Cheers

Sumi Robata, a Japanese robatayaki restaurant in Chicago, offers several bottled cocktails, which change seasonally. GALDONES PHOTOGRAPHY PDT in New York use it in a riff on the Collins, with Plymouth gin, lemon and grapefruit juices, topped with Champagne. Syrup concentrates have a longer shelf life than sodas since they don't go flat, though they must be refrigerated after opening. Jack Rudy Cocktail Co., based in Charleston, SC, also crafts a small-batch tonic concentrate used in about 300 bars around the country, and sold at retail in packs of two 17-oz. bottles for $32. Founder and president Brooks Reitz describes his tonic as a cleaner, more "feminine" alternative to similar products on the market—a contrast to brands that favor heavier, robust winter spices and an intense flavor profile. "The botanicals introduce themselves quietly, and at the end you get that pleasant, bitter quinine sensation" Reitz says. "I want the tonic to lift up the gin, not mask it." Reitz says tonic syrups also allow for creating Gin and Tonics in a keg—a great option for high-volume bars—as well as using it as an aromatically bitter ingredient in drinks. The company's Jack and the Beanstalk cocktail is made with Bluecoat gin, Jack Rudy tonic, grapefruit juice and Aperol. "It introduces sweetness, tartness and bitterness," he notes. "It's an easy way to elevate a very simple cocktail to another level." POPPING BOTTLES Premixed cocktails bottled in-house are literally popping up all over drinks menus. Sumi Robata Bar and Charcoal Bar, a 35-seat traditional Japanese robatayaki restaurant in Chicago, offers several bottled cocktails, which change seasonally. "It's a fairly simple process, www.cheersonline.com but it does take some prep work," admits Sumi Robata beverage director Matthew Lipsky. He starts by creating a batch of about 25 cocktails, and then adding water to dilute each drink so mixing it with ice is unnecessary. The batch is transferred via a funnel to 180-ml. sparkling wine bottles, which are sealed with bench crown cappers crimped around the top of each bottle. Current offerings, each priced at $12, include Dragon's Milk, with vodka, cucumber, mint, Nigori sake, white pepper and lime, and The Sad Flute, with Bourbon, ginger, yuzu and grapefruit. Sumi sells around 150 bottled drinks per week year-round; that number increases to 250 when the patio is open during the summertime. "Guests seem to like how accessible and fun the presentation is," says Lipsky. The drink is served alongside a glass, but most patrons prefer to drink the cocktails directly from the small bottles. An added benefit, especially in the warmer months, is that even though the drinks are potent, the effervescence renders the alcohol approachable rather than overpowering. The 210-seat Trummer's on Main in Clifton, VA, which focuses on creative American cuisine inspired by the Virginia agricultural community, offers four bottled cocktails, each priced at $10. Batch #3 mixes Gran Centenario Rose tequila, Byrrh, Cocchi Americano and cassis; Batch #4 "Cherry Coke" combines Coke and vanilla with fresh cherries steeped in a mixture of liqueurs. Owner Stefan Trummer says that the labor intensity of these drinks on the onset will pay off at the time of service. "Guests JULY/AUGUST 2013 | 37

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