For our “Homegrown Issue,” we asked bartenders from a few of our favorite spots in the city to create cocktails using only local ingredients. Their creative concoctions showcase the talents of area distillers, herbalists and coffee roasters (as well as their own), while putting the fall harvest to good use outside the kitchen.
The Witching Hour
Matilda Midnight Mallory Burns bartender makes drink called The Witching Hour.Created by Matilda Midnight bartender Mallory Burns
What you need:
2 ounces Lass & Lions Rush Vodka (local vodka infused with clove, green tea and yerba mate)
3/4 ounce Matilda Midnight’s house ginger liqueur
1/4 ounce Granny Smith Apple Shrub (recipe follows)
What you do:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a dehydrated apple slice and a sprig of fresh rosemary from the garden.
Granny Smith Apple Shrub Recipe
What you need:
2 (local) Granny Smith apples (These were sourced from Linda’s Fruit Stand.)
2 cups raw apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups Sugar in the Raw turbinado sugar
What you do:
Add vinegar and sugar to a saucepan on low heat to dissolve sugar. Dice apples and add to vinegar/sugar mix. Seal in a large mason jar and store in refrigerator for 4-5 days. Strain out apples and store in refrigerator. This will stay good for up to six months.
Weekend Warrior
The Fix bartender Nathan Herron created the Weekend Warrior.Created by The Fix bartender Nathan Herron
What you need:
2 ounces Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Cask
1 ounce Velo cold brew coffee
1/4 ounce local honey syrup
What you do:
Combine all ingredients in a stirring glass, add ice, stir it up (like Bob Marley intended) and strain neat into a coupe. Garnish with some flowers from the garden if you want to make it nice and pretty.
Honest Buck
Beast + Barrrel bartender “JB” Bryant mixes an Honest Buck.Created by Beast + Barrel bartender Ryan A. Fisher
What you need:
2 ounces Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Reserve
1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes of Beast + Barrel’s lemongrass tincture
What you do:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake and strain into a Collins glass with a house-made aromatic bitters ice cube. Top with ginger beer and an orange peel.
Hot & Chatty
Lauren Masters, bartender at St. John’s Restaurant, creates a cocktail called a Hot & Chatty, made with entirely local ingredients.Created by St. John’s Restaurant bartender Lauren Masters
What you need:
1 1/2 ounces Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Reserve
1/4 ounce Mercier Orchards apple cider
2 bar spoons of Ooltewah Bee Co. wildflower honey
3 local scuppernongs
4 drops “Wild Bergamot” bitters from The Bitter Bottle
4 ounces Wooden Spoon Herbs “Bless Your Heart” hibiscus tea
What you do:
Remove the skins from the scuppernongs. Combine skins and whiskey in a glass and muddle. Strain into a footed mug to remove scuppernong skins. Then combine all other ingredients in the footed mug and stir. Meant to be served warm.