Euphoric Stage

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Cocktail History

The Euphoric Stage is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that we created for a cocktail challenge. It was inspired by the music video for “Tonight Tonight” by Celeste, which aims to capture the euphoric feeling of being in a new relationship. The short film is often dark and moody with lots of red and black and the occasional bizarre goings-on, so we wanted to use an equally unique list of ingredients. To start, we chose elderberry shrub for its distinct bittersweet taste and dark color as well as cherry liqueur as a nod to the cherry red themes throughout. We then paired both with gin, lemon, hibiscus, lavender, oak, and ginger.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

London Dry Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. We used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin because it’s versatile and high proof. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.

Elderberry Shrub: This is an apple cider vinegar-based ingredient that adds elderberry flavor and bitterness. We used Sweet’s Elderberry Shrub because it has a deep and dry flavor with notes of ginger.

Heering Cherry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Denmark with Stevens cherries, baking spices, almonds, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Hibiscus, Lavender, & Oak Bitters: This is a spirit made with florals, botanicals, water, and alcohol. We used Crude Bitters & Sodas “Bitterless Marriage” Hibiscus, Lavender, & Oak Bitters.

Ginger Bitters: This is a spirit made with ginger root, botanicals, water, and alcohol. We used Infuse Bitters Ginger Bitters because they have a rich and robust flavor profile.

Seltzer Water: This is a carbonated water that is made by injecting plain water with carbon dioxide. We used Polar Original Seltzer Water.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Tasting Notes

The Euphoric Stage features the faint aroma of elderberries with a flavor that initially features cherry sweetness and a bit of gin botanicals before fading into a combination of the shrub’s unique bittersweet berry flavor along with a touch of ginger, while the aftertaste leaves a slightly bitter note including berry, oakiness, and other botanicals.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This cocktail is unique and a great alternative to those made with sugary soda. We had a ton of fun coming up with the Euphoric Stage and think it turned out great, not only in taste but also in concept.

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Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“The video for this song is a trip of ups and downs, so Kendall and I came up with the idea of using a dark and brooding cocktail alongside a happy and light background designed as a nod to one of the scenes early on in the song. By using a few different dark ingredients we had lying around, namely Sweet’s Elderberry Shrub, we were able to create this cola-like concoction that featured the flavors of bitter elderberry, sweet cherry, gin botanicals, and just a bit of ginger, oak, and florals to top it off. It’s meant to be more on the dry side since the cherry liqueur and shrub are its only sweeteners, while the lime combined with the shrub for some pleasant bitterness and the soda brought effervescence and lightness to what otherwise feels pretty heavy with flavors.”

—

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“If you’re not used to the vinegary taste of shrubs, they can be tough to sip at first, but I honestly can’t imagine a more palatable way to drink an elderberry shrub than this cocktail. And it comes with a cool background to boot! Alex did a great job developing a recipe that captured the dark moodiness of Celeste’s video for ‘Tonight Tonight,’ and I wanted its photo to nod to it as well, hence the choice of background. This was a fun challenge, and the drink is worth a try if you’re a fan of the singer or elderberry’s deep flavor.”

Recipe

AuthorSips From Scripts

Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin and Monin Premium Cherry Syrup in place of the cherry liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.

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More Shrub Cocktails

If you like this shrub-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:

Rosemary Gin & Tonic: A gin cocktail made with grapefruit shrub, lime juice, grapefruit tonic water, grapefruit slices, and rosemary

Poinsettia Cooler: A tequila cocktail made with cranberry juice, cranberry shrub, lime juice, and cranberries

Oxford Comma: A gin cocktail made with dry vermouth, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, celery shrub, and lemon

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