Tabbing out after a night on Denver’s bar scene can be alarming these days, especially if you didn’t look at the cost of your cocktail beforehand. Things can get pricey for those who are abstaining, too, as even mocktails are creeping toward double-digit dollars.
“Whether it’s liquor or produce or the price of a paper towel, the cost of goods has continued to rise post-pandemic,” said Tyson Buhler, the food and beverage director for Gin & Luck, the company that owns Death & Co., a cocktail bar at 1280 25th St. And that doesn’t even take into account the rising cost of rent and real estate, especially in Denver. “Every aspect of a business has to be taken into account when pricing menu items.”
The result? Denver has surged passed the $20 cocktail point to $25 and beyond. But bartenders want to make the experience worth the cost, stepping up their game with touches like foggy oolong mist, 100-proof alcohol, and cocktails big enough to serve a group of four.
“As a bartender, the prospect of making as many different drinks and styles of cocktails as I can for our guests is what keeps every day fresh and engaging,” added Evan Flynn, the bar lead of Death & Co., whose cocktails range from $17 to $24.
So, get your camera ready. Here are seven $20-and-up cocktails worth the price.
Adrift Tiki Bar
Day-O Daq — $20
Every island-inspired concoction at Adrift Tiki Bar makes you feel like you’re tanning on the beach. The Day-O Daq is the bar’s ode to Harry Belafonte, the artist behind the popular song “Day-O,” also known as the Banana Boat song made famous in the film Beetlejuice. Chances are, you’ll hear that song playing at least once on any given night.
Served frozen in a banana mug and garnished with a dolphin made out of a banana, it’s a rum blend with banana liqueur, cinnamon simple syrup, homemade coconut cream and lime. Just throw on some glasses and you can almost taste the salty air.
218 S. Broadway, Denver; adriftbar.com
Union Lodge No. 1
Red, White & Blue Blazer — $20
Union Lodge No. 1 prides itself on crafting pre-prohibition-style specialty cocktails as a tribute to American bars in the late 19th century.As such, the Red, White & Blue Blazer pays homage to the showmanship of American bartenders.
Here, they light 151-proof Demerara Rum and 100-proof bourbon on fire. Then the blue flame is tossed back and forth between mugs for a real display. But the Red, White & Blue Blazer — made with Applejack brandy, cinnamon and house bitters — is so fiery that it’s the only drink on the menu limited to one per guest.
1543 Champa St., Denver; unionlodge1.com
La Forêt
La Forêt — $23
La Forêt and Union Lodge No. 1 share the same craft cocktail-conscientious owners, couple Mike Huggins and Lenka Juchelkova. So it’s no surprise they brought their specialty touch to South Broadway with the debut of their alpine forest-inspired cocktail lounge and restaurant in March.
The forestry theme is rooted in the aspen trees transported from Colorado and planted around the bar’s space and seeps into the cocktail menu, created by Williams & Graham alumni Jason Patz. If you want to make a whole table whip their heads around, order the La Forêt namesake cocktail with Calvados, spiced honey liqueur and Genepy herb liqueur, which sits in a mossy bowl oozing out a misty oolong fog.
38 S. Broadway, Denver; laforetdenver.com
Death & Co.
Oakthorn — $24; Wavelength — $24
Whether you’re feeling “boozy & honest” or “elegant & timeless” — categories on Death & Co’s cocktail menu — the sophisticated setting in RiNo’s Ramble Hotel, with its glittering chandeliers, sprawling arched mirrors and a seasonal rooftop terrace, is the perfect backdrop to splurge.
The Oakthorn is made with Manzanilla sherry wine, apricot, jasmine rice, coconut water and Macallan 12-year Sherry Cask Scotch, which costs $3 per ounce and adds a unique flavor and aroma to the drink. The Wavelength, meanwhile, features chardonnay barrel-aged gin, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Fino sherry wine, tomato, passion fruit and MSG.
1280 25th St., Denver; deathandcompany.com
54thirty Rooftop
Crystal Clear Old Fashioned — $54.30
Downtown Denver’s highest rooftop bar, and one of the most iconic, is on top of the Le Méridien hotel, and it isn’t just impressing guests with its crystal clear mountain views, but also its Old Fashioned.
Instead of a typical bourbon, 54thirty uses Maestro Dobel 50 Cristalino Extra Anejo tequila, barrel-aged for a minimum of three years. The crystal clear tequila is silky smooth with intoxicating (pun intended) hints of citrus and warm baking spices. A bottle typically sells for around $150 a pop. “This unassuming cocktail has a long and satisfying finish, with a lingering warmth that begs for another sip,” lead bartender Scott Healy wrote on 54thirty’s cocktail menu.
1475 California St., Denver; 54thirty.com
Wonderyard Garden + Table
Queen of Hearts — $80 (serves 4 people)
Wonderyard’s whimsical patio garden with birdcage booths and teacup-shaped seats is just as over-the-top as its bar program. And there’s no shortage of Instagram-worthy photo ops. The cocktail menu boasts a Me, Plus Three section with large-format cocktails for sharing among thirsty visitors, including the Queen of Hearts, which serves four people.
Offered up in a glass tote bag and topped with rose petals, this drink includes four straws for sipping on the mix of grapefruit and rose-infused Milagro tequila, beet shrub, passionfruit liqueur, lychee, lemon, grapefruit and sparkling wine.
2200 Larimer St., Denver; wonderyard.com
