For the Man, the Kentucky Derby is a fast track to feel your peak

As a connoisseur of the liquid arts, the phrase “I’ll Have Another” generally flows freely from my lips. That being said, I should have taken it as a sign when those three magic words appeared as the name of a horse with 12-to-1 odds running in last year’s Kentucky Derby. But, instead, your Man About TOWN wagered on the favorite, a horse that led most of the race only to be overtaken in the last furlong by I’ll Have Another. After the running, many of us surprised losers stood at the bar, ripping up tickets and yelling the name of the winner to an overworked bartender working at breakneck speed.

They say the Kentucky Derby is the fastest two minutes in sports. More accurately it is a couple of days of highfalutin debauchery masquerading in seersucker and sun hats.

And, man, is it fun. But proper enjoyment of the Derby should not be limited to Louisville. If you have a TV, a tailor, and some decent bourbon, Churchill Downs is as close as your living room. In fact, I myself plan on enjoying this year’s race from the comfort of home, along with some debaucherous friends, highfalutin and otherwise. The key, however, to hosting an authentic Derby party is to dress and drink appropriately, and for that I turn to the experts.

Let’s start with attire. This year marks the 139th running of the Derby, and watching such a prestigious and fashionable event in pleated khakis and a golf shirt seems blasphemous. (Note: pleated khakis are blasphemous, period.) So for a proper Derby outfit, I head to the sartorial master, Rush Wilson. Rush suggests a brick red, windowpane sports coat over a pink, cotton cashmere zip vest, both by Peter Millar. A Gitman Brothers orange and white striped shirt, J.Z. Richards striped tie, and Peter Millar plaid pocket square round out the color. For pants, Rush recommends a light fabric, perhaps a pair of Ballin Super 120’s Gabardine in light tan. And while white bucks might be traditional derby footwear, Rush steers me to a pair of brown Allen Edmonds spectators. As I’m walking out the door, Rush hands me the icing on the cake, a Panama straw hat by Stefano. Sold!

Now on to the question of how to properly indulge my Derby party guests. For that, I turn to Darlene Mann-Clarke, co-owner of American Grocery Restaurant. Darlene is a certified sommelier but, damn, if she doesn’t know her whiskey. Darlene suggests serving two cocktails, Mint Juleps for the men and Derby Cloches for the ladies. Both feature bourbon, or rye in the Julep if you prefer a hint of spice, and each are reliable race-day libations.

And, so, there you have it, the proper outfit and the proper cocktails for a gentleman to enjoy this year’s Kentucky Derby in style. When you look and feel this good, you don’t care where your horse places—hell, you may even forget to watch the race.

Mint Julep

2 oz bourbon or rye

5 mint leaves

1 oz simple syrup

Few dashes of Fee Brothers Mint Bitters

Crushed ice

Sterling-silver cup (or your preferred glass)

Muddle mint leaves, mint bitters, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.

Add bourbon or rye. Dry-shake ingredients. Place crushed ice in cup and

pour ingredients over. Serve with a straw.

Derby Cloche

1.5 oz  bourbon

5 fresh raspberries

3 mint leaves

0.5 oz lime juice

0.5 oz simple syrup

0.5 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, muddle fresh raspberries and mint. Add bourbon, simple syrup, and St. Germain. Shake until chilled; strain into a coupe cocktail glass.

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The Man About TOWN takes a lesson or two from golfing legend Arnold Palmer

A few years ago Arnold Palmer was perusing a restaurant menu when a young waitress approached the table and asked if he would like something to drink. Palmer requested a glass of about one-third lemonade topped with two-thirds iced tea. The waitress smiled with recognition and said, “Oh, you want an Arnold Palmer.” She turned and headed toward the kitchen, completely clueless as to whom she had been speaking.

To an entire generation, Arnold Palmer is the name of a beverage. A mix of tea and lemonade you can make at home, order in a restaurant, or purchase in canned form at gas stations and grocery stores across the country. But to those of us born when drivers were made of wood and plaid pants were worn without irony, Arnold Palmer was, and still is, the King. A golfing legend with 62 PGA Tour victories, including four Masters wins. A man who rose to the top of the golfing world despite a follow-through that resembled someone landing a 30-pound bass. A man whose talent and passion are equaled only by his graciousness.

Palmer says the drink that bears his name came about after a long morning on the course when he asked his wife to add a little lemonade to the iced tea she was preparing for lunch. The drink proved so delicious and refreshing Palmer started carrying it in a thermos while on the golf course. Some years later, in the mid-1960s, Palmer was overheard ordering the mixture at a restaurant in Palm Springs. A woman at a nearby table then ordered “that Palmer drink.” And then, as Palmer puts it, “It spread like wildfire.”

April, being the month of The Masters, is the perfect time to honor the King by enjoying an ice-cold Arnold Palmer. I, like Arnold himself, prefer mine with more tea than lemonade. But the drink is like a golf swing, something that requires subtle tweaks and adjustments until it meets one’s own satisfaction.

That being said, there comes a time, especially following an afternoon on the links, when your Man About Town likes his Arnold Palmer, well, shall we say, “spiked.” Throughout my many years spent with glass in hand, which I call research, I’ve tried many versions of “adult” Arnold Palmers with varying degrees of success. My personal favorite, however, is the “Arnie” at Soby’s, a refreshing mix of muddled lemon, simple syrup, lemon vodka, and iced tea. It’s the perfect way to celebrate that eagle on the 17th or forget that triple bogey on the 18th.

But no matter how you like your Arnold Palmer—plain, spiked, or in a can—I hope you’ll join me this spring in raising a glass in honor of a living legend. And for those of you who are dusting off the clubs and taking those first careful swings of the year, leave the plaid pants where they belong, at Goodwill.

The Arnie, courtesy of Soby’s, downtown Greenville
¾ oz simple syrup
1/2 fresh lemon cut into 4 wedges
2 sprigs of mint
2 oz lemon vodka (preferred VanGogh Citrus)
Brewed iced tea, unsweetened

Method:
Muddle the wedges of lemon, simple syrup, and mint leaves.
Pack a 10–12 oz glass with ice.
Pour 2 oz of lemon vodka over ice and top with unsweetened brewed iced tea.
Shake well.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.

The Man About TOWN contemplates Guinness genius in time for St. Patrick’s Day

On a typical day, about 10 million pints of Guinness are languidly drawn and eagerly enjoyed in pubs, bars, and dives all across the world. On St. Patrick’s Day, however, that number rises to more than 13 million, making March 18th International Ice Pack, Aspirin, and Call-In-Sick Day.

But despite the numbers, there are many beer drinkers who have yet to sample the complexity and depth of a properly drawn Guinness. What is stopping these philistines? Perhaps it is the ominous dark color, which from a distance resembles 20 ounces of 10W-40. But hold a glass of Guinness up to the light and you’ll discover it’s not black at all, but instead a deep ruby red, a hue created by the roasted malted barley added in the brewing process.

Or maybe it’s the perception that Guinness is heavy and filling, like drinking a loaf of pumpernickel. But again this is a misconception. Ounce for ounce Guinness has fewer calories than Budweiser, PBR, orange juice, and even skim milk. At 4-percent ABV, Guinness is on the low end of the alcohol spectrum, too. Lower even than almost all American-made “light beers,” the type of uninspired brews Monty Python likened to “making love in a canoe.”

Some even say that the Guinness served in Ireland is different, therefore better, than what is served in the United States. But the fact is every keg of Guinness sold in the United States is brewed by the tireless men and women engaged in heroes’ work at the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin.

Now that we’ve dispelled with the myths swirling around this ambrosia, let’s take a moment to contemplate how to properly drink it. Guinness, like any other alcoholic beverage, is best enjoyed in the company of like-minded individuals in an agreeable environment. Whether that’s a quiet Irish pub or loud sports bar is a matter of one’s tastes. But wherever you choose to enjoy your Guinness, make sure your bartender knows the art of the “double pour.” This two-minute process allows the nitrogen bubbles to beautifully cascade down the side of the glass and back up through the center, resulting in a wonderful, creamy head.

After countless hours of exhaustive research, your Man About Town has deemed Mac’s Speed Shop on Main Street’s West End to be a consistently fine place to enjoy a properly drawn Guinness. The beer is the right temperature, and the staff excels at the double pour. Plus the mix of bikers, families, business folk, and hipsters makes for infinitely more enjoyable people-watching than anything showing on the bar’s countless televisions.

I take advantage of Guinness’s low alcohol content and often pair it with a small glass of Jameson. The subtle vanilla-and-caramel-tinged whiskey plays well off of the beer’s dry, smoky, yet creamy, flavor. Not only is this combination an example of Irish chemistry at its best, it’s a manly pair of beverages. Just saying the words “Jameson neat, Guinness back” raises my testosterone level.

Still hesitant to give Guinness a try? Truth is you may have already had it. Unbeknownst to most, Mac’s sneaks a couple of ounces of Guinness into their Bloody Marys, dropping a smooth backbone into a morning-after standard. If you need one on March 18th, Mac’s opens at 11 a.m. I’ll bring the aspirin.

Luck of the Draw:

The Man About TOWN suggests Mac’s Speed Shop for a perfect Guinness pour (and a Jameson neat). 930 S Main St, Greenville. (864) 239-0286, macsspeedshop.com