Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/148134
owned by the Hearst Corporation and which once housed the printing presses for their Examiner newspaper. Archival editions of the paper are in wall frames and Plexiglas boxes around the space, and the air itself seems to faintly carry the aroma of printing ink. In charge is Robert Baker, the General Manager, and he Erik Adkins of Hard Water in San Francisco goes and Bucalo will taste over the craft spirit offerings from Young's Market with Fitzgerald's, a wheated Sean Bucalo. whisky from Heaven want to make it yourself." Hill Distillery, and a Breckenridge Baker's regard for Bucalo, and Young's bourbon from Colorado with a high Market Company, is evident. "Young's is rye content. It's interesting stuff for one of my favorite distributors to work discriminating palates. with because they have the size and a lot Local Edition's signature cocktail is of depth," says Baker. "But they still treat a play on an Old Fashioned; a late-'50s, me like the smaller distributors do. They early-'60s nightclub kind of drink with return my phone calls. Seam never sends modern attention to detail. The houseme anything I didn't order because he made simple syrup is infused with a bit Getting Local needs to fill a quota." of orange peel. The bitters are steeped As we make our way across the city, with dried cherries, but there are no calling on some of Bucalo's clients, our maraschinos to overwhelm the taste travels bring us to a cavernous and No Rest for the Weary somewhat clandestine-feeling bar that's in the glass. And the Eagle Rare Rye The day is dizzying and unrelenting. There are more store and restaurant visits, including with Francisco Romero at The Slanted Door and Erik Adkins, Bar Manager for all of The Slanted Door properties, at their new space, Hard Water, also on the Embarcadero. As the evening draws near, we head for North Beach, and Comstock Saloon, where the bar is raucous with Financial District workers just getting off the clock. Co-owner Johnny Raglin is behind the bar and he is pouring Kopstootjes— shots of Bols Genever with a beer back—for the house. Bucalo takes his drink and his chaser, and he laughs with his friends and talks excitedly about the craft spirits tasting event he is planning for the trade. He's got passion and drive, indispensable qualities in this unforgiving market. Next time you're enjoying that perfectly crafted liquid in one of San Francisco Romero of San Francisco's Slanted Door welcomes Sean Bucalo to the Francisco's more reputable cocktail restaurant's bar. joints, think of Sean Bucalo making used for the drink is perfect because the rounds, calling on his colleagues owned by Future Bars, the same group of its subtle cherry notes. "It's a great and friends in the bar and retail trade. that owns Bourbon & Branch and example of what's happening today," Because Bucalo is one of the secrets of other local classic cocktail places. This Baker says. "You wouldn't buy sometheir success, and one of the reasons one, the aptly named Local Edition, thing that was infused for you; you that your cocktail tastes so fine. opened about a year ago in a building the newly renovated and rejuvenated Harry Denton's. When that was finished, he had a major life decision to make: Continue to focus his career in the Kimpton track, or break out for new challenges? He chose the latter, signed up with Young's and, as he put it, "crossed over to the other side." His tenure with Young's has allowed him to travel and expand his knowledge, going to the places where spirits are produced, becoming ever more conversant with the brand's back stories, the better to serve his on-premise and restaurant clientele. In addition to Bucalo, the Young's Market craft spirits team in California includes Tom Street, who works the East Bay, plus Adam Larson and Alessandro Bermudez in Los Angeles, Levi Walker in San Diego and Chris Dion in Orange County. "Everybody brings a little something different to the table," Bucalo says, "and you put us together and it's a beautiful thing." august 2013 / the tasting panel / 111 TP0813_104-132.indd 111 7/24/13 9:40 PM