Carrie Swizzle · The Hawthorne

By Eric Twardzik · 01/03/2020

Committing to a dry January is a health-conscious decision we applaud—but ordering a non-alcoholic drink at a cocktail bar can sometimes feel like eating from the kid’s menu. Leave it to The Hawthorne to make a zero-proof drink with all the thought and care that goes into any of their boozy concoctions.

“The Carrie Swizzle is made in exactly the same way that our other swizzles are—except for the fact that there isn’t rum in it,” says general manager Jared Sadoian. “What the Carrie Swizzle isn’t is one of our existing swizzles with the alcohol removed.”

The mocktail—which is named after radical 19th century temperance leader Carrie Nation—derives its flavor from two syrups: a cinnamon-infused simple syrup and sirop de canne, a flavorful, amber, slightly funky category of 100 percent cane sugar syrup. Sadoian uses a version from rhum agricole producer Rhum J.M., but you can find other brands online and in stores.

The drink also features muddled mint and fresh lime and grapefruit juices. “With mocktails especially, the use-fresh-citrus mantra is paramount, because it usually plays a much bigger role in the drink,” Sadoian says.

For non-teetotalers, an optional garnish of Angostura bitters can add an extra layer of complexity.

“If someone wasn’t avoiding alcohol entirely but thinking ‘I want to take a breather,’ having two dashes of a 45-percent-ABV liquid on top of your cocktail isn’t going to do much—but it looks nice and has some aromatic elements that play along with the rest of the drink,” Sadoian explains.

Carrie Swizzle
1 ounce sirop de canne
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1 ounce club soda
½ ounce cinnamon-infused simple syrup*
5-7 mint leaves (plus 3 sprigs for garnish)
2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters, for garnish (optional)

Place mint leaves at the bottom of a Collins glass and add cinnamon-infused simple syrup and sirop de canne. Gently muddle mint to release its oils before adding grapefruit and lime juices. Fill glass with crushed ice and insert swizzle stick halfway into the glass, then swizzle until the outside of the glass is chilled, about 20 to 30 seconds. Top with soda water and garnish with mint sprigs (and add Angostura bitters, if desired).

*Cinnamon-Infused Simple Syrup (yields about 1½ cups)
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks, cracked into smaller pieces

Heat an empty pan and add cracked cinnamon pieces. Remove from heat once cinnamon becomes aromatic. Meanwhile, add sugar and water to a separate pan and heat until sugar has completely dissolved. Add toasted cinnamon sticks and continue heating at just under boiling temperature until mixture has been reduced by a third, about 60 to 90 minutes. Strain out cinnamon pieces and refrigerate in a sealed container. Keeps about 3 to 4 weeks.

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