Quench Mixology 101

Last Monday night, July 9, was the first of (hopefully) many Mixology classes held at Quench. 

Through the website Certifikid, we sold tickets for the class to the public. 
For $45 a person, guests were able to come in and:
1. Taste some of Quench's NBLZ (nibbles) and SNX (snacks)
2. Watch our master mixologist, Matt, create, explain and sample some cocktails (including one of our top sellers, the Honey Badger!)
3. Pair up and go behind the bar to create their own special cocktail. Each pair used our bar ingredients to create the cocktail of their dreams. Each pair had their cocktail judged and scored, and the winner got to have their drink featured on the restaurant's menu!


So here is how the evening went:
We set the bar up for our guests, 14 people who had bought their tickets online. Some had been to the restaurant, some were checking it out for the first time. 
Upon arrival, guests were offered our Cracky Snack and Cracklin' Pork NBLZ. 


Matt, Master Mixologist, started with two traditional cocktails: The Aviation and Satan's Soul Patch. 


The Aviation is a classic drink made with Gin, Maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice. History of the beverage and interesting information regarding the ingredients followed, but I wouldn't want to give any details away- you'll just have to come learn for yourself!
Served in a martini glass, the pale yellow drink becomes a beautiful work of art with the addition of the crème de violette, which falls to the bottom to create a swirl of colors. That's me enjoying the larger version created during the demonstration (someone had to drink it!): 

Guests got a taste of their own, of course, as Matt prepared samples of each cocktail for them:

Next Matt showed the guests, becoming quick friends at this point, how to create Satan's Soul Patch. We all had a good laugh at the name, then Matt told us about the very interesting Prohibition-era history of the drink. 

Though not my type of beverage, one could see why this is a popular drink, particularly among male drinkers. It consists of Bourbon, both sweet and dry vermouth, orange juice, Grand Marnier, and orange bitters. Matt told us about the flammable nature of the acid in citrus, and gave us a little demonstration of how he uses this to his advantage when garnishing the cocktail.                        

At this point, it was time for some more food. We served our guests the Roasted Asparagus with Romesco Sauce and one of our menu items that changes daily, the Bread and Spread. Today guests got to taste our Challah roll with Pimento-Cheese Spread. Yum! Later they got to taste our Charm City Cookies- a take on Berger Cookies with a coconutty spin!

The final drink Matt demonstrated was one he created. 

Since we opened in May, there have been a few drinks that have blown up in terms of popularity and really helped make us special. One of these is the Honey Badger*. 

*This drink is found in the "Ourz" section of the menu. 

Cocktails are separated by "Ourz"- ones created in house and found nowhere else- and "Theirz"- cocktails inspired by traditional ones, with our own little Quench twist. We also have sections for "Skinniez", "Wake-up" and "C-sonal" sections. See our drink menu for more details* 

The Honey Badger is a wonderful amalgamation of pepper-infused Tequila, lime juice, ginger beer, and honey, with a dash of beet juice and a pickled beet as garnish. While this may sound off-putting, it is important to remember that creating a cocktail is an art. There is a delicate balance of flavors found in any well-prepared beverage, and this crazy concoction is no different. The flavors are there, but not at all overpowering. This is definitely a drink worth trying, even if you don't like Tequila, spicy drinks, or beet juice. 

And then came the best part: the competition. Guests got into pairs and took turns going behind the bar to create and name their own cocktails. Each drink was judged by myself, the owner, and Marci, who works for Certifikid. 

Stacy and Jennifer created the "Zombie Apocalypse"

Becca and Elliot came up with the "Wyatt Slurp", while AJ mixed up a "Tito's Punch" for us

Carolyn and Julia had fun creating their drink, with a very precarious name, which I will not divulge to the general public!

The winning drinks- it was a tie- came from Michele and Steven, who concocted a drink they call "Thai Me Up", and Becca and Elliott. Both pairs will have their drinks featured on our menu for a while. Imagine bringing your friends into Quench, ordering them a drink, and saying "I made that!"

All in all, it was a great night. We plan on doing this again, for sure. Our next Mixology Class is scheduled for Monday, July 16 at 8:00pm. At the time of this post, there no more tickets available, but stay tuned. There will be more. 

We also plan to offer this night of libation and fun as a private event. Guests can invite friends and tailor the menu to their liking. It's great for Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, showers, birthdays and anything your heart desires. Email me at Dianasaraash@gmail.com for details!

Don't forget- we're open for brunch on Sundays now and starting August 1, we start serving lunch! 

Hope to see you at Quench!