Bæredygtige slurke: Få styr på kunsten at lave cocktails uden affald

Sustainability is at the center of all our operations at 1 Hotels. As we celebrate Earth Month, we reflect on our impact and ability to create processes that protect our planet, from biophilic design to climate-conscious food and beverage offerings. 

It’s estimated that half a pound of food is wasted per plate across restaurants in the US. Not only do sustainable cocktails introduce a unique opportunity to reduce waste behind the bar, but they also provide a creative medium to repurpose ingredients that might otherwise be scrapped in the kitchen—a small but critical action that has the potential to drastically reduce waste when done consciously and consistently.

We take pride in our commitment to sustainability in every sip, and we're excited to launch a new series, Mindful Mixology Masterclass, that guides our guests to craft delicious sustainable cocktails. For the launch of the series we partnered with 818 Tequila, an innovative brand that shares our dedication to honoring the planet and its people every step of the way—from utilizing renewable energy to packaging in recycled bottles. Our mindful mixology masterclass highlights this ethos, encouraging you to slow down, savor each ingredient, and use it to its full potential.

Fusing the innovation of 818 Tequila with the expertise of Steven Minor, our Corporate Director of Beverage, we’ve developed recipes that prove just how delicious zero-waste practices can be. From a spicy margarita that uses the entirety of the lime to an espresso martini handcrafted with spent espresso syrup, we hope to inspire you to embrace sustainability as you toast to Earth Month—whether you're joining us in the mindful mixology masterclass or creating your own cocktails at home.

For some extra inspiration, we invited Steven to speak with us about 1 Hotels’ sustainable bar program, his creative approach, and his secrets for crafting the perfect zero-waste cocktail.
 

HVAD ER EN ZERO-WASTE COCKTAIL, OG HVORDAN ER DEN MERE BÆREDYGTIG END EN ALMINDELIG COCKTAIL?
 

A zero-waste cocktail is made with ingredients that are used to their fullest potential, leaving little to no waste behind. Each ingredient is scrutinized at every level, and multiple techniques are applied with this in mind. A great example is lime, which can be found behind all bars. In our zero-waste margarita, we take the limes and use the zest in a rich oleo saccharum as a base sweetener. We then juice the limes and add the lime juice into our cocktail. With the leftover lime half moons, we can also make a citrus “stock” and reincorporate that back into the regular lime juice or dehydrate them and use them as a garnish.

I DIN ROLLE SOM BEVERAGE DIRECTOR FOR 1 HOTELS LAVER DU OFTE NYE BÆREDYGTIGE COCKTAILS. HVAD INSPIRERER DINE KREATIONER? ER DER NOGLE INGREDIENSER, SOM DU ALTID BRUGER, NÅR DU ARBEJDER PÅ EN NY OPSKRIFT?
 

Jeg overvejer altid stedet, dets koncept og den by, jeg er i. Jeg bliver inspireret af sæsonbestemte og forskellige ingredienser fra forskellige kulturer, især japanske, mexicanske og peruvianske smage. Nogle af mine yndlingsingredienser er hibiscus, kokosvand og alt, hvad der er umami for at fremme en velsmagende profil.

En anden af mine hemmeligheder er et strejf af saltopløsning eller en knivspids salt. Salt fungerer i cocktails på samme måde, som det fungerer i mad. Det kan fremhæve smage, afrunde dem og skabe balance.

Lime- og citronsaft kan være en af de største syndere i et bæredygtigt barprogram, når de ikke bruges i deres helhed. En god erstatning, som jeg bruger og elsker, er citronsyre- og æblesyreopløsninger, som giver dig mulighed for at præsentere drinks, der er rene og klare, men som stadig giver det citruskick, der er nødvendigt for at afbalancere en drink.
 

KAN DU FORTÆLLE OS MERE OM DE BÆREDYGTIGE DRIKKEVAREPROGRAMMER OG -TILBUD PÅ 1 HOTELS?
 

No matter which 1 Hotels property or venue you’re at, we strive to always have two to four sustainable cocktails available on the menu. Behind the bar, we work with zero-waste in mind in all the areas we can. For example, we prioritize using dehydrated garnishes, which are shelf stable and don’t go bad or begin oxidizing in 24 hours like regular citrus and pineapple. We have incorporated the use of acid solutions in our cocktails to reduce our dependence on citrus fruits, which in turn lowers our carbon footprint. Many people may not know that ice is also a common offender in a sustainable bar program. We pre-batch some of our booze-forward cocktails with dilution and keep them in the freezer, which allows us to avoid wasting unnecessary ice.

When it comes to collaborating with external partners, we choose to work with brands that share the same ethos as us and are committed to sustainability. One example is 818 Tequila, which is a Certified B CorporationTM. With our wine program, we’ve set a goal of sourcing a minimum of 70% of our wines by the glass from sustainable, organic, and biodynamic winemakers.
 

AT LAVE EN AFFALDSFRI COCKTAIL DERHJEMME KAN VIRKE OVERVÆLDENDE ELLER TIDSKRÆVENDE. KAN DU DELE NOGLE TIPS, TRICKS ELLER OPSKRIFTER, DER ER NEMME AT LAVE?
 

The first logical step in making a difference is taking a look at what base spirit you're using in your cocktail. Choose a spirit from a sustainable brand. Many of our partners actively work to minimize their waste, contribute to their communities, and reduce their impact on the planet. One of my favorite recipes is a spicy margarita, with a low-waste jalapeño tincture. The tincture has a long shelf life and will help avoid waste, and we're going to show guests how to make that in the Mindful Mixology cocktail class with 818 Tequila throughout April! Below is the recipe to try out at home.

Sustainable Spicy Margarita

• 1,5 oz 818 Tequila Blanco
• 0,5 oz FAIR Kumquat
• 1 oz lime oleo saccharum
• 3 oz stænk af jalapeño-tinktur

Jalapeño-tinktur 

• 30 gram kasserede jalapeño-toppe og -ender
• 750 ml flaske 151-proof Everclear kornsprit
• Værktøj: handsker, kniv, skærebræt, 1 liters murerbalje, si, tragt, gramvægt
   

Kørselsvejledning:

1. Gem jalapeñotoppe og -ender. Tag handsker på, og vej 30 gram jalapeños af.
2. Kom jalapeños i en murerbalje, og overhæld med Everclear. Lad dem trække i 48 timer. 
3. Fine strain & funnel tincture into a bitters dasher bottle. Ensure to use the back of a large spoon to squeeze out all the liquid from the jalapeño pieces. 
4. Mærk og dater.
    

IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH MONTH, WE’RE LAUNCHING A MINDFUL MIXOLOGY MASTERCLASS ACROSS ALL HOTELS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE CLASS, THE COCKTAILS, AND WHAT MAKES THEM ZERO-WASTE?
 

Ja, vi er meget glade for at lancere dette i samarbejde med 818 Tequila, og vi vil samarbejde med andre ligesindede spiritusmærker hvert kvartal. Vi vil vise gæsterne, hvordan de kan lave bæredygtige cocktails ved at bruge ingredienser fra huset, enten ved at give dem et nyt liv eller ved at bruge dem i deres helhed. Vi vil fokusere på to cocktails - en krydret margarita med en oleo saccharum (limeskalssirup) og en jalapeño-tinktur, der har fået et nyt liv, og en bæredygtig espressomartini med en brugt espressosirup.
 

KURSET ER ET SAMARBEJDE MED 818 TEQUILA. HVORDAN PRAKTISERER DE BÆREDYGTIGHED?
 

Vi er glade for at samarbejde med 818 Tequila. Som virksomhed har de et stort fokus på bæredygtighed fra produktion til genanvendelig emballage og til at give noget tilbage. De er et certificeret B CorpTM, medlem af 1% for the Planet, og deres destilleri kører på biomasse og solenergi - deres biomassekilde bruger affald og biprodukter fra deres produktionsproces. De samarbejder også med s.a.c.r.e.d. Agave, hvor tequila-biprodukter bruges til at lave mursten og bidrage til lokale infrastrukturprojekter i Jalisco, Oaxaca og Zapotitlán de Vadillo.

Learn more about our Mindful Mixology Masterclasses and reserve your spot here. If you can’t join us, we hope you’ll try implementing some of these practices at home. Cheers to Earth Month!