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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 2018)
swizzle BEST OF EUGENE BOOZE , BARS & NIGHTLIFE 2018 SWIZZLE EDITION Gambit (krupnikas, Pom, soda, cherry bitters). But, overall, we simply like our whiskey drinks. — Camilla Mortensen BEST BAR PINT POT BEST LOCAL DISTILLERY I used to live right across the street from The Pint Pot Public House, and although I don’t miss the crappy student housing I had, I do miss that homey little spot. Pint Pot’s regulars and bartenders are always friendly and helpful and down for some banter. Those who love whiskey can enjoy a comprehensive tasting list divided among countries of origin (you can probably guess which countries). I’m more of a cocktail and beer gal myself, and Pint Pot always pleases with stiff mixed drinks, including an incredible Moscow mule, and hot toddies that warm your hands and your heart. Guinness, of course, is on tap. What’s more, Pint Pot is home to all kinds of tasty Irish cuisine, from bangers and mash to shepherd’s pie. I recommend heading there for brunch on the weekend — $10 gets you a scotch egg, soda bread, blood sausage, corned beef hash and beans. Old Nick’s (211 Washington Street) and The Vintage (837 Lincoln Street) tied for second in the voting for Best Bar. — Kelly Kenoyer THINKING TREE SPIRITS The Pint Pot Public House is at 195 E. 17th Avenue. See its Facebook page for more details. making sure we have sports on all the time — and getting the right people in the door.” — Bob Keefer BEST BAR TO WATCH SPORTS BEST COCKTAIL WETLANDS BREW PUB & SPORTS BAR When Darci Lien started work at Wetlands more than five years ago, being a sports bar was more of a target than a reality. “I don’t know that when I first started here I would have called it a ‘sports bar,’” says Lien, the bar’s general manager, when EW called to say her establishment, at 922 Garfield Street, had come in at the top of our readers’ list. “That’s so surreal!” It was also no accident, she says. “I decided to change the culture here three years ago. We’ve really homed in on ANYTHING WITH WHISKEY IN IT Jameson Sour, old fashioned, hot toddy, whiskey gin- ger. We admit we were looking for specifics when we asked you for your favorite cocktail in Lane County. But it turns out the overwhelming favorite was pretty much anything with whiskey in it. We did see some specific vote-getters like Party Down- town’s Smoke Break (Pueblo Viejo reposado tequila, fresh pineapple, Jose’s signature smoked tiki syrup, squeezed lime, rocks) and Deep Woods Distillery’s Persephone’s Thinking Tree Spirits opened about a year ago last solstice, founder Emily Jensen says. “We’ve been busting our butts, and it’s exciting to hear people are liking what we are doing.” Thinking Tree is a “farm-to-flask” distillery. “We’re in the Whiteaker,” Jensen says. “And we source 98 per- cent of every ingredient in our spirits within 45 miles of our front door. We are super-committed to the Eugene community, and are a family owned and operated busi- ness proud to live in this lush valley.” The wheat for the spirits at the base of the Genius Gin and the MainStage Vodka comes from Camas Country Mill, the botanicals for the gin are from Mountain Rose Herbs, grapes for absinthe are sourced from Sylvan Ridge Winery and the blackstrap molasses for the Whiteaker Rum comes from Glory Bee — not locally grown, but locally sourced, Jensen says. Jensen — together with her husband Bryan Jensen, distiller Kaylon McAlister and a small group of investors — started the company, and it’s primarily female-owned. The tasting room features the work of local artists such as sculptor Jud Turner, and even the labels for the bottles are produced here in town. Thinking Tree makes about 150 bottles of every batch, and doesn’t source its spirits from other distilleries. Jen- sen points out that some new distilleries in Oregon will source their neutral grain spirits from Indiana, but Think- ing Tree has pledged to keep it local. If you want to drink it local, you can check out Think- ing Tree’s tasting room, or find the vodka, gin and rum at Hot Mama's, Tacovore, Valley River Inn, Café Soriah and Davis, to name just a few. “Our entire business is built on the idea of the local economy,” Jensen says. — Camilla Mortensen Thinking Tree’s tasting room is open 4 pm to 10 pm Tuesdays through Sundays, located at 88 North Jackson Street. eugeneweekly.com • February 22, 2018 13
