Potables

50 Drinking On the DL

By day, Mike Sherwood works in the cellar at Sineann winery in Newberg. By night he concocts mysterious infusions at a Portland distillery. His saffron- and tarragon-flavored vodkas ($29.95. 11th Avenue Liquor, 1040 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 236-2076), marketed under the brand Sub Rosa Spirits, are equally strange creations—not exactly sippin’ spirits. We prefer the saffron, a golden yellow spirit that tastes of cumin, coriander and of course, enchanting saffron. Serve with Cointreau, or add it to a bloody Mary for a curry in a glass. (BW)

51 A Farmers Market In Your Mouth

We can’t gush enough about Hot Lips’ line of fruit sodas ($2.29. New Seasons Markets and many other locations), released in bottles earlier this year. These things are incredible: Made from nothing but water, sugar, organic lemon juice and fruit pulp (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, boysenberry, blackberry, apple and pear are all available seasonally), they pack an overwhelming punch of fruit flavor. No soda we’ve tried has ever come so close to reproducing the experience of stuffing your mouth with a handful of freshly picked berries. Pick up a four-pack to make your out-of-town in-laws jealous as hell. (BW)

52 Drinkos for Pinkos

It took Rogue Spirits distiller John Couchot two years to perfect his spruce gin—it won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition this year—but he wasn’t content to just let a good thing be. Instead he poured a few hundred gallons into Oregon pinot noir barrels and let it sit for six months. The resulting pink spruce gin ($34.65. Uptown Liquor, 1 NW 23rd Place, 227-0338) has a strong scent of citrus and spruce bark and tastes of lemon, sweet spices and just a hint of the fruity funk of the Pinot. It’s a delicate gin, so drink it neat, on the rocks or in a dry martini. (BW)

53 Big Bad Bat

Husband-and-wife team Patrick Reuter and Leigh Bartholomew of Dominio IV at Carlton Winemakers Studio crafted the Technicolor Bat 2006 ($19. E&R Wine Shop, 6141 SW Macadam Ave., 246-6101) by blending a heady Syrah with a lot of tempranillo, the most popular grape of Spain. The result is a bargain-priced bottle that’s smooth, mysterious and delightful. (BW)

54 Slope Sips

OK, so we all know it’s a really, really bad idea to drink in the snow, but we bet your postadolescent, snowboard-obsessed nephew will dig Hood River Distillers’ Ullr Nordic Libation ($19.95. Hawthorne Liquor, 4638 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 235-1573), a peppermint-cinnamon schnapps that smells of mouthwash and tastes like toothpaste but warms up hot chocolate like nothing else. Mix it with Bailey’s for a syrupy kick that’s toxic in large amounts. But please, whatever you do, don’t serve it neat. (BW)

55 ’Tis the Season to Make Coffee?

What? But that’s every season! Nonetheless, the intrepid coffee geeks at Portland Roasting have produced a holiday blend of organic beans from northern Sumatra ($8.75 per pound. New Seasons, 1954 SE Division St., 445-2888, and other locations). Dark, full-bodied and just a tad sweet, it is a fine roast for a winter morning. Or, y’know, any other time of year. (BW)

56 Antwerp Ales

Way out in tiny Pacific City, 2 1/2 hours from Portland, Pelican Pub and Brewery turns out some amazing brews—they swept up four golds at this year’s North American Beer Awards—but getting your hands on a bottle has been a real hassle. Since November, though, the trip has been shortened by about 90 miles with the opening of Pelican’s kiosk in Washington Square Mall (9585 SW Washington Square Road, 887-0603), where you can pick up Pelican beers by the bottle or the case. Particularly giftable are the foil-topped, 750 ml, aged Belgian-style ales ($15). The Saison du Pelican, aged 20 months, is a lovely orange farmhouse ale. At 6 percent alcohol with strong carbonation and a dry finish, it’s truly the champagne of beers. (BW)

57 Busy Bees

Bees make honey. Joe Stevens harvests it from his hives in Estacada. Then Ryan Csanky and Erik Martin of Artisan Spirits add water, malt and yeast, let it all ferment, and slowly distill the resulting braggot into Apia honey vodka ($49.95. Pearl Specialty Market and Spirits, 900 NW Lovejoy St., 477-8604). Apia is no sweet Bärenjäger, but a smooth, bright spirit with just a touch of honey on the palate and no strong aftertaste. It’s excellent chilled or in a martini with a twist of orange peel. (BW)

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