Tracker Pixel for Entry

The ninth and final week of the seventh Annual Cocktail Showdown

Cocktail Showdown | December 22nd, 2015

The ninth and final week of the seventh Annual Cocktail Showdown

By Sabrina Hornung

For the ninth and final sampling during the Showdown our judges experienced Eric Johnson’s Tennessee Fiery Apple and The Swaderita at Chub’s Pub. We were then off to Sidestreet to try Mistelle Stein’s Russian Tea and Eddie Gonzalez’s Afterburner. Soon we found ourselves at Pounds where Kory Wiler introduced us to The Hoser and Peach Kuchen. The last stop in the showdown brought us to sample The Dead Elvis and The Distiller’s Reserve from award-winning mixologist Elijah Larson at Proof.

Chub’s Pub and Package Place

Chub’s Pub, located at 421 University Dr. N, is a neighborhood staple for North Fargo residents and Bison fans alike. With Bison Saturday specials, off sale, Pizza Corner pizzas and a cozy atmosphere, one could see why Chub’s has been one of Fargo’s favorite sports bars.

The Shot: The Tennessee Fiery Apple

The Creator: Eric Johnson

The Tennessee Fiery Apple involves Jack Fire, Apple Pucker and a splash of cranberry juice. According to Johnson, Jack Fire has been a hot seller (pardon the pun) for Chub’s, so he decided to play around with it to see how various flavor combinations would work.

The Drink: The Swaderita

The Creator: Eric Johnson

The Swaderita contains Patron Silver, Grand Marnier and fresh squeezed lime juice. It first came to be when one of Chub’s regulars requested a deluxe margarita. Naturally, what the customer wants the customer gets. Wade used top-shelf ingredients and a little TLC, thus the Swaderita was born.

Sidestreet Grille and Pub

Sidestreet recently relocated to 404 Fourth Ave. N., in downtown Fargo. The new location features the same menu that we all know and love, chock-full of appetizers, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and much, much more. Just add on-site gaming, a larger stage area/dance floor and 50 beers on tap and it’s almost like you’re reunited with an old friend -- but with better toys.

The Shot: Afterburner

The Creator: Eddie Gonzalez

Afterburner is a mixture of Watermelon Pucker, peach schnapps, a splash of sour and a dash of Tabasco sauce. Don’t let the Tabasco sauce throw you off though. “It’s an Afterburner, not a destroyer,” Gonzalez says, adding that the spice can be altered to the customer’s liking. He says that he has tried variations of the Afterburner at other bars, but he has modified and improved the recipe. The inspiration for it is one of his favorite confections from Mexico, which happens to be a watermelon-flavored sucker covered in chili powder.

The Drink: Russian Tea

The Creator: Mistelle Stein

The Russian Tea is a new take on an old favorite and pays a bit of an homage to a recipe from Stein’s grandmother. Granted, the original mixture was non-alcoholic, but that is where the new take comes in. The original recipe involved Lipton tea and Tang. Mistelle’s version uses Jeremiah Weed and Coldcock American Herbal Whiskey, with macerated citrus, Luxardo cherries, spiced cherry bitters, clove syrup, a splash of soda and a clove-studded orange slice as garnish.

Pounds

Pounds is located at 612 First Ave. N. and is a fairly recent addition to downtown Fargo. It has a hip, lively atmosphere -- the walls of the bar are covered in chalk paint, which adds to an all-inclusive atmosphere. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, greens, dessert, soups, sides and snacks. Let us not forget the drinks: There is a full cocktail and martini menu, variety craft beers on tap, and nothing but the finest of 40 ounce malt liquors.

The Shot: Peach Kuchen

The Creator: Kory Wiler

Peach Kuchen is a bit of a shout-out to Wiler’s German heritage. It tastes much like its namesake, which is a custard-based, not-too-sweet dessert. The shot involves Rumchata, peach schnapps, a bit of pineapple juice and garnished with a peach.

The Drink: The Hoser

The Creator: Kory Wiler

According to Wiler this drink is “a diss on Canadians.” It contains maple syrup, Captain Morgan and housemade apple cider, which is deliciously spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. A squeezed lemon adds a citrus kick, and the finishing touch involves a dusting of cinnamon to add a bit of seasonal flavor.

Proof Artisan Distillers

Proof is located at 414 Fourth Ave. N. in Fargo and is open Thursday through Saturday. It is a new addition to downtown Fargo, and ironically enough it is located in what was once the municipal courthouse -- the copper still has been christened “The Judge.” Not only does it house a distillery in which fine vodka, gin and whiskey are produced, but it also features a full menu, in which small plates and tapas are served. They also feature artisan cocktails, with juice squeezed fresh daily. The bar was built in 1890 in Ray, N.D. When that establishment closed it was then relocated to The Down Under in Grand Forks, and after a lot of TLC the bar was restored to its former lustre. Proof was recently awarded two Gold Medals from the Great American Spirits Festival in Portland, Ore. -- one for Minions Old Fashioned Cocktail and another for Minions Barreled Gin.

The Shot: The Dead Elvis

The Creator: Elijah Larson

“The Dead Elvis” pays homage to none other than the King’s, aka Elvis Presley’s, favorite sandwich and involves peanut butter, jelly, banana and bacon. We were greeted with chef Judd fishing jelly globules from a solution involving soy lecithin emulsifiers and a bit of molecular gastronomy. The end result was a jelly-vodka mixture with an egg yolk texture. Chef Judd explained that the emulsification of the globules was enough of a procedure, but once alcohol was added it made the process a bit more complex. The second facet to the shot involved pureed peanut butter and bananas combined with their creme liqueur. The mixture was then aerated with a fish pump to create a lighter, airy texture. The third step involved a cotton candy machine: Larson steeped bacon in sugar for three days and then made cotton candy from the bacon sugar and wound it around a bacon stick.

The Drink: The Distiller’s Reserve Cocktail

The Creator: Elijah Larson

“The Distiller’s Reserve Cocktail” is a play on the gin sour. Not only does it contain Proof’s award-winning gin but also fig, simple syrup, reduced honey, egg white and house bitters. Each drink was given a “dry shake” and shaken individually due to the finicky nature of the egg whites. Larson explained that this step added a velvety texture and aided in emulsifying the egg white. Each coupe glass was then given a house bourbon rinse and the mixture was added to a lemon-orange juice mix. He then embellished the “head” of the cocktail by spraying the house bitters through a snowflake stencil -- just to add a little bit of Christmas cheer.

RECENTLY IN

Cocktail Showdown

Tracker Pixel for Entry Seven Tracker Pixel for Entry Concordia Tracker Pixel for Entry What Tracker Pixel for Entry Final2 Tracker Pixel for Entry Halloween Tracker Pixel for Entry EmpireAUG2021

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.com The business of Indian Hating is a lucrative one. It’s historically been designed to dehumanize Native people so that it’s easier to take their land. ‘Kill the Indian, save the man,”…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.eduI was pleased to visit with many colleagues and at the Germans from Russia Heritage Society Convention in Mandan in July, and at the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia…

October 4-20, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.Theatre B, 210 10th St. N in MoorheadThis funny, earnest and hopeful play is a breath of fresh air heading into election season. Playwright Heidi Schreck paid for her…

Happy 30th Birthday HPRBy John Strandjas@hpr1.comThirty years ago some gutsy UND student journalists hanging at Whitey’s in East Grand Forks got enough liquid courage to create their own damn newspaper. Then with drinks raised,…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhere will the homeless go when billionaires go to their bunkers?Icelanders are living almost on top of volcanos but are cooled by ice, snow, and placid attitudes while hiding a keen sense of…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Like any metropolitan area, Fargo-Moorhead has a plethora of radio stations representing a variety of musical genres and other content. And like any other playing field in the world of…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s sophomore feature “Dandelion” is now playing in theaters following a world premiere at South by Southwest in March. The movie stars KiKi Layne as the…

By HPR Contributorssubmit@hpr1.com They are the inventive, passionate, adaptable, resourceful, sometimes over-enthusiastic, wack-tacular people who create art in our community, and they’re opening their studio doors to you for…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By John Showalter  john.d.showalter@gmail.comThey sell fentanyl test strips and kits to harm-reduction organizations and…

JANUARY 19, 1967– MARCH 8, 2023 Brittney Leigh Goodman, 56, of Fargo, N.D., passed away unexpectedly at her home on March 8, 2023. Brittney was born January 19, 1967, to Ruth Wilson Pollock and Donald Ray Goodman, in Hardinsburg,…

By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com“The first thing we do is, let’s kill all the lawyers.”You might recall that memorable line, uttered by Dick the Butcher, from perhaps the least memorable of Shakespeare’s plays, “Henry…