'Official Drink of Austin' Unveiled

AUSTIN, TX — The thirst is real — for a brand-new cocktail to be dubbed the "Official Drink of Austin," that is. And on Thursday night, that thirst was sated.

But first (and to prolong the suspense) some background. Austin Food & Wine Alliance staged a competition among local bars for the honor of concocting the official cocktail with but one requirement: One locally sourced ingredient had to be used.

Many took up the challenge: ATX Cocina; Backbeat; Fulton; Garage; Juniper; Kemuri Tatsu-Ya; Nickel City; and Odd Duck. The competition took place on Thursday, May 10, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Fairmont Hotel, 101 Red River St.

Tickets to the competition were pricey — $70 general admission, $85 at the door — but for a good cause to create culinary grants. Bar bites from top restaurants, cocktail tastings and a dance party were among the featured fun activities. The panel of judges was composed of singer-songwriter Tameca Jones, New Waterloo pastry chef Amanda Rockman and Half Step owner Chris Bostick.

Context now out of the way, the winning cocktail was (drum roll please): Juniper. Spectrum News reported the popular restaurant whipped up something they dubbed "Town Lake Yacht Club," featuring Cynar 70, Italicus Rosolio and Waterloo Gin suffused with strawberry preserves and lemon and lime splashes topped with orange slices.

Juniper is no stranger to interesting pairings. The bar at 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St. describes its cuisine as delicate, Northern Italy-inspired while touting its gin cocktails amid a bucolic setting. Clearly, they know their way around a drink as well.

The event is one of several the Austin Food & Wine Alliance hosts throughout the year to raise funds for culinary grants. For more information, visit AustinFoodWineAlliance.org.

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