Ask A Bartender: (Why) is Local Better?

Friday, March 13, 2015

Kai Soderberg, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Good ingredients make for a good liquor and Oregon has the best ingredients.

There are a slew of idealistic reasons to buy local, and the well-informed Portlander is all too familiar with all of them. When it comes to booze, though, it turns out that some practical reasons exist as well.

To learn more about them, I headed down to Bull Run Distillery where co-founder and head distiller, Lee Medoff was nice enough to show me around, give me his take on what makes local (potentially) better and let me try a few of his favorite flavors. I left for home with a head full of information and was able to take a nice long nap. Thanks Lee.

Firstly, it’s in the water. Thanks to the pristine Bull Run reservoir, Portland has some of the best water in the nation. What makes it good? The land is protected for one, which means the water is pure, which allows for minimal treatments, which makes for a smoother, silkier water, rather than something harsh and chlorinated. Since spirits are made primarily of water, this translates to a smooth, silky drink.

Secondly, all boats rise with the tide. The Oregon Distillers Guild has been working tirelessly and successfully to rewrite some of the archaic laws that hold distillers back. Moreover, the movement of ideas within the transparent guild allows distillers to learn from each other, be collaborative, and encourage creativity. Lee jokes that further down the road there will be room for cutthroat competition, but for now they are in it together.

Thirdly, Portland distillers are less bogged down by convention. Oregon craft distillers can afford to be creative. The top selling product in liquor stores are the low-end and the premium. The middle tier tends to get lost in the wash. Low end distillers run a huge operation, with column stills pumping out vodka by the truckload, they choose not to take risks because they have established something that works for them.

Craft distillers in OR can challenge the convention of, say “when it comes to vodka, the more neutral, the better” by adding flavor to vodka. That is exactly what Bull Run Distilling Company, Big Bottom Distilling and Indio Spirits are doing with their line of Starkas (barrel aged vodkas formerly produced only in Poland): experimenting with barrels that have housed Willamette Valley pinot noirs, rye whiskey and white zinfandel. When one distiller takes a risk, it’s easier for others to do so. At the recent TOAST (The Oregon Artistry Spirit Tasting) event they played with the starkas in a variety of cocktails. They make for a good Moscow Mule and, believe it or not, a good Old Fashion.

It also doesn’t hurt that bars in Portland are demanding something extra. Synergy extends beyond the distilling world and into bars and liquor stores, bitter purveyors, etc.

What it comes down to most though, according to Lee Medoff, is the consumer. The Portland consumer likes to support the local economy, sure, but they also demand quality and creativity from their brewers, their roasters, their growers and their distillers. So pat yourselves on the back, Portlanders. Here’s to you.

Related Slideshow: 6 Hangover Cures from Top Portland Bartenders

Prev Next

#6

Hair O' the Dog.

Jeff Seymour, Interurban (4057 N Mississippi):

"[W]hen the day after can be wasted ... the only cure is to jump back on the train and deal with my hangover the next day. If it's a weekend, I'll head to Radar for a killer brunch and 2 or 3 mimosas and an Irish coffee for dessert. Then it's time to find all the rosé. It can be still or sparkling, I really don't discriminate. A few bottles later I'm right as rain."

You might be prolonging--and amplifying--the inevitable, but Jeff's words offer a tempting solution to a New Year's Day downer. Along with some savory eats, alcohol's beautiful, empty calories level out our post-binge blood sugar crash. Still, you can run but you can't hide--you'll do well to plan for a more permanent salve.

And remember, the folks serving you on a national holiday might well be feeling the hurt themselves. Whether or not the mimosas are bottomless, your bartender's meager savings are not. So tip well and stay happy!

For your hangover-numbing relief, Interurban opens at 3 pm New Year's Day. The rosé will be flowing.

Prev Next

#5

Water, Protein, Water. Repeat.

Jordan Felix, Multnomah Whiskey Library (1124 SW Alder):

"My hangover cure often goes in 3 steps:

1) San Pellegrino Sparkling BIG bottle & a Vita Coco coconut water. Both tend not to fail me but if they do, a Campari & soda with no citrus helps immensely.

2) Grab a Steak & Egg sandwich from Meat Cheese Bread on SE 14th & Stark. I don't know how they do it, but this sandwich is a miracle.

3) A litre of water and a Boylan's ginger ale. It's all about hydration!"

Time-honored advice for a reason--alcohol is well-documented to cause dehydration. And, while many pro drinkers swear by greasy carbs the next day, protein--especially the amino acid cysteine--may hold the key to replenishing your sapped reserves.

So drink and eat up, Portlandians, and by that we mean agua and steak. And if you're vegan--well, you can still have a protein shake.

Prev Next

#4

Burn, Baby, Burn.

Lucas Plant, Barlow (737 SW Salmon):

"My hangover cure is heading to Minizo, in the food carts on Mississippi next to Prost. Try the Shoyu Ramen and ask Ken to go all in--his kimchi and garlic paste will sweat out last night's bad decisions, and get you ready for round two."

Savvy bartender at Barlow and co-founder of Bull in China--Portland's premier craft barware shop and recent darling of the NY Times--Luke knows how to spice things up on either side of an epic night out.

You may want to avoid extreme remedies like habaneros or the infamous ghost chili pepper--not to mention Eeyore plushies and a swift kick in the nuts (Seriously, a pretty decent Youtube vid that gets GREAT around 2:30--a hangover helper in itself).

But fermented foods like kimchi replenish your body's "good" bacteria, and garlic, high in the amino acid cysteine, cleanses your rotting gut of all the debris.

No stranger to herbal digestifs--or professionally perfect timing--Luke added, "Totally forgot. After the ramen, a Fernet seals the deal!" Booze out. Booze in. Repeat.

Prev Next

#3

Grease the Wheels.

Jesse Leo, Nightlight Lounge (2100 SE Clinton):

"Grease, man. Something that'll make me tired. Gravy! You been to Tabor Tavern? They have a breakfast sandwich called the rev, and it will--it'll blow your mind. Crispy fried chicken, bomb-ass pepper gravy, cheese--it's amaaaazing."

While not exactly supported by science--greasy food can clog up an already-taxed liver, and deliver few of the nutrients your body actually needs--Jesse's folk wisdom resonates with what's become a solidified part of Portland's culinary canon. At the very least, a rich, heavy breakfast will stick to the ribs, putting you--and those sudden flashes of last night's drunk texting--right back to bed.

While Jesse can be found most Saturday nights happily spinning up Nightlight's seasonally-rotating specialty cocktails, you don't have to wait for the cure: Nightlight is offering up a special New Year's Day brunch from noon to 3--moderately priced, adults-only (mmmimosas!), and exceptionally crafted. Sure, there're vegan options, but c'mon. You know you want gravy.

Prev Next

#2

Potassium! Okay, and Maybe a Shot.

Daniel Osborne, Teardrop Lounge (1015 NW Everett):

"For summertime, Teardrop's Piña Colada is all fresh ingredients. Coconut cream, pineapple juice, pineapple gomme. A very good source of potassium!"

But Ptown's chilly winters call for something slightly more...bold.

"My go-to tequila is Olmeca Altos Blanco. It's a very good source of alcohol!"

As for Piña Coladas, I have to admit, as a former bartender, that no matter where I worked, the blender was somehow always broken...just right now...just for you. It's a safe bet that Daniel and the staff at Teardrop are a tad more hospitable.

In contrast to the Piña Colada's sweet, creamy blanket, tequila is not for the faint-of-heart--nor the faint-of-gag-reflex. But it remains, for the faithful, an unstoppable cure--not, we might argue, just for hangovers, but for modern guilt, deep insecurities, and those graceful good manners your friends thought you had. Proceed with caution, young Jedi.

Prev Next

#1

The Big O.

"Orgasms! I'm being serious. It creates blood flow and oxygen intake."

This from Beckaly Franks of Clyde Common (1014 SW Stark), whose attractive bar staff and inventive cocktails make for a seductive experience on their own.

While we might not all be so lucky as to have, um, help with this cure, Beckaly's observations are right on point. A recent study of migraine sufferers by German neurologists found that a majority found relief through sex, with many experiencing "moderate to complete" alleviation of the monster headaches.

Men, too, experience increased brain activity during orgasm. One study even suggested the effects are similar to heroin, which makes sense to those who've experienced major post-coital stupor right after the big moment.

Ah, well. Naptime is good for hangovers, too, right?