Even for cocktail writer and author Robert Simonson, Wisconsin has always held its own in the cocktail world – even when he moved away to be a writer in New York City for decades.
Simonson recently returned home to Milwaukee where he's continuing to write about food, drink, history and regional culture. As a part of this exploration, he’ll be joining Lake Effect regularly to talk about some of the most memorable drinks he’s had at local bars in the past month.
Here's his recommendations for May:
As a cocktail writer, I sample a lot of cocktails. It’s all in the line of duty. But very few stand out in my memory. This is the first of a new monthly segment in which I talk about the best drinks I’ve had at Wisconsin bars during the previous month. Hopefully, one will strike your fancy and score a slot on your next bar crawl!
Step Papi
Apero Hour
This bright window of sophisticated day drinking recently began at Cassis, the new French restaurant in the Third Ward. The hour shines only at the bar only from Monday to Friday, 2 to 5 pm, and is meant to mimic the apero hour in Europe. They have snacks like frites and oysters, and a rotating, wallet-friendly $10 cocktail du jour, like the Monty’s Cup, made of the Italian amaro Montenegro, lemon, honey syrup, soda and Cava.
You Fancy, Huh?
Cocktails that mimic the flavors of food have been a trend for a few years now. I’ve never been a big fan, but this very chef-y drink from the very chef-y restaurant Birch won me over. It’s meant to mock the flavor of an appetizer that’s been on the Birch menu since the beginning, simply titled Farm Vegetables—an assortment of carrots, radishes and mizuna greens, served with miso dip drizzled with kale oil and mixed seeds. The cocktail, by lead bartender Steve Ruiz, is made of cilantro-infused vodka, ginger liqueur, Amaro Nonino, Cointreau, house-made carrot-miso cordial, lime juice and celery bitters, and then garnished with a few drops of kale oil. It comes out bright orange and tastes like a delightfully boozy V-8.
Croatian Manhattan
Thelma Carroll Wine Merchants is a wine bar and bottle shop. So, it’s not necessarily known for cocktails. But they do have cocktails, including this standout, which is simply a basic Manhattan with the addition of Orahovac, a Croatian liqueur made from green walnuts. The surprise ingredient lends a deep, nutty flavor to the cocktail. It’s doubtful you’d find such a drink at another bar, because few bars have the depth of stock that Thelma Carroll does.
Beer gardens
It’s almost summer. That means beer garden season is upon us. There are many to choose from in Milwaukee, include that at the old standby German restaurant Kegel’s. But my favorite is the city’s oldest, and perhaps smallest, at Von Trier. It’s just a wedge-shaped piece of concrete surrounded by high brick walls, but you’ll completely sheltered from the city’s strife.
Honorable Mentions Outside of Milwaukee:
Imaginary Orange: They are very experimental at the Imaginary Factory in Madison, Wis. and the Imaginary Orange is one of their more popular drinks — you can actually get it to go. It’s made of citrus, carrot, turmeric, black pepper and is carbonated. It’s bright orange with the carrot and turmeric really coming through. It tastes like a boozy juice bar drink.
Milk Tube: At Sway Brewing in Bailey’s Harbor, Wis. they do this Czech beer tradition where they draw a beer with a large head on purpose. The foam takes up nearly the entire glass to make it a light, refreshing and creamy drink. At only $3 a glass, it's an old-new option for those looking to drink less.
La Louisiane: Never have I seen this classic New Orleans cocktail on tap except at Public Parking in Madison, Wis. Invented in the 1930s, it's a boozy cocktail with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and absinthe. Sometimes on tap cocktails can be a little sloppy or can get a little flat, but my La Louisiane was perfect.
