Amid the dinner rush, all along Goosecup’s sparkling white bar and around the tables against the bistro’s majestic two-story windows, two score cocktail lovers gather to see what magic Leesburg’s new downtown mix-masters could make. Beverage manager Chris West’s vision of a “distillery take-over,” is in full swing.
In concept, one local distillery opens up its well-crafted stash to a cocktail collaboration between themselves and teammates Chris, former bar chief at the Wine Kitchen, and John Lograsso, most recently food and beverage director for the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, but who has also knocked around the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn. August’s collaborator: John Shope of Catoctin Creek Distillery. The fare for each patron: a charcuterie board with plenty of fresh bread, and five unique and delectable drinks.
Goosecup + Catoctin Creek = Cocktail Heaven
Here are their creations:
Swimming With The Fishes
1757 Brandy, Peach Brandy, Jamaican Rum, Earl Grey Tea, Demerara, Lemon.
- Steep a bag of Earl Grey Tea in hot water for a minimum of one hour, to get the best flavor extraction.
- To make the Demerara Syrup, dissolve two parts Demerara sugar into one part hot water. Boil, if necessary, to ensure all crystals are dissolved.
- Add all ingredients to a shaking tin, fill with ice and shake until the tins become frosted, about fifteen seconds. Strain into a rocks glass, over fresh ice, and garnish with a bouquet of mint.
Its impact is of a pre-prohibition cocktail with the fruitiness of a rum punch but the complex undertones of 1757 and tartness of Earl Grey with lemon
Yellow Tape
Watershed Gin, Batavia Arrack (Indonesian Rum), Yellow Chartreuse (Herbaceous Liqueur), Banane du Bresil (Tropical Banana Liqueur), Orgeat, Lime.
- To make Orgeat, pulse one cup of toasted almonds in a food processor until the almonds are broken up. Add almonds and equal parts water and cane sugar into a sauce pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer for fifteen minutes. Allow to cool, then strain mixture through a cheesecloth. Add a few drops of orange blossom water and one ounce of vodka.
- Add all ingredients to a shaking tin, fill with ice and shake until the tins become frosted. Strain into a highball glass, over crushed ice, and garnish with a lemon peel and banana leaf.
Watershed Gin has a lower juniper profile than most gins, and pairs well with the refreshing, herbaceous ingredients and an earthy rum. Bright, citrusy and refreshing.
Tiki Before Tiki Was Tiki
Distiller’s Edition Rye, Passionfruit Liqueur (Tropical Passionfruit Liqueur), Pineapple Juice, Lemon, Pomegranate Molasses (Tart Pomegranate Syrup).
- To juice pineapple, cut pineapple into small chunks and blend until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer until all juice has passed through.
- Add all ingredients to a shaking tin, fill with ice and shake until the tins become frosted. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an edible flower.
Passionfruit on the tongue makes sure the pineapple juice doesn’t overwhelm. Goosecup makes its own pomegranate molasses, which is nothing like the blackstrap variety, but rather a sweet/tart elixir that ads a pleasant mouth feel to the full-bodied Rye. Heavenly.
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Gin!
Roundstone Rye, Juniper Gomme (Gin-esque Syrup), Artemisia Sumac + Elder Bitters (Herbaceous Local Bitters).
- To make Juniper Gomme, add juniper berries, coriander seed, and lemon peel to a Ziploc bag along with two parts sugar to one part water. Add a teaspoon of Gum Arabic powder to the mixture, seal, and sous-vide in a water bath at 160F for three hours.
- Add all ingredients into a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir until the glass becomes frosted, about twenty seconds. Strain into a rocks glass, over fresh ice – preferably a large ice block – and garnish with a fresh lavender sprig.
More than a novelty with the ambrosia from Artemisia Farm, but still at heart a classic gin cocktail.
SLAUGHTERAMA
GWAR Ragnarok Rye, Amaro Averna (Slightly Bitter Liqueur), Founding Spirits Amaro (Locally Made Bitter Liqueur), Cuttlefish Ink, Smoke.
- Add all ingredients into a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir until the glass becomes frosted, about twenty seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and if available to you, place the cocktail in a smoking box, smoke the cocktail for about twenty seconds, then serve.
Smoky and dense -- a bit like the mythology of the Richmond rock band -- but smooth on the finish. Worth the trip just to watch the apple wood smoker in action. The private label, 100% Virginia Rye was aged in sugar maple and cherry wood to add rich spice to the taste, with almost a pipe tobacco quality, but you’ll only find it in local bars because the release sold out within minutes.
"Good coffee. Good cocktails. Good call. Goosecup."
The restaurant itself is the brainchild of owners Ahad and Zaara Raza, Zaara grew up in Loudoun County and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Its first and probably best asset are the aforementioned windows, which, in the right light, can make the reflective white interior glow tangerine. The outside patio, moreover, is not just dog-friendly, but proved a God-sent, outdoor meeting place following the restaurant’s late January opening.
According to Chris, “our premise is that you can get really good offerings, no matter the time of day.” Throughout the morning, Goosecup prioritizes its coffee, which it buys green and roasts personally in a roaster in Berryville. Town favorite breakfast offerings include a breakfast sandwich consisting of a buttered brioche bun, soft scrambled egg, arugula, house aioli and a slab of thick-cut bacon; avocado toasts; and chia seed bowls (seeds soaked in vegan coconut milk overnight, sweetened with a bit of vanilla and topped with fresh fruit.) In the evening, service shifts to creative cocktails and small bites like crispy Brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes, charcuterie boards and the like. Think tapas bar, but where the intent is to compliment an adult beverage.
“Basically, we try to ensure that every single thing we offer is of excellent quality,” Chris says, explaining that Goosecup’s approach to food has more to do with simplicity than full-plated meals. “We don't want to come off as if we are the hip new thing in town – not so much competition as just part of the community.” Featuring local distillers in on a regular basis is just one more way of showcasing all the exceptional finds the area offers.
Whether for a special event or the every-day brunch, what's on offer is always nourishing and tasty and plated beautifully, with the overall ambiance and conversation serving as the true main course.