I wrote a story for VinegarProfessor, sister site to AlcoholProfessor, about using vinegar in cocktails. It contains some very good advice from several bartenders.
You can read it here.
Blog
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Using Vinegar in Cocktails
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100 Years Ago: Duncan Nicol Dies, Takes Pisco Punch Recipe to the Grave
Published Feb 10, 1926, San Francisco Chronicle
‘Pisco Punch’ Secret Lost
Famed Drink Mixer of Old Days PassesPopular Bar Prey of Drys
Duncan Nicol died last night.
With him passed the secret of his famous Pisco punch in the days of the Bank Exchange, which once stood on the southeast corner of Montgomery and Washington streets. Travelers in all parts of the world knew “Pisco John’s place,” as it was most frequently called, and his Pisco punch, or “stirrup cup,” was the vaunted drink of his day.
Nicol had been ill for two years. Death overtook him in a private hospital at 1054 Sutter street. He was 72 years old and a native of Glasgow, Scotland.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Mary Nicol, living at 1770 Union street, and a brother and sister, William and Mary Nicol.
OPENED IN FIFTIES
The Bank Exchange opened in the fifties. The marble of which it was built was brought round the Horn and it was the handsomest drinking establishment of the time.
Then came Nicol, a lone, penniless boy from Scotland. He saved the money he earned at hard work and eventually was able to take over the Bank Exchange. From that moment its popularity was revived.
Nicol was remembered and liked by all with whom he came in contact. Captains of industry, merchants princes, the greatest politicians of the day discussed their most confidential business within Nicol’s hearing as he chilled his glasses with infinite care and poured into them strange and soothing potions of which no man knew the contents save himself.
BORE GOOD NAME
There was no rowdyism in Pisco John’s place. Men brought their wives and sweethearts there, even their mothers, for a refreshing sip or two of Nicol’s famed concoctions.
Travelers and tourists from afar ranked a visit to the Bank Exchange on a par with a tour of Chinatown and few left San Francisco without having been there.
The famous painting, “Samson and Delilah,” which once hung over the bar of the Bank Exchange, was purchased by the late M. H. de Young and placed in the de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park.
With prohibition Nicol was compelled to quit his business. He took a trip to Glasgow with his wife, then returned to San Francisco.
He did not condemn prohibition; he settled down to an attempt to keep up with the times, although old age was coming fast upon him.
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The Old Fashioned and the Champagne Cocktail are the Same Drink
Well, more or less. In my latest for Food & Wine, I trace the origin of both drinks and how they each deviated from the original Cocktail.
Read it here.
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The Cheap Cooler Was the Best Cooler
Unless you’re an extreme ice nerd like me, you probably don’t know that hard sided cooler manufacturers change their models. The first cooler I used to create clear ice was discontinued, but I was able to switch to a similar model .I think the Coleman Party Stacker line went away, and maybe a small model I like as well.
A year or so ago I was in Target and bought a $10 hard sided cooler, because it was so cheap. The cooler should be bad for making clear ice because it is narrower on the bottom than the top, so when using it for directional freezing and the ice freezes from the top down to the bottom, the ice will expand. This cooler is slightly tapered so that the bottom is narrower than the top – likely if I let a block freeze solid in here it will crack. But so far I’ve made two slabs in it, allowing it to freezer for 3 or so days, and the shape has worked to my advantage- the ice pops right out of the cooler probably due to that same tapered shape.
I was excited to come tell everybody to buy this model of cooler (from brand Sun Squad, probably a Target house brand), but there’s no trace of it on their site – so it too is discontinued.
Anyway, a good thing to know is that you can sometimes find hard sided coolers at thrift shops.
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Nightingale Bar to Become Shotski’s Alpine Lodge
The Kearny Street bar Nightingale is about to change theme. Owned by Future Bars and most recently home of the pop-up The Merriest Bar, Nightingale will soon become Shotski’s Alpine Lodge in a change of concept.
(image from Nightingale Facebook page)
They promise “the essence of a ski getaway, minus the cold. As summer approaches, Shotski’s will transform into a picturesque lakeside hunting cabin. Initially, Shotski’s will offer a vibrant indoor/outdoor atmosphere featuring warming cocktails, icy shots, amusements, energetic DJs, and live bands—all while showing sports on TV. It will be the perfect place to celebrate the day’s adventures and embrace the ambiance of the mountains.”The bar had a huge successful event during Santacon this year where they took over the 1-block Claude Lane out back (they don’t usually have a patio out there) for DJs, etc. Given this description I would guess that they’re going to try to capitalize more on the back alley rather than the front sidewalk.
I work nearby so I’ll be checking in on its progress.
Nightingale was themed as a fern bar with nods to 1970s drinks on the menu and in the design. It has a larger downstairs and a cute little upstairs bar – and now maybe room out back for apres-ski-inspired shenanigans.
Here’s a screen cap from the website:
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103 Things to Drink in San Francisco, 1855
I am reading the 1855 book Land of Gold, Reality Versus Fiction by Hinton Helper. You can find it online here. It talks a lot of smack about San Francisco and I love it.
San Francisco was a brand new city in 1848 when gold was discovered in Sacramento, but by 1855 the population was over 20,000, soon to be 30,000 in another couple of years. And already you could get all this stuff to drink.BILL OF FARE OF A CALIFORNIA GROGGERY.
- Scotch Ale,
- English Porter,
- American Brandy,
- Irish Whiskey,
- Holland Gin,
- Jamaica Rum,
- French Claret,
- Spanish Sack,
- German Hockamore,
- Persian Sherbet,
- Portuguese Port,
- Brazilian Arrack,
- Swiss Absynthe,
- East India Acids,
- Spirit Stews and Toddies,
- Lager Beer,
- New Cider,
- Soda Waters,
- Mineral Drinks,
- Ginger Pop,
- Usquebaugh,
- Sangaree,
- Perkin,
- Mead,
- Metheglin,
- Eggnog,
- Capilliare,
- Kirschwassen,
- Cognac,
- Rhenish Wine,
- Sauterne,
- Malaga,
- Muscatel,
- Burgundy,
- Haut Bersac,
- Champagne,
- Maraschino,
- Tafia,
- Negus,
- Tog,
- Shambro,
- Fisca,
- Virginia,
- Knickerbocker,
- Snifter,
- Exchange,
- Poker,
- Agent,
- Floater,
- I O U,
- Smasher,
- Curacoa,
- Ratafia,
- Tokay,
- Calcavalla,
- Alcohol,
- Cordials,
- Syrups,
- Stingo,
- Hot Grog,
- Mint Juleps,
- Gin Sling,
- Brick Tops,
- Sherry Cobblers,
- Queen Charlottes,
- Mountaineers,
- (continued)
- Brandy Smashes,
- Whiskey Punch,
- Cherry Bounce,
- Shamperone,
- Drizzles,
- Our Own,
- Red Light,
- Hairs,
- Horns,
- Whistler,
- White Lion,
- Settler,
- Peach and Honey,
- Whiskey Skin,
- Old Sea Dog,
- Peg and Whistle,
- Eye Opener,
- Apple Dam,
- Flip Flap,
- One-eyed Joe,
- Cooler,
- Cocktails,
- Tom and Jerry,
- Moral Suasion,
- Jewett’s Fancy,
- Ne Plus Ultra,
- Citronella Jam,
- Silver Spout,
- Veto,
- Deacon,
- Ching Ching,
- Sergeant,
- Stone Wall,
- Rooster Tail,
- Vox Populi,
- Tug and Try,
One mistake: 67 is (continued) where it went onto the next page, so make that 102 things to drink!
To learn more about San Francisco’s bar and cocktail history, join me for an upcoming history walking tour. Information is here!
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Ice in the South China Morning Post
I was interviewed for this story in the South China Morning Post, about ice yet again! Check it out here.
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How To Highball
For Men’s Journal, I wrote about the choice of sparkling water for your whiskey highball.
Read it here.
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The Ice Book Gets a Four-Page Spread in Men’s Journal
I wrote up a relatively short article for Men’s Journal’s Fall 2025 issue but hadn’t seen the final copy until just now: turns out they gave it a four-page spread in the print magazine.
As always the photographs from Allison Webber are stunning. Here’s a preview.
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Speaking at the Museum of the Eye Dec 28
I’ll be giving a short talk at the event “Celebratory Bubbles, Not Eye Troubles” at the Museum of the Eye in San Francisco on December 28th. It’s an annual New Year event.
My talk (probably a short one of 20ish minutes) is “Eye-Openers, Corpse Revivers, and Anti-Fogmatics: The Medicinal Morning Cocktail.” It’s based on stuff from my book Doctors and Distillers, of course.
More info and link to tickets is here.
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