The organic movement is really sweeping the nation. While most obvious in the realm of food service, organic products are becoming more important in nearly every industry. There are even many organic options for clothing, home décor and cleaning products. The world of alcoholic beverages and mixology is no exception. Organic beer and wine have been popular for quite some time, but a bit slower to take off has been the organic liquor and cocktail market.
The high-end cocktail market is really taking off in some of the larger metropolitan areas of the United States. One of the catalysts in this market is the use of organic ingredients. Many drinks use fresh produce and organic herbs to give them that high-end taste, but in recent years there has been an explosion in actual organic spirits.
The first of the wholly organic spirits was vodka by the name of Spirit One. It was launched in 2005, and in the years since there has been an explosion in other organic liquors. Several large bars, restaurants and hotel chains carry these organic beverages in their bars. In fact, Gordon Ramsay offers organic cocktails at many of his restaurants.
So what makes organic alcohol organic? The beverage must be made of ingredients from certified organic farms, and they must be handled on equipment that has been certified organic. So not only are the grains used organic, it means that no fertilizers or pesticides are used in the entire growing and distilling process.
So, with these new organic alcohols available, how do mixologists use them to create both new and classic beverages? Ideally, these drinks are made using organic mixers too. This is easier to find, there are many organic sodas, juices and of course organic fruits and herbs that can be used when making drinks. Bartenders looking to make organic drinks simply need to use some creativity and they can create fun organic cocktails.
As you can see, organic liquor and cocktails are a new category of speciality beverages. If these drinks have not taken off in your area, they probably will within the next few years. If you haven’t worked with any of the organic liquors yet, find the time to check them out and see how they can work with your current recipes as well as use them as a launching point to make a variety of new organic alcoholic drinks.