ACT ONE
My wife and I were trying to kill 45 minutes before birthday dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant, so we walked to The Libertine at the recommendation of an epicurean friend. The atmosphere was charming and dandily chic, but a little contrived. Forgivable.

We were seated and helped promptly. I ordered a Dark and Stormy and my wife ordered a dark beer whose name I can't remember. Our bartender was friendly and fast and the two drinks between us were great. A few sips in, another bartender asked how we liked things and then asked what we had planned for the evening. Told him it was my birthday, and he kindly offered to put a 2nd drink on the house if we came back later that evening. We thanked him and left to make our dinner.

Five stars. So far.

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ACT TWO
We came back after a full dinner at Oceanaire to finish the night off, halfway hoping to cash in the birthday drink offer but entirely willing to accept the idea that it had just been a well-meaning but ultimately noncommital gesture. We just wanted to continue our conversation over some more great drinks in an intimate atmosphere.

Two quaffs in, a barkeep who looked like a steampunk Chris Elliot leaned in while my wife had gone to the restroom and told me he'd have to cut her off because she "looked drunk." The comment took me so off-guard that the best I could come back with was a fully-loaded "Ok?" I told her what happened when she returned a second later and we both stared at him in disbelief. He shrugged and muttered something about a head chef we never saw. We settled our check (to our knowledge, no birthday comp - but hey, that's ok), received a suspiciously large amount of pennies in change (more than ten and you're obviously trying hard to be a passive-aggressive dick), and then left, trying to sort out what exactly had happened.

So a couple things...

1) I understand that some places have a 2-drink maximum on some of their more potent libations (Brugge Brasserie's "Triple de Ripple," for example), and if that's the case here at The Libertine, that's all fine and good. But perhaps it could be articulated more openly and tactfully BEFORE the first drink gets poured, and not after, because [PRO-TIP] being cut off in a bar with no explanation very easily comes across as an accusation to the sober.

This pretense of one of us being "too drunk" after two small cocktails smacks of wanting to turn our table, and is especially ironic when I'm quite certain my wife could drink the entire Libertine staff AND their bow ties under the table. On a Monday night. If she wanted.

2) Or maybe, it was because we failed to play mixology ball and toss out compliments on how the palatable bitters were a nice complement to the lemon zest gingerly flecked onto the smoked salmon-infused vodka with spritz of ice plant tincture served over crushed lava rocks, cherry tomato and rotten banana, [inhale] and instead just wanted to sip our 1865 famous-recipe concoctions and talk and enjoy each others company in the charming-yet-contrived ambiance of your establishment.

3) Or maybe it was because I wore a tweed blazer and shoes from DSW and lacked appropriate amounts of moustache pomade and Colonia Assoluta - presentation faux pas's only laughable in this context because I've been to bourbon bars and nuevo speakeasies all over both coasts with far friendlier/dandier bar staff and door passwords longer than the top of page 5 of your menu.

4) Or hell, maybe it was because it was my birthday and I was having the best night of my life canoodling with my belurved and not brooding intensely enough over Hollandaise sauce varietals and Danish furniture and happy people of our ilk deserve to be in places where the commoners dwell like Tiki Bob's.

Either way, we're all in Indiana, so:

5) Get over yourselves.

Would have given Libertine a single star based on the passive-aggressively smug attitude, but will begrudgingly tack on a second one because the drinks were actually quite good.

I've been told that I was too drunk to serve once in a bar when I hadn't had a single drink yet. When I told the bartender I hadn't had a drink yet and my friends all said the same, he apologized and served us all. Could be something weird like that. Doesn't sound like you tried to argue at all...maybe it would have made a difference? I could see how that would turn you off and make you just want to leave though.

I'm of the mind set that you should get up and quietly leave, especially if you aren't a regular at that establishment. It's the bar's perogative to serve you and to mistakenly believe that you are drunk, and to be honest, they usually get that correct more times than they get it wrong. Arguing the fact that you aren't drunk with some asshat bartender only gives them the privilege of physically kicking you out of their establishment if they choose to take that route.
I'm sure the guy was a dick and I'm guessing that half of the regulars in that bar are is friends or people that think he or one of his fellow employees is super cool, so I think you handled it right.
I also agree with Stu. You have every right to say fuck this place and to give it a shit review. You should also bad mouth it to everyone you know and even consider sending a tactful message to the establishment about how they fucked up your birthday with their antics.
I also agree with your Indiana sentiments, since I live in Nebraska. None of these fucking bars/nano brewery places should be taking themselves that fucking serious in the heartland. There are far too many Bud Light drinkers looking for a hackneyed sports bar in this world to have some disdain for, and they shouldn't be shitting on the people who actually want to come into their establishment and enjoy themselves.

Hello,

My name is XXXXXX and I am the owner/chef of The Libertine. I am also the guy that you spoke with early in the evening for a short while. I was very disappointed to hear of your experience, and wanted to reach out to you to see if there was anything I could do to be of service.
Frankly, I'm dumbfounded at this review. I have looked at the receipts from that evening and verified that we gave you a free cocktail (a Negroni) for your birthday as promised. I would appreciate it if you would get back to me.
Thanks,
XXXXXX

Hi XXXXXX.
Thanks for writing. I do remember you from our first experience, which was very pleasant. It was nice meeting you and any of the other early crew we happened to run into before dinner. I do appreciate the birthday comp, as it was entirely unnecessary but a nice gesture, and I'll add an update to the review to correct my initial report.

I'm not sure what happened when we returned. I was told by the bartender tending to us that my wife was too drunk to serve, which was odd because she wasn't drunk by a long shot and we'd barely finished our 2nd round of the evening on full stomachs when this happened. So frankly I'm as dumbfounded as you are.

The rest of the fellows we talked to earlier in the evening, including yourself, were impeccably nice. It's possible it was just a bartender having a bad night or wanting to get us moving along. It just came across as conceited, and while I know The Libertine's aim is to probably attract a different, more sophisticated clientele than Tiki Bob's, this was perhaps the wrong way to get that sentiment across.

I do apologize for misrepresenting the birthday comp. Again, I do appreciate that. And the drinks were actually very good. There's just something about pretentious service that has always rubbed me the wrong way.

Cheers,
TOOTS

Most of you have probably heard about Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), however, did you know that it has been used for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. In fact, Hippocrates ( the father of medicine) used AVC back in around 400 B.C. for its health giving qualities. Even today, many use it as a common household remedy. More and more people are becoming attuned to its amazing health benefits.

What Type is Best?
When purchasing ACV, always ensure that the product has sediment floating around in it; this ensures that it has not been distilled or treated, which, by this process, removes many of the beneficial nutrients form it - don't be fooled by the clear imitation; they have little to know benefit for you. If you can find an organic product, even better! This ensures quality, without the added chemicals or preservatives. Kyla and I recommend Bragg; they offer a great product which is available organically and also available in glass for those of you that are concerned about estrogen mimickers in plastics. If you can't locate this product, there are several other comparable products being sold at your local health food store.

Some of its Reported Benefits
Has anti-tumor potential
Prevents bladder stones and urinary tract infections
Strengthen the immune system
Increase stamina
Alleviate symptoms of arthritis and gout
Reduce sinus infections and sore throats
Balance high cholesterol
Improve skin conditions such as acne
Protect against food poisoning
Increase metabolism which promotes weight loss
Improve digestion and improve constipation
Prevent muscle fatigue after exercise
Fight allergies in both humans and animals
If your suffering from "heartburn" you may add a few teaspoons to a glass of water to alleviate the symptoms. This is a much better alternative to some of the over-the-counter medication on the market today.

Some of Its Uses
Bad Breath: Due to its acidic properties, Apple Cider Vinegar makes a wonderful remedy for bad breath (halitosis). Simply add 1/2 tablespoon of ACV into a cup of water and gargle the mixture in your mouth for 10 seconds at a time until the cup is empty.

Body Odour: Apple Cider Vinegar is an effective body odour remedy, since it can help adjust the skin's pH level which helps to eliminate odor-causing bacteria. For armpit odour, simply wipe them once each morning with undiluted apple cider vinegar (using a cotton ball). For foot odour, fill a pan with warm water and add 1/3 cup of ACV, then let your feet soak in this mixture for 15 minutes once per week.

Diabetes: Apple Cider Vinegar may help to control high blood sugar levels, which is why it is often used as a natural treatment for diabetes.

Weight Loss: While it is not known why, many people claim that Apple Cider Vinegar promotes weight loss. Some theories suggest that ACV helps to speed up the metabolism, while others suggest that it burns calories. A number of nutritionists also believe that combining Vitamin B6 and Lecithin with Apple Cider Vinegar is highly effective for weight loss. A suggested remedy is to mix 2 teaspoons of ACV mixed with a glass of water and drink this before every meal or sip it slowly throughout the day.

These are just a few of the many benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV); When dealing with an illness, always ensure to consult a trained professional if your uncertain, otherwise, look to Mother Nature for the answers. Chances are, she already has the remedy.

Resources
http://www.homeremediesweb.com/apple_ci ... nefits.php
GreenMedInfo.com, Apple Cider Vinegar research
Prescription for Nutrional Healing; Phyllis A. Balch
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies; C. Norman Shealy

I'd like "mixology" bars more if FemDerris and I could have 2 drinks each and not be out $50.

For the most part, they're REALLY proud of their drinks but most folks can't really experiment with them at those prices. Which is half the fun.

The latest trend here in Atlanta is the use of vinegars in drinks. I'm starting to see that more and more.

Sorry about your experience toots.

Tart, acidic and weirdly, wonderfully refreshing, drinking vinegars known as "shrubs" are finding a savory home on a growing number of Los Angeles drink menus. Sometimes they're added to soda water as an alternative to mainstream sodas, and sometimes they're mixed with booze as a mouth-pleasing alternative to predictable acids such as lemons and limes. Either way, they're adding a welcome new dimension to the ever-evolving Los Angeles craft cocktail scene.

"Shrubs give a deeper flavor profile to drinks," says Jaymee Mandeville, the mixologist at Drago Centro who is now serving several spring shrub cocktails, including a deconstructed stunner of a Bloody Mary named Night and the City, featuring gin, heirloom tomato shrub, black pepper squid ink syrup and Miracle Mile Candy Cap Mushroom bitters. "They're just another tool to play around with."

Shrubs, which are generally one part juice or fruit macerated with sugar and boiled with vinegar, were mixed with water in 18th century America for refreshment. Vinegar was also used as a preservative and for its supposed medicinal benefits. It was only a matter of time before alcohol made the grade, but shrub cocktails never achieved a full liftoff.

These days, however, as mixologists strive to rediscover historical tricks of the trade, you can find a slew of summer shrub cocktails on Justin Pike's menu at the Tasting Kitchen, spiced cider shrub by Allan Katz at Cana Rum Bar, a celery shrub with mescal by Julian Wayser at Playa, a tiki-inspired shrub made with coconut vinegar by Naomi Schimek at the Spare Room, a cider apricot bourbon shrub at the Hudson, a strawberry balsamic pisco shrub at the Churchill and many more.

At chef Josef Centeno's new downtown restaurant, Baco Mercat, rows of clear glass jars filled with novel flavors of shrubs, including persimmon, tangerine-Szechwan, lime-chile and grapefruit-canela, take up an entire top shelf in a walk-in cooler. They glisten mischievously in the white-bulb light, daring you to taste them. You love vinegar on your spinach salad, but do you really want to drink it?

"As a kid, my grandmother would do a little Sprite with apple cider vinegar for us," says Centeno, who has made shrub-based "sour sodas" a focal point on his menu, alongside alcoholic brethren such as Inca Punch (chicha morada shrub, pisco, lemon, lime and pineapple) and CG&T (gin, tonic, celery seed shrub, cucumber). He also sells his shrubs for $12 to $18 per 12-ounce bottle.

At Dana Hollister's downtown drinking hideout, Villains Tavern, mixologist Dave Whitton recently unveiled a new menu of shrub-based cocktails called the Shrubbery, featuring exotic vinegarisms such as a grape red wine, strawberry aged balsamic and apricot orange Muscat.

The Muscat shrub he mixes with Milagro Reposado tequila, fresh lime juice, sea salt and orange oils to create a hypnotic, tangy margarita derivative named Venus Flytrap. For a swarthy swallow called Snakeroot, which resembles a cross between a Manhattan and an Old-Fashioned, Whitton mixes a strawberry balsamic shrub with Black Bush Irish whiskey, Cardamaro and fragrant rosemary.

"My favorite chips are salt and vinegar, so I was trying to figure out a way to complement that in a cocktail," says Whitton, as one of his bartenders boils fresh pomegranate and ginger juice with apple cider vinegar and sugar, a process that produces a rich, fragrant scent, like something you might want to pour on French toast.

Gabriella Mlynarczyk, the Death & Co.-trained mixologist who recently migrated from Eva to Ink, is developing a number of shrubs, including a beet and lemon shrub as well as a ginger-yuzu shrub. Like Centeno, she'll mix either shrub with alcohol or just soda.

She says that a lot of people came to Eva who didn't drink alcohol and asked for Sprite or Coke.

"I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to canned soda, so I'd go to the table and say, 'Listen, I have this beautiful syrup. Would you like to try it with a little bit of soda?'" she says. "Shrubs are sweet and sour and fruity, and really beautiful to drink regardless of whether they are alcoholic or not."