Prepare your tastebuds to be transported to a new dimension with the confounding familiarity of a citrusy spritz cocktail in cider form.
Joining an expanding lineup of cocktail-inspired ciders, Stem Ciders is thrilled to announce the debut of Astral Spritz to commemorate the opening of Meow Wolf Denver’s Sips (with a Z) at Convergence Station.
Inspired by the iconic Italian Aperol Spritz cocktail, Astral Spritz showcases notes of candied mandarin oranges, grapefruit zest, and red berries while also featuring its familiar bubbly effervescence. A gentle touch of bitterness helps to cut the sweetness while still maintaining a tart citrusy balance.
In order to replicate the nostalgia of the bright sessionable Aperol Spritz cocktail made popular by its citrus and rhubarb liqueur backbone, the Stem Ciders team leaned heavily on mandarin orange, tangelo, and grapefruit in various forms.
“We found we could replicate the slight berry/vegetal note from the rhubarb by infusing a bit of our house hibiscus tea, which is also used in our Hibiscus cider,” said Patrick Combs, Director of Liquids for Stem Ciders. “For the bitter component, we came up with a blend of botanicals that imparted an ever-so-slight bitterness that would be reminiscent of the classic cocktail.”
Stem Ciders has experienced a slew of recent success with other cocktail-inspired ciders such as Paloma, Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Mint Julep, and its Imperial tiki-inspired ciders including Piña Colada, Hurricane Haze, Singapore Sling, and Cobra’s Fang.
When the opportunity arose to create a cider for Meow Wolf Denver’s Sips (with a Z), the Stem Ciders team began exploring a host of out-of-this-world unconventional cider creations that could match the mind-bending artistic experiences that have become synonymous with visiting Meow Wolf.
“They really wanted a base that they could serve straight or plus up into something even more fun with a shot of Mezcal or a floater of Prosecco, so creating something that could further be a canvas for their mixologists was important,” explained Combs. “I think we landed in a really fun place with Astral Spritz – it’s refreshing and complex on its own, but it’s a flavor shapeshifter. Adding a shot of mezcal pulls a lot more botanical notes and pairs with the citrus nicely. Adding a floater of prosecco takes you even closer to the OG cocktail. I’m going to try it with a float of gin next – these flavors are so agreeable to so many things…the possibilities really are endless!”
Astral Spritz is now available at Meow Wolf Denver’s newly opened lounge, Sips (with a Z), at select liquor stores throughout Colorado, as well as in 12oz cans from all Stem Ciders locations.
Be the first to comment