Kinmont, Chicago’s entirely sustainable seafood restaurant and bar, recently introduced what most would consider a bizarre beverage—a pig’s blood cocktail. The establishment’s bartender extraordinaire, Jason Brown, came up with the concoction, cleverly naming it “Werewolves of London” after the 1970’s rock n’ roll hit.
Brown explains, “I’ve wanted to create a cocktail using blood for some time now, and when I recently re-heard the [Werewolves of London] lyric about a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic’s, it was the spark of inspiration I needed to make a tropical drink with a nod to the bloodthirsty nature of these creatures.”
And Brown did just that. By mixing Bombay Dry gin, Pimms No. 1, pineapple juice, coconut syrup and a small amount of pig’s blood, Brown was able to create a cocktail similar in flavor to a pina colada. Beginning with a scrumptious sweetness and ending with an iron, mineral-rich finish, “Werewolves of London” is proven to be a drink with a trendy taste.
Using animal blood may be shocking here in the States, but believe it or not, cooking with such ingredients is much more common in other countries. Available for $11 throughout the fall season, the cocktail has received a wide range of positive feedback, with most claiming that Brown’s drink is “flavorful, well-balanced and quite enjoyable.”
What do you think—would you care for a cocktail containing pig’s blood?