Even if it doesn't feel like it in San Francisco, we're in the throes of fall, which means it's the perfect time to set aside your summer cocktail standbys and mix it up with something complex and savory. To this end, we asked the talent behind four of our favorite watering holes to create a brand-new cocktail for us to sample. We wanted to try something fresh and unexpected that hinited at each bartender's personality and background—and they certainly delivered. From beverages with notes of artichoke and aloe vera to a drink that'll take you straight back to an early fall barbecue, these tequila-forward cocktails will have you sipping pretty this season.
Head to each establishment to sample the bartender's recipe in person, or bust out your strainer and shaker to mix them up at home. Each week, we'll spotlight a different bartender, their exclusive cocktail recipe, and the backstory behind the drink. Vote for your favorite below—the bartender with the most votes will be featured on 7x7.com.
Must be 21 and over to vote.
Mixologist Riel Peloquin
The Cocktail: Choke Agave
Notes from the mixologist: This cocktail is inspired by my brief six-month stint in Hawaii and my love of the famous artichoke soup at Duarte's in Pescadero, California. It reminds me of the flavors of tropics, fall, and the Southwest, all in one sip. It also references the Hawaiian slang term “choke,” means an abundance. I always loved that!
Recipe:
1 ½ ounces Hornitos Black Barrel
½ ounce Cynar liqueur (artichoke liqueur)
Dash of Fee Brothers bitters
Garnish: orange peel
Stir in mixing glass, and pour over fresh ice in tumbler. Garnish wish orange peel.
Mixologist Julio Bermejo
The Cocktail: The Tommy's Black Aloe Barrel
Notes from the mixologist: My inspiration is always been to preserve the character of Double Barrel. I like to work in a few light accents, as the spirit is already delicious.
Recipe:
2 ounces Hornitos Black Barrel
1 ounce Aloe Vera Juice
1/2 ounces apple juice
2 drops lime juice
2 drops Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
Put all ingredients put in shaker, shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.
Bartender Curtis Hefley
The Cocktail: The Family Reunion
Notes from the bartender: With the maple syrup from Vermont up north, the absinthe down south in New Orleans, and the tequila aged in whiskey barrels, you have the most eclectic of families. Add in the backyard bitters, and it's like long-lost family members are sitting around the campfire.
Recipe:
2 ounces Hornitos Black Barrel tequila
Dash of Vermont maple syrup
1 measure BarMatt Backyard (BBQ) Bitters
Absinthe wash
Garnish: lemon zest
Add ice to a mixing glass, then maple syrup, Backyard Bitters, and Hornitos Black Barrel and stir. Wash a rock glass with absinthe, add fresh ice, and strain. Rub lemon around rim of the glass and add a lemon twist.
Mixologist Erick Ochoa
The Cocktail: Midnight Lover
Notes from the mixologist:
My cocktail is composed of two parts—that’s the idea behind the lover concept for the name. It’s like two people coming together, becoming more as two than they are as one. The two parts are meant to be consumed side by side, and the aged tequila and the rum come together like the best love affair you ever had. When sipped together they create a harmony of silky, bitter, slightly charred flavor of the Hornitos Black Barrel in contrast to the fruity, green flavors of the infused Hornitos Silver that play off each other like two lovers.
Recipe:
2 ounces Hornitos Black Barrel
¾ ounce Rom Zacapa 23yrs
½ ounce Cynar (artichoke liquor)
¼ ounce Chareu (aloe vera liquor)
1 dash of Pechaud’s bitters
1 dash of Angostura bitters
1 ounce Hornitos Silver, infused with pears and pineapple sage
Stir all ingredients together except for Hornitos Silver, and strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Express one orange peel over the cocktail and leave in the glass. Chill Hornitos Silver infusion and serve on the side of the main cocktail.
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