Bitters
Peychaud's Aromatic Bitters
My homemade bitters is ready to go and this is the first showcasing of it, as well as a new bourbon infusion. Come on to the Farm tonight and get country with us.
It's my privilege to announce that Big Freedia will be settin' off a DJ party on Friday night, February 3rd, at Farm 255. Follow the link to see Big Freedia on the Jimmy Kimmel show this past Thursday...oh lord....
Come get low. And das wassup.
Go to the questionnaire at Flagpole to vote for your favorite local Athens business. We at Farm 255 would love your support for these awards, and, as a personal note, I would love your support for bartender as well as your support for the Farm bar. I need to make my mom proud, you guys!
This whole "no really cold weather" thing is really starting to cramp my style...I want more time to sit with these amazing stouts, but alas, the taste buds want something else since the temperature refuses to force me into a down jacket. So, as we wave goodbye to Bell's Kalamazoo Stout with the final pints pouring now, I decided to switch from the Best Brown from the bottle to draft and bring in the lighter and maltier Bell's Lager as a bottle replacement. Yea, I do like the Bell's brewery. You should, too.
Blackwell Rum may be my favorite rum on the market, currently. Loaded with vanilla, cocunut, and fired marshmallow flavors, this dark golden rum is balanced with an unparalleled smoothness. This will be in a cocktail in the weeks to come, but i encourage to try a sip or five of this by itself.
Lion's Pride Organic Dark Rye Whiskey is a creation from the upstart craft distillery Koval, based in Chicago. This rye is a highly refined fruity rye on a bed of taut wood. The spirit itself is super soft, (a core of silk) but around that center orbits fresh notes of carmel apple, earl grey, and light cinnimon. A true sipper, this spirit is less concerned with the cocktail that is created around it, and more with creating its own atmosphere of flavor. I had this in a Old Fashioned a few nights ago (read: three), and I would challenge you to put this next to your favorite rye for it.
Alma de Agave Tequila Reposado is, like all reposado, aged six months. This particular tequila is aged in naturally treated oak casks, exposing the true agave flavor and smoky notes. This artisan tequila will now be featured in a new cocktail, penned by our very own Matt McFerron, named the Novena Calle. I'll update this post with the story behind the drink when Matt and I speak about it again because I do not want to butcher the story that Matt took a painstaking effort to research. Good on ya, Mattie.
Pearl Pomegranate Vodka- I am not a flavored vodka fan. I typically don't drink vodka at all. But, the flavor profile of this vodka is a little different. It isn't bad, for one. Moreover, the pomegranate flavor is subtle and smooth, and the sweetness of the infusion balances the vodka burn nicely. This is perfect for cosmos, so if you fancy yourself a cosmo connoisseur, you may be changing brands soon.
Cheers!
Decatur/ Atlanta/ Athens friends, I will be working at Leon's Full Service Bar & Restaurant in Decatur, GA on Tuesday the 24th and Wednesday the 25th as part of training to increase my skills as a bar man. I will be working with Leon's bar manager, Miles MacQuarrie, who, in 2009, beat out many other local bartenders to win a custom cocktail competition hosted by Taste of Atlanta. Not only has Miles built a solid reputation as a bar man in Atlanta, but he also seems to possess a great passion for cocktails. I am looking forward to learning from him, but most of all, looking forward to nerding out about cocktails with one of Atlanta's finest.
It would mean a lot if you came and had some drinks and said hello while I'm in the area.
Cheers!
These two are now ready to serve, Mint Vanilla Vodka and Orange Clove Bourbon.
The vodka will now be featured in the '57 Mule along with the Balsamic Gastrique
The bourbon has not found its home in a cocktail quite yet, but honestly, I don't know that it needs one. It sips so pleasantly that I may just decide to have a special on it by itself. Come in and try them!
Also in the works, a coffee vanilla infused vodka and a honey crisp apple infused rum.
New to the Farm 255 bar shelves this week. Click the links to check out some reviews.
The weekend did not disappoint for us at Farm 255. The party started Friday night, the 30th, with the Dexter Romweber Duo absolutely shredding the inside stage to a mostly packed house. Complete with Elvis covers and a ton of out of towners, the building vibrated rock n roll. Personally, one of the finest shows I have been a part of hosting at Farm 255. If you missed it, I am sorry but you had fair warning. Do not miss him if you are lucky enough to have him in your area.
Fast forward to New Year's Eve and our much anticipated prix fixe menu prepared by Chef Whitney. Our reservations were completely full, leaving a few scattered chairs for walk-ins. Needless to say, the food was beautiful and delicious and the spirits flowed through every soul in the house.
Allow me to chase a rabbit for a second and relay a story. I'd like to give a shout out to Ed Pavlic, a creative writing professor at UGA. Ed called on NYE looking for a reservation, and as fate would have it, the phone call before his was a cancellation. Ed and I have known one another for a few years, since he graciously allowed me to sit in on one of his graduate level creative writing workshops for free. I've never forgotten that kindness, and I certainly will never forget Ed's soul full of jazz and words full of peace and beauty. Anyway, when Ed and his wife walked in for their dinner, Ed walked over to me at the bar and handed me a signed copy of his new book of poems and prose entitled But Here Are Small Clear Refractions. What an amazing New Year's gift it is, and I strongly recommend checking out this book. Thank you, Ed.
Champagne and cava were the obvious stars from bar world all night, and as the time drew closer to the last midnight of 2011, the frenzy of excitment was at its fever pitch. As Quiet Hooves burned down the outside stage with their brand of eclectic rock n roll (complete with covers by Devo, Talking Heads, and Prince), the dance party raged inside. Update: another NYE video of Quiet Hooves. As the final curtain closed on 2011 and 2012 opened its newborn eyes for the first time, the crowd erupted in cheer. Streamers, poppers, balloons, and cocktails danced in the air above smiling faces and kissing lovers. A humbling experience from the eyes behind the bar, being that Jake O., Ben, and myself were helping facilitate the festivities. Everyone came in great spirits and left happy. Truly, one of the best crowds that I have had the privilege to bartend. It was a great time for us as well.
A special thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and a heart felt wish for health, wealth, and prosperity to everyone in the new year. We here at Farm will be closed until Thursday when we will reopen to do it all over again! Please check in soon to see some of the new cocktails coming onto the libations list, as well as the ever rotating food menu that will keep you wanting more.
Cheers!
Kaleb
The challenge was thrown down by head chef Whitney. She wanted a cream cocktail for the winter seasonal menu, with the suggestion that I make a housemade eggnog. It seemed easy enough, though I had never made an eggnog nor did I have a recipe for such a thing. But, this is the age of the internet, and anything can be found.
Now, as much as I enjoy serving traditional and classic cocktails, I enjoy creativity within drinks more. The creativity, after all, is what drew me to working as a bar man in the first place. Upon looking at other fine dining drink menus in the area, I noticed that more than one establishment had an eggnog cocktail, whether house made or not. This made the originality bones in my body stir, and I decided to alter "eggnog" as we have come to know it.
As with all new cocktails, I researched as much as possible before executing an idea. I began by starting with the classics, which led me to search every flip recipe I have ever known. If you are unfamiliar, a flip is a traditional classification of cocktails. The origins stem from before the 16th century, and William Congreve felt inclined to include it in his play entitled Love for Love:
"We're merry folks, we sailors: we han't much to care for. Thus we live at sea; eat biscuit, and drink flip, put on a clean shirt once a quarter; come home and lie with our landladies once a year, get rid of a little money, and then put off with the next fair wind. How d'ye like us?"
Aside from the fact that this appeals to my intense desire to be a pirate, a flip cocktail's characteristics were first defined in a bar manual by the legendary Jerry Thomas:
"The essential in flips of all sorts is to produce the smoothness by repeated pouring back and forward between two vessels and beating up the eggs well in the first instance the sweetening and spices according to taste."
In his manual, Mr. Thomas outlined several ways to serve flips. One of his recipes called for advocaat, which was a term I was unfamiliar with until a month ago. Advocaat is not too dissimliar from eggnog, with one main difference- there is no cream in advocaat, only egg yolks. One thing was certain, I had found my original cream cocktail and managed to stay near the flavors of egg nog. After a few batches, I settled in on a recipe that made the most sense (and contained the most booze). If you would like that recipe, feel free to email me at Kaleb@farm255.com.
On a personal note, I am very proud of this recipe and impressed with the flavors that came out of it. The new cocktail on the drink menu is called the Classic City Flip, in honor of the traditional recipes that many dedicated bar men have churned out that resembles a flip. Also, I wanted to honor Athens herself, in all her glory. the Classic City flip is:
Vanilla Vodka, Amaretto, Cinnamon, and Housemade Advocaat.
Seriously, you really should try this. Ask your server about it and you will get a raving review. I'm starting to think no customers actually order it, and all of the advocaat is being consumed by the staff.
So, as the year wanes into the awaiting arms of the past and we approach the new year, please be safe out there on NYE. AAA is offering Tipsy tow for Everyone, so please use it if you need to do so. 1-800-222-4357 from 6pm to 6am New year's eve. They will take you and your car home for free if you had a few too many, even if you are not a member. Pass this number along to your family and friends.... Lets make sure everyone has a fun and safe New Year!
Also, don't forget that legendary rocker Dexter Romweber will be in the Farm house on December 30th for a rip roarin' good time. And, for the 31st, a free show with Quiet Hooves featuring covers of Devo, Prince, and Talking Heads, just to name a few. Free Kisses at midnight, y'all! Come toast away 2011 and welcome 2012 with us!
Kaleb
We have a pretty stellar lineup of music for the end of the year. If you're in town and feel like turning it up, come on by and let the Farm politely rock your face off...
December 29th-- The Shoal Creek Stranglers, Los Meesfits, Black Moon
December 30th-- Dexter Romweber Duo (of the Flat Duo Jets), Timmy Tumble
December 31st-- Party Party Partners presents NYE with Quiet Hooves featuring the sounds of Prince and Talking Heads, with a very special guest.
On a personal note, come see Dexter Romweber. You won't be disappointed. It's fair to say Romweber is Athens royalty in the music scene, and this show should be nothing short of spectacular. His old band, Flat Duo Jets, is seminal to the garage wave of music that includes the White Stripes and Black Keys, both of which specifically name F.D.J. as a major influence. Truly, there aren't enough words to tell you how much you should be at this show. Come get rowdy.
Two new drinks hit the menu this week, the Fitty and Damn the Weather. That means a fond adieu to the Agrodolce Toddy and the Violet Crush. God speed, young ones...we hardly knew ye. And relax, the Half Nelson and the '57 Mule aren't going anywhere for the time being.
To know a person's palate is to know something secret, something personal. It's like knowing how much cream and/ or sugar your significant other likes in his/ her cup of coffee. We all have preferences. Bartenders, whether conscious of it or not, are attempting to put the most pleasing thing to each customer's palate usually based on an interaction of less than a few minutes. Truly, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. For example, let me refer to some of the fascinating people I see almost daily, co-workers.
Christine enjoys a stiff drink and the actual flavor of the spirit, usually something in the Manhattan/ Sazerac/ Bronx area. I would never make her a Zombie or a Mai-Tai or anything that would blur the flavors of the spirit in favor of a sweet, syrupy mixed concoction. She, as most drinkers of her type, enjoy angular, sharp flavors. Say bitters and vermouths these drinkers' ears perk up.
Darla prefers stiff and earthy cocktails, so flavor of the spirit with the edges taken off, more in the Damn the Weather or Old-Fashioned vein of cocktails where the spirit is still the showcase flavor, but other additions compete for the palate.
Meg prefers bitter and earthy cocktails. Cynar, Campari, Aperol flavors; oils from citrus peels. This taste belongs to the hardcore who like to be punched in the mouth by a drink. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
My palate tends to trend towards the sour and acidic mostly. A good little bit of bitter thrown in there. Moscow mules, heavy bitter old-fashioneds, etc..and most nights behind the bar, you'll see me not too far from a mason jar of Peychaud's bitters and soda water with a lemon. And so on.
So, for the Fitty cocktail, I wanted to create an earthy, bitter-ish cocktail that had a nice round body. To be honest, I'd never really tried to make one until recently, during the Great Bottle Revitalization of 2011 at Farm 255 (all the new mixers to Farm 255). the Fitty is as follows:
St. George Terroir Gin, Cynar, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, and Domaine de Canton Ginger Liquer, lemon twist.
The Damn the Weather, though origins unknown, has been a cocktail I have seen pop up throughout various cocktail recipe books boasting about the history of this cocktail. Now, I do not doubt the ones that have done more research, but I simply cannot find where this cocktail originated. Be that as it may, this savory citrus libation feels right on this menu and the name says it all. Damn if it is supposed to be cold, hot, rainy, balmy, or clear; this cocktail fits any occasion. the Damn the Weather is:
Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Carpano Antica, fresh OJ, Cointreau, fired orange peel.
These cocktails start the kickoff to a transition in our cocktail menu to the more Christmas flavors, even though the weather does not mirror our sentiment. Ah, see! It works here, too! Damn the Weather!! There will be some interesting new libations for your considerations as early as next week. Of course, I welcome all criticisms, concerns, questions, and comments. As I was informed last night by the sweetest couple who simply loved the Half Nelson, more specifically the molasses gastrique, I may not be receiving all the emails. You can contact me at Kaleb@farm255.com.
A quick secret for you regarding the new menu...google the term Advocaat. Now, put the word housemade in front of it. Big things, son. Big things. The lovely couple I spoke of earlier got to try a little of the sample batch last night, and seemed to really enjoy it, but in retrospect it probably wasn't the best choice to serve it to them directly after they had finished their Half-Nelsons.
See you soon!
“Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters—it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head.”
--May 13th, 1806 edition of the Federalist newspaper The Balance, and Columbian Repository of Hudson, New York.
This is the first known definition of "cocktail."
If you'd like to get fuddled tonight, 1/2 off bottles of wine at Farm 255, just like every Wednesday. Laura is behind the bar, being awesome as usual. Come out and put her to work for you.
Philosophy classes are amazing. If you are currently in college , I strongly recommend tacking on a few of these classes to your electives. The experience of critically identifying your feelings within that world has proved to be an indispensible assest for the real world. It was in my junior year, in a History of Late Modern Philosophy class, that I was first introduced to the philosophies of G.W.F. Hegel, a German philosopher. One of his most famous platforms was the idea of the dialectic method. A simple explanation goes as follows: if you identify one side as the Right and one side as the Left, and assume that both sides occupy equal space, then the two things, though occupying opposite stances and different meaning, can be interchanged (i.e. Right is Left is Right). This contradiction (that the sides are equal but opposite) is resolved by a simple principle. If the distinction between the two is not in them taken alone, then their difference is something outside of them. This theory is most frequently identified by the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis metaphor. Two sides opposed, with the answer standing perfectly in the middle of the two.
Now, this idea, though very abstract and crudely explained, elaborates much regarding the different camps of rye whiskey aficionados. Rye is such a hotly debated liquor because of the tradition it carries with it. Some prefer to add additional flavors to evoke the flavors within, and some choose to keep it pure and neat. The two sides do have one thing in common-- they think the other side is nuts for choosing the opposite method of consumption.
And this debate goes further into the flavor profiles of rye. One side bitter, one side sweet. Recall all the bourbons and whiskeys you have consummed, and you will find that association with one side, sweet or bitter, stands out. Jameson is peppery and warm. Wild Turkey is sweet and round. I know neither of them are ryes, but you understand the point. So on.
Changing gears, it seems that one cannot investigate rye whiskeys these days without running across the Rittenhouse name. Championed as "the most bourbony rye" or "the best mixing rye," Rittenhouse 100 offers a balance of classic caramel flavors without overdoing the sweetness against the heat and spice of rye whiskey without being overly bitter. In this rye, the middle ground has been acheived, where two opposing sides work together to create an answer. Both sides stand tall, relying on one another in the classic "work together by working against" theory.
To enact any good philosophy, one must put thought into action. Without movement, every thought is an unrealized idea. The action is simply to imbibe your way, align yourself with one side or the other, and lobby for your method. But, always remember that without the other side of the debate, you would not have a side at all.
Heavy. Snap them fingers like a poetry reading and drink whiskey. It'll warm you up in the chilly weather, y'all.
Cheers!
So, this is my next undertaking in mixology...
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout has been tapped and is now pouring! I do not know how long it will be around, so you should come have a pint soon. This American Stout is at a crisp 6% ABV, with a nice balance of roasty malts, dark chocolate, coffee, and a hint of licorice. Centennial hops round out the finish. A very fine choice!
Cocktail ideas and recipes are being experimented with almost daily right now. All the newly acquired bottles have allowed us to create with a wider scope of crafting, but has also allowed the proper honing of the most traditional and influential cocktails such as the old-fashioned, the manhattan, the daiquiri, planter's punch, the sour, and the new orleans style libations (sazerac, ramos fizz, etc..). Keep an eye out for some new beverages around yee old Farm bar!
Also, a heartfelt congratulations is in order to Migel Uriostegui, our longest running employee/ prep chef/ dish man/ everything guy, for the birth of his first boy, little Heraldo. And just like a proud dad, Migs is showing everyone his new bundle of joy and toting around those sleepless eyes. Good on ya, Migs.
a few photos from the House for your amusement and enjoyment...
02.17.2012
