Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/86618
Welcome to SanDiego Los Angeles continued PLEASED IN PASADENA Tucked away in one of Pasadena's historic neighborhoods, Bar 1886 at The Raymond is part speakeasy, part cozy home: Once owned by the legendary Raymond family, the century-old abode is a modern gem, where molecular gastronomy meets sophisticated cocktails. Here, Bar Manager Garrett McKechnie and his staff take a communal approach to cocktail-crafting, with the whole team gathering together to work on the bar's rotating Pimm's menu. Garrett McKechnie of The Raymond PHOTOS: ERICA BARTEL The 1886 Pimm's #6 is the sixth version of the cocktail to be featured, and McKechnie has really hit gold with this one, thanks to Karlsson's. "Using Karlsson's in a cocktail is not like other vodkas," explains McKechnie. "This spirit makes it specific: You really have to think about about the way you're using it in a cocktail and it is a great base spirit." The resulting Pimm's is a refreshing treat worthy of the Pasadena Oil Barons, which is why the cocktail appears under the bar's "regional" menu. "It's on homage to a drink that should be enjoyed under an oak tree," jokes McKechnie. —R.B. BEST Adam Stemmler of Blind Tiger Cocktail Co. PHOTOS: LEIGH CASTELLI San Diego is known as a beer-lover's paradise, so it's no surprise that here, nothing goes better with a little Karlsson's than a splash of suds. Adam Stemmler, co-founder of Blind Tiger Cocktail Co., a consulting firm that's working to raise the mixology bar in San Diego, has taken the distinctive flavor of Karlsson's to new heights in his cocktail The Golden Coin Toss, alongside his partner Dustin Haarstad. "We always appreciate spirits that have a distinctive flavor of their own," says Stemmler, whom we caught up with at Vin de Syrah on the cusp of fall. "The beer lends awesome malting sweetness and body that pairs nicely with the natural starch flavors in Karlsson's," says Stemmler, a San Diegan through and through. Golden Coin Toss 1½ oz. cinnamon-infused Karlsson's Gold Vodka* 1 oz. unfiltered apple juice 1 oz. Anchor Brekle's Brown Ale ¾ oz. simple syrup 1 whole egg 3 dashes Angostura Bitters Dry shake all ingredients; add ice, shake and strain. *Allow 1 cinnamon stick to infuse a bottle of Karlsson's for 48 hours. —R.B. WITH BEER 1886 Pimm's #6 2 oz. house-made Karlsson's Pimm's 2 cucumbers 1 piece of lime 1 piece of orange 6–8 mint leaves ¾ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. simple syrup Muddle ingredients; shake and pour— no strain—into a Collins glass.