Speakeasy: Colorado Springs - Brooklyn's on Boulder Street

Lorraine Masonheimer has been scouting modern day speakeasy theme bars in Colorado Springs and she found a great one - Brooklyn's on Boulder Street. 

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns…she walks into mine” says Bogart with a hangdog expression, his drink in hand and a brooding heart in the movie Casablanca.  Reminiscent of that era, step back in time and order up a handcrafted work of cocktail art at the gin joint Brooklyn’s on Boulder Street in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  

Why do speakeasies have a special place on Mystery Playground?  It harkens back to the days of film noir inspired by hard-boiled American crime dime-store novels that ooze the night with back alleys, silhouetted figures in the shadows and bartenders who have seen it all.  Often books were set during prohibition where not-so-gentle men met up with not-so-innocent dames to wet their whistles at a back-alley speakeasy and hope the coppers don’t find them.

No such concern today with the re-birth of the perfectly legal speakeasy and Brooklyn’s on Boulder Street is a shining example minus the crime plus the sneakiness.  Once inside the front of a men’s haberdashery, patrons ring the doorbell, an eye-level slot slides open, a set of eyeballs give the once-over and your night has just been made.  The tasting room is owned and operated by Lee Spirits Company and every drink begins with their gin. 

The cocktail program is lovingly crafted by head bartender Nate Windham.  “Their [Lee Spirits] whole idea was to build a gin that fit into classic cocktails exactly as the recipe was written” says Windham.  His collection of cocktail books from the 19^th century provides inspiration for the prohibition joints iconic masterful drinks.  Cocktails at Brooklyn’s are as historically accurate to those served during prohibition as Windham can provide.

Carlos David Garcia served up masterful drinks with flair

The drink menu changes according to the season and includes house classics, classical seasonal drinks and creative seasonal drinks.  We tippled the Martinez, a classy cousin of the Manhattan made with jalapeno infused gin to “kick” off the night.  The drink mixes the flavors of juniper, maraschino, caramel and Italian vermouth lending a hint of cinnamon on the palate.  No kidding—there was no cinnamon in the drink.  They are just that good.  

We moved onto the Aviation with cherry and floral citrus that was light, crisp and refreshing.  An adventurous member of our party ordered the Dr. Seuss made with cocoa gin, forbidden fruit, sweet vermouth, orange juice and egg whites.  Deliciously forbidden.  We quickly began offering tastes of our drinks around the table and each drink was unique, well-balanced and tasty.  The menu offered a bit of fun light reading.  Each cocktail has a fun quote.  The Final Word cocktail quotes Hemingway saying “I drink to make other people more interesting.”  And the drinks were exceptionally interesting.

The intimate dark, rich and classy room has an aura of sneakiness to it in keeping with the speakeasy theme.  We were captivated by the experience from the opening slot in the front door through to leaving by the back door, into a side alley as we faded into the night.   

The house rules establish a fun, jovial yet sincere atmosphere.  Printed on the menu patrons respectfully fulfill the following:

1. Do not bring anyone here you wouldn’t take to grandma’s for Sunday dinner.

2. We believe in free speech, but inside voices are always appreciated.

3. While inside please refrain from taking phone calls: Texting is encouraged, so is posting pics of the bar on your FB, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter accounts.

4.     Our drinks are often labor intensive; your patience is greatly appreciated. Trust us it’s worth the wait.

5. As this is a small bar & we have to make rent, we may ask for your table after you’ve finished.

6. On drunkenness; when the bartender says you’ve had enough — you have.

7. We are a gin distillery, so we serve gin, we do not have Jägermeister or Red Bull or Fireball.

8. Gentlemen will not introduce themselves to ladies. Ladies, feel free to start a conversation or ask the bartender to introduce you. If a man you do not know speaks to you, please lift your chin slightly & ignore him.

9. Please exit out the back quietly & briskly; then come back tomorrow.

Needless to say, our spirited group of 16 spoke “easy” while we noshed on tasty appetizers to include a charcuterie board but the roast beef sliders were a hit.  They were served with tender flatbread, horseradish-mayo, perfectly prepared roast beef, feta, sage and pure happiness.  We slowly relished each sip of our cocktail or two… okay maybe three!  

As we exited out the back, our steps echoed off the alley walls and the streetlight reflected in the pools of rainwater.  A perfect noir ending to a perfect evening with friends.   I thought to myself, of all the gin joints in all the towns, I’m glad Brooklyn’s walked into mine.

You can find other Mystery Playground speakeasy reviews here. 

Speakeasy Cleveland: Quintana's Barber & Dream Spa

At Mystery Playground we love modern speakeasy bars that capture the mystery and romance of the old speakeasies from the era of Prohibition without the grit. Kerry Hammond has found another great one in Cleveland, Ohio.

One of the first things I do when I visit a new city is an internet search. I don’t search for restaurants or hotels, though, I search for Speakeasies. Even if I’ve been to a city before, I never know if a new one has popped up since my last visit; a quick search ensures that I’m not missing anything.

I was pleasantly surprised when I planned a recent trip to Cleveland and my Speakeasy search came up with not only a new-to-me location, but the Speakeasy in question was holding a mixology class. My friends and I signed up for the fun at Quintana’s Barber & Dream Spa, located in Cleveland Heights.

The Speakeasy is located inside a barbershop. There is a staircase in back and when you walk to the top you are faced with a beautiful bookcase. We were pretty stumped, but were soon rescued when another couple came up the stairs to join us. They had been to the place before and gave us a little hint, in the form of a book title: Daughter of Fortune.

One look at the bookshelf and we spotted the book. When we opened the cover we found a button inside. One press of the button unlatched the bookcase and we were able to swing it open and enter. Inside, the bar was decorated with framed Prohibition photos and the seating was comfortable and full of the wood trim and dark colors that make speakeasy visitors feel like they’ve gone back in time.

Our mixology class was one of the best I’ve taken. The two drinks we made were the bartender’s own concoctions, using a traditional base and adding his own flair. They provided fresh ingredients and all of the tools we needed to make two of the tastiest cocktails I’ve had in a long time.

Our instructor even gave us a couple of tips that I will remember whenever I mix a drink:

1) Always start with the cheapest ingredients and end with the most expensive. If you put in the lemon juice and simple syrup, then realize that your quantities are wrong, you can always throw them away and start over without losing much. If you start with the gin, it’s a more painful mistake.

2) Don’t fill the shaker with ice and then start adding your ingredients. Put all the ingredients in first, then add the ice and shake. That way, if you get a phone call, the doorbell rings, or anything else interrupts your masterpiece, your drink doesn’t sit in your shaker and get watered down.

You can always find Mystery Playground on Twitter @mysteryplaygrnd and on Facebook. You can also follow the blog by clicking the link on the upper right-hand corner of this webpage. 

Longmont Speakeasy: The Speakeasy

We love modern speakeasies at Mystery Playground and Kerry Hammond recently visited the small Colorado town of Longmont and found a gem with a hidden tunnel. You can check out Mystery Playground reviews of other speakeasies around the country. 

We love to search for Speakeasies around the country, to celebrate the repeal of the Prohibition Act that caused the creation of these secret bars. We’ve found these drinking establishments in major cities across the United States, but I never expected to find one in the basement of one of the oldest buildings on Main Street in the sleepy town of Longmont, Colorado.

I figured that the bar was called The Speakeasy as a tribute to the bars of old, but when I went inside I soon realized that the location might very well have been used as an actual Speakeasy during the 1920s, when alcohol was illegal and drinkers had to find secret places to imbibe.

The Speakeasy is beautifully decorated with antique looking wall sconces and contains plenty of exposed stone and brick. There are no windows to view the outside, which is a telltale characteristic of a Speakeasy. When I questioned the bartender, he showed me a door to a tunnel behind the bar. It is currently used for storage, but leads under the street and into the restaurant across the street called The Dickens Tavern.

There was no password needed, but the door sported a great peephole, equipped with a metal cage surrounding it. The bartender was quite knowledgeable and helped us choose drinks to suit our specific tastes. We ordered an Aviation, which contained Hendricks Gin, Crème De Violette, Cherry Liquor, and fresh lemon. We also ordered an Old Fashioned, which is a great Prohibition drink made with Rye Whiskey, Simple Syrup, and bitters.