Sweetest Day

Did you know Sweetest Day is this Saturday?

For those of you outside the Great Lakes Region, you may have no idea what I'm talking about.  For those of you from the upper Midwest, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about.  Whether you are looking forward to the other Valentines Day, or whether you grumbling about the "Hallmark Holiday" that has no real meaning, there is no question that the day is celebrated by many here in Milwaukee.

While it is true that Sweetest Day was an 'invented' holiday that was used to sell candy in the 1920s, the fact is that many of the holidays we celebrate today were promoted or created by a commercial business.  Do you think the Christmas Card or the turkey dinner on Thanksgiving would be what they are without the Hallmark or Butterballs of the world?

Maybe it is time we change our perception of sweetest day.  After all, it is a retro holiday with a unique beginning.  Imagine all the flappers and dapper celebrities handing out candy in Cleveland in the 1920s.  Imagine the candy they were handing out!  It was probably an awesome treat that tastes nothing like what we have today.  Back in those days, candy making was an art, similar to mixology or bread making.  It was such a celebrated craft that they could have just as easily called Sweetest Day "Artisan Chocolate Day", but this, of course, would not have the sensual connotations that sweetest has.

This year at Bryant's, we are bringing back the roots of the holiday.  We are working with Atomic Chocolates, a local artisan chocolate maker, to provide a free chocolate to the first 100 guests on Saturday.  Unlike the store bought candies you often see on Sweetest Day, these chocolates are the real deal, made with fresh ingredients and rich cocoa.  We like to think these are similar to the chocolates that were given out back in the 1920s, before corn syrup and artificial flavors became standard ingredients in candy.

We hope that even those of you who hate the idea of sweetest day will join us this weekend for a cocktail and celebration of the sweet thing we sometimes take for granted.  Whether you decide to bring your sweet thing is entirely up to you.

We open at 5PM on Saturday with the Velvet Lounge opening at 8PM.

Cocktail of the Month: The Rob Roy

There is a simplicity to cocktails that is often overlooked.  This is especially true in the days of complex craft cocktails, where bartenders are striving to carve a niche in the cocktail world by using obscure ingredients and methodologies.  Not saying we have a problem with flamed Truffula Fruit or fresh squeezed Tomacco Juice, but here at Bryant's we believe there is a classic value in simple, spirit-forward cocktails.  

These are the cocktails that aren't meant to fool a gin-hating cocktail drinkers into enjoying gin; rather, these are the cocktails that make a gin lover love gin even more.  Spirit forward classics include the much loved martini, manhattan, and negronis of the the world, along with our cocktail of the month, The Rob Roy.

The Rob Roy is a scotch-based drink that is, in essence, a manhattan in which scotch is used instead of rye or bourbon.  Wait a minute- you may be wondering how a bartender can change one single ingredient in a cocktail and claim it as their creation- isn't that cheating?  Remember, these are simple, spirit forward cocktails that are minimalist and well-balanced, where changing even one ingredient completely changes the cocktail.

Similar to knowing the subtle differences between the Cosby Show introductions in season 6 and 7, the bartender who invented the Rob Roy in 1894 knew that substituting scotch for whiskey would change the manhattan in to an entirely different cocktail.  Indeed, adding scotch changed it from a sophisticated, whiskey tipple to a sword-wielding scotch-drink, capable of satisfying the most adamant scotch lover who, as you may know, generally prefers scotch on its own.

The Rob Roy mingled vermouth with scotch whiskey so well that it was named after the scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor, who was a well-loved swordsman and cattle man who fought heroically against William of Orange and the Campbell Clan.  

Want to taste for yourself?  Stop by Bryant's Cocktail Lounge during Old Fashioned Cocktail Hour where we will be offering our Rob Roy for only $5 during the entire month of October.  Additionally, this scotch classic will be only $5 every Sunday in October.   Can you think of a better way to celebrate Scotchtoberfest?

Old Fashioned Cocktail Hour
Tuesday through Friday
5 to 9
 
  

Let's be honest, maybe a cocktail of the week is a bit much....

If you are a frequent follower of our blog or Facebook postings, you will notice that the cocktail of the week has nearly disappeared.  Maybe our last cocktail of the week was just so great, that it was difficult to follow.  Or maybe, just maybe, yours truly is a little bit lazy and a lot busy.

The fact is, a week comes and goes so quickly that it was difficult to keep up, especially if we were going to explore the origin or uniqueness of a rotating cocktail.  In addition, we found that our customers wished that some of the cocktails of the week stuck around longer than just 6 days; sometimes this is not nearly enough time to plan a trip to Bryant's.  In sum, a week just isn't long enough.

The answer, we believe, is to change the cocktail of the week in to the Cocktail of the Month.  If we get a good response, we may add two or more cocktails of the month.  Perhaps a rotating classic, Bryant's, and modern cocktail??  We'll see!

Let's just see how this goes!

We begin our new cocktail of the month on Sunday.  Want a hint?  Like Sean Connery in Alphabet City, this classic cocktail from 1894 is a riff on an even earlier classic.  First one to guess correctly and post it in the comments section of our blog gets one on us!

Reserving a table at Bryant's

Sometimes we need to make difficult decisions in order to make everyones life easier.

After much discussion with staff and customers, we have decided that it is in the best interest of all customers if we return to the original Bryant's policy of not taking reservations for large groups on weekend nights.  While we love groups of all sizes, we will now only offer seating on a first come, first serve basis.

The reasons for this decision are based on our capacity and several past experiences where large groups make reservations and don't show up, or only a small number of people show up.  When this happens it is not only frustrating for us, it is also frustrating for other customers who are waiting for tables.  While you may think this is rare, the fact is that it happens around 20% of the time.  

If you do have a group of 10 or more and want to come to Bryant's on a weekend night, there are still options.  First, we still ask that you call before you come.  We will try our hardest to get you a table that will accommodate your group.  Second, make sure to show up with your entire group, as we can only hold seats for 10 minutes.  Finally, show up early (before 8:30) or late (after 11:30).  This will greatly improve your chances of having little to no wait.

Finally, please be patient.  Even during the busiest of times the wait for a table is generally under 15 minutes.

If you want a guaranteed seat, you can always reserve the Velvet Lounge for a private party and you will be the envy of your friends and neighbors.

Please keep in mind that this new policy only applies to weekends.  If you are planning on bringing a group to Bryant't on a weekday, make sure to call or email at least two days in advance to we can make sure to have enough staff to accommodate your party.

A visit from across the pond!

We recently had a visit from a couple of reporters from The Guardian in the UK.  


They were in Milwaukee visiting some genuine businesses that are often missed by travel writers.  These included our favorite tiki bar, the Foundation, and our favorite custard stand, Leon's Frozen Custard at 27th and Oklahoma.  They also visited some great businesses in Bay View, including Sky High Skateboard Shop and the Cactus Club.  


While at Bryant's, our newest bartender Jordan made quite the impression, leading the author to describe Bryant's as "effortlessly smooth as the mixologist behind the bar".  Hopefully The Guardian article will lead more travel writers from around the world to visit our fair city. 


Read the whole article HERE.

Cocktail of the Week: The French 75

The French 75

In celebration of the French culture and spirit, the cocktail of the week this week is the French 75, a classic cocktail that is a powerful (and delicious) mixture of gin, lemon, sugar, and champagne.

Created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, this cocktail was named after the French 75mm Howitzer Artillery Cannon, a powerful artillery piece that became famous during World War I.  Whether is packs a punch like a cannon, or hits the spot like a modern piece of military accouterment, the French 75 is a powerful cocktail which earns its name.

Only $5 during Old Fashioned Cocktail Hour, 5-9 Tuesday through Friday.  

Cocktail of the Week: The Bone Crusher

Along with the first week of May comes Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday commemorating the defeat of the French army in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, we will be featuring one of the finest tequila cocktails we have ever tasted, The Bone Crusher. Developed by the talented mixologists at Drink in Boston, The Bone Crusher has all the hallmarks of a stellar cocktail: it's simple, delicious, and unique.

Tequila, lime, sugar, hot pepper sauce, and pepper mix to create a spicy, tangy drink that is not only tasted, it's experienced. First you taste the sour of the lime, which is almost immediately offset by the sugar, then comes the surprise. Just like a poorly armed group of 4,000 poor mexican soldiers rising up to defeat the heavily armed forces of the invading French- the spice comes from behind and kicks your butt. Viva la Bone Crusher!

Stop in and try the Bone Crusher this week during Old Fashioned Cocktail Hour where you can buy one for only $5. Plus, it will be $5 all night on Thursday in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.