The Craft of the Cocktail: Blue Ruin
Few things are as basic and satisfying as well-crafted cocktails. They are the foundation of any self-respecting bar. But, when you build your business on not only the craft of the cocktail, but on collaboration, customer service, and community, it lays a foundation of which any town can be proud. This new cocktail bar gives Cambridge, Maryland a reason to brag.
Blue Ruin opened in 2019 after four years of careful and thoughtful planning. The building and bar are owned by Doug Kyle and operated by Blue Ruin’s head mixologist Paul Dendorfer. Kyle approached Dendorfer about any ideas he may have for the building, and Dendorfer had a good one. He wanted a cocktail bar that would specialize in fresh, handmade cocktails using quality alcohol and locally sourced ingredients. It would be a place where people could come to talk, relax, and drink cocktails that were created to reflect history; the history of cocktails, and Cambridge.
Both Dendorfer and Kyle worked with an architect during the building’s renovation to develop the interior’s style and vibe. Dendorfer is a cocktail historian and favors the prohibition era; he wanted to impart the same early 20th century feeling to Blue Ruin. Even the name, which was slang for homemade gin, is reminiscent of the period. The renovation left the distressed brick walls and uncovered a hidden nook that has become a private specialty table. The sheltered table can be reserved for a special two-hour cocktail sampling. The experience is straightforward but unique. After being seated, the guests are asked questions about their favorite flavors to provide Dendorfer an understanding of their preferences. Then, the mixology table rolls over, and he creates cocktails based on their answers. Cocktails do not get more custom-made than this.
Though his roots are local, Dendorfer worked in the high-end hospitality industry in DC, honing his attention to detail in such a storied establishment as the Ritz-Carlton and under the tutelage of mentors. While working at Clyde’s in Georgetown, the bar manager tutored him using blind taste tests to develop his palette and hone his ability to pick out the ingredients and flavors in different bourbons, gins, and ryes. Those early lessons laid the foundation for Blue Ruin. He now wants others to taste the flavors and notice the differences that fresh ingredients make.
The area’s past is also an influence on the cocktails created at Blue Ruin. Interestingly, Dendorfer researched what Harriet Tubman most likely foraged as she led men and women to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Historians believe she found black cherries and star anise while on the run, so Dendorfer created a drink that features Journeyman rye whiskey, black cherries, and star anise, calling it the Underground Railroad. Other cocktails like The Choptank, Long Wharf Punch, and the Smokestack Martini show his appreciation for the local flavor and quirky feel of Cambridge landmarks.
Though history plays a part in Blue Ruin’s destiny, this is also a forward-thinking cocktail bar. A new restaurant is in the plans, with additional seating in the adjacent space next door. Chef Buddy Christopher will offer classic dishes created with fresh, local ingredients—just like the mixed drinks. Dendorfer also has plans to open a distillery that will specialize in creating the kind of specialty whiskeys he favors for his current cocktails.
Collaborations are important to Dendorfer. Because the cocktails are handmade with fresh, local ingredients, other businesses in Cambridge have played a role in the quality of the drinks. A smile curls the corners of Dendorfer’s mouth as he mentions partnering with Simmons Center Market, RAR, and Emily’s Produce. “I love the vibe and energy of Cambridge,” he says and makes a point to say how supportive the locals are.
That is not to say that his only relationships have been with local businesses. A collaboration with the McClintock Distilling Company in Frederick, Maryland, produced a blue gin distilled to his exacting specifications. The aptly-named Clawfoot Blue Gin is an appropriate nod to the years of Prohibition when spirits were sometimes made in a bathtub.
Collaborations have also sustained Blue Ruin and the bar’s patrons during the difficult times ushered in by the Coronavirus pandemic. The resilient Dendorfer partnered with Anup Zalavadia, the owner of another local business, Best Wine & Spirits, to create a Facebook Live show called Lifted Spirits - Live with Anup & Paul. The show is about cocktails and community, and has been a hit with their customers and fans
Support from the Cambridge community has also nourished Blue Ruin’s desire to give back. Every three months, a special cocktail is highlighted, and 75% of the proceeds from sales are given to local charities. Once each month, an EMT, police officer, firefighter, or teacher is chosen and given a Blue Ruin gift card as a thank you for their service and willingness to pour into the lives of others.
Simple things matter. The ebb and flow of trends will surely point back to time-honored traditions that not only strengthen a business but bring perennial satisfaction to a town. Cambridge has experienced an envious restaurant and bar boom over the past few years that reminds the most jaded locals of how vibrant the town and its community once was. It also shows that it is once again.
Blue Ruin
400 Race Street, Cambridge, Maryland
410-995-7559
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