Recently members of the Cocktails and Spirits Online Writers Group (CSOWG) gathered in San Francisco for an American Distiller’s Institute conference.

As we started planning for the conference, we were confronted with the question of what to do for the Thursday Drink Night that week.

Every Thursday night members of the CSOWG and the public converge on the Mixoloseum Bar, an online chatroom, to exchange drink ideas on a set theme or for a sponsored product.  For April 2nd, the sponsor was a flavored Brandy from Greece called “Metaxa“.

With that many members in one place, it seemed like we should plan a get together somewhere.

The techy overachievers in Seattle have recently been live streaming their Thursday Drink Nights at a bar called Vessel. I toyed with the idea of doing something similar in San Francisco, but came up blank trying to think of a bar that a) had WiFi and b) would not be too busy on a Thursday night to accommodate about a dozen thirsty cocktail geeks c) would be willing to make Metaxa drinks.

After some thought, I proposed the idea of having it at my house.

Rick, from Kaiser Penguin, and I would meet at Chez Flannestad in the afternoon and begin cooking alcohol sponges, aka “food”.  The rest of the crew would show up as their schedules and travel allowed, bringing booze and other supplies.  The SoCal contingent, including Matt Rowley, Matt Robold, and Marleigh, were travelling up that day and would come directly to the house.  Gabe’s, from cocktailnerd, flight would arrive later in the evening, requiring a sober chauffeur and host.  Also along for the ride were Trott, Humuhumu, Martin Cate, and a couple of Rick’s friends, Jon and Adam.  Surprise guests Debbie Rizzo, from DrinkPR, and Jon Santer stopped by bearing gifts, (strangely Martin Miller’s Gin and matching boston shaker set,) only to be driven off by presence of felines.  Camper said he was going to stop by, but then begged off later in the evening, claiming he had to “work”.

It was a really fun evening of friends, conversation, cocktails, computers, and, uh, Metaxa.

My drink:

Metaxacide

1 1/2 oz Metaxa
1 1/2 oz Dry Oloroso Sherry
1/4 oz Cointreau
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Comments included, “Not bad.”, “Tastes like it is from The Savoy Cocktail Book.”,  “Jacques and Dominic would like this one.”, and, “yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes.”

Evidence follows. If you would like any of the pictures removed, please make the check payable to Mrs. Flannestad.  I believe she also accepts PayPal.