Barrel Aged Deshler

On Facebook, we hinted at a project that we would unveil for Winterfest XXI.

If you made the party, you know about (and drank) that project. If not, we thought that a month was long enough to wait. Just after last Christmas, I met with Grant Hurless, bar manager at Heritage in Madison, about barrel-aging pre-mixed cocktails. That discussion led to a barrel and a search for a classic recipe to put in it. I finally settled on a classic cousin of the traditional Manhattan called the Deshler. A potent mix of Cointreau, Dubonnet, and rye, the Deshler would stand up to the wood well and provide a smooth product in the end.

At this point if you are wondering how to barrel-age, here's how.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Drink: Roosevelt's Rough Rider
Establishment: Murphy's Pub & Grill
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
First Connoisseur: Holly

2 1/2 ounces of Patron Café (we used Cabo Diablo)
1 1/2 ounces Absolut Vanilla Vodka
Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Sweet Stout
Splash of cream
Splash of soda water

Fill a pint glass with ice. Build, starting with the Patron, vodka, and cream. Stir well with a bar spoon. Add a splash of soda water. Top with refrigerated Buffalo Sweat. Stir a couple of gentle revolution. Since this drink contains cream, don't let it sit for long - it will curdle.

South Dakota is not really a drinking mecca; drinking in the tourist trap that is downtown Rapid City means drinking domestic and Colorado craft beers. And although Murphy's Pub & Grill's idea of cocktails are mostly just large versions of shooters, the Rough Rider is a bit different in that its cousin is the classic Colorado Bulldog - only with tequila and beer. Yeah, it's that down-home, but for only $6 a pint, who's complaining?