Thinking of Drinking: RAMMY Nominees' Cocktails Today through June 18

Cocktail aficionados have an excellent opportunity coming up May 18 through June 18-- try each of the nominated cocktails for the RAMMY Awards "Beverage/Mixology Program of the Year"at Bourbon Steak, ChurchKey, EatFoodGroup, Estadio and Room 11.  Those ordering the signature cocktails at the nominated restaurants also have a chance to win tickets to the RAMMY Awards Gala on June 24th!   The cocktails were available to preview and highlighted flavors of grapefruit and peppery spices. 

ChurchKey’s Greg Engert is combining beer and booze in his innovative Farmhouse Punch, a mixture of Russian Standard Vodka, Pernod Ricard Absinthe, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and peppercorn syrup with Rayon Vert, a Belgian-style Pale Ale from Green Flash Brewing Co.  The combination is light and peppery, with the beer balancing the grapefruit and vodka nicely.  The strawberry and herb garnish compliment the flavors of the drink nicely.

Adam Bernbach, mixologist at Estadio is mixing up the Día de Descanso (meaning ‘Day of Rest’ in Spanish). The refreshing cocktail is made with Beefeater 24 Gin, housemade saffron and grapefruit syrup, fresh lime juice and sparkling wine, garnished with lime and mint.   Saffron adds a warming sensation similar to a sangria, but it is more tart than a typical sangria because of the grapefruit and lime juices mixed with gin.

At the preview, Room 11 showcased another of Dan Searing's cocktails, Chaos Theory, which combines Citra hop-infused Sauza Hornitos plata, grapefruit juice, simple syrup and Belgian Triple.  Chaos Theory is  topped with Tripel Karmeliet and then garnished with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, which made the drink for me.

Nominee Todd Thrasher of EatGoodFood Group has concocted a creative punch bowl cocktail, the 42 and Cloudy. The complex 12-ingredient drink is made with Cruzan White Rum, honey vodka, passion vodka, Sazerac rye, Brandy, New Zealand sauvignon blanc, sencha green tea, water, passion fruit juice, fresh lemon juice, Luxardo cherries and Champagne to taste. Diners can try the 42 and Cloudy at Virtue Feed & Grain in Alexandria, VA.  Inspired by a trip to New Zealand, this drink is one of those that sneaks up on you as you can only taste the green tea, passion fruit and lemon flavors.

While at Bourbon Steak, order The Huntress created by mixologist Duan Sylvestre, a unique cocktail made with Red Stag Bourbon, cold black tea, housemade sarsaparilla syrup and fresh lemon. This RAMMY cocktail is served in an absinthe-rinsed glass and garnished with a lemon twist.


Also, Room 11's signature cocktail is a citrusy Conquistador Punch. The summertime-perfect punch is a mix of Sauza Hornitos Tequila, Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 Oloroso Dulce, fresh lime and clementine juices, housemade clementine zest syrup and fresh clementines served over a large ice block. 


Diners who purchase a RAMMY cocktail at any of the five restaurants until June 18 will be eligible to win two tickets to the RAMMY gala on June 24. Consumers will fill out an information card for each RAMMY drink purchase and a winner will be chosen at random on June 18 at the end of the promotion.