The Crash that Brought Tony Closer to Bartending and How to Make an As Time Goes By Cocktail

Let’s be honest: The martini is not exactly the most accessible drink. While some are blessed with an immediate affinity for the dry, juniper flavors, for others it might take a bit of getting used to.

Which is one of the great things about Bourbon and Branch bartender Tony Devencenzi’s drink, As Time Goes By. It's featured in one of our new videos. The video introduces Tony—who incidentally works at one of the most storied bars in craft cocktails—and also teaches you how to make this delicious drink. It’s a sweeter twist to the martini with yummy, non-cloying, non-tacky cocoa notes.

You might recognize Tony from the last video we made, How to Make a VOC aka What Goes Into a Cocktail. We had so much fun on that shoot that it was a quick yes when Tony asked us if we could make another video for him. (It was even more exciting when Tony submitted this video to Diageo’s World Class Bartender contest and won a trip to New York to compete in the finals!)

Meet Tony and learn how to make his cocktail (you can also order it at Bourbon and Branch as a cocktail called “The Mistress.” Look for Tony!):

As Time Goes By - The Recipe:

1.5 oz Tanqueray 10
1 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
.5 oz Cocchi Americano
.25 oz Gran Classico Bitter
1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir over ice and serve up in a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Tony Devencenzi from Bourbon and Branch on How to Make The VOC Cocktail [VIDEO + PHOTOS]

Happy Friday, you guys! Whew, what whirlwind a past few days it has been. Life is just go, go, go!

We have been very busy for the past few week creating a video for Tony Devencenzi (see dashing photo below). If you don't know Tony, you totally should! In addition to being a very passionate and talented bartender at the Wilson and Wilson Bar, Tony is also the Beverage Academy Coordinator at Bourbon and Branch, President of the NorCal USBG, co-founder of the Bartenders' Relief Fund, and board member of SF Cocktail Week—so just a tiny bit accomplished and involved in the community. :-)

This time, we did a video spotlight on Tony who shows you how to make his original drink, The VOC—a malty, bright, and airy Bols-Genever-based cocktail with the very innovative ingredients of curry syrup and saffron tincture. Mouth watering yet?

The video was for Tony's third round in the Bols Around the World 2013 competition. It's a fierce contest of bartenders from all over the globe who are competing to become the global brand ambassador for Bols (think bartending + Iron Chef + Quiz Bowl). Our challenge was to shoot and edit it all in one week. I am happy to say we survived!

Here are a few behind-the-scenes shots, in addition to the video itself.

Tony readying for the lights, camera, and action.



We get ready to do a few shots of Tony in some egg-crackin' action.

Here is Kimberly, our expert production assistant, Chicago correspondent, and bouncer at a bar (haha, never gets old).



And now The VOC in its full glory:



Finally, without further ado, here is Tony's video! Watch in 1080p for best effect. Enjoy and let us know what you think! Happy Friday!

Recipes

The VOC
2 oz Bols Barrel Aged Genever
.5 oz Gran Classico
.5 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz Yellow Curry Honey Syrup*
barspoon Saffron Tincture*
.5 oz Eggwhite
Garnish with Cracked White Pepper, Orange twist

Yellow Curry Honey Syrup

295 ml. water (1 1/4 cups)
5 ml. yellow curry powder (1 tsp.)
24 ml. mustard seed, lightly crushed (2 Tbls.)
474 ml. honey (2 cups)
Bring water to near boil. Remove from heat; add curry and mustard seed, steep for 12 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid. Add liquid to honey, stir gently until combined.

Saffron Tincture

Macerate 3-4 strands of saffron in 10 oz of high proof (100+) neutral spirit for up to one week. Remove saffron and store in a sealed container.

Presidents' Day Cocktail: White Persian

If you asked me about beer cocktails yesterday afternoon, I'd tell you to stay the heck away; inevitably, they taste gross and leave you feeling even worse. Last night––Valentine's night, coincidentally–– I fell in love with a beer cocktail: the White Persian. You can try this drink this Sunday night, 2/17, at 15 Romolo's third annual Booze and Brew Brawl.



If, like me, your impression of beer cocktails on the whole is less than favorable––perhaps a nauseating  mishmash of spirits, sugar, and beer––then suspend your incredulity and try this cocktail. Your mind will be blown by how well integrated all the ingredients are. Take a look at the recipe, it's clearly well thought out:

2 oz Reposado Tequila

3/4 oz lemon juice

1/2  oz curry syrup

1 large barspoon meyer lemon marmalade

2 dashes chamomile-infused orange bitters

1/2 oz egg white

2 1/2 oz Speakeasy Belgian White Ale

Garnish with orange peel...

...and serve in a collins glass over ice. 

Your first reaction might be, "Holy moly, that drink is way to complicated." On paper, it may look that way. But when the components mix, the result is magical. The moment this drink hits your tongue, you can tell some serious thought went into this combination of ingredients. It isn't surprising that Isaac Shumway, creator of this drink, comes from a cooking background and brought that expertise to this drink.

I don't even want to qualify this as a "beer cocktail" because that sounds like a qualifier. This drink is a bona fide cocktail. The tequila and the Belgian White Ale go together perfectly. The ale itself is citrusy and wheaty; the marmalade compliments the ale perfectly, accentuating the citrus. The chamomile orange bitters help to add depth to the drink, pairing with the citrus notes; the chamomile brings out some of the floral notes of the beer. The curry adds a nice spiciness to the drink, complicating the taste enough to make it interesting, but not so much that the drink is gimmicky or overpowered. The egg white and marmalade give this drink a beautiful creaminess that only gets better when the beer is added.

If you're even a little curious about this drink––which you should be, it's awesome!––then don't miss your chance to try it this Sunday night, 2/17, at 15 Romolo's third annual Booze and Brew Brawl. The Booze and Brew Brawl a San Francisco Beer Week event in which local bartenders from places like Heaven's Dog, Maven, Tradition, Fifth Floor, The New Easy combine cocktails and beer (duh). The event is going to be incredible. The tickets (which can be purchased here) may seem a little steep at $35, but keep in mind that you get a welcome cocktail, pub fare, and plenty of samples of each bartender's entry.

The Laphroaig Project

Oh my goodness. Well, while I have been negligent in producing posts (which are just itching to come out), Owen Westman of Bourbon and Branch has been busy being awesome. While I have mixed feelings about Bourbon and Branch, the Prohibition-styled SF speakeasy, this new drink called the Laphroaig Project looks amazing. As the article notes, it's hard to find recipes incorporating Scotch besides, say, a Blood and Sand. For ourselves, whenever we have Laphroaig on hand, we are too busy celebrating its deliciously smooth and smokey peatiness to bring ourselves to adulterate the spirit with any cocktail antics. But Mr. Westman looks like he's onto something.

Here's the recipe (and picture), jacked with gratitude from this fine article.

The Laphroaig Project

• 1 oz Green Chartreuse

• 1 oz lemon juice

• ½ oz Laphroaig Quarter Cask

• ½ oz maraschino

• ¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse

• 2 dashes Fee Brothers Peach Bitters

• Shake all ingredients with ice and strain in to an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with lemon zest twist

Looks like a twist on a Last Word! Which is one of my very favorite drinks.

Hope you find this recipe as inspiring as I do. As for me, I've been tinkering more with my Pho-inspired cocktail. Success looks dubious, but if I find any, I will definitely report back.