New York City bars in a Texas state of mind

Balcones Distilling whiskey, which is produced in Waco, is among the collection of fine spirits at Brandy Library in New York City. Balcones Distilling whiskey, which is produced in Waco, is among the collection of fine spirits at Brandy Library in New York City. Photo: Jennifer McInnis, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Jennifer McInnis, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close New York City bars in a Texas state of mind 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

NEW YORK — You won't find a Whataburger or other Texas favorites such as Big Red and barbacoa here, but Texas libations are staking a claim behind the bar. In this city where trends take off (cosmos, anyone?) and the cocktail renaissance was born, several spirits made in the Lone Star State can be spotted at some of the city's top bars.

Bartender Robert Krueger was introduced to Tito's Handmade Vodka while he was the bar manager at Employees Only, which was named World's Best Bar in 2011. He chose to include the Texas vodka when he opened Extra Fancy, a bar he co-owns in Brooklyn.

“It's a brand that's really taken off,” Krueger said.

Tito's is the creation of San Antonio native Bert Butler Beveridge II. It's distilled in East Austin.

“Tito's has kind of become the hipster vodka of Williamsburg,” said Jason Kosmas, co-owner of Employees Only.

That bar has two bartenders from Texas — Vincent Vitek from Fort Worth and Ulysses Vidal from Dallas — and hopes to add Shiner beer to its menu.

But Tito's already is on Extra Fancy's menu of selected spirits and is grouped with Absolut, Belvedere and Stoli Gold vodkas that can be ordered in any call drink. It's also featured in And A Boom Boom, a cocktail with Tito's, Strongbow cider, Averell Damson liqueur, lemon and allspice.

The Texas vodka is within an arm's reach of the bartender, and on Sunday night, it was nearly empty. Tito's seems at home at this place that has a touch of Texas hospitality and feels as if it could be in Austin.

Extra Fancy got its name from ketchup and relishes that say “extra fancy” on the package.

“(Ketchup) is something that's every day. That's the same approach, it should be casual and it should be available and it should be a necessity, but it should be fun, not pretentious,” Krueger said.

It will celebrate its first anniversary in June, and New York Magazine just named it the 2 a.m. Go-To spot.

The Texas spirit is not just for the casual crowd. Tito's is also the well vodka at Silver Lining, a cocktail and jazz bar in Tribeca. The bar serves classics with finer spirits, but having vodka on the menu is a necessity because of its popularity.

“We have one vodka, and it's Tito's,” bar manager Tim Fitzgerald said. “It's a well-made vodka.”

Tito's might be the most popular Texas spirit here, but it's not the only one gaining ground. At Brandy Library in Tribeca, the spirits menu is at least an inch thick. On any given week, there are between 1,500 and 2,000 fine spirits, including scotch, whiskey, bourbon, cognac, Armagnac and tequila.

There are three varieties of whiskey from Balcones Distilling in Waco on the bar's esteemed list: Baby Blue, Brimstone and Texas Single Malt Whisky. They are the only spirits from Texas on the list. The Balcones creations can be ordered neat or as part of a Craft Distilled tasting flight of American whiskies.

Josimar Souza, spirit sommelier, said more and more people are trying Balcones offerings thanks to an article in the March 2013 issue of Whisky Advocate magazine, “Going with the Grain,” that features Balcones proprietor and distiller Chip Tate's use of blue Hopi corn. Balcones also was named 2012 U.S. Craft Distillery of the Year and Global Distillery of the Year at the Wizards of Whisky International Competition.

“There's a renaissance of craft whiskies, and it's been very popular, and it's good,” Souza said.

jmcinnis@express-news.net

Twitter: @JenMcInnis