5 Ways Coronavirus is Helping Make Cocktails More Approachable
Back in the day when we could actually leave our house, the type of drink we identified with was very important. While beer and wine have relatively maintained their reputation as citizens shelter in place, we dare say that cocktails have taken America by storm once again. So how did Prohibition version 2.0 come about so quickly? We’ve got thoughts.
1. Cocktail Delivery
Making cocktails from scratch is fun, but if you didn’t have a fully stocked home bar prior to quarantine, we’re talking the kind with L’orgeat and all the modifiers you can dream of, constant trips to the liquor store would likely do more harm than good. Thankfully, cocktail delivery services like Sourced Craft Cocktails are still delivering pre-made cocktail mixes along with booze right to your front door. And the best part? You can feel good about knowing your lack of margarita making skills is actually a good thing. Sourced is employing bartenders who have lost their jobs to help with deliveries and proceeds from the sale of each cocktail will be donated to the USBG Bartender Relief Fund to help the bartending community get through this.
Cody Goldstein, a beloved bar personality. Photo: Muddling Memories/Facebook
2. We Miss Cocktail Bartenders More Than We Admit
Okay, maybe you asked for a vodka soda and your drink maker responded, “Are you sure that’s what you want here?” We get it. Some cocktail bartenders need to work on their delivery just like every other profession. But now that we can’t get out to ANY bar, there’s something missing about interacting with someone who just really cares about expanding your horizons by making you a delicious drink with 17 different ingredients and textures and perfectly formed ice cubes.
Take that negroni to go. Photo: Dante-NYC.com
3. Cocktails To Go
While Covid-19 is not an excuse to drink in the street no matter how stir crazy you get, there’s something immeasurably wonderful about being able to grab a cocktail to go. Ever wanted to enjoy one of Dante’s negronis but can’t ever get in because it’s packed all the time? Problem, meet solution. Being able to spend cash on cocktails is a luxury, we get it. But treating yourself every once in awhile has its merits, and if you can grab a drink that has always played hard to get, why not go for it?
Bottled cocktails are trending up these days. Photo: Existing Conditions/Facebook
4. The Rise of Bottled Cocktails
You don’t have to be a a scientist like Dave Arnold to enjoy bottled cocktails. With so many people becoming aware of this unique cocktail species thanks to the bar world’s continued creativity, we’re banking that White Claw will have some company this summer when it comes to what we’ll be drinking out of coolers.
This place has everything except a license. Photo: Google Maps
5. The return of Illegal Speakeasies
We’re not advocating group meet ups right now, but we are going to say that the return of illegal speakeasies is probably going to have a positive impact down the line. We always want what we can’t have, and the fact some people are risking it all to grab drinks and socialize with one another, as stupid as that is, means cocktail culture will reinvent itself and carry on despite the entire hospitality industry being on the brink of collapse.