ON APRIL 8, Indiana will behold a rare occurrence: a total solar eclipse. In response to this one-of-a-kind cosmic event, Indianapolis breweries and restaurants are crafting specialty libations. But, like the solar eclipse, these cocktails will be around only for a short while. We chatted with some of the drinks’ makers to find out more.
1. Fire in the Sky at Hotel Tango Distillery
A beautiful golden sunset color defines this cocktail made from passion fruit, mango, and bourbon with a fiery red-orange Tajín rim. Kati Larson, lead mixologist at Hotel Tango Distillery and creator of Fire in the Sky, wanted to make a drink incorporating passion fruit blended with spicy and sweet notes. “Putting the passion fruit and citrus with the infusion brought out all the flavors of summer I was hoping for,” she says. “Then we threw some mint into the mix, and Fire in the Sky was complete.” She hopes this drink will inspire people who normally don’t drink bourbon to try something out of the box.
2. Ring of Fire at Provision
A blend of spices and several different flavors, this cocktail contains a bevy of interesting ingredients, including Compoveda Rosa tequila, Giffard strawberry liqueur, Heirloom Genepy, Aperitivo Cappelletti, simple syrup, lime, and red pepper juice.
3. Obscura Solara at Ash & Elm
This blend is made with the brand’s Obscura blackberry cider with a dash of mint simple syrup, sweet and sour mix, and soda water. While the look of the drink leans straightforward, the flavors make for a nice, tarty mix.
4. Blockout at The Block Bistro
A refreshingly sweet cocktail is made with Blue Curaçao, Ketel One vodka, and champagne. Chef Terry Anthony, owner and executive head chef at The Block Bistro, wanted his solar eclipse–inspired drink to not only taste great but to be visually interesting as well. “The large ice cube would be the moon crossing in front of the sun, the Blue Curaçao would give the feel of the sky, and the champagne bubbles would be the stars,” he says. He wanted the drink to put people in a celebratory mood. “Some people live their entire lives and never see a solar eclipse.”
5. Sailor Moon at The Ball & Biscuit
Served in a short but delicate glass without ice, this simple cocktail is black with a hint of glitter. “The flavors used in the drink are all things that remind us of spring and summer,” says Kendall Lockwood Fields, operating partner at The Ball & Biscuit. “We chose black as the color because in the world of beverages, it’s undoubtably the rarest color to see, and, of course, it was a visual reflection of the upcoming eclipse.” The team at The Ball & Biscuit also felt that the color black was mysterious “and tells you nothing about the drink until you’ve tasted it.”
6. Luna Solar at Bluebeard
For a mix of dark and golden hues embodying the solar eclipse, try this blend at Bluebeard. The Luna Solar includes Gran Centenario tequila, coffee concentrate, Amaro Montenegro, crème de cacao, Ancho Reyes Verde, mole bitters, and a chocolate rim.
7. Solar Storm at St. Elmo Steak House
This martini boasts a balanced blend of citrus and sweetness. According to Andrea Richter, marketing specialist with Huse Culinary, “Its presentation, complete with a large ice sphere and edible glitter, resembles a captivating solar system.” Enjoying the Stolar Storm is like looking into a clear moon, says Richter, with intertwining orange and blue swirls bursting with sparkles.
8. Man on the Mo(n)on at Bodhi
A layered but easygoing cocktail, this drink made with pisco, bianco vermouth, orgeat, lemon, pineapple, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and sesame oil pops with pineapple flavor.
9. & 10. Rolling Blackout & The Ruby Crown at The Commodore
The Rolling Blackout is a nonalcoholic mix of bittersweet and spice flavors with a base of ginger beer in a tall, slim glass. The unusual color comes from squid ink, which turns the beverage jet black. “I really wanted to offer both an alcoholic and a nonalcoholic option for guests,” says Zoë Hayes, executive beverage director for Ambrosia Hospitality Group. “When you put the Rolling Blackout in front of the Ruby Crown, the reddish cocktail ‘radiates’ around the black cocktail, which looks a little like the eclipse itself.”
The Ruby Crown is a bittersweet, reddish-orange cocktail in a large rocks glass, served over a crystal-clear ice cube. It’s bittersweet because it’s meant to reflect the feeling of “living through a cool event that you can’t ever experience again,” Hayes explains. “The Ruby Crown is named after an eclipse phenomenon in which a red ring appears around the blacked-out sun,” she adds. The beverage features an Indiana-distilled rye whiskey and Campari, a bittersweet Italian liqueur that gives it a distinctive reddish color.
