Hyper-saturated Technicolor.  Outrageously orchestrated song and dance numbers.  An obsessive but convoluted fascination with American pop culture.  The only thing missing from the golden age of Bollywood was an ocean of booze.  And we raucous barmen from Cocktail Lab intend to fix that.

Thursday, June 3rd from 9-2, we’ll be teaming up with the talented Danny Louie at wonderful DOSA on Fillmore for a celebration of 1950’s Bollywood decadence.  Our own convoluted obsession with that magical time in Indian culture has inspired us to concoct some of our most ambitious stuff yet.  Think Indian spices, cocktails served in coconuts, orchid garnishes and duck-fat washed Scotch Whisky.  Oh yes.

Many many more details are in store for you on this one… follow us on Twitter for tidbits and secret details…

-Ethan

http://twitter.com/cocktaillab

No longer can Cas’s undying dedication to Cocktail Lab (through the continued, sleepless hours beating Illustrator into submission to crank out stunning art such as this) go unheralded.  If  you aren’t already familiar with the work of this young man through his time with SITI Pictures or his unparalleled graphic design skills, close those multiple tabs of dirty horse porn you’ve got open and point your browser directly at: http://www.casimirfornalski.com

Can you imagine a better offering of libations than cocktails from the gnarly, neon 1980’s?

So can we.

That’s why we’ve taken your “favorite” drinks from that dark, embarrassing and often omitted era of our collective cocktail history and re-imagined them in typical Cocktail Lab fashion.  No longer must you feel the shame of ordering a Cosmopolitan, Tequila Sunrise or AMF (we know you want to anyway) knowing that the good barmen and barwomen of Cocktail Lab have stripped them down and presented them back to you in a ludicrously culinary fashion.

We miss you.  We’re sorry.  We promise that we really did just go out for a pack of smokes, and haven’t left you forever.  We even brought over Brandon Josie from 15 Romolo to show you how sorry we really are.  Please accept condolences for our absence by getting loaded and watching “Cocktail” in it’s entirety, on a loop, for hours on end.  It’s my idea of Heaven, and I hope you agree…

-Ethan

Cocktail Lab 6: 80’s Shades and Switchblades
Saturday, March 27 2010
10:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M.
@
Orson
508 4th Street (between Bryant and Brannan Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94107

Your collective patience is much, much appreciated.  We do hope you’re not too thirsty…

Be on the lookout for an official announcement anytime in the next few hours.

Sometime soon, at someplace close, there will be re-imagined cocktails from oh that darkest of decades that gave us the Cosmopolitan and those awful Absolut ads…

There will be gourmet bites that are just terrible for your cholesterol levels…

There will be Brandon Josie from 15 Romolo…

Stay tuned…

Here’s the lineup for 5.0 @ Orson tonight… with special guest Dominic Venagas on the fly!

RSL · Devan · Brugal Anejo Rum · Prosecco · Organic White Grape Juice · Cherry Bitters

Genoa Swizzle · Devan · Flora Cana 7 Rum · Obsello Absinthe · Grand Marnier · Falernum · Lime Juice · Angostura Bitters

Blood Diamond · Ethan · Saffron-infused Bols Genever · Green Chartreuse · Sutton Cellars Brown Label Vermouth · Regan’s No. 5 Orange Bitters

Director’s Cut · Ethan · Milagro Reposado Tequila · Honey-Orange- Lavender syrup · Lime Juice · Cyanne Pepper

Sloe Sazarac · Tim · Plymouth Sloe Gin · Old Overholt Rye · Obsello Absinthe rinsed glass · (A take on one of the earliest cocktails, the Sazarac)

War of the Worlds· Tim · Old Overholt Rye · Pink Peppercorn · Strawberry Water · Cinnamon

Hello and Cheers, curious imbibers! It’s been too long. So long in fact, that we’re quite sure we’ve given you ample time to sober up from Cocktail Lab 4.0…

…and we find this unacceptable. You can be damn sure we’ve used our down time wisely: crafting a new arsenal of unique creations to delight your palate and knock your socks off.

On Saturday, July 25th, from 10 P.M. to 2 A.M. – the boys from Cocktail Lab take over the bar @ Orson. That’s right – Top Chef Elizabeth Falkner’s celebrated culinary gem in our very own SOMA. And we’ll be bringing some very special friends with us…

In the meantime, we’re off to Tales of the Cocktail. But keep an eye on the blog (and the Facebook Page, if yer savvy) for tidbits. This is one you absolutely Can. Not. Miss.

–Ethan

http://www.orsonsf.com/

Yet again, a heartfelt thank you to all you faithful bon-vivants who joined us last Saturday for Cocktail Lab 4.0.  With every passing event, it’s clearer for us that it’s you guys who make this thing amazing.  So again, thank you.

In light of the collaborative spirit of Cocktail Lab, we’d like to offer the opportunity to give your feedback outside of the event.  While your suggestions during The Lab have universally improved our cocktails, sometimes suggestions benefit from sleeping on it-  (i.e. sobering up.)

As promised, we’re in the long awaited process of posting the recipes for all the libations from Cocktail Labs past.  But in the meantime, we’d love to get an idea of what you dig.  We’ll be posting open-ended polls after each event, and if you could take the time to fill them out, it’ll help us better design custom stuff to further eff you up.

We aim to please.

Also, please feel free to discuss cocktails, the events and new ideas in the comments section.  And if you’ve got any photos of Cocktail Lab, post ‘em to the Facebook group!

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What’s the only thing that could make booze better?

More booze.

In the spirit of spirits, regarding the potency of potables, in order to distill the distillates, we offer you creative cocktails made entirely of the hard stuff. (With the occasional appearance by our citrus friends.)

Among the things you won’t find: Soju cocktails, anything made from pomegranate, Mojitos, “Flirtinis” or any other drink that at any time appeared on Sex and the City.  Like you expected that from us anyway…

What you will find: sweet, savory and balanced concoctions constructed with nothing but the sauce.

9:00-2:00 next Saturday night, back at Annabelle’s! The whole Cocktail Lab crew will be contributing to the list, as well as a few favorites from Cocktail Labs past. And of course, a stack of dusty tomes containing the secrets to ancient tipples from the days before passion fruit puree…

See you Saturday!

Annabelle’s Bar & Bistro

68 4th Street

415.777.1200

Greetings, bon vivants and drunken bastards alike!  As many of you know, it’s been a crazy week for both Tim and I, but we certainly didn’t want you to think your ever enthusiastic patronage of Cocktail Lab 3.0 has gone unappreciated.

Personally, I think the Monsoon is one of the tastiest cocktails I’ve come across.  And I learned a lot about Rhum myself: namely that is does not work like bourbon, gin or tequila.  And that I probably shouldn’t try to make it do so.

Thanks again for showing up and once again making a voluntary Saturday night behind the bar more fun than anything we could have come up with on our own.  We think Cocktail Lab is getting better- we hope you do too.

Next time around will be back at Annabelle’s, and you’ll know well in advance, with a sneak look at the cocktail list ahead of time.  And for our savvy patrons, be on the lookout for Cocktail Lab 3.5 to be held by invitation only at an undisclosed location… shhhh…

Ethan

Saturday, March 28th- Cocktail Lab 3.0: The Rum Diaries

7:00 P.M.-2:00 A.M.
B Restaurant & Bar
Yerba Buena Gardens – Upper Terrace
720 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495-9800

Cocktail Lab is back at B Saturday night, featuring a number of specialty rhum concoctions mixed up by Tim Zohn and Devan van Eyck, as well as Ethan Terry back on the books, but making your antique selections by revisiting the rhum spirit.

DJ’s spinning your old school favorites, selections from B’s menu oozing with deliciocity, and of course, and ocean of booze.

(Here is where I’ve deleted a number of really unfortunate pirate jokes.  You’re welcome.)

As always, bring a friend and a curious palate!