When the pandemic hit, a majority of us turned to our own home bars to fulfil all of our alcoholic needs and tried our hand at mixology. Suffice it to say, not all of us were too successful, choosing to stick to the tried and tested favourites instead – old monk and coke, anyone?
But that’s changing with the rise of all-new homegrown alcohol mixer companies, giving you a craft cocktail experience right at home, without you having to buy a variety of extra accompaniments. From classics like Palomas to new twists on favourites like a salted caramel old-fashioned, elevate your bar game with these mixers and impress at your next house party or date.
I. Blind Gilt
Stemming from the folklore of the prohibition era, the ‘Blind Gilt’ is a young female pig that escaped the slaughterhouse and took refuge in a bar, creating cocktails that enhanced the flavours of the spirits that people were trying to hide. And their mixers do exactly that. Blind Gilt is available in a variety of cocktail mixers that you can add your favourite vodka, tequila, dark rum, gin, and whiskey to. With 180 ML per bottle serving three drinks each and gorgeous packaging to boot, each box of 6 retails at INR 1194. A steal if we do say so ourselves.
Recommendations: The Paloma and The Appletini
Follow them here.
II. May & Co
May & Co serves up bar-quality syrups and shrubs handcrafted in small batches for all your cocktail needs. Founded by Mayank Mohindra, he says, “May & Co was incepted out of a desire for better, more honest product, a deep belief and a love for local produce.” All their ingredients are sourced fresh from local farms, with high-quality, seasonal ingredients, giving you a superior tasting mixer. They currently have India’s first and only Spiced Tonic Syrup. Unlike a regular mixer, their cocktail syrups give you the flexibility to experiment with tons of flavour combinations and adjust the sweetness/sourness exactly to your tastes. Their biggest bottle of 480 ML will make 16-24 cocktails at INR 1900. They also have a sampler pack with 4 bottles of 120 ML each.
Recommendations: The Demerara Gum Syrup and The Peach Shrub
Follow them here.
III. Two Ounces
Bengaluru-based bartenders and mixologists Karthik Kumar and Prathik Shetty, are of the opinion that cocktail enthusiasts must be able to enjoy their indulgence anytime, anywhere, and thanks to a recent increase in house parties, founded their brand Two Ounces. Formed with natural ingredients like berries, edible flowers and spices, their mixers are classics, but with a twist. From incorporating jackfruit into a mojito to tweaking chai into a new cocktail, their mixers are classics with interesting flavours. They are also available in travel sizes, so now you can crack open a cold one in your hotel room without blowing the budget on the minibar. At INR 249 for 200 ML, we suggest trying out all nine of their club signatures.
Recommendations: The Salted Caramel Old Fashioned and The Clarified Bloody Mary
Follow them here.
IV. Bartisans
Mumbai-based mom and son duo Jovita and Jordan Mascarenhas created Bartisans in the middle of the pandemic, stemming from a love of high-quality (duty-free) alcohol. Starting out by delivering made-to-order cocktail mixers in Mumbai, they are now selling bottled versions of their uniquely flavoured mixers pan-India. A certified bartender from the European Bartenders School, Jordan curates their mixers using local and seasonal ingredients. The 240 ML bottles can make 5 to 8 drinks each and are priced at INR 590. If you have a specific spirit you want to use, you can also try their sampler packs for mixers that will go perfectly with your spirit of choice.
Recommendations: Hibiscus & Lavender Cocktail Mixer and Apple & Cinnamon Cocktail Mixer
Follow them here.
V. Ek Aur
Signature cocktail mixers created with natural ingredients, a low sugar content, as well as being completely vegan, Mumbai-based Dheeraj Dhawan, Kanishk Saran and Vishvan Saran started Ek Aur after finding that there was a lack of good-quality mixers in the market. Just add ice, your spirit of choice, and shake, and you have a pitcher of bar-quality drinks ready to go. Available in packs of 4, 8, and 12, you have your choice of mixer for your favourite spirit. Ranging from INR 576 to INR 1728, each bottle makes two stiff drinks.
Recommendations: Berry Crush Cosmopolitan and Cucumber Gimlet
Follow them here.
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