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Being raised in a household that valued meals and wine, Clarke Anderson’s curiosity in meals science and culinary arts was sparked early on.
Nonetheless, after working briefly within the kitchen, he realized his true ardour was in beverage service and schooling after a transformative journey to northern Italy and southern France. “I had by no means felt such a robust connection between individuals and their agriculture. That’s what I’m aiming for right here at dwelling.” Clarke’s profession started as a sommelier at Fogo de Chao in Atlanta, and he later joined Ford Fry’s crew, serving to open no. 246 and The Optimist. He expanded his position over time and now helps information a number of beverage packages at eating places, together with St. Cecilia, BeetleCat, Marcel, and Le Loup in Nashville. He’s a Stage II Licensed Sommelier by The Court docket of Grasp Sommeliers and a founding member of the Southeastern Sommelier Society.
At Le Loup, which opened in 2022, Clarke has created a classy, intimate bar expertise impressed by New York and L.A. cocktail bars. Positioned in Nashville’s East Germantown neighborhood, the bar gives over 50 cocktails, with classes reminiscent of Originals, Classics, Forgotten Classics, and Tributes. Clarke explains the significance of the design: “Customized-built wells behind the bar – impressed by a pilot’s cockpit & designed for optimized, streamlined execution – guarantee each bartender has every little thing they want at arm’s attain. And Le Loup’s ice program is not like the rest within the area, with a concentrate on correct temperature and distinctive execution by way of hand carving, house-frozen ice blocks, shaved granitas, and in-vessel specialty flavored ice – relying on what most accurately fits every drink.”
Clarke has embraced buzzy elements like matcha, turmeric, and tepache in his cocktails. “Matcha provides earthiness; a variety of cocktails which have honey lack that earthy element, and matcha tends to present us earthy parts from the inexperienced tea. Matcha is very caffeinated, so it provides a lift too.” For turmeric, he begins with an easy ginger honey recipe, and provides it. “We get recent turmeric in instances and course of it. You get a shaken whiskey bitter state of affairs with spice from ginger then a variety of earthiness from turmeric.” Lastly, tepache is a historic ingredient, in that it’s been made in pineapple rising areas throughout Central and South America for 1,000 years. “It’s a low alcohol state of affairs, so fermentation occurs slowly over a few days and provides us single digital alcohol numbers.
You may ferment all of it the best way to get to 7%, however we cease it and refrigerate it, which supplies some alcohol and a few sweetness. This drink is concerning the stability: acidity from pineapples, sweetness from pineapples, and a bit little bit of alcohol.” He gives key recommendation for bartenders working with these elements. “Cocktails are balanced by proportions, and including kind of of one thing—even when you suppose you’re cool giving somebody further booze—you’re throwing the stability of the cocktail off.” He additionally stresses utilizing recent elements and recommends not bulk-prepping sure objects. “If you’re making turmeric syrup, make simply what you want for a couple of days.”
On the wellness development in cocktails, Clarke’s take is evident: “Cocktails aren’t nutritional vitamins. Lots of people are mixing these elements in NA drinks. If you’re searching for a libation that makes you’re feeling good, go away the alcohol out. If you would like a wellness drink, go away the alcohol out. You may add a NA spirit or membership soda. It takes trial and error as a result of dilution is totally different. Save your cash and work with modifiers like bitters and cordials. When you do use NA, stick with one thing extra of a modifier than base spirit.”
Finally, Clarke’s method to cocktails is about stability and precision, whether or not creating an alcoholic drink or a wellness-focused non-alcoholic one.
Photograph by Emily Schultz
Bumble Bee cocktail
by Le Loup Nashville
Components
- 1 egg white
- ½ oz. minted honey syrup
- ¾ oz. lime juice
- ¾ oz. flor de cana
- ¾ oz. diplomatico
Preparation
- Shake } pressure } dry shake } coupe } GF Twist discard } Matcha Mud.
Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee
Viva Maria
by Le Loup Nashville
Components
- 1/2 oz. mezcal
- 1 oz. Lunazul Blanco
- 1 1/2 oz. tepache
- 1/4 oz. Pina Gomme Syrup
- 1/2 oz. lime juice
- 6 JD* chili tincture
- 2 JD Peychauds Bitters
Preparation
- Etched rocks } Baller Ice } chili threads *Japanese dasher bottle.
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