Himkok is like Disneyland for any working bartender. The magic begins within the award-winning venue’s “distillery bar” on the bottom ground, probably the most modern of the three ideas housed contained in the huge Nineteenth-century warehouse in Oslo, Norway. Because the identify suggests, the distillery bar is the place Himkok’s personal microdistillery is proudly on show, positioned in clear view behind a glass wall for visitors to watch as they drink. With a small hybrid nonetheless, the Himkok crew crafts their very own Nordic aquavit, vodka and gin, that are utilized in a spread of cocktails.
Not solely does Himkok make the vast majority of the spirits for its drinks—about 80 p.c—in-house, nevertheless it additionally produces all the clear ice for every of its busy bars. Within the ice manufacturing room, which is match with a completely functioning Clinebell machine (a business ice maker), these on the bar employees hand-cut 300-pound blocks with varied saws and ice instruments for service.
By the seasonal “cider backyard” terrace bar and up a few flights of stairs sits the “taptail bar”—the high-volume area with a spread of cocktails on draft—with an surprising unbiased barber store catering to bartenders and different locals nestled into the again of the room. Up another flight of stairs is Himkok’s analysis and growth lab, which is provided with the most effective of bartending expertise, from a centrifuge to a rotary evaporator and past. The lab is the guts of Himkok’s artistic engine. To know Himkok is to grasp its terribly sturdy setup, the nexus for cocktails which can be simply as spectacular because the area.
Although Himkok employs a lot of modern strategies to change and improve its drinks, it’s all in service of “staying true to the encompassing nature and native accessibility,” says Paul Aguilar, head of analysis and growth. As a lot because the bar crew pushes the boundaries in its recipe growth course of, every drink is designed to nonetheless be approachable to any drinker. The most recent menu makes use of acquainted Scandinavian produce to evoke recollections of conventional Norwegian dishes and candy treats, such because the Bun: a lush, clarified cocktail impressed by a Norwegian pastry known as skolebrød, made with fat-washed bourbon, coconut flakes and butter.
Himkok’s Beetroot cocktail, which is served on the distillery bar, takes a extra summary method. The recipe, created by bar supervisor Maroš Dzurus, originated from a need to develop a Martini that showcases the earthy and vibrant flavors of the basis greens (recognized merely as beets within the U.S. and Canada), a staple in Norwegian delicacies.
On the base of the drink is a distillate constituted of beetroot juice, Himkok vodka and a contact of chipotle chile, distilled below vacuum. The outcome is an ideal stability of earthiness and spice, and it’s crystal-clear due to the rotary evaporator.
Subsequent, the bar creates a reindeer moss discount. Reindeer moss, also referred to as reindeer lichen, is often discovered within the Arctic and has an earthy, mushroom-like taste profile. To make the discount, Himkok combines the reindeer moss with sugar and Chablis, heating the combination till it has cooked down right into a syrup. This part “enhances the pure sweetness of the beetroot, whereas additionally including a refreshing and balanced factor to the cocktail,” says Aguilar. The moss’s affect is a delicate one, nevertheless it amplifies the earthiness of the bottom spirit and highlights one other ingredient native to Norway.
To spherical out the Beetroot, fino sherry replaces the Martini’s typical dry vermouth for a extra saline character, and a contact of mezcal and white wine vinegar add depth and stability. As for the garnish, the cocktail will get a slice of pickled beetroot sunk to the underside of the Martini, which lends a tanginess that pairs properly with the vegetal, delicate sweetness of the drink.
The Beetroot, very similar to Himkok itself, is the end result of intensive analysis and a mixture of hardworking components all layered collectively. “It embodies the essence of Himkok,” says Aguilar. “Every part of the cocktail was fastidiously chosen to enhance the subsequent.”
