When it comes to craft cocktails, Colin Carroll works at both ends of the spectrum: He loves mixing up a classic Old Fashioned, but he isn't afraid of creating drinks with names like Bone Marrow Bourbon and Clarified Milk Punch.
For the former drink, "We leach the bones, roast it in the oven so it's all gelatinous, batch it together with the bourbon, put it in the immersion cooker, finely strain it and voila," says Carroll, 35, a bartender of 10 years who runs the cocktail program at Trifecta Tavern & Bakery in Southeast Portland.
"It tastes like a really, really rich bone marrow bourbon," he adds. "It's fatty in the mouth, with the spice of the bourbon."
In a city as crazy for craft cocktails as Portland, a drink like this isn't at all out the ordinary.
Most Portland bartenders pride themselves on doing both old-school and new-school drinks.
Some obsess over new techniques and farm-to-table ingredients; some pride themselves on making as much as possible from scratch.
All of Portland's funkiness will be on display soon at Portland Cocktail Week, set for Oct. 17-23.
In this 6th annual event, mixologists will come from near and far to hone their craft at a variety of classes, including advanced bartending, "beyond the bar," bar ownership and innovation and development.
Non-industry attendees will get to "audit" clases and attend events hosted throughout the city. Some of the locations include Clear Creek Distillery, House Spirits Distillery, White Owl Social Club, Bossanova Ballroom, Bit House Saloon and Hotel Eastlund.
Attendees will celebrate and experience the cocktail revolution Portland has come to be known for: the playful combinations, unexpected ingredients and access to dozens of local spirits.
Carroll says there are a lot of reasons Portland's cocktail scene stands out. One is that the level of restaurants is already so high, and bars tend to take inspiration from their restaurant's talent and quality of food.
"It's kind of a crazy thing," says Carroll, who moved here from San Francisco eight years ago. "San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles have amazing places but there's a lot of money behind them. In Portland, just your average bar, your average restaurant, is more elevated. Your neighborhood bar here has a pretty decent cocktail list."
In Carroll's case at Trifecta, he's made a point to let the kitchen be his guide; he borrows inspiration from the talent, food and equipment the food staff are using.
"We have a really big and talented kitchen; I always feel I do my best work with a good kitchen and chef," he says. "I look at what they're doing with food, all these cool gadgets, think how can I apply that."
Carroll makes a creme de menthe from scratch, as well as a Swedish Punsch (a sweet liqueur) and Drambuie.
He also borrows culinary techniques and flavor profiles from his surroundings, like the wood-fired oven and wood-fired grill that dictates Trifecta's menu.
To achieve the same effect, Carroll thought he'd use a sous vide cooker to save time vacuum-sealing it and putting it in a water bath.
"Instead of having to actually age it with a barrel," he says, "we put charred wood in a bag, put it in the water cooker, pull it out after 18 hours and have this amazing thing."
Similarly, for the Charred Cherrywood Blood and Sand a scotch drink it's made by infusing the central spirit in charred cherrywood in the sous-vide machine.
The elaborate art and science of the craft cocktail has already gained a comedic reputation, poked fun at in a classic 2013 "Portlandia" sketch.
Andy Samberg is a bartender making something special for Carrie Brownstein because she can't decide.
After a lot of shaking and blending, she's presented with a "ginger-based bourbon drink infused with honey, lemon and charred ice. Then building off that based we've got cherry tomato, lime zest; I actually made the bitters myself at home. We've got egg whites, egg shell, egg yellows, rotten banana."
Carroll admits some of techniques have jumped the shark, but it won't stop him from innovating and knowing when to reign it in when it simply doesn't work.
"Trends will change; who knows what the future will be," Carroll says. "People just love simple, well-made stuff."
@jenmomanderson
Check it out:
Portland Cocktail Week
activities and schedule at
portlandcocktailweek.com.