SIPS

IN GOOD SPIRITS

How the bar pros at Death & Co. transform the ingredients for a classic Thai soup into a perfect-forsummer take on the piña colada.

The ivory-hued masterpiece gains pops of color (and a bright burst of aroma) from a bouquet of mint and fresh Thai chile and a silvery metal straw.

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The mixologists at RiNo’s Death & Co. make whipping up their new-thissummer Stone Room cocktail look effortless—but preparing the drink to order is just the tip of the ice cube. Before reaching the mouths of thirsty patrons, the Thai-inspired cocktail endured a multimonth recipe development and testing process involving the 14 bartenders employed at the Denver outpost of the popular New York City bar, which opened in the Ramble Hotel’s light-drenched, chandelieradorned lobby in 2018.

The result is a slightly spicy, sophisticated take on a piña colada, one of 36 riffs on classic cocktails invented and refined by the beverage pros this season. “The flavor profiles are really unique but also very familiar if you love Southeast Asian cuisine,” says bar manager Alex Jump. Here, we break down what goes into the decadent, $17, Instagram-worthy

marvel. —SARAH KUTA

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To infuse the cocktail with the bright, zesty flavors of tom kha—a coconut-milkbased soup that’s a staple of Thai and Laotian cuisines— bartenders craft a special syrup. They cook coconut water and milk, ginger, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, Thai chiles, lime husks, and sugar in a sous vide water bath for two hours before straining the solids from the fragrant liquid.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SARAH BANKS

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After adding a few pieces of ice, they shake the mixture to combine the ingredients and chill it slightly, then pour it into a footed Pilsner glass brimming with pebble ice. “The drink has a decent amount of sweetness, so it’s considered a dessert cocktail,” Jump says. “But the pebble ice melts more quickly than regular ice and helps to dilute the drink just a little bit and keep it balanced.”

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In a cocktail shaker, they combine the tom kha syrup with cane syrup, freshsqueezed lemon juice, Probitas Rum, and “Snow Maiden” Nigori Ginjo Sake. The white rum brings richness and hints of vanilla to the drink, while the sake adds floral notes.