Smoked Manhattan
Where the grill and cocktails align: the Smoked Manhattan. The first in a series of my favorite smoked cocktails.
While beer may be my first love, I have a soft spot in my heart for good handcrafted cocktails. On my word, if I am even remotely close to a speakeasy-style bar with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and a caring staff, I'm pulling up a bar stool. It's no wonder the Van Buren Room, here in Dayton, has been my favorite spot since opening a few years ago.
If anything, my thirst for beer allows me time to scope out a new bar. On a recent trip, I blindly ordered a Manhattan at a bar I thought had their act together, only to feel a gut punch as the bartender whipped out a soda gun to finish my drink. Lesson learned.
I'm hardly a mixologist, but I can make what I like. Most importantly, I can work the grill into it. Several local bars have smoked cocktails. It is an impressive experience to watch either a bartender light an oak plank, smoke wood chips, or even fire up a smoke gun. I recently saw a bartender light the bar itself on fire. Of course, the bar was copper, and only the sprinkled bourbon was on fire, but still, anything is possible, and it's all fun to watch.
At home, I prefer to claim my smoke from the grill in the form of smoked ice. It's easy to make, it's always on hand and, it's literally in your cocktail and not just some temporary smoke in your glass.
Smoked Ice
Whenever I mention smoked ice, I get some funny looks. I'm not actually smoking ice. I'm smoking water to turn into ice. A friend of mine does literally smokes ice cubes. The theory being the cubes absorb more smoke due to their surface area as they melt. This may shorten the smoke time, but I find with enough time on the grill, a pan of water works just as well.
The process is as simple as it sounds. Prepare a grill or smoker for indirect, low heat, 200º to 250º F. For wood, I prefer more robust species, like maple, hickory, or oak. Fill a foil pan with water and smoke over low heat for 60 to 90 minutes. The water is done when it is noticeably yellow from the smoking.
A note on water. I would suggest distilled or filtered water. I'm on a well, so I know my water, and I love it.
Pour the water into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, I remove the cubes from the tray and place them in a resealable gallon-sized bag.
The cubes are easier to grab from the bag, and it frees the trays up for more ice!
So now that we have ice let's get on to the cocktail. The Manhattan is a legit classic with only the ratios, bourbon, vermouth, and bitters changing slightly.
I like mine more bourbon forward, so I use 2 ounces of Bulleit Rye to 1 ounce of Carpano Antica, a sweet Italian vermouth. I follow up with 3 to 4 dashes of Angostura bitters and, of course, plenty of smoked ice.
A note on vermouth. Vermouth is, at its core, a fortified wine, and the key to its longevity is to keep it refrigerated. I've learned this from many Manhattan's from my friends at the Van Buren Room. A great drink needs great ingredients, and a rancid bottle of wine sitting on your bar is not one.
Thirsty yet? Here's the recipe:
Smoked Manhattan
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare a grill or smoker for indirect, low heat, 200º to 250º F. For wood, use a robust species, like maple, hickory, or oak.
- Fill a foil pan with water and smoke over low heat for 60 to 90 minutes. The water is done when it is noticeably yellow from the smoking.
- Pour the water into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and place them in a resealable gallon-sized bag.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with 3 to 4 cubes of smoked ice.
- Add bourbon, vermouth, and bitters. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain into a glass. Add a maraschino cherry and one cube of smoked ice.
Where do I turn for great cocktail content? Two of my favorite alcohol podcasts: What We're Drinking from Dan Dunn and Back Bar from Greg Benson. Great knowledge, great history, and lots of fun.
