You don’t have to travel to New York City to try sought-after cocktails from North America’s No. 1-ranked bar, Sip & Guzzle, thanks to an ongoing collaboration with Bowie House that runs through Saturday. We were given an exclusive invite to try selections from the custom menu and to meet renowned bartender Sam Morris on the opening night of the four-day residency.
Last week, the Greenwich Village-based bar was named No. 1 in the annual North America’s 50 Best Bars, with the award ceremony held in Vancouver, Canada. Morris, who heads research and development for Sip & Guzzle, told us that award ceremonies like the one they attended in Canada are always a little nerve-racking.
As the awards counted down from 50 to one without their bar being called, Morris says the team felt a mix of excitement and trepidation.
“I had a feeling we were going to be named number one,” Morris says, citing the bar’s popularity and top-level talent that includes Michelin-starred chef Mike Bagale. “From day one, we’ve had lines out the door.”
On the collaborative menu, guests can try:
- Texas Brisket Old Fashioned: TX Bourbon, smoked Wagyu beef, coffee, black pepper, cacao, kokuto
- Doctor Green: La Pulga Tequila Blanco, tomatillo, green apple, shiso, horseradish
- Strawberry Hotpot: La Pulga Mezcal, strawberry, Szechuan peppercorn, sesame
- Satsuma Creamsicle: Devil’s Grin Texas Gin, grass-fed dairy, vanilla bean, satsuma foam
The Old Fashioned was savory with only hints of coffee and cacao, leading to a rich treat, while the blend of smoke and subtle sweetness from the Strawberry Hotpot was also highly enjoyable. This Saturday, Morris is leading a conversation at Bowie House about spirits, and presumably insights into how his bar became the top-ranked destination for cocktails on the continent. The ticketed event starts at 2 pm.
TX Whiskey and Blackland Distillery Release Bold New Spirits
Fort Worth’s TX Whiskey recently released Texas Straight Rye Whiskey Full Proof as part of its experimental series. Aged for seven years, the full-proof rye delivers notes of clove, apple, toasted oak, and cinnamon. Master distiller Craig Blair says in a release that his rye whiskeys “always had a loyal following, and this release is a direct response to that, taking the same spirit people love and pushing it into a bolder, more expressive form.”
The distillery is only releasing 1,100 bottles, sold at $39.99 a piece.
Blackland Distillery spirits are now available across North America. Over whiskey in his striking tasting room, we caught up with owner Markus Kypreos about the fine art of reading the market, especially when sales suddenly spike in places like New Jersey and Ohio and keep everyone guessing. Let’s just say those states seem to know their way around a good bottle.
Their wildly popular Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon continues to drive the local distillery’s popularity nationwide, but the recent release of Prairie Ember, made with 100 percent triticale, marks an exciting culmination of four years of preparation. The rye-wheat hybrid grain, sourced from North Texas, lends a silky smooth and evenly spiced experience that is instantly pleasurable and appealing. We may have a half-empty bottle of the $75 spirit on our bar cabinet.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse Announces Month-Long Festivities
There’s never a lull in fun events at The Stockyards. Cattlemen’s Steakhouse is hosting a patio takeover for Derby Day and Cinco de Mayo, blending live music, themed cocktails, and interactive activations with limited-time specials. Saturday, May 2, will see the patio’s Derby Day Celebration, which promises mint juleps, photo ops with a Four Roses horse statue, and a full music lineup, while Sunday’s early Cinco de Mayo party will feature La Pulga cocktails, custom cocktail art, and live music from Trinity Rio, with steak tacos and other specials running throughout.