Article written by Jefferson VanBilliard

Being ordered to stay home for weeks at a time is fine when the weather outside is as hostile and cold as a bitter ex but this past week has been an exercise in patience with temperatures expected to reach almost 90 degrees. While the entire state flocks to Newport and residents in Huntington beach do their best Florida impressions most of us “normies” just want to stay alive without dying from boredom. Which means dimming the lights and playing “Kokomo” on repeat is the closest most of us will get to any sort of vacation for the foreseeable future.

This week Cannavis, a brand that has become synonymous with edibles, stimulated our economy once again by gifting the world a 600mg pairing of glycerin-based flavors including their already famous Strawberry syrup and their newest offering, the citric based Orange Cream. For cocktail enthusiasts the creamy and slightly acidic syrup will be a welcome addition to any citrus based cocktails you’ll likely be sippin’ on this summer. If “mixology” isn’t your thing don’t panic! Pouring your desired amount into your favorite soft drink will still yield impressive results.

Before we get into mixing the actual drink, let’s go over a little history about cocktails themselves.

Cocktails have been made for a long time, most likely originating in India with punch. British sailors use to concoct drinks with five ingredients: liquor, sweetener, citrus, tea or spices, and water. Debatably native to India, or invented by the British sailors there at the time, punch was brought back to England and quickly spread to the most fashionable drinking establishments. Punch was served hot or cold depending on the season, and sharing a punch bowl at the pub was common among gentlemen of the time. Gaining in popularity, punch was made to order at public houses and taverns all over the world. A headwaiter at a hotel in London became famous for his well-made gin punch. His name was John Collins, and his punch soon became known as the “Tom Collins”.

People all over the world began mixing their own punch, and America in particular was a major consumer of alcohol for pleasure. Through the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s drinking alcohol was wildly fashionable. Whiskey, bitters (originally made as medicine), and sugar was prepared the old-fashioned way. This combined with the growing popularity of vermouth became the foundation for many drinks we continue to imbibe today.

The cocktail is an inherently American contribution to the history of drinking. Contrary to what many people believe about “classic cocktails”, prohibition ruined cocktails in America. 1919–1933 was a dark time for the American cocktail. Many pre-prohibition recipes and ingredients were lost and many bartenders moved to Europe to continue their profession. What was left was low quality imported booze and a bunch of people mixing drinks that were unfamiliar with bartending. Very few drinks actually came from this era and the few recipes still hanging around today were created by ex-patriot bartenders in Europe, not by heavy-handed amateurs hiding in speakeasies. The modern cocktail movement began in the 1990’s, and now the attention to detail required to make quality drinks has spread from big city establishments to many local bars, restaurants, and even your own home.

For this particular drink we aren’t going to be using traditional liquor at all, instead Kombucha which has naturally occurring alcohol will be used to mimic a classic bar shot known as the boilermaker. In the late 1800’s this combination of beer chased with warm whiskey rose to popularity amongst the coal miners and cattle wranglers in Wyoming’s rough wilderness. Throughout the years the boilermaker has been forgotten, evolved and remembered again but for cocktail historians the simplicity of the duo’s results will remain rooted in America’s long storied history.

The aptly named Cannavis Kooler is a far cry from the coal miner drink it mimics but it still gets the job done thanks to the Cannavis syrup doing the heavy lifting. For this cocktail you will need the following,

⁃ Kombucha (Ginger-Lime flavor)

⁃ Ginger Beer (or Ale if you’re a sissy)

⁃ Pineapple juice

⁃ Cannavis Syrup (Orange Cream)

Start by layering your shot glass with the desired amount of Cannavis first, followed by the pineapple juice. In the pint glass mix equal parts Kombucha to the ginger beer.

After this all you have left to do is drop the shot into the pint, chug it, and wait for the effects to melt you into a puddle. Seriously, this syrup says EXTRA STRENGTH for a reason.

Enjoy responsibly and remember, STAY HOME!