An Adventurous Happy Hour: Recreating Cocktails from a Bar Takeover!

An Adventurous Happy Hour: Recreating Cocktails from a Bar Takeover!

Have you joined us for one of our Bar Takeovers in the past? We partner with local distilleries around the valley to create a unique menu and jump behind their wells to make some cocktails. It’s a chance to see us in action! During this time we can’t get together, we want to teach you how to throw a bar takeover in your own home. We’re recreating some cocktails from our past events to share with you over Instagram Live! 

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

A few years back, we took over the Adventurous Stills tasting room with our friends Bill and Lil from AZ Bitters Lab. We even got Bill to jump behind the bar! This was the first time he got to be a high-volume bartender. These recipes are near and dear to our hearts but we never really shared them until now! 

So join us for an Adventurous Happy Hour on IG Live this Friday, April 17th at 6pm MST as we walk you through three cocktail recipes. Learn some new tricks like how to make a well-balanced tiki cocktail or why you use a copper mug. You can always come back to these recipes whenever you’re feeling adventurous

We’re featuring spirits from our friends at Adventurous Stills in Tempe, AZ! They produce a variety of spirits from grain to bottle, inspired by their love for the great outdoors. We’re also using AZ Bitters Lab line of artisan bitters for these as well! 

We encourage you to mix along with us! Below is the supply list you’ll need to recreate these recipes. If you wanna try a new local spirit or bitters, find Adventurous Still and AZ Bitters Lab at  Liquor Express. You can also pick up bottles directly from Adventurous Stills located in Tempe on Fridays and Saturdays 12-6pm. We hope you enjoy these three adventurous cocktails! 

Manhattan cocktail recipe from the Adventurous Still Bar Takeover

Supplies

Keep in mind, these are all suggestions! You can still follow along with spirits and bitters you already have or make substitutions as needed. It's all about getting creative and learning how to end up with a well-balanced cocktail with what you have. This is why we LOVE going Live. Chime in with any questions and we'll be sure to answer them! 

Spirits from Adventurous Stills: 

  • Fossil Creek Whiskey 
  • Picket Post Vodka
  • Papago Dark Rum  

AZBL Bitters:

  • Mi Casa 
  • Orange Sunshine
  • Figgy Pudding

Iconic Mixers:

  • Cascara Vanilla 
  • Ginga Syrup 
  • Grapefruit Fleur de Sel 
  • Spiced Honey 
  • Lime Leaf Tonic

Extras

  • Ice
  • Soda water
  • Lime juice 
  • Lemon juice
  • Luxardo cherry 
  • Whole citrus for garnish like lemons, limes, or grapefruits
  • Dehydrated citrus wheels if available 
  • Mint 
  • Tiki Accessories (pretty much anything ridiculous or fun to garnish a cocktail with. Think a monkey from a Barrel of Monkeys, a mini umbrella, crazy straws, stir sticks. Technically all optional but makes a tiki cocktail more fun.)

Glassware

  • Rocks glass (or your favorite Tiki mug) 
  • Martini glass
  • Copper mug 

Recipes

Relentless 

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

A refreshing spring mule, fiery ginger balanced with briny grapefruit. It comes together with a quality vodka and robust bitters. 

-Combine all in a shaker and dry shake 

-Add to a mule mug with ice and a splash of soda water 

-Garnish with a grapefruit 1/2 wheel 

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

Trailhead

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

This is a take on the Manhattan, boozy but with the right amount of sweet and bitter. 

-Combine all but the garnish in a mixing glass with ice 

-Stir until chilled 

-Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with Luxardo cherry

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

Salt River Project 

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

A take on the Navy Grog, a classic tiki cocktail. Keeping it true to tiki form, there are a lot of ingredients but they come together for a well-balanced tropical rum drink. 

-Combine all (except for half of the bitters and garnish) in a shaker with NO ICE.

- Dry shake to combine

-Pour into a glass over crushed ice (or pebble ice)

-Garnish with the remaining bitters and anything tiki. We suggest citrus, herbs, spices, and the occasional plastic monkey!

adventurous happy hour with iconic cocktail co handcrafted cocktail mixers

Wanna check out the recap? See here for the video! 

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