The Watering Hole:

Roosevelt Ale House, 8824 Roosevelt Way N.E. MAPLE LEAFThe Atmosphere: I made my entrance to Roosevelt Alehouse amid a Mariner’s game about to go 0-0 into extra innings and the history category of Wednesday night trivia–a much tamer cousin to the raunchy quizzes I’m used to in the University District. Luckily the M’s took the Sox 2-1 in the bottom of the 11th, trivia went into an epic runoff and my roommate arrived in the nick of time to keep me from drinking alone, or with the other patrons who all seemed to be at least five or 10 years my senior. But with over 50 different bottles, 10 taps, a delicious menu and a perfect warm-night patio, I probably wouldn’t have minded.The Barkeep: I posed the question at hand to an extremely friendly guy named Brian Bloom who was in the middle of his first day at the bar–but is by no means new to the Northwest. A “military brat” who’s lived in Seattle since 1991 when he “refused to leave” during high school, Bloom met most of his current coworkers while working a bartending stint in the U District.The Drink: Being a “Manhattan guy,” Bloom’s drink of choice didn’t take much thought. While he claims a preexisting tendency toward bourbon, the solidifying came from his very first bartending training with a sage teacher whose specialty was the cocktail in question. Watching him create mine, I got the strong impression it was more a reflex from muscle memory than conscious action.The Verdict: Shaken with sweet vermouth and bitters and garnished with a cherry, the Manhattan was deliciously smooth–and being what it was, had a plentiful alcohol content. I was kind of glad no one seemed to notice me reaching for my glass of water. Though Wednesday had just come to an end it already seemed to have been one hell of a week, and Bloom’s drink sure helped.