How did two firefighters decide to open an industrial revolution–themed bar, up in the air along the pedestrian walkway to the ferry terminal?

JH: Most firemen have other part-time jobs. When we're not at work, we're drinking—so we thought we'd combine the two! We also wanted to celebrate the architecture and workmanship of this building.

MA: Yes, we chose a theme that would play off what was already here.

Has your training in rescuing people from burning buildings influenced the way you make cocktails?

JH: We're actually horrible at bartending.

MA: That's why we've hired the best bartenders and use Northwest distilled spirits. So many distilleries are opening—it's like what we saw with microbreweries 20 years ago.

Any fall cocktails planned, perhaps with turkey vodka in decorative gourds?

JH: [Laughs] One of our bartenders, Nathaniel Bradford, can answer that.

NB: There's a technique where you put bacon fat in whiskey, then freeze and unfreeze it until they're evenly mixed. We might incorporate that in a cream-soda cocktail.

Is one of your sandwiches called "The Pardon" because the others are made from people?

NB: [Laughs] When you make an extra-dry martini, you hit the shaker with a bottle of vermouth, but don't pour any. I thought of that name at the Field Roast factory, while wondering if they have a similar tradition of walking a cow through every day.