Moonshine

Summer Cocktails in Raleigh, NC with Kelli

If you’re looking for a summery setting to have a cold drink, the Anchor Bar tucked away on Fayetteville St in Raleigh is the perfect place. Despite being in bustling downtown far from the beach, the easygoing Anchor Bar has a unique nautical atmosphere with a speakeasy feel.

During a recent visit, the bar manager Kelli, whipped up a perfectly executed a classic bourbon sour while telling us about the tight knit bar community in Raleigh. She explained how Anchor Bar has close relationships with the other bars in downtown and is sometimes known as the “bartenders bar” for other servers getting off work and meeting up for drinks.

This wide appeal lies in Anchor Bar’s mix of volume and craft, serving up skillfully crafted cocktails and lager drafts simultaneously. Kellie describes it as “cocktails without an attitude,” and is happy to cater to customer drink preferences whether it be sophisticated flavor combinations or a simple vodka cranberry. For this reason, the Anchor Bar sees all walks of Raleigh pass through the doors. College students and cocktail connoisseurs alike can appreciate the range of drinks and unpretentious ambiance.


"Cocktails without an attitude."


 

Another reason to love the Anchor Bar is their support of local distilleries and breweries -- just like the brewers at Seventeen Twelve, they appreciate the taste and quality of small batch alcohol. Some of their classic summer drinks include Moscow Mules, Zombie cocktails, and other tiki style drinks.

Kelli showed us the ropes to these two mouth-watering cocktails. We recommend making her specialty summertime cocktails yourself with Seventeen Twelve spirits:


Cucumber Summer Cocktail

·      2 oz Seventeen Twelve Moonshine

·      3 slices of Cucumber

·      Chili Powder

·      ¾ oz Lime Juice

·      ¾ Simple Syrup

Muddle moonshine with cucumber and simple syrup. Add chili powder, lime juice, and ice. Shake all ingredients together. Strain into a high ball glass over ice and top with a cucumber slice and dash of chili powder. 


 Bourbon Sour Cocktail:

 

·      1 Egg White

·      1 oz of Lemon Juice

·      1 oz Turbinado Syrup

·      2 oz Seventeen Twelve Bourbon

·      Dash Angostura Bitter

·      Lemon Wedge

 

"Dry Shake" the egg white, lemon juice, syrup (or simple syrup if you don't have turbinado), and bourbon together. A dry shake is involved when using an egg white and entails a vigorous shake without ice first. This helps to incorporate all the ingredients and gives the frothy texture. Then pour mixture over ice and add in a dash of bitters and continue with another shake. Strain into a coupe glass or lowball and garnish with lemon twist or wedge.