Embracing a Southern Spirit
Hensley Thrower, head mixologist and bar manager
of The Hound, serves up three must-try cocktails
for the whiskey lover and the novice.
Cocktails by Hensley Thrower | Story & Photos by Hueman Collective
Since opening its doors in 2012, The Hound has become synonymous with a laid back atmosphere serving up quality, one-of-a-kind food and drinks. Deer antler chandeliers, a bar made from locally harvested cedar and a large family-style table in the middle of the restaurant give off a welcoming hunting-lodge vibe. Tucked quietly beside a downtown parking deck, The Hound seems like Auburn’s best kept secret that’s definitely not a secret anymore.
Over the last seven years, The Hound has built an award-winning leadership team and cultivated a staff that is as warm and welcoming as the decor. Hensley Thrower is the head mixologist and bar manager at The Hound, and she was kind enough to give Hueman Collective a glimpse behind the bar. Home to 28 beer taps and a whiskey menu large enough to sustain the country through a second prohibition—The Hound is where you want to meet your friends for dinner and drinks.
Hensley began working with The Hound six years ago and became the bar manager two years later. Since then, Hensley has led The Hound’s bar to multiple awards and national recognition. As bar manager, Hensley continues to refine her menu and craft cocktails that balance complexity and approachability. With one of the largest whiskey and bourbon selections in the South, Hensley knows her spirits.
The Hound’s focus on “bacon and bourbon” was the inspiration behind Hensley’s choice of cocktails for Hueman Collective. Bourbon, although it has a long, rich heritage in the South, tends not to be the go-to spirit to put in a crowd-pleasing cocktail. However, Hensley has proudly crafted three cocktails that are approachable and can introduce those unfamiliar with bourbon to a whole new world of spirits.
A classic old fashioned is known to be a bit booze-forward and slightly bitter. Hensley's bar team put their own spin on this traditional cocktail by adding fresh muddled blackberries, maple syrup and fresh squeezed lemon juice. When sipping on the Alabama Old Fashioned it's hard to tell that you are still drinking 2oz of whiskey (the standard pour for a classic old fashioned), because they present the whiskey in a much more smooth and approachable format.
Hensley chose an important whiskey for the Alabama Old Fashioned—Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey. Originally distilled in Alabama during prohibition by the founder’s grandfather, Clyde May, this whiskey is known as “The Official Whiskey of Alabama.” Clyde May’s is now coming back to its roots, and in 2017 announced that a 13 million dollar tasting and bottling plant would be built just an hour and a half from Auburn, in Troy, Alabama.
The Ingredients
Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon
Fresh Lemon Juice
Muddled Blackberries
Maple Syrup
Angostura Bitters
Scotch is typically the least-ordered spirit because of the common perception that all Scotch is “a fire pit in a glass.” The Hound boasts the Cold Shoulder because it is one of their most popular cocktails and it is a true Scotch focused cocktail. Monkey Shoulder, however, is a blended scotch and is incredibly balanced (it doesn't have the overpowering peaty taste). They pair it with Mama Sue's locally made and hand-harvested strawberry jam, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and elderflower syrup, marrying this infamous brown spirit perfectly into a light and easy drinking cocktail.
Again, approachable.
Mama Sue’s Strawberry Jam is an original recipe from owner’s Matthew and Jana Poirier’s grandmother. Mama Sue still makes the jam herself, and, much like any grandmother’s recipe, it brings an element to the Cold Shoulder that you can’t find anywhere else. When asked why she chose Mama Sue’s jam over another, Hensley replied, “Because family is the core of The Hound. Without family we wouldn’t be the same restaurant. …Plus, it doesn’t hurt that her jam is just the best!”
The Ingredients
Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch
Elderflower Syrup
Mama Sue’s Strawberry Jam
Fresh Lemon Juice
The Manhattan is the backbone recipe to the Rested Buffalo - Buffalo Trace, Cocchi sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, Angostura bitters. This twist on a classic cocktail starts by substituting the rye bourbon with Buffalo Trace because it has a higher wheat content than rye whiskey, which makes it smoother and a tad less spicy. Hensley stays true to the standard cocktail recipe by using Cocchi sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, but then she adds a splash of Grand Marnier that brings forward some citrus notes to round out this guest favorite. Always a classic and definitely a Hound favorite.
Buffalo Trace’s distillery was named “Buffalo Trace” because it stands on the banks of the Kentucky River where the buffalo crossed during their yearly migration across North America. Early pioneers often followed the buffalo’s trail when heading west, so America’s oldest continuously operating distillery is the perfect substitution for such a classic cocktail. This take on an American classic highlights The Hound’s year round, extensive whiskey collection while introducing the bourbon novice to a tried and true classic.
The Ingredients
Buffalo Trace Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
Grand Marier
Angostura Bitters
You can enjoy these amazing cocktails and more Tuesday through Sunday at The Hound, 124 Tichenor Avenue, in downtown Auburn. Follow @auburnhound to keep up with what’s happening, and check out their website, www.thehound-auburn.com, for reservations, events and more information.