{"id":16300,"date":"2019-06-12T16:17:04","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T20:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=16300"},"modified":"2020-07-02T10:03:24","modified_gmt":"2020-07-02T14:03:24","slug":"blithe-spirits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/blithe-spirits\/","title":{"rendered":"Blithe Spirits"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"issuuembed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 341px;\" data-configid=\"37604829\/70586005\"><\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/e.issuu.com\/embed.js\" async=\"true\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Summerguide 2019 | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Spirits-SG19.pdf\">view as pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What\u2019s conjured up at Portland\u2019s <b>craft distilleries<\/b> this summer?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>By Olivia Gunn Kotsishevskaya<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Great Woods Spirit<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n<div id=\"attachment_16338\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16338\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-16338\" src=\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Spirits-SG19-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoy one of Liquid Riot's signature cocktails on the back deck.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Spirits-SG19-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Spirits-SG19-200x134.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Spirits-SG19.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enjoy one of Liquid Riot&#8217;s signature cocktails on the back deck.<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s2\">T<\/span><span class=\"s3\">his\u2014they make this in bathtubs in Russia,\u201d says my mother-in-law as she downs a shot of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mainecraftdistilling.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Maine Craft Distilling\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> <b>Black Cap Vodka<\/b>. Over a spread of half-sour pickles, black bread, tinned fish, and salo (cured fatback<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s3\">from Medeo European Foods in Westbrook), she and my husband finish the bottle. In one sitting.<\/span><b> <\/b><span class=\"s3\">My biggest shock the next morning isn\u2019t finding the empty bottle (I\u2019d tapped out hours before them, already aching) but finding her as chipper as a chickadee in the kitchen, blaring Andrea Bocelli as she peels potatoes. \u201cThat\u2019s a clean drink, you know.\u201d She hands me a peeler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\">Maine Craft\u2019s tasting room on Washington Avenue is now our first stop on the Portland cocktail trail whenever visiting friends and family hit town. With fire barrels outside the industrial doors, long high-top tables, plenty of room for the \u201cbourbon-flavored mayhem\u201d from live\u00a0bands like the <b>Cajun Aces<\/b>\u2014and, of course, Mama Kotsishevskaya\u2019s approval of the vodka\u2014it rarely disappoints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">But at five o\u2019clock on a recent Wednesday, a cohort and I are surprised to find it empty but for a few others. Happy hour runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cPlenty of time to do some damage.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cI think so,\u201d our server says with a smile. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cWe\u2019ll take one <b>Lemonshine<\/b> and a <b>Cuba Libre<\/b>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cAnd the poutine. I came for the poutine. You\u2019re paying, right?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">An hour or so later, we\u2019ve each finished two (or more) $4 cocktails. A jumble of $4 High Life and PBR cans mingles with empty tumblers\u2014our cue to move on to dinner. \u201cI just called Izakaya. They have two seats at the bar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">Onward! But we\u2019ll be back. Saturday\u2019s just around the corner, and I can hear the Cajun Aces in the distance. They\u2019ll tear up the complex on June 7 and July 5, and I can\u2019t wait to get Mama K out on the floor. Stick with Black Cap and you might avoid the hangover. If not, that poutine ($10) does the trick. <\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"p9\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>On Ice<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s3\">While I typically only find myself at Thompson\u2019s Point to catch a summer show, the lineup of offerings continues to expand. Forget Substance. There\u2019s something for everyone in<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/stroudwaterdistillery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Stroudwater Distillery\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> eclectic tasting flight: gin, vodka, rye whiskey, and bourbon ($10). <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">I start with a sip, then toss back the rest of the bourbon. \u201cWhew!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cIt\u2019s a tasting. I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s how you\u2019re supposed to do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cIs there only one way?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">Stroudwater is open seven days a week in summer, with a 4-7 p.m. happy hour haven outside the hustle and bustle of downtown. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">T<\/span><span class=\"s3\">he extensive drinks menu showcases the distillery\u2019s five spirits with signature cocktails including the <b>Hawaiian Stone Sour<\/b> ($12)\u2014rye with fresh lemon and pineapple juice, simple syrup, and a splash of classic\u00a0Angostura bitters. Sip it while you cool off on the patio watching the line at Bissell grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cWe get a lot of curious people\u2014those who don\u2019t drink beer, people meeting for business,\u201d our bartender says. \u201cWe\u2019ll be hosting more live music. Our last band, <b>12OC<\/b>, filled the place.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cIs there a John in that band? I know a John who lives in Richmond, and he plays the\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">I stop my friend. \u201cOkay, okay. What\u2019s in the freezie maker?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201c<b>Creamsicles<\/b> and <b>Pain Killers<\/b> ($14),\u201d says the bartender. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cOh, man. We\u2019ve gotta get out of here. We still have work to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"p9\"><span class=\"s3\"><b>Drinks of Paradise<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cWhat\u2019s the sunniest drink you\u2019ve got?\u201d We\u2019ve just stormed into <a href=\"https:\/\/liquidriot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Liquid Riot<\/strong><\/a> after a late afternoon downpour. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cDoesn\u2019t get much sunnier than the Jungle Bird.\u201d Moments later a frothy, peach-colored splash of Eden arrives and hits the spot. Maybe too well. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">T<\/span><span class=\"s3\">he<b> Jungle Bird<\/b> ($12), made with Liquid Riot <b>Dow\u2019s Demise Rum<\/b>, fresh pineapple, Campari, and lime, is refreshing and not overly sweet. But don\u2019t be fooled\u2014that\u2019s rum you\u2019re tasting. A third of the way through mine, I\u2019m recounting better-forgotten college adventures and planning new ones. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">Two-thirds of the way through, the heady combination of sunshine, ocean, and rum on Riot\u2019s back deck overlooking the colorful waterfront has me considering the pirate\u2019s life. The boats below are beckoning for a test drive. <i>With opportunities like this, who can blame Dixie Bull? <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\">\u201cAre you all set on drinks?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s3\"><i>Yo-ho-ho!<\/i> \u201cYes, I think so.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What\u2019s conjured up at our craft distilleries this summer?<br \/>\nBy Olivia Gunn Kotsishevskaya<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[314,8],"tags":[324,397,395,396,369,323,160,322],"class_list":["post-16300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-after-dark","category-featured","tag-after-dark","tag-cocktails","tag-distilleries","tag-distillery","tag-night-life","tag-portland-magazine","tag-portland-maine","tag-portland-monthly"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16300"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18928,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16300\/revisions\/18928"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}