Dansk Forår
Seriously, you guys…!
The spring/summer menu at Kester Thomas features a separate section of alcohol free drinks. The intended benchmark is to cater to non-alcoholic drinkers with a selection featuring the same quality and commitment to excellence as the boozier choices.
Dansk Forår is an excellent example of how this is achieved. Seedlip Garden 108* with its heavy green notes is a relatively new product inspired by shrub and oximel techniques, that is specifically designed to assume the role of the spirit in a non-alcoholic cocktail.
By using Seedlip, Dansk Forår achieves a more visceral and “vegetably” feel than most other non-alcoholic cocktails which tend to be on the fruity side. The central flavor notes are inspired by summer salads and Danish spring flavors and draws heavily on local and seasonal botanicals.
40 ml seedlip garden 108
30 ml homemade celery cordial
10 ml of ‘aqua faba’ (chickpea water)
1 barspoon champagne vinegar
1 slice of cucumber (just added to impart flavor during the shake)
Dry shake to form foam and then shake with ice to cool. Serve double strained, straight-up, in a ‘Nick and Nora’ glass. Garnished with cucumber ribbon and celery salt.
It has notes of celery (reinforced by the cordial and the celery salt garnish) and champagne vinegar on the draw, but with a strong finish of cucumber and champagne syrup. A good balance of sweetness against the vegetable flavors, while never feeling too heavy.
The Dansk Forår is nothing short of excellent, with the looks and taste to make the alcoholic cocktail drinkers seriously jealous. It’s the kind of cocktail that doesn’t hide the effort and care put into making it, but rather feels luxurious and austere. It achieves this without being neither masculine nor feminine, rather a testament to quality craftsmanship.
*Seedlip Garden can by acquired at Juul’s Vin og Spiritus in Copenhagen. If you’d like to learn more – read our feature article on Seedlip here.
Feeling inspired? Download nine other recommended recipes for alcohol free Seedlip Garden based cocktails here:
