Imbibing with David Wondrich

This past Saturday, we were graced with two rarities in Portland, Ore.: first, a full day of sunshine in March and second, a visit from Brooklyn-based writer and cocktail historian, David Wondrich. In town for his first visit to the Northwest, David joined hosts Teardrop Lounge and the Oregon Bartenders Guild for a Tribute to Jerry Thomas, the 19th-century barman known for writing the first book of cocktail recipes. David is well-positioned as an expert on the topic—as you may know, he recently published the book Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to “Professor” Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar, a well-researched history of Mr. Thomas himself, plus original and updated recipes from Jerry’s 1862 Bartender’s Guide. OBG member and blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler did a great wrap-up here, so I’ll focus on sharing a drink recipe from the event that’s simple yet delicious: The Stone Fence.

Portland bartender and Imbibe contributor Lance Mayhew presented his version of the Stone Fence, a drink that originally calls for hard cider and brandy (or rum, bourbon, Scotch or rye). As the fourth in a seven-drink event, he wisely substituted alcohol-free apple cider for the hard cider. The crowd was pleasantly surprised by the sweet and smokey flavors in such a simple drink. I enjoyed it so much that when my friends Ben and Kate, blogger at Kate of All Trades, asked me to provide a cocktail pairing for a barbecue chicken dinner that evening, I picked up some fresh apple cider on the way. My usually bourbon-shy friends changed their tune after a taste of this Stone Fence. Here’s the recipe I used:

Stone Fence
2 oz. bourbon
Apple cider
Ice
Glass: Collins or old-fashioned
Garnish: Cinnamon (optional)

Fill a glass with ice. Add bourbon and top with apple cider. If desired, add a dash of bitters and/or cinnamon. Enjoy! —Siobhan Crosby