Posts Tagged ‘cocktails’

Dry January, Damp January and Mocktail Week – Celebrating in New York City

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Even if it’s past January 1, there’s still time to do something nice for yourself.

Dry January, Damp January and National Mocktail Week (January 8-14) all seem to be taking over our lives this month. As we recover from overindulging during the holidays, there seem to be plenty of options to help us retrench. Damp January is a newish concept, a , if you will, for those not quite ready to take the plunge into total abstention. Its concept is simple: tone down your drinking and you’ll put yourself in a healthier place. But for the rest of us who have experienced or want to experience the benefits of a month (or longer) without alcohol, there are many options that go beyond National Mocktail Week to help you survive a sober month. If you find you like the results, there’s no need to stop on January 31. Or maybe just moderate until Sober October arrives.

You won’t be alone. According to CGA research, an agency specializing in the food and drink industries, about 35% of legal aged adults in the U.S. participated in Dry January in 2022, an increase of some 15% from the previous year. Perhaps the excesses of the pandemic period have motivated people to take the NA (non-alcoholic) plunge. But whatever it was, bars, restaurants and drink manufacturers have responded with many zero-proof choices to fill in the taste and variety blanks as you enjoy socializing and relaxing without alcohol.

Booze-free Bars and Mocktails

New York City invites you to dabble in innovative drink and flavor combinations with a baker’s dozen choices.

L’Amico - Crimson & Clover Cocktail © Jason Hedges

Laurent Tourondel’s L’Amico shows off the versatility of zero-proof Seedlip spirit, using Seedlip Grove in a Crimson & Clover mocktail, adding fresh blood orange juice, lime juice, honey/clove syrup and club soda. It pairs beautiful with any of the restaurant’s pasta dishes.

Sama Street - Same Same but Virgin © Eric Medsker

Pan-Asian Sama Street, in Brooklyn’s trendy Greenpoint neighborhood, offers a selection of Asian-inflected mocktails that are sure to make you look cool and satisfy the urge to imbibe. Try their humorously named Same Same but Virgin, a novel blend of spicy ginger turmeric tea, Coco Lopez, lime juice, fish sauce, mint and dill sprigs for a dramatic beverage served in a blue ceramic fish. Or the Baby Buck, a spin on Sama’s famous Shanghai Buck , a fresh cocktail made with winter melon tea syrup, lime juice, angostura bitters, and topped with ice and ginger beer.

Dante © Steve Freihon

Popular NYC cocktail bar Dante has curated a cocktail experience for those withholding from alcohol for Dry January. Special NA  (non-alcoholic) cocktails include the Fall Fox (Seedlip Spice, pear shrub, and London Essence ginger beer), Dante Spritz (Lyre’s Italian Spritz, Classic N/A Prosecco, San Pellegrino), the Espresso Shakerato (Three Spirits Nightcap, Lyre’s Coffee Liqueur, simple syrup, espresso, rose water and saline), and an NA Cosmojito (lime, Dante Cranberry, simple syrup, mint leaves, and orange bitters).

Rosa Mexicano - Mango-Ginger Refresco © Cody Rasmussen

Rosa Mexicano helps you tame the fire of their spicy cocina with a Mango-Ginger Refresco, a cooling combo of mango purée, lemon, chia seed and ginger beer.  It’s offered at their multiple locations in the city.

Courtesy Hideout at Gallow Green

At the Alpine-decorated Hideout at Gallow Green, the month goes dry with two refreshing mocktails, the Dry Northern made with pomegranate juice, citrus and soda, and the Dew Drop, a mix of ginger, grapefruit juice and rose lemonade.

Berries & Bubbles Courtesy Ocean Prime

Playing off its near-Broadway location, Ocean Prime is all about theatricality with its signature Berries & Bubbles. The Instagrammable libation is made with Sprite, marinated blackberries, fresh lemon and dry ice smoke.

Courtesy Skylark Lounge

Soak in the city views instead of alcohol from the 30th floor at the Skylark Lounge. Master Mixologist Johnny Swet takes full advantage of winter flavors with his Harvest Honey Lemonade, a dreamy mix of pear puree, honey syrup, apple cider and lemon juice.

NR - Ginger Soda © Zenith Richards

Not-so-secret speakeasy/restaurant NR offers their acclaimed ramen and small bites menu along with their cocktail magic turned NA. Mocktail offerings include the Ginger Soda with a blend of ginger, house-spiced syrup, ginger ale and lime. For something bitter, the Bitter Sweet has Bitter Sweet Non-Alcohol Spirit, pineapple, pomegranate, elderflower and tonic.

Courtesy Oiji Mi

Michelin-starred contemporary Korean restaurant Oiji Mi offers a mocktail menu worthy of its acclaim. Addressing both plant-forward and zero-proof trends, the Peter Rabbit is  made with carrot, orange oleo, Meyer lemon, and vanilla bean ice cream. A new version of Mexican horchata, the Jatchata is made with pine nut, cinnamon and vanilla.

Courtesy The Ivory Peacock

The Ivory Peacock, an elegant new cocktail bar in NoMad/Chelsea dedicated to all things gin, offers a zero-proof gin cocktail this month. The Super Lemon is made with Clean & Co. ‘gin,’ lemon cordial Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, and mint oil.

N.A.GRONI Courtesy Celestine

Capitalizing on the popularity of the non-alcoholic botanical aperitif Ghia, DUMBO’s Celestine pairs a Negroni mocktail with its Mediterranean-inspired menu. The N.A.GRONI features Amass “Riverine” N.A. Gin  from California along with Ghia and verjus, a tart juice made from pressing unripe grapes.

Courtesy Alice

At Alice in the West Village, the Italian and seafood restaurant serves up fancified mocktails with aromatics, tinctures and various zero proof spirits that mimic the real thing. Order your baked lobster or oysters paired with Prima Pavé Rose Brut sparkling AF (alcohol-free) wine or a mocktail like the Body Language, mixed with  Pathfinder, a zero-proof, fermented and distilled spirit, date molasses, grape syrup, lemon, and spritzed with rosewater for an aromatic finish.

Courtesy Madame George

Spirits  specialist Madame George adds a few mocktails to their New York-themed cocktail list. Try the Mulberry Blend, a malty and caffeine-rich concoction of Lyre’s American malt, Lyre’s amaretti, lemon juice, cola redux, and Manhattan Special Espresso soda.

Fun at Home

You’ll need to check the web for online sites to purchase these NA beverages for your home enjoyment, but many are available on Amazon. Others are available at liquor stores and grocery stores, so you’ll have no trouble keeping your refrigerator stocked during the month.

Courtesy Uncle Waithley’s

A non-alcoholic small batch ginger beer, Uncle Waithley’s Vincy Brew, Ginger Beer with Scotch Bonnet Pepper is a refreshing beverage and an ideal mixer enhanced and balanced  with pepper.

Kombucha Mixed Berry Courtesy Remedy Kombucha

Remedy Drinks is a great Dry January choice for kombucha fans. Remedy has a line of tasty Ginger Beer and Kombuchas that contain no sugar and taste like seltzers with organic acids and antioxidants. Rotate their  ginger beer, mixed berry, peach and raspberry lemonade flavors for a variety-filled, gut-friendly month.

Courtesy De Soi

Inspired by the French ethos of pleasure and restraint, De Soi is a line of sparkling, ready-to-drink non-alcoholic aperitifs created by Katy Perry and award-winning Master Distiller Morgan McLachlan.  Reminiscent of a light-, medium-, and full-bodied wine, De Soi’s three flavors, Golden Hour, Champignon Dreams, and Purple Lune, layer botanicals with natural adaptogens.

Courtesy MIXOLOSHE

MIXOLOSHE is a new female-founded beverage brand of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic, low-sugar beverages and spirits with tempting flavors like Orange Old Fashioned Cosmic Bitter Spritz, Blueberry G&T and Tropical Smoky Margarita.

Courtesy Cut Above

For beverages you can drink straight or mix, Cut Above is a line of zero-proof gin, mezcal, agave blanco and whisky. The website includes many mocktail suggestions such as Tommy’s Skinny Margarita, a NA Old Fashioned, and the  Naughty & Nice Punch made with their mezcal, fresh fruit and sparkling water.

Courtesy Stone Hollow Farmstead

I’ve always found that a Virgin Mary or, as some call it, a Bloody Shame tastes pretty darn good given all its pickled vegetables, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and other peppery ingredients. Red or green Bloody Mary mixes from Stone Hollow Farmstead in Alabama have nailed them with their own farm veggies.  And, I’m not kidding you, you won’t miss the vodka. Or the hangover.

Seedlip © Meryl Pearlstein

Other mocktail favorites for your at-home dinners include creatively layered beverages with a base of Seedlip, a distilled, non-alcoholic spirit, made with botanicals. There’s Spice 94, herbal Seedlip Garden 108 or citrus-based Grove 42. The website inspires your creativity with recipe suggestions or take a cue from the mixology wizards at La Societe at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa who mix Seedlip Garden with lemon, basil syrup, elderflower and elderflower tonic to create their refreshing Nonna’s Garden, or from Denver’s Tamayo with their Non-Collins, mixing Seedlip Grove with strawberry, lemon, mint and sparkling water.

Courtesy Lyre’s

Two other base liquors give you many opportunities to express your NA creativity. Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic spirits offer a range of wines and liquors to add plenty of variety during the month. They will ship premixed cocktails like their non-alcoholic G&T or the Dry London spirit, an NA gin, American Malt, a NA classic bourbon malt wherever you live. Liqueur and aperitif fans can try their Italian orange, a NA red Italian bitter aperitivo style drink, or Amaretti, a NA nutty amaretto liqueur. There are many choices to tempt. Ghia gives you the option of a full-bottle aperitivo or canned spritzes in flavors like ginger and line and salt.

Courtesy Clausthaler

Clausthaler craft non-alcoholic beers taste just like the real brew. The German brewery has the pedigree, too, as they are an exclusively N/A brewery in existence for more than 40 years with a patented process for making beer that doesn’t create alcohol. There are dry-hopped beers, IPAs, and, for a kick, try their grapefruit beer.

Courtesy HOP WTR

Offered in three flavors, Classic, Mango and Blood Orange, HOP WTR is a non-alcoholic brew of crisp, bold hops, sparkling water and mood-boosting adaptogens and nootropics crafted without calories or sugar. The tasty beer alternatives are bright and refreshing, perfect for Superbowl parties or anytime during Dry January or beyond.

Courtesy Surely

Love California wines? Sonoma Valley has a lovely alcohol-free wine collection. Surelys non-alcoholic wine is made from wine with the alcohol removed. A favorite is their non-alcoholic cabernet sauvignon, bold and full-bodied, and made with 100% Sonoma Valley grapes.

Gift a Kit for the Month

Courtesy Raising The Bar - Zero-Proof Subscription Box

Keep it coming with Raising The Bar – Zero-Proof Subscription Box. DIY cocktail creations that keep on giving is the name of the game with this program. You can subscribe for as long as you want for creative alcohol-free beverages shipped to you directly. Boxes are themed with fun names like “Love Potion,” and each kit makes a minimum of four drinks.

Courtesy Something Else

For another package of Dry January goodies, non-alcoholic brand, Something Else, is offering a bundle fora month of fun and renewal. The Best January Kit comes with a six-pack sampler of NA sippers: Kally, a verjus-based sipper, and Lili, a sparkler that is all bubbles and no booze; a candle; gratitude journal; herbal tea; and a digital guide.

Damp January instead?

Courtesy Sommarøy Spirits

If you haven’t yet made the full zero-proof commitment, that’s not a problem.

Sommarøy Spirits are a new line of lower-proof premium spirits with 1/3 less alcohol so you can drink in moderation for a Dry-ish January. Look for them at Whole Foods.

Courtesy HEAVENSAKE

The first lifestyle sake brand, HEAVENSAKE is all natural, gluten-free and three times less acidic than wine. Junmai translates to pure in Japanese, and taking inspiration from the rosés of Provence and the lightness of Champagne HEAVENSAKE Junmai 12 is no exception. With notes of salted caramel, cacao and kumquat, this 12% ABV sake can be used in low-alcohol cocktails such as highballs and mules to replace full-strength spirits.

Courtesy Sunny with a Chance of Flowers

With only 85 calories, 9% alcohol and zero sugar across the entire product range, Sunny with a Chance of Flowers is a new wine line made with fully ripened grapes that pass through a special filtration system to carefully remove the alcohol,. Try their Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enjoy the Last Weeks of Patio Dining and Drinks in Brooklyn and Manhattan

Now that Hurricane Florence has finally passed and glorious weather is upon us, it’s time to dine outdoors again while the temperatures are still lovely. Here are some wonderful restaurants and bars with patios perfect for people-watching and soaking up the rays in these last few months before fall hits.

Brooklyn

Pig Beach, 480 Union St. Gowanus; www.pigbeachnyc.com

Pig Beach is the critically acclaimed outdoor barbecue restaurant located in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn from Chef Matt Abdoo (Del Posto) and award-winning barbecue teams, Salty Rinse and Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krewe. The all-star team here brings an eclectic barbecue-focused menu to the Gowanus waterfront showcasing barbecue varieties from around the United States. If you’re chilly, there’s also a large indoor space, now open year-round. Come here, first, for a canoe trip on the Gowanus – it’s an experience you’re unlikely to forget.

Gran Electrica, 5 Front St. DUMBO; http://granelectrica.com

Another Brooklyn favorite, Gran Electrica is the Bib Gourmand Mexican restaurant located underneath the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO. Gran Electric offers an authentic and market-driven Mexican menu inspired by traditional Mexican street fare. From hand-pressed heirloom corn tortillas made daily stuffed with lengua, cilantro, onion and radish, to day boat scallops marinated in aguachile, the cooking shows diversity of the many regions of Mexico. The beverage program incorporates Mexican flavors with seasonal ingredients and also features an expansive agave list with more than 50 types of tequila, mezcal, racilla and sotol. The large outdoor area has a breathtaking view of the Brooklyn Bridge. To get here, rent a Citi Bike from Chinatown and bike over the Manhattan Bridge.

Sauvage, 905 Lorimer St, Greenpoint; www.sauvageny.com

Sauvage, meaning wild in French, is a neighborhood restaurant in Greenpoint, founded by the team behind James Beard Award-winning oyster bar and cocktail den Maison Premiere. The decor, cocktails, and wine all add to the restaurant’s distinct dining experience, creating an outdoor “natural” environment with a lush profusion of planted herbs and botanicals filling the restaurant. Facing nearby McCarren Park, the sun-filled restaurant has a lovely outdoor seating

Manhattan

The Smith Restaurant & Bar, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side; https://thesmithrestaurant.com

The Smith offers a wonderful choice for patio dining after an evening at any of the ballet, music and theater venues at Lincoln Center or Jazz at Lincoln Center on Columbus Circle. Under the direction of Executive Chef Brian Ellis, The Smith’s menu features bistro classics and seasonal fare from local farmers and purveyors. The restaurant has a popular craft cocktail program with house-made ingredients featured and an extensive wine selection which includes more than 20 wines by the glass or carafe.

Bowery Road & Library of Distilled Spirits, Union Square;

www.boweryroad.comwww.libraryofdistilledspirits.com

Taking its inspiration as well as ingredients from the nearby Union Square Greenmarket, Bowery Road is an all-day restaurant serving market-driven fare from Chef Ron Rosselli.  Some of the seasonal appetizers include pinto bean hummus with mole spice, seeds and flatbread; roasted carrots with pine nut cream and garlic-honey vinaigrette; marinated beet salad with avocado cream, pomelo, hearts of palm, and almond dukkah. Main courses mix vegetarian with meat-centric choices such as the Union Square Market grain bowl with farro, quinoa, lentils, avocado, broccoli, mushrooms, and sunflower; or Niman pork adobo with mango, radish, onion and corn crepes.

Together with adjacent craft-cocktail destination Library of Distilled Spirits, where more than 1200 different spirits are offered, Bowery Road gives a Manhattan sidewalk-patio dining experience that’s unusual in its spaciousness. Happy hour is popular here as a stop en route to the nearby subway hub, serving up a menu of well-priced cocktails, wines , beer and a shareable bucket and beer filled with fried chicken, two draught beers and snacks.

Vinatería, 2211 Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem; www.vinaterianyc.com

At this beloved Harlem neighborhood restaurant, market-driven and vibrant dishes celebrate the rich culinary traditions of Italy and Spain. Cult favorites like spicy veal meatballs with creamy parmigiano polenta, or fresh rosemary pappardelle with lamb ragu attract a clientele of both locals and visitors. Vinateria’s expansive wine list is chosen from small producers and is full of surprising yet accessible finds, while the artisan cocktail program uses house-made tinctures, seasonal produce and fresh-grown herbs from the restaurant’s own garden. A large outside patio wraps around the restaurant (a corner building), seating 40.

Tavern on the Green, Outdoor Courtyard, Upper West Side; www.tavernonthegreen.com

Tavern on the Green’s outdoor courtyard is the perfect Central Park location for brunch, lunch, and dinner under the soft glow of string lights. Seasonal dishes from Chef Bill Peet include seared yellowfin tuna nicoise salad, miso marinated glazed marrow bone, wild mushroom toast on brioche, and smoked salmon tartine, with trout caviar. The bar at the top of the courtyard offers a separate setting for beer, wine, and cocktails such as white peach sangria, and the refreshing Hot as a Cucumber craft cocktail made with vodka, jalapeño, fennel, and cucumber. Enjoy a wonderful walk in the park to get here – the restaurant is located off Central Park West at West 67th Street or via the interior roadway encircling the park.

Get Ready for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic – May 17-21

manhattan cocktail classicThe Manhattan Cocktail Classic is back in its fifth year, uniting NYC’s boroughs in the name of great cocktails and culture from May 17-21. Last year’s Classic attracted more than 8,000 attendees, and this year’s nearly 100 events will once again bring delicious concoctions from around the world to the Big Apple.

Events during the five-day celebration are independently organized and held at unique venues, so you won’t have to travel far to imbibe. Take your pick of parties, tastings and tours at notable bars, restaurants, art galleries, museums, barber shops, theaters and libraries across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. This year’s 100+ events are selling out quickly, so check out these events and grab tickets before they’re gone. Tickets range from $25-$395; all event attendees must be 21 or older and prepared to present a valid photo ID.

The Gala: Friday, May 17 from 9:00pm-1:00am

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic kicks off opening night with this black-tie optional soiree, spanning four floors and over ten million cubic feet of space in The New York Public Library’s main branch. Last year, guests sipped more than 30,000 cocktails, courtesy of 150 of the world’s top mixologists. Get ready for more unlimited cocktails this year, and come hungry to enjoy delectable finger foods from meatball sliders to oysters and jumbo shrimp. Mingle with 3,000 fellow cocktail enthusiasts to the tunes of live jazz bands and DJs providing the evening’s entertainment. Buy tickets asap — the Gala will likely sell out soon.

Location:

The New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street,

Tickets:

Regular admission ($195) offers entry to the Gala at 10pm;

VIP Access ticket ($295) offers entry to the Gala at 9pm, plus a free ride to or from the NYPL for new users to Uber (up to $50 credit);

Uber VIP Package ($395) offers entry to the Gala at 9pm, plus a free ride to and from the NYPL courtesy of Uber (up to $100 credit), plus a three-day pass to the Industry Invitational, to be held at the Andaz 5th Avenue Hotel.

An Afternoon of Aperitivi: Saturday, May 18, 3:00pm-5:00pm

Relax for the afternoon as Joe Campanale, Executive Beverage Director at L’Apicio, and Adam Schuman, Spirits Portfolio Manager at Michael Skurnik Wines, introduce you to the world of aperitivi. You’ll learn the rich history of one of the original Italian vermouths, whose recipe dates back to the 1890s. As you learn about the evolving history of the Vermouth and its role in today’s cocktail culture, you’ll have the chance to taste the Vermouth on its own, followed by a few original cocktails paired with L’Apicio snacks.

Location:

L’Apicio, 13 East First Street (between Bowery and 2nd Avenue).

Tickets:

$50

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