The Five O'Clock: Fire and Ice
Photo by Adam Milliron. Styling by Quelcy Kogel.
The trees are leafing out, and the temps are on the rise. Barkeep Jason Renner of Bar Marco dreams up cocktails that bring the heat through ingredients and not degrees.
Picante 'rita
Cimarron blanco tequila, lime juice, dry Curaçao, habanero
A play on a margarita, this cocktail gets its vegetal notes from green pepper. The flavor profile is astringent and light; perfect for an aperitif or with high-fat foods. The panel was keen on food pairings for the Picante ‘rita but were divided on what would be best. Some suggested tacos, lemon pepper chicken, and pork belly for a balance to the habanero and lime, not wanting to compete for spicy notes. Others advocated for pairing heat with heat, suggesting pho and curries.
All Fall Everything
Old Overholt rye, fall syrup, cider, Peychaud's bitters
Taking inspiration from the Old Fashioned and with a hat tip to Jay Z’s “Run this Town” (and Chef Dianne’s dessert All Chocolate Everything), All Fall Everything hits all the classic flavor notes of autumn. Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, peppercorn, all-spice and orange peel all shine as warm baking spices on the sturdy platform of Soergel Orchard’s cider. Rye adds heat and spice to an otherwise subtle and quaffable (maybe too quickly) drink.
#9
Aperol falernum, Tito’s vodka, lime, orange juice, Angostura bitters
Optional: for an extra kick, add a dusting of cayenne
Renner named this cocktail after Don the Beachcomber’s #9 recipe and with dreams of the beach in mind. The Aperol, a bitter orange amaro, adds an acerbic element that is smoothed by the citrus, making for a very round mouthfeel. Spice can mean a lot of things and in this recipe it means “tropical.” The flavors invoke a sense of place and the healthy feeling of being in salt and sand. If you’re sensitive to heat, take heart. This drink is the mellowest of the bunch while still reminding you of sunshine and summer.
10 Point Buck
Laird's Apple Brandy, Amaro Sfumato, ginger, lime juice
The apple brandy and Sfumato (a smoky, rhubarb amaro) are reminiscent of the woods in the fall, while the ginger provides throat-warming comfort. The ginger is diced and blended with hot water, to deeply steep the flavor, giving the drink a hefty kick. The aftertaste stays strong with lots of heat and spice, balanced by the acid from the lime juice and the creamy texture of the ingredients when combined together.
Story Celine Roberts // Photography Adam Milliron // Styling Quelcy Kogel
Don’t miss a single sippable thing!
#9
Aperol falernum, Tito’s vodka, lime, orange juice, Angostura bitters
Optional: for an extra kick, add a dusting of cayenne
Renner named this cocktail after Don the Beachcomber’s #9 recipe and with dreams of the beach in mind. The Aperol, a bitter orange amaro, adds an acerbic element that is smoothed by the citrus, making for a very round mouthfeel. Spice can mean a lot of things and in this recipe it means “tropical.” The flavors invoke a sense of place and the healthy feeling of being in salt and sand. If you’re sensitive to heat, take heart. This drink is the mellowest of the bunch while still reminding you that hope for sunshine is just around the corner come spring.
Jason Renner: We’re in the middle of winter, but beach season is right around the corner. That’s what I want you to think of when you drink this.
Sean Rosenkrans: It’s like an intro Tiki drink. Tiki flavors without having to deal with rum.
Keith DeVries: Texturally, it kind of rolls away from the palate.
Catherine Orlando: It’s promising of warmer weather. It gives you a little sunshine.
Alyssa McGrath: It’s got a nice cocoa finish to it - orange rind up front and cocoa at the end.
Tim McCarthy: This is the most refreshing. I think of Tiki as shirts open, flips-flops on, sunglasses on, you look like an idiot but you’re having a great time.
10 Point Buck
Laird's Apple Brandy, Amaro Sfumato, ginger, lime juice
Reminiscent of its name, this would be the kind of cocktail you’d want after a cold days outdoors. The apple brandy and Sfumato (a smoky, rhubarb amaro) are reminiscent of the woods in the fall, while the ginger provides throat-warming comfort. The ginger is diced and blended with hot water, to deeply steep the flavor, giving the drink a hefty kick. The aftertaste stays strong with lots of heat and spice, balanced by the acid from the lime juice and the creamy texture of the ingredients when combined together. Comparisons were tossed out to classic cocktails like Penicillin and Stone Fence. Five out of five panelists (and the bartender himself) claimed this cocktail as their favorite. Winter may have a new flavor.
Sean Rosenkrans: The rhubarb and apple go well together.
Keith DeVries: It gives the same sensation as eating pieces of raw ginger, which I love to do when I’m peeling it.
Catherine Orlando: I’d like to drink this when I’m getting a cold.
Alyssa McGrath: There’s a smoky, honey, almost-burnt quality to it.
Catherine Orlando: This drink is like ‘I left my fall boyfriend’s house and I’m having this. You gotta phase him out right after Halloween.’
Sean Rosenkrans: I could drink this at room temperature. Put it in a flask and go out in the woods.