The hot days of summer are a great time to try a new cocktail at Basil 1791. We sat down with BA Boggess, bar manager at Basil 1791 to learn about the cocktail development process and some emerging trends in the cocktails they serve.
They strive to offer new and familiar flavors in abundance while retaining a simplicity that appeals to all visitors. “We try to work with different ingredients and new brands of alcohol, trying things out. We keep things simple but also elegant. We want to have a bunch of options for martinis and cocktails available,” says Boggess.
Mixing Wine and Spirits
The trend may sound unusual, but these days, the combo is common: Basil’s bar features the Malbec Thoroughbred, a surprisingly smooth flavor combo of bourbon and Malbec wine with a little sour and lemon to complete the finish. On the Martini list, you’ll usually find a version of the “Sake Tini,” a cocktail that mixes vodka or other spirits with sake, a rice wine popular in Japan. Whether you combine wine with spirits or just check out the wine list on its own, there’s something for everyone.
“We have nice bottles of wine when you are here to celebrate,” Boggess adds. “We keep a variety of everything: our cocktails aren’t all vodka. We involve bourbon a lot, since we have over 35 kinds of bourbon.” With the bourbon craze, that’s one of the most varied bourbon bars in the Hamilton area, so try a new bourbon today.
Fruit-Forward and Refreshing Options
Refreshing drinks are always high on the list, so if you haven’t tried Basil’s twists on a variety of classics, give them a chance. Basil’s strawberry lemonade surprises by actually including basil in the recipe because it goes so well with strawberry puree. The Red Dragon martini features flavors of raspberry, pomegranate, and lime for a bit of sour alongside the sweetness.
Lastly, choose a mule or a mojito if you know you love ginger or mint. The mules at Basil vary in which fruit they feature and the mojitos sometimes have different flavors of rum, like dragon fruit, so you won’t see the same ones every season – get them while you can!
“People really like twists on mules, like a strawberry mule. The options are endless: ginger beer, lime, and you can mix anything you want with it, as far as spirits go,” says Boggess. “We always run some different Long Islands, switching in new ones, incorporating flavored vodkas and fruit bases. Those do well in the summertime. Fruit-based drinks with plenty of sweetness are so nice and refreshing for a hot summer day.”
Asian Influence With Asian Fusion Cuisine
Not every ingredient on the cocktail list is recognizable. For instance, lychee juice makes it onto the menu often, sometimes as a martini, and this distinctive fruit from China tastes… well, like no other fruit: it’s sweet and tropical, perfect when mixed with a little mango puree.
Basil’s Asian Fusion cuisine offers many tempting options to pair with the extensive list of craft beers and boutique wines on offer alongside the cocktail menu. Boggess encourages people to take advantage of the urban downtown feel of the Basil 1791 patio. “When the rain holds off, our patio gets a lot of business, getting to be right in downtown. You can see what’s going on in the city. People don’t realize until they visit just how busy it is with all the new stores. You can sit down, relax, and keep an eye on what Hamilton has going on,” Boggess says.