Traveled to Minneapolis for a Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson show at US Bank Stadium recently. I had the night off before the show and decided to head out for a local Old Fashioned and dinner. After a thorough Google search, the Parlour Bar came up as one of the ‘Best Whiskey Bars’ in Downtown Minneapolis. Upon arrival at my nearby hotel, the staff confirmed it would be a great choice.  They are well known for craft cocktails and their Smash Burgers.  Their Old Fashioned and burger are referred to as their ‘old reliables.’’

This was an early stop on a Friday night trying to beat the crowds.  It’s a below street level entry, below their Borough restaurant in the North Loop District. Odd to be in a cocktail bar that early with full lighting.  The opposite of the usual encounter. It felt odd. But the staff was friendly, and I snagged the last seat at the bar and ordered their signature drink.

As their menu explains, their Old Fashioned is an accidental discovery.  A classic Old Fashioned needs only four ingredients-spirit, bitters, sugar & ice. But each bar has its own recipe and variations are countless. Their bartender was testing different combinations when the magic happened, and a fortunate mistake became their #1 selling cocktail. While encountering many failed attempts, he grabbed an Old Gran Dad (114 proof) and blended it with a more rigid spirit, Jim Beam Rye (90 proof). He then discovered a sugar called Piloncillo and added that in.  For the bitters, he decided to try cherry bark vanilla, orange, and bolivar aromatic bitters. The perfect balance. Mixed it with a large cube and the rest is history. 

The bartender talked me into a smash burger for dinner…it’s all they offer. The combination was greatness. The gentleman next to me was a regular and we struck up a fast conversation. We watched the bartender mix up numerous cocktails. I don’t know why but I enjoy watching them construct cocktails. It instantly reminded me to up my game at home.  We have all the ingredients but I normally just pour something neat.  It’s now time for me to do some experimenting.