Spirit of the Time

The Zeitgeist Arts Cafe is the kind of place that would make any bourbon lover feel right at home. We happened through on a Monday afternoon when it is oh so conveniently half off whisky pours. On the Great Bourbon website, Zeitgeist is the only listing for Great Bourbon Bars in America in Minnesota. Although there are other great bourbon places in the state, we agree 100% that this is the place to go for Bourbon and Rye when you are in Duluth. They have a selection that would appeal to even the most seasoned whisky drinker.


The Hedonists indulged in tasting three Rye whiskies – High West Mountain Rye 21 yr, Sazerac 18 yr, and Thomas H Handy Barrel Proof. The Sazerac was very assertive with a tangy, bakery aroma. Definitely some sweet notes, very warming and finishes with a spice that lingers on the tongue. The High West 21 and the Thomas H Handy came out on top in our opinion. We enjoyed the Thomas H Handy which we thought had a slightly floral and toasty bread aroma that started with a sweet beginning and blended to a spice and heat at the end of a sip. The High West 21 did not have as strong a warming effect when on the tongue as the others, but it certainly had that same sweet caramel start with a slightly malty middle and pleasantly spicy finish.

After treating ourselves to liquid goodness we indulged in the fresh pretzels and cheese plate. The pretzels here put all other pub pretzels to shame. Fresh out of the oven, three pretzel sticks about the size of an artisan baguette; a crispy outside sprinkled in coarse salt, and a warm chewy center perfect for tearing open for dipping. There were three dipping sauces, but to be honest we enjoyed the stone ground mustard and the jalapeno sauces so much we neglected to note what the third one was. The cheese plate had three local choices, plus a fig spread, olives and super crispy crostini bites to help shuttle the tastiness in salivating mouths.

Here are a few pictures to pique your interest (sorry, no food pics. we were too busy eating to stop and grab the camera)

Our beautiful sampling of rye

1. High West Mountain Rye 21yr, UT

2. Sazerac 18yr, KY

3. Thomas H Handy Barrel Proof, KY

The view of the bar

<--------  A variety of spirits and wine

Rye & Scotch  --------->

<-------- Whisky!!!

The Aviation (look familiar?)

Bombay Dry, Luxardo Maraschino, lemon juice, simple syrup, Crème de Violette

The Aristotle O ------>
Leblon Cachaca, Aperol, lemon juice, agave nectar, Peach bitters, pasteurized egg white

<-------- A Whisky Sour made with egg white, yum!

  Four Roses, lemon juice, simple syrup, pasteurized egg white

Pisco Sour  ------->

Don César Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, pasteurized egg white

We hope you make a point of stopping by the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe next time you are in Duluth. We will definitely be making this a mandatory stop any time we are in town.

Cheers!

Screen your pleasure

Double Straining

We all have been told at one time or another that we need to filter our thoughts or screen our responses, but now we have truly found a use of strainers for something other than restricting ourselves! Recently The Hedonistic Bar was asked, “What’s this double straining thing you are talking about?” In this post we are going to talk about the different tools used for straining cocktails, as well as how to properly double strain a cocktail.

There are three basic types of strainers,

Hawthorn Strainer, this is the quintessential cocktail strainer with the metal spring around the outside. This strainer is most often used to remove ice from a cocktail as it is poured into the serving glass. To use a hawthorn strainer, simply place the strainer on top of your mixing tin or glass. The metal spring should fit inside of the rim of the mixing vessel.

Julep Strainer, a lesser known tool, but still important.  A julep strainer is a saucer shaped piece of metal punched full of holes and a small handle attached giving it the profile of an oddly shaped serving spoon.  The julep strainer is used in much the same way as a hawthorn strainer. Julep strainers are typically used in place of a hawthorn strainer, or when you are straining ingredients that would get stuck in the spring of a hawthorn strainer, such as the mint leaves in a Mint Julep.

Tea Strainer, This fine mesh sieve or strainer is used when double straining cocktails. Double straining is a technique that is used in cocktails that include fresh juices, muddled fruit or herbs, eggs, or small ice shards that you don’t wish to have in the finished cocktail.  Straining a cocktail twice filters out any pulp, seeds, egg shell, or other impurities leaving a cocktail that is crisp and clean in appearance and texture.

To double strain, place a hawthorn or julep strainer on top of your shaker tin, pour the contents from the shaker tin through the hawthorn or julep strainer and into a fine mesh or tea strainer that you are holding above the glass in which you are serving the cocktail, straining the cocktail twice.

Cheers!

Earth Day or Snow Day?

Today is Earth Day, a day we would normally be seeing green grass and early Spring flowers nodding their heads in the breeze. Unfortunately, all of us at the Hedonistic Bar are bracing for a 6-10 inch snowstorm tonight! This is not so much Spring Fever weather but Cabin Fever "Oh my gosh, get me outta here" weather. In order to tame these desperate thoughts of escape to milder climates we've become quite adept at discovering getaways within a few minutes drive.
One of our favorite places to go to inject a little vibrancy in our day is Eat Street Social. Here you can indulge in so many tastes you will soon forget the dreary outside weather. The large windows at the front beckon you to come in and investigate the dark interior. As you cross the threshold you face the bar which is the most prominent feature of the room. We prefer to grab seats there so we can watch the bartenders craft cocktails and soda fountain treats.
Our personal preference is to go during hours when traffic is slightly lighter so we have the chance to linger without displacing other potential patrons. It also gives us the opportunity to engage the bartenders about their recommendations and bar techniques. We have been to ESS in the later hours when the restaurant is busting at the seams both with people and noise. If you are more of a casual, take your time and hang out in a mild atmosphere person - check out ESS in off peak hours. If you get your kicks from being in the middle of a giant party - go in the evenings to join the crowd.
The Hedonists enjoy splitting plates and cocktails in order to maximize the number of tastes we get to enjoy. We believe in responsible enjoyment of spirits so instead of each person kicking back 3 or more cocktails, everyone orders one and passes it around to their companions to take a sip. For our designated sober driver, they don't have to miss out on the deliciousness of the ESS bar, there is the soda fountain. The Orange Dream makes us think of Summer days and Dreamsicle ice cream bars.....mmmm......

To check out some pics and more reviews for Eat Street Social check out the reviews page.