Culinary professionals are discussing “complementing the sweeter notes” and acknowledging the “subtle savory notes” while also “adding some nice herbaceous notes.” Can you guess where these experts discuss their flavors and create their craft? If you said in the kitchen, you would be wrong. These culinary experts are mixologists working in the front of the house bar utilizing crossover ingredients and techniques from the kitchen.

Their craft cocktails go well beyond the salad garnish one might find in a vegetable-laden bloody Mary. These culinarians are creating balanced, food-inspired drinks with complementing flavors that run the gamut from nostalgic peanut butter and jelly to umami. An IWSR Drinks Market Analysis showed that alcohol consumers have turned to products with nostalgic flavors as they seek both comfort and indulgence.

According to a recent Club Oenologique article, “It’s just one example (a beef bone broth inspired cocktail called Ossa) of a growing trend for cocktails explicitly reminiscent of particular foods or dishes. From laksa and chicken rice-inspired cocktails in Asia, through to drinks based on American fast foods via regional specialties, some of the best bars in the world are recreating dishes they love, in liquid form.”

Katie Tobin, bar manager of The Aquifer at New Riff Distilling in Newport, Ky, created a Southpaw Sip cocktail that includes New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon, pumpkin spice puree syrup, fresh lemon juice, angostura bitters, Lefthand Milk Stout Nitro and fresh nutmeg.

“Why pumpkin spice and bourbon?” asks Tobin. “They are a match made in heaven, especially with a high rye bourbon like New Riff. The spicy baking notes in the pumpkin puree (allspice, cinnamon and ginger) lift and accentuate the spicy notes in the bourbon while complimenting the sweeter notes of butterscotch and vanilla. Pumpkin and milk stout also have some subtle savory notes and almost a slight bitterness which balances everything out so that it's not too sweet or rich.”

She continued, “The milk stout is also a nitro brew which means it's incredibly creamy without an overpowering flavor. The float on top of the cocktail really grounds everything, adding a nice complexity to each sip.”

The Beverage director for Hermitage Farm and Barn8 Restaurant & Bourbon Bar in Goshen, Ky., Miranda Densford endeavors to find flavors that are complementary to each other but also congruent when she builds beverages.

She created a peanut butter and jelly clarified milk punch with aperitif Lillet Rouge, Fonseca bin 27 port, lemon verbena, vanilla bean syrup, lemon juice and peanut butter-washed Wild Turkey 101.

“When building the PB&J Clarified Milk Punch, I wanted to find ingredients in the spirits’ world that tasted like jelly. So, I went for Lillet Rouge and Fonseca Ruby Port. This combination offered the jammy fruit notes I was looking for but also added some nice herbaceous complexities. I clarified the cocktail for visual intrigue. It’s fun to see a clear cocktail and then upon first sips find it to be nostalgic or reminiscent of flavors from our childhoods,” she said.  

“I typically start with the key ingredient I am trying to highlight and work around it with spirits, Amari, or syrups and juices. My overall answer to the ‘why’ (use that) question would be to find harmony within spirits and seasonal ingredients.”

Densford graduated from Sullivan University with a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and started her career in the kitchen working alongside James Beard-nominated chef Annie Pettry. She moved to the front of the house, honing her skills at the bar. She joined the team at Bardstown Bourbon Company as brand ambassador and beverage manager for the on-site restaurant, then went to the Barn8 team in 2019 and was promoted to beverage director in 2021.

“I take great pride in boldly embracing the realm of savory flavors within my beverage program,” she commented. “I enjoy creating a diverse range of options that skillfully incorporate unexpected elements like salty, fatty, and umami components.”

Another driving force behind many craft mixologists’ culinary-inspired drinks comes from the desire to control waste and inventory. A New York Times story recently covered two roving bartenders who canvass cities asking for waste from coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants. They gather the trash ingredients and strain, sauté, ferment and recreate them into drink components. For example, the Mai Thai by Trask Kit includes rum infused with discarded pistachio shells, stock made of orange peels, boiled and blended almond croissants, lime husk citrus juice, and dried hibiscus, plus agave syrup.

“Mr. Griffiths and Ms. Ramage estimate that a single bar produces enough waste in one night to supply a two-night pop-up. They believe the average bar could save $550 a night simply by reusing 50 percent of its ingredients,” the article said.

Densford is also deeply committed to minimizing kitchen waste, as she constantly searches for surprising ingredients to include in her seasonal cocktails.

“Recently, I've been experimenting with fresno powder, citrus cordials, and bay stem bitters, all crafted from repurposed kitchen scraps that would typically be discarded,” she explained. “This dedication to sustainability not only adds a unique twist to my cocktails but also reinforces my commitment to reducing our environmental impact.”

Photos courtesy Hermitage Farm and New Riff Distilling.