Manhattan Montenegro

Recently at the liquor store, I saw on the top shelf a bottle of Amaro Montenegro. Being a big fan of all forms of amaro, I wanted to give it a shot. So I bought it and gave it a good home. By itself, it's pretty tasty; it tastes a bit like a less intense Fernet Branca. So I thought it would go great in a cocktail.

Eventually, I want to try it in a Negroni, but for my first foray into mixing it, I thought I'd try a Manhattan. Since Amaro Montenegro is more bitter than sweet vermouth, I used bourbon instead of the more traditional rye. I'm not sure this was the right decision. I thought the sweetness would go well with the bitterness of the amaro, but I'm afraid the bourbon just gets overpowered. I'm not sure if I should try rye, or just reduce the proportions a bit. I guess that's what experimentation is for!

Manhattan Fever

Photo by Kenn Wilson from flickr.

I said in an earlier post that negronis have, to some extent, replaced Manhattans as my drink of choice. Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling to a warm and sunny country, and the sort of area within that country that is not suffering from a surfeit of craft cocktail bars. While I was there, I drank my share of piña coladas and thin yellow beers. I managed to try some good rum (Bacardi Añejo is pretty good!), tequila, and mezcal. But there were very few cocktails, and when I ordered a cocktail, I usually ordered a negroni.

Why, other than really liking negronis? It's a simple drink, equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin, and these were ingredients that were readily available. It's also easy to explain. I didn't have to worry about 'three parts this to two parts that' or dashes of whatever. I like that it's a bit obscure. Not only does this make me feel cooler than I actually am, I don't have to worry about what the bartenders might think of as 'his' version. Finally, it's a tolerant drink. Especially since I like Campari (another drink of choice was a Campari soda), it doesn't matter much if there's too much (or not enough) Campari.

All this prologue is to say that, when I got home, I was craving a manhattan. The manhattan was the first drink I called my own; I started drinking them my junior year of college, and haven't looked back. My taste in manhattans, however, has changed quite a bit. When I first started drinking them, on the advice of my friend Jim, I added a splash of grenadine. (I may have to try this again once I make my own grenadine). I went through a time where I was making them with just sweet vermouth and bourbon, and then later took to adding Cointreau. This is still the base of my Manhattans -- whiskey, Cointreau, and sweet vermouth. Purists might object, but I find the Cointreau adds some complexity to the drink, and balances out the spiciness of the whiskey, especially when I use rye.

More recently, as I've been experimenting more with various amaros, I've taken to using Averna in my manhattans. The dark bitterness of the amaro complements the whiskey, rather than balancing it out and makes for a deeper experience than the use of Cointreau does. It is especially appropriate, I find, when drinking in the winter; the lightening effect of Cointreau is more appreciated in the summer. The Speakista recommends replacing the sweet vermouth with the amaro and using a sweetening agent so that the final drink is not too herbal. I replace the Cointreau with the amaro, and so the sweet vermouth itself serves as my sweetener. It's a nice welcome home back to a cold climate. Recipe after the jump.

Negroni and Amaro

Photoediting courtesy of GIMP

In a recent post, I mentioned that one of The Passenger's drinks of the day was a Negroni & Amaro, an otherwise traditional Negroni with Averna subbing out for the sweet vermouth. I didn't order one at the time, because I figured I could make one myself at home. So here it is:

Negroni & Amaro
1 oz Gin
1 oz Campari
1 oz Averna

This is one tasty drink, and a good counter-point to the traditional Negroni. Where that drink balances out the tartness of the Campari with the sweetness of the vermouth, this one does its balancing with the bitterness of the amaro. It's complex and rich, perfect for this time of year. I can imagine this being really good with some chocolate bitters, though less well with the grapefruit bitters I typically use in negronis. Overall, an excellent winter drink.

The Passenger

Bartender Alex Bookless pours a drink

The Passenger is, most likely, the best cocktail bar in DC. There are certainly other very good places to go, like Tabard Inn or PS7s. But for breadth, consistency, and ambience, I prefer the Passenger to any of them. I love the low key ambience, and the food is pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way for any of it, except perhaps the pork cheek nachos, but it's all above average bar food. The marcona almonds make for a great snack, if that's what you want. The real focus here, however, is the drinks.

The Passenger eschews a traditional cocktail list, choosing rather to have a chalkboard with their daily offerings. One recent option we spotted recently was the Negroni and Amaro, substituting Averna for the traditional sweet vermouth. They also have a reasonably sized list of beers. And, of course, you can always order a classic cocktail -- like the Ramos Gin Fizz I had the last time I was there. But one of the things they specialize in is finding you the drink you want. The bartenders are very good at listening to what you like in a drink, and then pouring you a beverage based on what you've told. So if you want something dry and whiskey based, they'll figure something out. If you want something Fernet Branca based, they'll figure it out. And if you want something slightly adventurous for your friend who usually drinks rum and cokes, they'll figure it out. I love the way this really shows off the breadth of their knowledge of cocktails and provides for a good time. No matter what your cocktail experience level is, The Passenger is a great space to spend a couple hours with a pleasant drink.

The Passenger is located at 1021 7th St NW.