Alcademics

Category: San Francisco

  • Ginger’s in San Francisco is Closing

    I got wind that Ginger’s, a gay bar in downtown San Francisco, was closing suddenly. The truth may be that there is still a chance to save it if they find the right person to run it, but honestly the job sounds nearly impossible. 

    Bars named Ginger’s have a long history in San Francisco dating to 1978. I felt that the closing of the last one needed to be memorialized. So I pitched a story and wrote the whole thing in one day – some if it from the waiting room of my doctor’s office. 

    Hopefully I did it justice – read it at this link. 

  • The Spirits Micro-Festival Era is Here

    While huge fests like Whiskies of the World, Fog City Social, and WhiskyFest have long been annual traditions, and single-brand tastings are regularly held in bars and liquor stores, an interesting new format has entered the chat. And at least two more of them are scheduled over the next few weeks. 

    Elixir is hosting its second whiskey tasting festival on October 25th – a malt whisky festival they’re calling it. Only 50, $50 tickets are being sold, because 50 people inside Elixir would be a lot on a regular day. Their first one was a bourbon fest with “10+ whiskey vendors” on Sept 13.

    Likewise, Kona’s sponsored a Spirit Showcase: Bourbon Edition at the end of September, with plans for more that will branch out into other spirits categories. This one had 6 producers (each with 3-8 products) and a full food spread including caviar for $75.

    And on October 18th the Dawn Club and Lark Bar plus Cask (all owned by Future Bars) is holding a Whiskey and Blues Fair with 20 distilleries with an outdoor block party down Annie Street for $45.

    I think it’s an interesting new phenomenon happening; a social event, a reason to come out to the bars; a good bargain; and probably good money for the bars as they can partner with the brands on the tastings.

  • Bartender’s Ketchup is Back on the Menu in SF

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    I wrote a story for the SFStandard about elderflower liqueur making a huge comeback. It was so popular when the brand St. Germain first launched in 2007 that it was given the nickname “bartender’s ketchup.”  

    It’s so back, but now bartenders are using a wide range of products. Read the story here. 

     

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  • 50 Year Time Capsule from the Transamerica Pyramid

    There’s a new exhibit at the Transamerica Pyramid from a time capsule buried 50 years ago. I checked it out. 

    The building was completed in 1972- the time capsule is from 1974. Before that, from 1853-1959, it was the Montgomery Block that hosted the Bank Exchange Saloon. The Bank Exchange was the home of the Pisco Punch, the most famous cocktail in SF from roughly 1870-1920. Duncan Nicol, mentioned in the pictures, was the proprietor of the Bank Exchange in its later decades, and the person who popularized the Pisco Punch. He took his secret recipe to his grave.  

    I’ve left these images purposefully crappy to encourage you to go see it yourself! 

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  • All of the Olives’ Brine Time to Shine

    My latest story for the San Francisco Chronicle is about all the ways bartenders are liquifying olives in their Martinis – in the vermouth, gin, vodka, brine, leaf tinctures, oil-washing everything, and even an “olive turducken.”

     

    Here’s a gift link so you can read it. 

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  • Heinold’s First and Last Chance Over the Years

    I stumbled across this thread on Threads -it’s a history of the wonderful and historic the bar Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon in Oakland’s Jack London Square, as seen through pictures of its front. 

    If you haven’t been, Heinold’s is a little shack built from the remains of a paddle steamer boat, which opened in 1884 (or 1883, depending on which history you believe). The interior of the tiny bar runs on an extreme slant as the ground beneath it compressed during the 1906 earthquake. The bar is so angled that if you set a full pint of beer on top it will likely pour out of the side – they sometimes offer coasters in a wedge shape like a doorstop so that drinks stay flat! It’s a magic place. 

    The post was put together by the San Francisco Ghost Signs Mapping Project. 

    Here are a few pics and I’d recommend  you follow the entire thread, it’s great and there are a lot more to see. 

     

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  • Monks can’t make enough of this famous spirit. Can an alternative from S.F. replace it?

    For the San Francisco Chronicle, I wrote about the Chartreuse shortage and how some bartenders are looking locally to Brucato Chaparral as a stand-in. 

     

     

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  • The Cobbler is Hot in Cold San Francisco

    I wrote a story for the San Francisco Chronicle about cobblers, mostly Sherry Cobblers. Read it here.  

     

    While hot weather bears down on much of the country, summer in San Francisco is more of a state of mind than a change in the weather. And many bartenders around the city are addressing the abstract concept of hot temperatures by placing cooling, ice-filled cobblers on their seasonal drink lists. 

    At new downtown venues the Dawn Club and Heartwood, the drink appeared on their opening menus; at Pacific Cocktail Haven, also downtown, and Canteen, in Menlo Park, the cobbler joined the list for the season; and bartenders at the Treasury in the Financial District are swapping out their spring sipper for a new summer variation. 

    The cobbler, a century-old low-ABV classic, most likely takes its name from the cobblestone-shaped pebble ice used in the drink. Along with the julep, the cobbler helped popularize American-style iced cocktails around the world, as well as the use of the drinking straw.

     

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  • Where to Find All the Cool Ice in San Francisco

    I was interviewed on unique expressions of ice in San Francisco for Eater.com. 

    Read the article here. 

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  • Cocktails at the new Causwells in San Francisco

    The Marina district bistro Causwells has reopened with Elmer Mejicanos (Tony's, Red Window) onboard as the Managing Partner and Beverage Director.

     

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    He put together a really ambitious cocktail list for the small restaurant with tons of outdoor seating. 

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    With a group of friends, I was able to try a lot of the cocktails. Favorites outside of the below were: the Grasshopper, Cleverest Clover Club, Monkey Business, White Caus-mopolitan, Gin 50-50, and La Pina.

    But my most favorites of all were: 

     

    Open Sesame 
    milagro tequila, bianco vermouth, cold pressed poblano, lime, agave, toasted sesame

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    credit: Stephanie Amberg

     

     

    Cantélope Cruz
    cantaloupe, reyka vodka, lillet blanc, honey, ricotta, lemon, fresh ground black pepper

     

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    credit: Stephanie Amberg

    Fig News
    mommenpop, kumquat, green walnut, fig leaf cordial, sparkling wine

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    I thought the Deconstructed Pimm's Cup (pimms, hendricks gin, chareau, cold pressed cucumber & strawberry, lemon, ginger beer) was also lovely, and is a great looking drink. 

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    credit: Stephanie Amberg

     

    And the Ube-tter bee-lieve it (2 year cinnamon & pineapple vinegar, clarified ube golden milk, lemon, bubbles, ube foam) is a stunner! 

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    credit: Stephanie Amberg

     

    Bonus photos: Grasshopper and 50-50 Martini. 

     

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