Three Los Angeles bartenders working with the 1933 Group concocted Star Wars-themed drinks in anticipation of the Friday release of the next installment to the massive sci-fi franchise.
“We were watching the trailer, which was a huge deal,” says Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, bartender and manager at Thirsty Crow in Silver Lake, an L.A. ‘hood. “I’m a huge Star Wars fan, and we wanted to have fun with it. We wanted to think of something that would spark interest out of other Star Wars fans.”
Coulter-Stevenson explained the thought process behind each of the drinks. Grab your lightsaber—or other preferred mixing implement—and get ready to explore the cocktail galaxy.
Recipe by Karen Grill, Sassafras Saloon, Los Angeles
“This one is really cool,” says Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, bartender and manager at Thirsty Crow, a member of the 1933 Group of bars, including Sassafras Saloon, where this drink is served. “In the first movie, Luke [Skywalker]’s family he’s living with, his aunt and uncle, call him in for breakfast. She pours a blue liquid, and they’re all drinking. As a kid, I always wondered what they were drinking and what it tasted like. So [Karen] re-created the blue milk. It’s kind of like a blue piña colada—what could be wrong with that?”
- 2 ounces Beefeater 24
- 1 ounce coconut cream
- ¾ ounce pineapple juice
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce blue Curaçao
- ½ ounce Giffard vanilla syrup
- ½ ounce orgeat syrup
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into a milk jar or Collins glass.
Recipe by Sol Trece, La Cuevita, Highland Park, CA
“The Kessel Run is a smuggler’s route. This info isn’t even in the movie, but an illegal substance, Glitterstim, a spice, comes from the planet Kessel. Smugglers have to be crafty and smuggle the spice out,” says Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, bartender and manager at Thirsty Crow, a member of the 1933 Group of bars, including La Cuevita, where this drink is served. A lot of the ships don’t make it. In the first movie, Han Solo brags about making the Kessel Run. The drink is a take on an Aviation cocktail, which is a gin-based cocktail. Both planes and starships are flying devices, so it’s a pilot’s cocktail. With mezcal.”
- 2–3 blackberries (or mix of blackberries and raspberries)
- 1½ ounces Mezcal Espadin Blanco
- ½ ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ¼ ounce crème de violette
- Lemon wedge, for garnish
- Speared berries, for garnish
Muddle blackberries in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and add remaining ingredients, except garnish. Shake well, and strain over ice. Garnish with lemon wedge and speared berries.
Recipe by Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, Thirsty Crow, Silver Lake, CA
“My favorite of the original trilogy is The Empire Strikes Back,” says Rahad Coulter-Stevenson, bartender and manager at Thirsty Crow, a member of the 1933 Group of bars. “That movie starts in the world of the planet Hoth. Since we’re going into winter, I was thinking about that as inspiration. There’s a creature in that world called the Wampa, and that inspired the punch. The Wampa actually punches Luke Skywalker, so it has a double meaning.”
- 1½ ounces light coconut milk
- ¾ ounce Flor de Caña Extra Dry Rum
- ¼ ounce Tempus Fugit Créme de Cacao
- ¼ ounce Licor 43
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into a chilled coupe glass.
1Blue Milk of Tatooine Cocktail
2Kessel Run Cocktail
3Wampa Punch
Kara Newman reviews spirits and writes about spirits and cocktail trends for Wine Enthusiast. She’s the author of several cocktail books, including Shake.Stir.Sip., NIGHTCAP: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening and Cocktails With a Twist, released August 2019. Email: spirits@wineenthusiast.net
