Cocktails on Tap Dinner at The Heathman Hotel

Recently Portland’s legendary The Heathman Hotel hosted a Beer Cocktail Dinner, Cocktails on Tap, to promote Jacob Grier’s book of the similar name, Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer. To better help accommodate this dinner the Heathman Restaurant and Bar presented its creativity in both dining and mixology in a private event space upstairs, above the restaurant.

Heathman Restaurant & Bar’s Sous Chef Tim Eckard came up with the menu under the guidance of Executive Chef Michael Stanton along with Sommelier James Rahn to assist in the drink portion of the menu. The result was a splendid dinner that tempted one’s tastebuds from the beginning Blow My Skull beer cocktail until the savory sundae desert served alongside the Averna Stout Flip was consumed.

Here’s a rundown on the menu from that evening with accompanying photographs from Cat Stelzer.

Hors d’oeuvres
Ceviche with lime, habanero chili, cilantro
Compressed Kiyokawa apple, brandy, house bacon
Blow My Skull
Jamaican Pot-still Rum, porter, brandy, lime

First Course
Diver Scallop with smoked celeriac purée, blood orange gastrique, domestic caviar
Beer and Loathing
Aperol, lemon, grapefruit, honey syrup, saison (farmhouse ales)

Second Course
Braised Pork Belly with cumin, dried cherry, chicarone, creamy polenta
Mai Ta-IPA
Ex Novo Brewing’s Eliot IPA, white rum, aged rum, lime, orgeat, orange curaçao

Third Course
Grilled Duck Breast with farrotto, pickled mushroom, cured foie butter, porter reduction
Old Fashioned
Clear Creek Apple Brandy, Laphroiag, stout syrup, bitters

Fourth Course
Sundae with hazelnut ice cream, fermented black bean caramel, house-made marshmallow,
brown butter crumble and eggnog foam
Averna Stout Flip
Egg, Averna, stout, Angostura bitters

Earlier this year Grier’s book Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2015) was released that explained and provide recipes that range from simple to extravagant creations. But definitely the book contains recipes that make it simple enough so that anyone can make a beer cocktail at home. For those looking for a last minute Christmas gift, Cocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer, is available at many local bookstores including Powell’s City of Books.

For those looking for a fine restaurant to dine at that is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, The Heathman Restaurant and Bar will be open at 1001 SW Broadway and is currently taking reservations at (503) 790-7752.