Cheers

Cheers Jan/Feb 2017

Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.

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www.cheersonline.com 25 January/February 2017 • more lower- or no-alcohol drinks for guests partaking in pot, or developing cocktails that incorporate the legal compounds of the cannabis. COMPOUND ISSUES California legalized recreational marijuana in November, though medical marijuana use has been legal in the state since 1996. Two restaurants there, Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and Gratitude of Newport Beach—both owned by the vegan-centric company Love Serve Remember—already offered a number of drinks made with a marijuana tincture. These tinctures do not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the primary mind-altering ingredient derived from the buds and leaves of the cannabis plant. Rather, they use CBD (cannabidiol), a lesser-known molecular compound found in cannabis with medicinal properties. CBD is typically derived from the stalk of the cannabis plant and is legal for consumer purchase, explains Jason Eisner, beverage director for both restaurants. "CBD is anti-anxiety, an anti-depressant, a mood elevator," he says. "It will make you feel fantastic, mentally." But it will not get you high, as CBD does not create psychoactive effects like THC does. This key difference between THC and CBD is what allows Gracias Madre and Gratitude to serve their cannabis cocktails. These cocktails are not the equivalent of a joint or an edible, so customers should not expect to feel stoned, though they will experience the medicinal benefi ts of marijuana, Eisner explains. "It's like a heady indigo strain without the psychotropic effects," he says. "Customers will feel happy, but will also be able to drive afterwards." DRINKS WITH BUZZ Eisner adds CBD to his drinks through an olive-oil-based infusion so that the cannabis component separates from the rest of the cocktail and does not fully emulsify. "I want people to be able to see what we're giving them," he explains. His cocktails have humorous names that nod to their special ingredient. For instance, The Rolled Fashioned is mezcal anejo, bourbon, house-made sarsaparilla and aromatic bitters. The Stoney Negroni contains gin, Carpano vermouth, Amaro Contratto Aperitivo, and a spoonful of port wine. And the Sour T-iesel is made with tequila blanco, lime, agave, mint, matcha and aquafaba (water in which legume seeds such as chickpeas have been cooked; it's used as a substitue for egg white in drinks). The CBD-tinged cocktails at Gracias Madre and Gratitude sell for $20. The concept of cannabis cocktails is still so new that some guests do not know what to expect. "A lot of people would not anticipate to drink three or four of these cocktails and leave feeling great," Eisner says. STRAINS WITH UNIQUE TERROIR Eisner fi rst experimented with CBD from a purely culinary angle. That the drug also gave his drinks a strong medicinal effect was an unanticipated benefi t. The CBD that Eisner uses is "super fl oral" in aroma, he says, "like opening a fresh bag of [OG] Kush," the strain of cannabis often used for medical marijuana. Contrary to what some customers may expect, this CBD is not skunky in aroma like the smell of certain cannabis. "If we wanted it to be skunky, we could do that. Marijuana varieties are just as complex as any wine terroir on earth, Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and Gratitude of Newport Beach, CA, both owned by Love Serve Remember, offers a num- ber of drinks that incorporate CBD, a legal molecular compound derived from the cannabis plant. These include The Stoney Negroni (shown far left), with gin, Carpano vermouth, Amaro Contratto Aperitivox and port wine, and The Sour T-iesel, made with tequila blanco, lime, agave, mint, matcha and aquafaba. The Rolled Fashioned (right) features mezcal anejo, bourbon, house-made sarsaparilla and aromatic bitters; all of the CBD- infused cocktails are priced at $20. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ "MARIJUANA VARIETIES ARE JUST AS COMPLEX AS ANY WINE TERROIR ON EARTH, AND GIVE YOU AS MANY OPTIONS." —Jason Eisner, beverage director for California restaurants Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and Gratitude of Newport Beach.

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