After 36 cocktails, five rounds of competition, and thousands of votes, we have a winner of the 2024 Cocktail Most Likely to Go Viral contest!
Thank you to everyone who submitted cocktail recipes and voted in this year's contest! We received our greatest number of entries ever, and Bar & Restaurant News appreciates the opportunity to highlight some of the creative concoctions being served across our industry.
In the Finals, it came down to:
- Yaas Queen by Beverage Director Alex Aportela, Amelia's 1931
- Electric Daisy by Head Bartender, Dana Lachenmayer, The Wesley
The winning cocktail combined stunning color with a multi-sensory experience thanks to a Buzz Button garnish.
Congratulations to the 2024 Cocktail Most Likely to Go Viral...
Electric Daisy
Recipe & Photo by Head Bartender, Dana Lachenmayer, The Wesley*
Ingredients:
2 oz. of "Daisy Batch"
- 1.5 oz La Gritona Reposado
- .5 oz Black Peppercorn-infused Sieta Leguas Anejo
1.5 oz. Acid Adjusted Celery Juice
- Clarified using agar agar
.5 oz. Meyer Lemon Sorbet
- Meyer lemon peels macerated overnight in sugar and then blended with fresh Meyer lemon juice and kaffir lime leaves
3 dashes of Saline
Top with club soda
Garnish with a "Buzz Button" using a clothespin (Recommend to the guest to eat the flower before enjoying the cocktail for a sensory experience)
*Note: The Wesley closed on April 1.
A few more details about the cocktail created by Head Bartender Dana Lachenmayer:
- The "Daisy Batch" consists of black peppercorn-infused Sieta Leguas Anejo tequila and La Gritona Reposado tequila. La Gritona tequila is distilled by a local family in Valle de Guadalupe. The female producer, Melly Barajas, and her small staff of local women house the spirit in bottles made from recycled Mexican glass that is hand blown. The tequila is additive-free, and all leftover agave is donated to local farmers to feed their cattle.) and 0.5 oz Black Peppercorn infused Sieta Leguas Anejo.
- The Buzz Button is a member of the Daisy family and comes from the tropical, humid climates of the Amazon and Southeast Asia. It has many names, including Szechuan flower, Toothache Plant, and Electric Daisy. The bioactive compound in the flower responsible for the numbing, tingling, and effervescent sensation is called Spilanthol. In addition to being a cool cocktail trick, it has a long history in medicinal and culinary use.
Here's a look at the final bracket:
Be sure to congratulate the winner on social media using the hashtag, #BRviralcocktail! And look out for our next contest going live in July: the second annual Best Frozen Cocktail contest!
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