It almost seems like something out of legend. The ocean beckons. Man takes sailboat and sets out onto ocean. The weather is calm, the day is young, it is time to anchor. Aboard the vessel there is an unopened wine bottle. John Lundin opens the bottle, he and his wife Jessica ready to drink the contents. It doesn’t take long to realize it is unpalatable. Lundin had been wanting to try stove-top distillation for awhile and now was his chance.
Using just a few implements, he creates a brandy.

During the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest, it can be tough to garner the motivation to head outdoors, especially when it comes to camping. We wait out the bad weather — and like clockwork as the rains concede — we starting digging out our tents, camp stoves and coolers.
Considering our short window for camping out West, why stick to the usual canned beer and craft bottles? This year, switch up your alcohol stash with these essential spirits for bringing cocktails fireside.

Being an adult is actually a lot like being a kid, according to Rachel Carlson of BoozeHound Baked Goods. We’re still always hungry, naps are still essential and eating dessert first is just as fun, especially with no one to stop us. For Carlson, this connection between childhood and adulthood is the foundation of her business.

What started out as a friendly cocktail challenge between two co-workers at Portland restaurant Nostrana has raised over $15,000 to date for Outside In, a nonprofit organization that provides medical and mental health services and resources to homeless youth.
It was 2010 when Nicholas Suhor, Nostrana general manager, challenged then-bar manager Douglas Derrick to craft a special Negroni for each month of the year.

Chef Mutsuko Soma is hard to find on an ordinary day, but the chef-owner of the Kamonegi pop-up is a beloved member of the Seattle dining scene. The classically trained chef used to cook Spanish food, but was inspired years ago to go back to her native Japan and went to soba-making school. Upon returning, she gained a local following at Miyabi 45th, bringing in West Coast-grown buckwheat, milling it and making it into soba daily for lucky diners.

Punches and batch cocktails, easy and care-free for parties, can be exquisite. Building the depth and body for a memorable punch, however, has its challenges. It’s true when it comes to transmitting flavor in a cocktail, the bartender’s technique can make or break the outcome, so why risk serving a watered down version of a cocktail for your guests?
One reason, punch is part of our early drinking history and dates back to the British and the American Colonies.

Craving something light and refreshing? Infuse your booze for spring! The beauty of spirits is there are no rules and regulations on what you can do with them at home. Start with vodka, the most moldable spirit that acts as a neutral base when incorporating additional flavors, and enhance with whole fruits, vegetables and herbs that will give your cocktail an extra something. Gather this season’s offerings, throw it all in a Mason jar and start infusing.

By Megan Hill
Ciudad and its sibling cocktail spot, Bar Ciudad, carve out a welcoming retreat in a busy industrial corner of Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. Entering the restaurant’s concrete walls, past the large patio and massive wood-fired grill, you’ll feel transported – perhaps to Spain or Morocco, maybe to Turkey or Southeast Asia, or possibly to South America.

If the 600-bottle wine list doesn’t wet your whistle, this sunshine-influenced cocktail will. Handcrafted by Andy Merklin, lead bartender at downtown Portland’s RingSide Fish House, the Fairway cocktails fairs as a top trender at the fish-savvy fine dining establishment.