SnowandCo

When we were younger, we’d ride our bikes down the street to buy Slurpees from the 7-11 on the corner. There was nothing like beating the summer heat with one of those magical frozen drinks.

We know that although we are adults now, we could theoretically still do this, but somehow it seems a little more preferable to order a grown-up alcoholic version at a local restaurant or bar. Luckily, there seems to be a frozen cocktail boom hitting the U.S. right now, and we are more than happy to contribute to its success.

Ready-to-drink frozen cocktails have been doing well in liquor stores for a while now; we’ve been writing about different frozen drink pouches that have been hitting the market over the past three years. However, one indicator that the trend is starting to take off is their integration into the mainstream bar and restaurant scene. Some establishments have created special frozen drink menus, but others – like Snow & Co. in Kansas City, MO – have built their businesses around the concept of frozen drinks.

Snow & Co. is bringing frozen cocktails beyond the pouch and artificial syrupy flavors and turning them into real works of alcoholic art. Their frozen cocktails are made from scratch and they use fresh squeezed juices, handmade syrups and premium spirits. Want a few examples? Here are some cool drinks from their menu:

  • The Rockefeller: Old Overholt rye whiskey infused with real cherries, Cinzano sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters.
  • Purple Rain: Chambord, blueberry infused Midnight Moon moonshine and fresh milk with a moonshine infused garnish.
  • Sunshine Boulevard: Boulevard Wheat intensified with local 360 Vodka, fresh orange juice and fresh lemon. “Like summertime in a glass.”

Other bars, like Battery Harris in Brooklyn, have been whipping up large scale batches of frozen drinks and serving them from slushy machines. The cocktail director, Saul Ranella, told The New York Timesthat he has a serious background in craft cocktails, so he was totally against it when the idea was first brought to him. However, after realizing he could fill these machines with quality frozen drinks, he conceded and doesn’t regret the decision at all.

Bar owners say that these frozen cocktails sell extremely well all year-round, which is obviously great for business. How long will the trend last? We don’t know…but we’re willing to sit down with a few frozen drinks and wait to find out.

Photo