Writer: Mathany Ahmed
Photographer: Duane Tinkey
Kitchen ingredients have always been a staple on a classic cocktail menu — just think of the celery in a Bloody Mary or the olives in a dirty martini. But lately, local bartenders seem to be raiding the fridge to concoct more unusual savory cocktails with fermented marinades, garden-fresh produce and even butter.
If savory cocktails pique your curiosity — and your appetite — you’re not alone. They can be the perfect precursor to a meal at some of the metro’s best restaurants, often including ingredients from the very same kitchens that are making the meals.
“No one wants sweet drinks anymore,” said Devon Henderson, who manages the bar at Harbinger. “Five years ago, that wasn’t the case, but people are more adventurous now.”
Want to try the trend for yourself? Here are five savory local drinks to savor.
Northwestern Railway at the New Northwestern (pictured above)
Sun dried tomato-, basil- and garlic-infused Blue Ice Vodka, dry vermouth, giardiniera and olive brine mix, garnished with blue cheese-stuffed olives
Garlic lovers, your drink is here. The infused vodka in this cocktail, which falls somewhere between a Bloody Mary and a martini, is the star of the drink and hits with a punch. Garlic is the first thing you smell and taste, but as the flavors develop, the herbiness of the basil reveals itself, followed by a hint of acidity from the tomato. It’s bold and savory, with a level of flavor that’s completely unexpected in a cocktail. If you’ve ever wanted to drink a pizza, try this one.
Butter Me Up at Bubba Southern Comforts
Fat-washed bourbon, Cocchi Americano, brown sugar syrup, black walnut bitters
To fat-wash bourbon, Bubba’s bartenders melt butter, stir it into the spirit and let it sit for a few hours to absorb flavor. Then the mixture is frozen so the milk solids rise and are easily removed. The result is a smoother bourbon that’s rich yet refreshing, with a soft golden hue. The cocktail combines the light bitterness from Cocchi Americano with the warmth of brown sugar syrup and black walnut bitters, lifted by a final twist of fresh orange. “I’m a bourbon drinker and don’t go towards the sweet things,” manager Kate Willer said. “I like to use things that I find around, and there’s an abundance of ingredients in a restaurant. We get to play a little more.”
Luna Moth at the Bartender’s Handshake
Mezcal, melon liqueur, ginger, lime, gochujang tincture, MSG
Gochujang, a Korean red chili paste that is simultaneously sweet, savory and spicy, commands attention in this ingredient list. Though its bold flavor is more familiar in kimchi than a cocktail, this drink is sublimely balanced. The smokiness of the mezcal mellows out the heat from the chili and ginger, while the sweet melon liqueur smooths out the lime and MSG. The resulting flavor is smooth and woodsy, like sitting around a campfire on a cool night.
Handshake often features savory ingredients, according to owner Dave Murrin-von Ebers, who said he and his staff often find inspiration for drinks in the kitchens they’ve worked in or near. “On all of our cocktails, we like to play with savory notes but keep them kind of subtle,” he said. “The Luna Moth drinks a little bit sweeter than some other cocktails, but with those powerful flavors like the gochujang and ginger, the extra sweetness balances it out.”
For the Table at The Contrary
Jalapeno, Ancho Reyes Verde, cilantro bitters, tomato water, agave, corn, Cointreau, Exotico Blanco
Chips and salsa inspired this elevated version of a spicy margarita. The fresh salsa flavors are incorporated into each layer in this cocktail, from the cilantro-infused bitters to the tomato water, all made in-house. The perfect amount of heat comes from two sources: jalapeno-infused orange liqueur and the smoked poblanos in the Ancho Reyes Verde. The drink is served over a large ice cube and garnished with crushed tortilla chips around the rim. At the Contrary, the menu changes with seasons and often features savory drink collabs between the bar and kitchen staff. “A lot of my drinks are inspired by food because I’ve always had a love of food, even though I can’t cook at all,” bartender Moyra Phuong said. “The kitchen is like having a secondary playground of flavors.”
Nightshade Run at Harbinger
Aquavit, Ancho Reyes Verde, tomato chuong, lime, Thai chiles, pickled tomato garnish
Local produce and global liquors come together in this cocktail. The key ingredient is the tomato chuong, a traditional tomato syrup made in the Harbinger kitchen. On its own, it tastes like a candied tomato, but it harmonizes with the herbal aquavit and heat from the Ancho Reyes Verde, a liqueur made from smoked poblanos. Using kitchen ingredients makes cocktails more cohesive with the meals they accompany, but they can also make the crafting process more complicated, Henderson said. “It takes a lot of experience to make a really good cocktail, and savory is just one more thing.”
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