The Layover is back
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It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and I know you’re not working that hard. So take your mind on a little pre-holiday holiday with this fun read. Today’s story is by Dave Yasuda, a longtime Boise foodie and someone who knows this city’s food & drink scene better than most. Dave is taking us through the history of one of Boise’s most beloved winter cocktails: The Layover from The Modern Hotel & Bar. If you’ve ever sipped one, you already know why it has a cult following. If you haven’t… well, this will make you want to fix that soon. Enjoy! The LayoverBy Dave Yasuda ​The Layover has won a persistent and dedicated following. The cocktail first appeared on the menu at The Modern Hotel and Bar in late 2007 and was immediately embraced by the spirit connoisseurs of Boise. Only served during the winter months, its limited availability adds to the seduction and mystique of this carefully crafted mixed drink. I sat down with Michael Bowers, the Modern’s OG bartender and architect of The Layover, to learn about the history of his creation. The origin story of this drink parallels the early days of Boise’s craft cocktail movement and provides background on today’s bar scene. Bowers started working at the Modern in July of 2007. He walked in during the soft opening to order a drink and saw the bar’s tremendous potential. He made a pitch to tend the bar and was immediately hired. Bowers drew on his experience tasting and analyzing drinks made by the top Boise bartenders of the era. He was influenced by mixologists like Kevin Kelpe, who was the head bartender at Red Feather and who initiated the first ambitious bar program designed to elevate the cocktail scene in town. Bowers also admired Kevin Farney and Pat Carden, who bartended at The Milky Way where they created and poured thoughtful cocktails. Carden was the innovator of the 10 Minute Martini which he carried with him as Head Bartender at Chandler’s. This hands-on experience was augmented with Bowers’ studious approach to the mixed drink. He scoured cocktail recipe books and perused blogs written by innovators of the craft cocktail movement. Later he learned about Tales of the Cocktail Convention where luminaries traveled to New Orleans to meet and share ideas and techniques. The convention, founded in 2002, began as a walking tour of historic New Orleans cocktail bars and has grown into an annual meeting for the international spirits industry. The Modern quickly developed a reputation as the top bar in Boise for unique and delicious cocktails. It was the first Boise bar I encountered that would serve a drink based on your personal preferences. A patron could simply state their favorite spirit or characteristics (boozy, light, refreshing, etc.) and Michael would present you with a customized creation. About six months into his position at The Modern, Michael started to think about drink pairings to offer on Tuesdays, typically a slower evening at the bar. He mentally kicked around ideas to find combinations of something comestible to complement a spirit. One of his first thoughts was to pair peaches and brown sugar with bourbon. This evolved into an experiment that yielded The Layover. Bowers’ thought process stayed with bourbon. He used caramel which naturally harmonizes with the brown liquor, then added complexity to the toasted sugar sweetness by adding Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch for a peaty element and bitters for a pungent note. The first batch of the peated caramel syrup was created in his home kitchen. “It makes a fucking mess,” Bowers said. “Sugar is heated until it turns to caramel, then water is added, and it spits and steams.” For a food pairing, Bowers landed on pecans roasted with maple syrup. The aroma and sweetness of maple were a natural fit with the cocktail, and the pecans provided a textural element to complete the sensory interaction. The initial version of the Layover used a base of two ounces of Wathen’s Single Barrel, a Kentucky bourbon with a mash bill of 77% corn, 13% malt and 10% rye to create the classic rich caramel and vanilla notes ideal for this cocktail. About ½ ounce of the peated caramel syrup was combined with the whiskey. An old-fashioned glass received a coating of Alderwood smoked salt on the rim. Keeping with the seasonality of the drink, The Layover was served at room temperature. A shot glass filled with house made maple roasted pecans was set alongside the drink. Once added to the Modern Bar menu, The Layover was a hit. It continues to be a featured drink at The Modern today. Over time the cocktail has changed little. There have been adjustments to the bourbon used. Weller Antique 107 – a wheated bourbon bottled at 107 proof – replaced Wathen’s until the bourbon collection craze made it difficult to find anything with “Weller” on the label. Today the Modern makes the Layover with Elijah Craig Small Batch bourbon. I stopped by The Modern to reacquaint myself with one of Boise’s most beloved cocktails. It was a crowded Friday night, but my wife, KT, and I managed to score two bar seats. The old-fashioned glass with a smoked salt rim and a clear shot glass with roasted pecans arrived. I positioned The Layover under my nose and was gently embraced by the aromas of peat, smoke and caramel. The first sip includes the taste of salt from the rim which is quelled and complemented by the spirited liquid. The peated syrup lends a gentle contrast for an ideal balance of sweet, salty and bitter. I chased the drink with a roasted pecan accented with sugar, salt and a gentle undertone of umami. When followed with another sip, the sensory journey continued - right until my drink was finished. Ari Vasquez, The Modern’s Bar Manager said The Layover will be served from Thanksgiving (November 27, 2025) until Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2026). If we’re lucky the peated syrup supply holds out a bit longer, but don’t take any chances and plan your visit sometime after the turkey comes out of the oven. Though The Modern’s menu changes with the seasons, my hope is that the Layover forever remains a steadfast and delicious charm to temper the throes of cold winter days. Thanks for reading! With love from Boise, Marissa This story was written by Dave Yasuda. Dave is a writer, eater, cyclist, and director of Foodfort at Treefort Music Fest. His writing has appeared in Bicycling, Wired, and the New York Time’s The Wirecutter. View his food thoughts on Instagram: @highzoot
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