From The Coral Wig’s Painkiller to The Duchess’s Pirate Princess, tiki-inspired cocktails—bold, boozy, juicy, and often over-the-top—are enjoying a renaissance.

“There are a few factors as to why tiki or tropical cocktails are trending,” surmises mixologist Brendan Dorr, who owns the gin bar Dutch Courage and the James Beard nominated Pink Flamingo. “The whiskey bubble has popped, and people are moving on to other spirits. Also, guests are becoming more educated with their spirit knowledge, especially when it comes to rum.”

Dorr does make a distinction between tropical and tiki drinks, however.

“Tiki cocktails are more theatrical, whereas tropical cocktails is a general term for cocktails using tropical fruit, spices, and citrus—the styling is simpler,” he says. “Also, with tropical cocktails we aim to avoid the cultural appropriation that can go along with tiki.”

That’s exactly why bartender Pat Turner of True Chesapeake Oyster Co. is careful to honor the history of the kitschy cocktails with the Hampden spot’s “Tiki Tuesdays.”

“Tiki recipes are classics,” he says. “The people who came before us aced these drinks, so for our recipes, we’ve turned to places like Smuggler’s Cove [in San Francisco] and Don the Beachcomber [in Hollywood]. Most workers who made tiki drinks were Filipino—these cocktails are an ode to them.”

The revival of the tiki tradition is an antidote to current craft cocktails.

“Cocktail culture has been trending more and more minimalist,” says Turner. “The nicer cocktail spots have the daintiest glasses with the most minimalist garnish—maybe just a simple trimmed peel or a spot of oil. Along with that, there’s a desire for a goofy mug, extravagant garnishes, and setting things on fire—sometimes you need a little maximalism.”

We’d put money on it: There is no person in Baltimore who likes deviled eggs quite as much as Martine Richards.

In fact, the 36-year-old Remington resident loves the hard-boiled, half-moon-shaped, mayonnaise-heavy hors d’oeuvre so much, she created a party for the sole purpose of being able to eat as many as she’d darn well like.

“There is absolutely deviled egg etiquette—when you got to a party, it is acceptable to be witnessed eating two deviled eggs,” reports Richards. “After that, if the party is going a little longer, and if you can be sneaky about it, you can take a third. And then, at the very end, if there are still any left—which there probably won’t be—then you can take a fourth.”

On the other hand, being caught devouring a sixth or seventh, as she typically longs to do? “Absolutely not,” she says with mock horror.

So in 2012, the Baltimore Deviled Egg Pageant was born. At first, it was just 30 friends in her living room who brought their own iteration of the event’s namesake finger food and, by popular vote, competed to see who made the best one.

But despite that dish’s polarizing reputation—there are usually two camps: those who like deviled eggs, and those who despise them, the latter of whom Richards calls “just wrong”—the competition soon outgrew her home, with more and more friends of friends and then complete strangers wanting to get in on the fun.

“I believe that everyone is an artist, in whatever capacity they can be,” says Richards, an instructional technologist of education courses, who, in her other side hustle, also crafts everything from jewelry to art prints and has been a longtime participant in the American Visionary Art Museum’s Small Foods Party (where her first entry was, fittingly, deviled quail eggs). “This is art…this is very Baltimore art.”

Those masterpieces will be on display this month, when the pageant returns on Sept. 10 at Charm City Meadworks in Johnston Square. Some 30 contestants will craft a spread of culinary creations that have ranged from Richards’ own famous sushi egg mixed with Sriracha mayo and speckled with seaweed, to a disco-fry egg topped with frites and a glittery gravy, and even egg-shaped cakes and corndogs.

“Last year, I made a Denver omelet as a cocktail,” says Brendan Dorr, co-owner of the Dutch Courage gin bar in Old Goucher, who hosted the event last year. “It was bacon-washed white whiskey with a little corn liqueur and a tomato-bell pepper foam on top, garnished with chives and a little grind of black pepper.”

In the past, Dorr has also been one of the pageant’s three judges. Attendees cast ballots as well, for categories like “Best Tasting,” “Best Presentation,” and “Best Not-an-Egg,” which are then eligible for the crowning title of “Best Egg in Show,” replete with a special plaque, sash, and tiara. Of course, there is a “Martine’s Choice” award, too.

“The first thing that I notice when I take a bite is: Did they use enough salt?” says Richards, who also likes thoughtful garnishes, clean fillings, and dyeing for more than just color, such as with beets or turmeric. “It should add flavor, too.”

With a knowing laugh, the host describes her event as an initial frenzy of excitement—all walks of Baltimore who have gathered to take this silly thing rather seriously. They eat their fill (and then some). Then, inevitably, they get tired, often rolling home before the winners are announced.

“It’s tons of fun,” says Dorr emphatically. “It also gives you a bit of a bellyache.”

Tickets proceeds (this year’s event has already sold out) benefit the Baltimore Abortion Fund, where Richards sits on the board.

Last year, the pageant raised some $6,000, and she feels a humble sense of awe for both the city’s creativity and its support for a good cause. The pageant’s quirky and quintessentially Baltimore nature gives her a feeling that maybe, just maybe, surpasses the sheer joy of finally getting to eat deviled eggs to her heart’s content.

“It just makes me hopeful,” she says.

8 A.M. EARLY HOURS

Most bartenders will tell you they go to bed at about three or four in the morning and wake up at noon. But for me, after five to six hours of sleep, I operate pretty well.

8:30 A.M. FEEDING TIME

My wife and I have a subscription to Motzi bread, so we’ll have an English muffin or slices of bread for breakfast. Coffee. A lot of mornings, I’ll make her lunch. Then, feed our cats; we have two well-dressed tuxedo cats, Hatch and Mr. Styles.

10 A.M. MORNING ROUTINE

I’ll start my day listening to WYPR, pop open my laptop, and see what the day brings. Besides Dutch Courage, I also have the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild to keep running.

12 P.M. OFF TO WORK

I ride my bike to work. If I didn’t close the night before, I’ll check the numbers and see what happened. The middle part of my day is busy work. Often, I’ll get purveyors coming through to teach me on some wine, beers, and spirits, so that’s a nice bonus.

3 P.M. CHECK-IN

We start looking at the clock to see what needs to be done. Maybe I suddenly have to mop the floor or scrub the bathrooms down. I’ll jump behind the bar to help the bartenders set up. If I’m not bartending that night, I’ll go in the back and start juicing the lemon, lime, orange juice, all the things we produce in-house, including the housemade syrups.

5 P.M. OPENING ACT

Suddenly it’s five o’clock and we’re turning on the music. With Dutch Courage, I really wanted there to be a vibe. I love Motown, soul, and early R&B, so we chose to build a playlist with anyone from Otis Redding and Ruby Johnson
to Ella Fitzgerald and Tina Turner. And boom! The doors open. If I’m bartending, that’s my entire evening: serving up delicious beverages and making sure everyone has what they need.

6 P.M. EVENING HOURS

If I’m not bartending but I’m there all night, I’ll be out on the floor making sure the guests are happy. Sometimes I’ll have to run into the back and prep something, or get extra bottles for the bar. Then it’s back to doing the busy work. I try to make good use of my time since we’re open until 2 a.m.

2 A.M. CLOSING TIME

Depending on the level of business we have some clean-up to do. By the time paperwork is done, we lock up the doors and I jump on my bike and ride home.

3 A.M. LATE NIGHT

The tricky part is getting home because I’m still wound up, especially after riding a bike. I’ve been trying to be better at winding down directly in bed because the dangerous part is falling asleep on the couch and trying to quietly walk up the stairs. I try to read something online or grab a book. But if the lights are totally off, I fall asleep much faster.

Perhaps one of the most striking things about walking into Dutch Courage in Old Goucher before the sun sets is the amount of natural light that shines through the corner building’s many windows.

For industry veterans Brendan Dorr and Eric Fooy, the brains behind the soon-to-open gin bar that has been in the works for nearly two years, the light is symbolic of the spirit they’ve decided to showcase.

“Because gin is bright and airy, we wanted the space to feel bright and airy,” says Dorr, the president of the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild, who previously worked at B&O American Brasserie alongside Fooy. “So many cocktail bars are dark and moody, but we want this to be a place where you can go to have a cocktail at night and actually read the menu.”

Highlighting a 100-bottle gin collection, the bar will offer a rotating list of cocktails that aim to educate guests about the complexities of the spirit.

Among them will be the “Sirocco” (Mahon gin, aloe liqueur, sherry, egg white, dehydrated apple) and “A Japanese Breakfast,” which fuses nikka gin with chartreuse, yuzu marmalade, and dehydrated lime. Another option, “The Eleanor” (Baltimore Spirits Company Shot Tower gin, rosewater, grapefruit, and sparkling wine), is named after Eleanor Roosevelt—who once dined in the space when it housed the president of Goucher College.

“There are thousands of whiskey cocktail bars in the country right now, but not a lot of gin joints,” Fooy says. “We wanted to do something a little different. There are lots of gins out there that aren’t recognized because they haven’t gained a lot of traction yet.”

To accompany the drink menu—which will also include local beer, wine, and cocktails highlighting other spirits—Dutch Courage will offer a food program with shareable snacks and sandwiches. (Think pickled veggies with herbed buttermilk dip, a cheese and charcuterie platter, and a pressed Cubano.)

“Gin has become such a global spirit,” Dorr says. “It’s being made everywhere. I just tasted a gin from Mexico made using agave and a lot of different botanicals, including juniper. So the food can kind of be global in that way, too.”

Though gin will be the focus, the spot—set in a historic North Charles Street property that was most recently a printing business—also shows its uniqueness through the many DIY pieces and vintage finds scattered throughout the interior.

Dorr and Fooy made it a priority to preserve as much of the building’s originality as possible—maintaining woods, trims, and moldings throughout. But their additions only elevate the bar’s charm.

“I have a ton of art,” says Dorr, who has gathered many of his collectables from places such as Second Chance and Wishbone Reserve. “I also have reclaimed cast iron fireplace faces and grandfather clock faces that I’ve picked up over the years. You just gotta match the right pieces.”

Here are a few other treasures to look out for when visiting Dutch Courage—named after British soldiers’ tendency to consume copious amounts of Genever before battle during the Thirty Years’ War—which could be open as soon as next month pending final inspections.

Tables made of reclaimed wood and old sewing machines
While renovating the space with contractor Lewis Hibbs and architect Jay Orr, Dorr discovered wood panels that caught his eye. “I said, ‘Wow, these boards are really nice. What are we doing with them?’” Dorr says. “No one had a real immediate answer, so I said, ‘Can I have them to make tabletops out of?’” And that’s exactly what he did with the reclaimed panels, which now sit atop cast iron bases taken from old sewing machines.

Vintage cash register
Stationed at the end of the quartz-topped bar is this cool conversation piece, which Dorr inherited from his father. “My dad liked collecting different things, and this was probably his fanciest one,” he says. Though he remembers a time when the register opened, it’s now strictly for show. “It doesn’t work anymore, because when I was 12, I broke it,” he shares. “I cranked it, and my dad says he thinks a gear must have slipped. So it’s still locked.”

Red velvet sofa from Wishbone Reserve
Though the majority of the space is bright and airy, there is one area just past the bar that has a more cozy feel. There, guests will spot a red velvet couch that Dorr found at Wishbone Reserve in Hampden. It’s set against a wall covered in navy blue wallpaper with hints of gold—which we can only predict will be Charm City’s next great Instagram backdrop.

Outdoor courtyard with its own satellite bar
The location is also equipped with its own outdoor courtyard, which Dorr and Fooy envision being decorated with string lights and lots of greenery. It will feature custom-built planters made out of leftover pallet wood from equipment deliveries. During the warmer months, the team will set up a satellite bar to make the patio more of an outdoor hangout.

Both inside and outside, all of the touches are meant to contribute to an inviting feel—something Dorr and Fooy feel strongly about given their many years in the service industry.

“I’d like this to be a neighborhood bar,” Fooy says. “I’d rather fill every seat every day than make it a special occasion place. We have wood on our walls, but we’re not the Engineer’s Club. We want you to come in and just be excited to have a drink here.”

Brendan Dorr, head bartender at B&O American Brasserie and president of the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild, is well regarded as the godfather of the cocktail scene in town. Since the mid-2000s, Dorr has been managing bars and consulting on drink recipes, all the while dreaming of starting his own place.

“It feels like forever,” Dorr says with a laugh. “But I didn’t just want to open another bar in Baltimore. I want it to make national headlines.”

Next spring, Dorr and his bartending business partner Eric Fooy, will open the doors of Dutch Courage, a gin bar at 2220 North Charles Street in the Old Goucher neighborhood. The space was built in 1851 and features crown molding, marble fireplaces, ceiling medallions, and a 1,000-square-foot courtyard out back.

“We’ve had this concept for a long time, but we knew we couldn’t put it just anywhere,” Dorr says. “This place—and in the neighborhood—are pretty spectacular.”

Dorr says that he was drawn to the neighborhood because of the work being done by Old Goucher Community Association president Kelly Cross, who has helped to establish businesses like Brown Rice and a beer garden from Clavel’s Lane Harlan, slated to open in 2018.

“There are so many great businesses that Kelly has brought to the neighborhood and we wanted to be a part of that,” Dorr says. “It’s exciting that Lane is opening a cool beer garden—we’re rife for that kind of outdoor space. We’ll be around the corner and be able to send each other guests.”

As for Dutch Courage, the 1,500-square-foot interior will be divided into an upbeat main bar room on one side and a relaxing parlor on the other. Dorr and Fooy are thinking the cocktail menu will take a cue from Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, which has a list of 25 classic cocktails and 10 rotating seasonal drinks on the menu. There is no plan to put in draft lines, but bottled and canned beer will be available. The owners are applying for a live music license to offer the occasional jazz trio for guests.

“Gin is a bright, fresh spirit so we want to the bar to have a bright, upbeat vibe,” Dorr says. “We want to bridge that gap between classic cocktail bar and something more modern. We will have something for everybody in all price ranges so anyone will feel welcome.”

There’s talk of opening earlier on Fridays and Saturdays for happy hour in the courtyard, which the owners are excited to turn into a lush garden for possible chef pop-up events. The bar itself won’t have a kitchen, but there will be snacks like crostini, nuts, crudité, and meat and cheese plates. Dorr says his “fingers-crossed timeline” is six months, but more realistically, Dutch Courage will take nine months to get through the construction and permitting process.

As for the name, Dorr’s love of history and, of course, cocktails played a role. During the Thirty Years War in the 17th century, British soldiers said that drinking Hollands gin gave them strength and confidence going into battle—”pretty much like liquid courage,” Dorr says. The title seems fitting for the pair, who are finally opening a space of their own.

“It’s funny, I go back and forth between being super excited and overwhelmed,” Dorr says. “Yesterday I felt like I got to open one of my stocking stuffers and this morning it was back to, ‘Oh man, we’ve got a lot of work to do.'”