Andrew Knowlton’s blurb on The Passenger is pretty much on point,

One could happily spend an evening ensconced in the up-front booths, sipping a Moscow Mule at brothers Derek and Tom Brown’s Chinatown-area bar. But in terms of speakeasy appeal, you can’t beat the reservation-only Columbia Room in the back.

It’s so hot, if you made a Ramos Gin Fizz outside, you would end up with Ramos Gin Scrambled Eggs. It’s so hot, my cigars catch themselves on fire and, much like a Bugs Bunny cartoon, turns to ash immediately. It’s so hot …

Okay, enough of that, you get the picture. One thing that always makes me feel cooler is a tall ice & booze filled beverage. And here in DC, especially in July, that drink is the Rickey.

For those who don’t know, Derek Brown explains the history of the Rickey thusly; “The Rickey is a category of mixed drinks closely resembling a highball made from a base spirit, half of a lime squeezed and dropped in the glass and carbonated water. Little or no sugar is added to the Rickey. Originally created with Bourbon whiskey in Washington, D.C. at Shoomaker’s bar by bartender George A. Williamson, purportedly in collaboration with Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey, it became a worldwide sensation when mixed with gin.”

And because the Rickey is DC’s only native drink, the DC Craft Bartenders Guild has designated July as “Rickey Month.”

And what does this mean to you? Well, for starters, some of the best bartenders & restaurants are creating their very own version of the rickey. Those intrepid souls participating are:

Owen Thompson of Café Atlantico
Gina Chersevani of PS7′s
Chantal Tseng of Tabard Inn
Adam Bernbach of Proof
Dan Searing of Room 11
Clinton Terry of PX
Jayson Smith of PX
Justin Owens of PX
Rico Wisner of Poste Brasserie
David Fritzler of Tryst
Joey Ambrose of W Hotel
J.P. Caceres of Againn
Duane Sylvestre of Bourbon Steak
Laura Secker of Vermillion
Elli Benchimol of Chef Geoff’s (both locations)
Amy Troutmiller of Urbana
Joseph David Cleveland of Oyamel
Mike Cherner of Mie N Yu
Milton Hernandez of Bibiana
Rachel Sergi of 701
Jessica Crandall of Bourbon (Glover Park)
Theo Rutherford of Ripple Wine Bar
Alex Bookless of the Passenger
Julia Hurst of the Passenger
Alex Nichols of the Passenger
J.P. Fetherston of the Passenger and Columbia Room
Patrick Owens of Jaleo

Damn, that’s a lot of rickeys! So, other than a damn fine drink & inebriation, what else do I get from this, you may be thinking.

SHUT IT!

How about a party? Yeah! How do like them rickeys now?!?!

On August 2nd beginning at 6:30pm at The Passenger in Mt. Vernon Square (1021 7th Street, NW) there will be a Rickey party sponsored by Hendrick’s Gin and Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

What? That’s not good enough? Geez, you youngins and your whatnots . . .

Okay then, go to one of the participating establishments to sample a Rickey and get you a Rickey passport. If you visit ten contestants during the month of July, and get your Rickey Passport stamped, entrance to the finals of the contest is free. Otherwise, the event will be $10 at the door and include one free classic Rickey.

Finalists will be serving their drinks to attendees at a cash bar and competing for the grand prize of $1,000 chosen by special guest judges Ana Maria Cox of GQ, Jim Hewes of the Round Robin Bar at the Willard, Tad Carducci of Tippling Bros., Peter Smith of PS7’s and Jenn Larsen of WeLoveDC.com.

Even more important, The Scofflaws themselves will be in attendance!

Now THAT sounds like a party!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and have a Rickey or ten.

Cheers!

We’re having a cocktail seminar on June 10, titled “When It’s Cocktail Time in Cuba.”  For more information and to register, click here   http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/Events/#Seminar59

When It’s Cocktail Time in Cuba

Presented By: Charlotte Voisey and Phil Greene

$45.00 per person pre-register

The ‘at-the-door’ fee will be $50.00.

Thursday, June 10 2010, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Mie N Yu Restaurant
3125 M Street, NW
Washington , DC 20007

Internationally renowned mixologist Charlotte Voisey will provide an overview of the rum category and specifically rum’s lighter style – brought to fame in Cuba – and its use in cocktails and punches – perfect for summertime entertaining. Plus, Phil Greene will offer stories from the days when Cuba was America ‘s favorite playground, especially during Prohibition, when it was said that ” Havana became the unofficial United States saloon.”  Enjoy delicious appetizers and, of course, sample cocktails from Cuba , y much mas!

Cheers,   Phil Greene Museum of the American Cocktail

Don’t get me wrong, I love beer!  I’m drinking a Rogue right now (the First Growth Dirtoir Black Lager) but like ingredients such as, say, wine (thus, vermouth, natch) while delicious on its own, it can also work as an ingredient in cocktails quite easily.  Cheese is delicious on its own, and you cook with it too, right?

Right.

Another friend of ours, Phil Greene of the Museum of the American Cocktail, let us know about a seminar featuring Tad Carducci talking about spice in cocktails.  I’ve snipped Tad’s bio out of the link, but if you haven’t heard of him – just Google search him.  He’s done a lot.

Spice: The Fennel Frontier

Presented By: Tad Carducci

$45.00 per person pre-register

The ‘at-the-door’ fee will be $50.00.

Thursday, April 22 2010, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Darlington House
1610 20th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20009

From 2500 B.C. to 2010, a look at the importance of spices and herbs; as medicine, as currency, as foodstuffs, and, most notably, as flavoring agents for spirits, liqueurs and cocktails.  Join us on a whirlwind journey back in time and around the globe to shed light onto an exotic and illuminating topic that most of us take very much for granted, while, of course, we “spice it up” with cocktails.

(It’s not that we don’t love you Tad, but hey, we pay by the character here.  What?  We don’t?  Oh well too late, I already cut it.)

Tonight, if you’re not already there, is Thursday Drink Night in the Mixoloseum bar, and we’re doing spiced rum.  Jump in if it’s not too late!

We’ve got some other events and some drinks coming up for y’all, so for now, go out and find yourselves something to drink.

I loved it.  It was funny, it showcased some really cool stuff, and most of all, it seemed real – he was actually getting wasted, versus some shows where the host is holier than thou.

I ended up buying the DVDs of it and was disappointed when it went off the air.  Well, it really didn’t – MOJO HD, the channel that carried it, did.

Fortunately, it got picked up elsewhere.  Fine Living Network, in fact, which I might get, but I don’t have a DVR and really don’t watch TV any more except for sports and the occasional run of History Channel, Discovery Channel, or Military History Channel.  Or some USA marathons, but I’m more embarrassed to admit that.

Then earlier this week I got an e-mail from a nice lady named Wendy saying that the Travel Channel was going to start airing Three Sheets on April 14th at 11 PM EDT, featuring back to back episodes.  I’m more likely to be playing Borderlands or wallowing in my own self-misery to actually remember to watch at that time, but there’s a great chance that someone else might, or that I might even get off my ass, pay the $16 and activate the DVR on my machine so I can watch it and play the Three Sheets drinking game.

(Don’t know how to play it?  Here’s how:  GO DRINK.  No, wait, there are more expansive rules but I’m too lazy to write them here.  Go here and read them.  They make more sense if you’ve seen the show.)

I feel weird posting without a drink, so without bothering to figure out what it’d taste like first, I’m going to make up a Three Sheets cocktail off the top of my head.  It seems like it should be strong.  Later, maybe, I’ll think up a Zane Lamprey one.

The Three Sheets
1.5 ounces gin
3/4 ounce green Chartreuse
1/2 ounce Benedictine
1/4 ounce Fernet Branca
Stir – though I’d shake it – and strain.

Bwahahahaha!  Now the ultimatum.

ZANE LAMPREY I’M CALLING YOU OUT!  You’re coming to DC on June 4th, right?  I don’t know if you’re filming Three Sheets around then, but let me say:  You need to come to the capital of the United States for Three Sheets and you need me, SeanMike, to take you around.  (And yes, Marshall to help.)  I am confident in my liver to stand up to you.

OR ARE YOU TOO CHICKEN?

We shall see!

EDIT 04/21/2010: it’s on tonight, too! Woo to the hoo. Tune in if you can. And Zane, I’m still waiting!