Back in June, I wrote about the cocktails Keyan Still had developed for the launch of the downtown Pi. My takeaway was that Still, then a Pi bartender and trainer, had devised a list of well-balanced, creative drinks that showcased local products and house-made mixers. Still has since moved westward to manage the bar at the newly opened Hendricks BBQ at 1200 S. Main St., in St. Charles. What can we expect from him at this new watering hole?
Like its sister restaurants Sanctuaria and Diablitos Cantina, Hendricks is outfitted with tap systems for wine and pre-made cocktails. A quick pour means that you get your cocktail faster, but the drink also better taste good – which is why the Old-Fashioned on tap deserves a mention. Still makes a batch for the keg that will pour 150 cocktails, but he still manages to get the flavor balance just right. “Dilution is the key,” he explained. Since the tap keeps the cocktail consistently chilled at 37 degrees, the drink tastes crisp and refreshing; there’s nothing stale about it.
While the cocktails on tap demonstrate Still’s measuring and mixing skills, the other cocktails at Hendricks illustrate his creative talent. Porch Puppy’s Puddle, featured in a Sauce sneak peek, is a Tom Collins-inspired drink made with cucumber-infused Ransom Old Tom Gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, Creole bitters and a topper of club soda. It’s fun, it’s refreshing and it’s one to order before colder weather sets in for good. Tease and Cut Up (pictured) is probably the most imaginative drink on the list. The combination of ingredients – rum, a terrific house-made peppercorn syrup, red grapefruit juice and Cardamaro (an amaro made from Moscato infused with cardoon and blessed thistle and aged for six months in new oak) – might seem unusual, but it works oh-so well. Redolent with warm spices, this drink simply feels like fall. Coming soon is a change-of-pace sangria made with cold-smoked fresh fruit and a blend of French brandies and juices. The smoked sangria wasn’t available during my visit, but it’s one I’ll try next time.
Cocktails aside, the drink list also includes 10 local beers on tap plus another 15 in cans or bottles; beer and spirits flights; and moonshine and whiskies up the wazoo. Hendricks’ menu encourages the curious to try something new while the average imbiber can get his or her same-old without fear of judgment. Best of all, the efficient bar set-up and Still’s cocktail recipes bespeak a clear understanding that the customer is only willing to wait so long for a drink. A good drink fast? Make that a round.
This article appears in September 2012.