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This is the third article in our seven part series: State of Drink: Portland, Oregon.  We hope you enjoy.  Cheers!

 

For me, the Teardrop Lounge in Portland, Oregon is an anchor member of the American Royal Cocktail Court, should such a thing exist.  This little lounge is lovingly operated by mixologists who expand the cocktail cannon with tasty but still approachable libations while still adhering to an ethic of simple and personable service.  Good people, good drinks, good bar.

 

 

 

I am not the only one who thinks so, it appears, as the fine folks at Teardrop have been asked to participate in the second annual Bar Brawl at the upcoming Tales of The Cocktail July 20th to the 24th in New Orleans.  This event pits six of the United States best bars against each other side by side in a large warehouse where the interiors of each bar are recreated down to most minute of details.  Attendees and judges will be able to sample the wares these six of the nations best in the span of half of a normal city block.    If one can truly be judged the company one keeps (and indeed one can), then Teardrop has much to be proud of.  Once the competition kicks off, the kids from Portland will be judged alongside representatives from Little Branch in New York, the Roger Room in Los Angeles, Eastern Standard in Boston, Sable in Chicago and the Burritt Room from San Francisco.  On a personal note, I can not believe I will not be able to attend this one!

 

The latest Teardrop Lounge cocktail menu follows mostly the same three section format as their last cocktail menu.  The first section is devoted to their most recent house creations.  My three favorites are the Seven Towers, the Unfinished Business and the Water of Life which may have actually changed mine.  It is a great drink.  I also appreciate that the Spring menu starts off with a house punch perfect for sharing with four to six of your closest friends.

 

The second section, normally devoted to classic cocktails, is this time reserved for ten classics re-imagined.  All are good, many are great but the Vieux Bijou could be my signature drink for life.  Boomsma Oude genever gin, Gran Classico bitters, Cocchi Barolo chinato and Angostura orange bitters.  Just stop it.  So freakin’ good.

 

Finally, a section titled Friends that lists ten drinks created by bartenders from Los Angeles to Boston with attributions back to their creators.  Again, as any good bartender will tell you, the best bartenders are the biggest fans of the best bartenders.  This section is an act of appreciative sharing by Teardrop to their guests many of whom may never share the rail at Drink in Boston or Rickhouse in San Francisco.  It is a classy touch and one that, I feel, says a lot about the character of the folks who run this place.

 

On another note, those of you from New York may remember or know of Sean Hoard who used to hold court at PDT on St. Marks in the Village.  He decided to venture from the big city back to his home town of Portland and stirs his shaker at both Teardrop and at Clyde Common a few blocks away.

 

If you ever make it to Portland, and as a self respecting dipsomaniac it should firmly be on your to do list, find your way into the Pearl District and head on in to the Teardrop Lounge. They can be found at 1015 NW Everett Street.   After all, who doesn’t love good people, good drinks and a good bar?

 

Cheers!

 

House Cocktails

Emperor’s Punch 45 / Serves 4 to 6

luscious & supple, a celebration of the communal

Hayman’s Old Tom ginCabana cachaçawhite plum berry tea Montinore verjuslemon thymeDomaine de Canton ginger liqueur

Seven Towers 9

lilting notes of langorous countryside days

Michael Collins 10-yr Irish whiskeyAmaro Nonino Dolin blanc vermouth50-50 orange bitters

Grace 10

softly tart, a bright and boisterous totem of spring

Appleton Reserve rumSailor Jerry spiced rumrhubarb syrup limeorangecinnamon tinctureegg whitePeychaud’s bitters

Water of Life 9

smooth yet structured, subtle whispers of smoke

del Maguey Vida mezcalLaird’s applejack Dolin dry & sweet vermouthsCynar

Joshua’s Moon 11

a long drink, fantastically balanced, wonderfully robust

Novo Fogo barrel-aged cachaçaSolerno blood orange liqueur Lillet Blanclimeagave nectarclub soda

The Weirding Way 8

gently spiced, memories of trade routes in a glass

Boomsma Oude genever ginBatavia Arrackblack tea lemonOregon wildflower honeyJerry Thomas bitters

Unfinished Business 10

devilishly pleasant, elegantly fierce

Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength ginCocchi Americano Bonal gentian aperitifRocky’s bittersagave nectarabsinthe

Pieces of Eight 9

upon dreaming of the islands

Niesson Élevé Sous Bois agricole rhumDon’s Mix house falernumgrapefruitpineapple

Bamboo Groove 12

lovely, meditative, a cocktail haiku

Yamazaki 12-yr Japanese whiskeyBelle de Brillet pear cognac Gran Classico bittersQi white tea liqueurBoston bitters

Classics, Adapted

Race-Day Cup 55 / Serves 4 to 6

(Spencer Edmund, The Flowing Bowl: When and What to Drink, 1891)

Campo de Encanto piscoLuxardo maraschinoCherry Heering lemondemerera sugarbrut rosé sparklingcucumberssoda

Osaka Highball 10

(Adams House, Boston, 1894)

Yamazaki 12-yr whiskeyclub soda

Reverse Vesper 9

(Sir Ian Fleming, Casino Royale, 1953)

Lillet BlancBelvedere Intense UnfilteredTanqueray gin

Vieux Bijou 11

(Harry Johnson, Bartender’s Manual, 1900)

Boomsma Oude genever ginGran Classico bitters Cocchi Barolo chinatoAngostura orange bitters

Arsenic & New Lace 10

(Trader Vic, Bartender’s Guide, 1947)

Plymouth gincrème de violette Dolin dry vermouthLegendre Herbsaint

Kingston Negroni 10

(Count Camillo Negroni, Bar Casoni, Firenze, 1920)

Ron Zacapa 23-yr rumCarpano AnticaPunt E MesCampari

Brandied Crusta 12

(Joseph Santini, New Orleans’ City Exchange, ca. 1850)

Clear Creek grappaMarolo chamomile grappaorange curaçao Luxardo maraschinolemonFee’s Old fashioned aromatic bitters

Bonded Old Fashioned 8

(Pendennis Club, Louisville, 1895)

Laird’s applejackcane sugarAngostura & orange bitters

El Diablo del Norte 11

(Trader Vic, Book of Food and Drink, 1946)

El Tesoro blanco tequilamarionberry liqueurlimeginger beer

Growing Pains 8

(Harry Craddock, Savoy Cocktail Book, 1933)

Michael Collins Irish whiskeyFamous Grouse blended scotch meyer lemonorgeat

Friends

Little Monsters 40 / Serves 4 to 6

(Trevor Easter, Rickhouse, SF)

Abuelo 7-yr. rumDry Sack sherryallspice dramsyrupsoda

Custer 9

(Vincenzo Marianella, Copa d’Oro, LA)

Rittenhouse ryeCynar Galiano originalerhubarb & celery bitters

Broken Shoe Shiner 10

(Stephen Cole, Violet Hour, Chicago)

BénédictineAperolKübler absinthe lemonpineappleegg whiterose water

Shaddock Rose 11

(Jennifer Colliau, Heaven’s Dog, SF)

El Tesoro reposado tequilaSmall Hands grapefruit cordial Peychaud’s & orange bitters

Flora Astoria 9

(Lindsay Nader, Animal, LA)

Hendrick’s ginDolin blanc & dry vermouths Velvet Falernumlavender tincture

Too Soon? 8

(Sam Ross, Milk&Honey, NYC)

Tanqueray ginCynarlemongommeoranges

Cinema Highball 8

(Don Lee, www.cocktailkingdom.com)

popcorn-washed Flor de Caña rumMexi-Coke

King Bee 11

(Nate Dumas, Prime Meats, NYC)

Campo de Encanto piscoBärenjägerBénédictine lemonAngostura bitterspalo cortado sherry float

Sweet Basil 8 (Todd Thrasher, PX, D.C.) Lillet BlancPlymouth ginThai basil syruporange flower water

Atalanta 9

(Misty Kalkofen, Drink, Boston)

Laird’s applejackBatavia ArrackSt. Elizabeth allspice dram grapefruitlemonrich demereranutmeg

 

Related posts:

1. Cocktail Menu – Teardrop Lounge Portland, Oregon
2. Cocktail Menu – Clyde Common, Portland, Oregon

Tags: Cocktail Menu, mixologists, portland oregon, Sean Hoard, Teardrop Lounge