Does your club have a signature cocktail or affiliation with a local brewery, distillery or winery? Every good drink has a story—what’s yours?
When I travel, I always try to get a taste of the local flavor by drinking something for which that area is known. For instance, when I visited the Club at New Seabury in Massachusetts last summer, I heard rave reviews about the sangria made by Pedro Gonzalez, who was the club’s Food & Beverage Director at that time. It was made from a family recipe passed down from generation to generation, and only Pedro knew the exact ingredients. So of course I had to try it—and it was amazing!
Similarly, while visiting Orlando, my wife and I had dinner at The Ritz-Carlton’s Whisper Creek Farm: The Kitchen at Grande Lakes. I asked the server if they offered any local beers, and his response was, “Is downstairs ‘local’ enough for you?” Turns out, Whisper Creek Farm: The Brewery is right there on property. So I enjoyed the Surplus Honey Citrus Ale with a delicious meal.
We’ve had several stories in C+RB recently about how club properties are now partnering with local breweries to offer exclusive beers. In our November 2019 issue, we wrote about how The Club at Wynstone in North Barrington, Ill. teamed with Lake Zurich Brewing Company to create what they, at first, thought was just going to be a seasonal summer ale. But the response was so incredible, they decided to brew it year-round—and it’s still the club’s top seller, by “a lot,” according to General Manager Jason Waters.
In Minnesota, among country clubs in the Twin Cities region, a debate rages as to which club originated the “Bootleg”—a blended mix of citrus (usually frozen lemonade from a tube) and fresh mint, spiked with a spirit and diluted with soda. Now Tattersall Distilling of Minneapolis is capitalizing on the craze with a bottled version that just needs some sparkling water to complete.
Closer to my home, Valley of the Eagles, a golf club in Elyria, Ohio, joined forces with my favorite local brewery—Sibling Revelry Brewing—to offer its guests a Valley of Eagles Pilsner. And for those who want bubbles, but don’t feel like a beer, the pair recently introduced a Sunday Red Cherry Seltzer. I’ve yet to try the latter, but if past performance predicts anything, it’s a winner.
Perhaps the most universally famous “country club drink” is the Arnold Palmer—part lemonade, part iced tea. The King’s classic concoction has been enjoyed by millions, both on and off the golf course. Piggybacking off its popularity, someone added a shot of vodka and called it a John Daly.
Looking for a cocktail unlike any other? Try the Azalea, the official cocktail of the Masters. It’s a simple mix of vodka, lemonade and grenadine. Whether you’re strolling the grounds at Augusta National or parked on your couch in front of the TV, this sounds really refreshing.
Does your club have a signature cocktail or affiliation with a local brewery, distillery or winery? If you have a signature cocktail, what’s its origin? Every good drink has a story. What’s yours?
Or, to paraphrase a long-running ad campaign: What’s in your blender?
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