Thor Paulson and his Cocktails

Thor Paulson is the Bar Manager at L’Abattoir in Gastown.

I asked Thor to make a selection of his unique cocktails at L’Abattoir.

Up first is the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Thor making the Castles Made of Sand

Castles Made of Sand

Castles Made of Sand

Inspiration: 33 Acres of Ocean Pale Ale and the fact that a splash of Campari makes any beer better (a trick I learned post-shift at the Diamond).

Ingredients:

30ml verjus blanc

20ml Campari

15ml honey water (1:1 ratio of water to honey)

90ml 33 Acres of Ocean Pale Ale

Grapefruit twist (garnish)

Method:

Combine all ingredients except twist in a boston glass with ice. Stir three times to mix ingredients and roll into an ice-filled collins glass. Express grapefruit oils overtop and garnish with twist.

The next cocktail he made was the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Thor making the Winston Wolfe

Inspiration: the eponymous character from Pulp Fiction, who drank black coffee and got things done.

Ingredients:

30ml rye (I use George Dickel)

15ml Cocchi Barolo Chinato

15ml Cynar

15ml cold brew coffee (I use Notch)

Orange twist (garnish)

Method:

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a mixing glass. Stir for 15 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Express orange oil over top and use twist as garnish.

The last cocktail he made was the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Thor making the Purple Heart

Purple Heart

Purple Heart

Inspiration: Heavily inspired by a drink made by Matt Van Dinther of Nomad restaurant. He taught me a lot of things, including that peated scotch and cassis are delicious together.

Ingredients:

45ml Glenmorangie 10 year

10ml Odd Society Cassis

7ml Ardbeg 10 year

1 dash Angostura

lemon twist (garnish)

Method:

Stir all ingredients except garnish in a mixing glass filled with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with expressed oil of lemon twist, then use twist for garnish.

L’Abattoir is located at 217 Carrall Street in Vancouver and you can follow Thor on Instagram @sleezygin

By: Richard Wolak

Leave a Reply