Bottles and Barrels: New Cocktails at B&O American Brasserie
Head bar chef Brendan Dorr and senior bar chef Eric Fooy are unofficially one of the longest running bartending duos in Baltimore, with over 10 years of experience creating award-winning cocktails together at B&O American Brasserie. We found a few moments to stop in and try some selections off the new spring drink list. The pair had quite a few pleasant surprises in store for us, including barrel-aged cocktails and carbonated bottled booze.
Flip to the Smokey, Herbal & Savory Libations section of the menu to find the bulk of the new offerings Dorr and Fooy created for the season. Like the title implies, the common thread here is the use of unique flavoring to amp up the sips, which are based on traditional classics. The collection is vibrant in both taste and color and has plenty of diversity — options will appeal to a wide array of drinkers.
Grape Drink may seem like a simple name, not on par with the menu’s more elegant features, but do not overlook this bottled beverage ($12). This potent cocktail is made with Bols genever, Galliano, yuzu, lemon and house spiced grape soda, then carbonated and served in a classic glass bottle with a red and white striped straw. We were addicted at first sip. Expect additional varieties of these bubbly beverages to pop up this summer.
Also worth noting is the refreshing Coppertop, made with Bluecoat gin, yellow chartreuse, ginger syrup, lemon juice and black pepper for has a clean, lemon flavor perfect for spring ($11). The Dixfield Sour also uses a house infusion, a delicious blueberry-thyme cordial that elevates a traditional pisco sour ($12).
One of the biggest surprises is so new it hasn't yet made it to the printed menu. Just beyond the bar sits a small collection of barrels of house-aged cocktails sure to pique your taste buds. One highlight, the Boulevardier, is a classic cocktail aged anywhere from 45–60 days. The result is a drink with tannins that pull at your palate and urge you to take another sip. Dorr and Fooy both hope to expand the barrel-aging practice throughout the local cocktail scene.
