The blizzard finally died down and the biggest barriers to reaching Williamsburg were snowdrifts and black ice. Those were hardly deterrents considering my recommendation came from Alex Day. The man clearly knows his cocktails, and after arriving in Brooklyn, it was easy to become a believer in Dram after speaking with owner Tom Chadwick and tasting Nick Jarrett’s cocktails.

The space previously housed Zak Pelaccio’s Chickenbone Café and still features an illuminated kayak and cedar paneling. An illuminated kayak? Why not?

Bartender Nick Jarrett previously lived and worked in Philadelphia at The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. and relocated to Brooklyn.

He’s a bartending maniac (and quote machine) who just concluded 60 straight days behind the stick. He also appears at Clover Club and a pair of other bars and even earned a position on the USBGNY board.

The House Cocktails cost only $9, which is a relatively bargain, especially compared to Manhattan standards.

The stirred, spirited Madero Road ($9) harmoniously combined Cocchi Americano, Benedictine, Dolin sweet vermouth, orange bitters and Lapsang Souchong-infused reposado tequila. That final ingredient was one of the more inspired tea-related infusions in recent memory, adding an interesting smoky element to the coupe.

The Kilted Bastard ($9) would have been even better in summer, since it was so refreshing, and it was so cold outside.

Regardless, the cocktail was a bargain considering all the labor and ingredients involved in producing a crushed ice, mint-plumed cocktail made with white rum, Jamaican rum, lemon juice, Frank’s Mix No. 4, Angostura bitters and a dash of absinthe. Famous Grouse Scotch was just one of the ingredients that kept this cocktail from being a tropical cliche.

Dram also has a rotating barrel aged cocktail. During my visit, they just finished with a Martinez. They also offer Classic Cocktail Suggestions, including the Sazerac and Last Word; Modern Classics like the Penicillin; and Ex Libris, drawing from classic cocktail authors like Charles Baker (Daisy de Santiago), Jerry Thomas (Brandy Crusta) and Don the Beachcomber (Zombie). There’s even a Bartender’s Choice ($10). Name your spirit then choose “stirred & spirit forward” or shaken.

Basically, there’s a lot going on at Dram, and it would take becoming a regular to get a grasp on the depth of their program. As an Angeleno, that’s clearly not possible, but it was still a fun first foray.