Cocktail Whisperer
Klaus Mezzrole
Many cannabis-infused beverages taste like they were concocted by someone who has never tasted a proper cocktail in their life. Thankfully Klaus tapped the skills of acclaimed mixologist Warren Bobrow, aka the Cocktail Whisperer, to infuse a piquant punch of ginger with zesty lime with rice vinegar, resulting in an adult-quality drink with 10mg THC and < 1mg CBD THC per can.
| Pickett’s Ginger Beer is Flying High. Excited to share that cannabis cocktail expert Warren Bobrow’s Klaus brand THC canned cocktails were featured in Bon Appetit’s February issue. His Mezzrole features 10mg THC for “mind-opening euphoria” and is made with Pickett’s Hot & Spicy Ginger Beer. If you’re in California, check out Klaus at your favorite dispensary. We hope that other states soon follow suit because Warren has created a truly elegant and delicious cocktail and we’re so grateful for his partnership. Pickett’s has officially joined the 30,000 feet club with a really nice showing in United Airline’s Hemisphere magazine. Hoping you high-fliers take a peek and use the code to refresh your inventory with Medium Spicy and Hot & Spicy, in cans or bottled syrup. Please visit Hemispheres Magazine pg 99 to view the feature. |
PLEASE WELCOME to the LEAF
Legendary “Cocktail Whisperer” and “Cannabis Whisperer” and famed mixologist WARREN BOBROW
with weed stories, NYC club stories, and the do’s and don’ts of creating your own finest cannabis cocktails
This Wed High Noon PST (3pm EST) with our smokin’ Host CHIP Z’NUFF (Link Above!)
on the Monsters of Rock channel on Dash Radio – https://dashradio.com/monstersofrock
Much more to come on THE LEAF!! You ain’t seen nuthin yet!!
PLEASE WELCOME to the LEAF
Legendary “Cocktail Whisperer” and “Cannabis Whisperer” and famed mixologist WARREN BOBROW
With weed stories, NYC club stories, and the do’s and don’ts of creating your own finest cannabis cocktails
This Wed High Noon PST (3pm EST) with our smokin’ Host CHIP Z’NUFF
on the Monsters of Rock channel on Dash Radio – https://dashradio.com/monstersofrock
Much more to come on THE LEAF!! You ain’t seen nuthin yet!!
https://ganjly.com/12-thoughtful-and-one-of-a-kind-cannabis-gift-ideas-for-valentines/
Warren Bobrow is a chef, mixologist, and a 6-time published author. He came up with a recipe book called Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics – The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-worthy libations. This book is amazing and has a collection of 75 unique drink recipes including coffee, tea, lemonade, and milk-based beverages. In this book, Warren will also teach you how to de-carb cannabis in the correct way to release its full psychoactive effects. Get it for your loved one for $15.
July 22, 2022 Published by SDZ News
Nota por Hernán Panessi publicada originalmente en El Planteo. Más artículos por El Planteo en High Times en Español.
Síguenos en Instagram (@El.Planteo) y Twitter (@ElPlanteo).
Warren Bobrow tenía apenas 5 años cuando probó un cóctel por primera vez. Fue una copita de jerez mezclada con ginger-ale y una aceituna salada en Barcelona, España, junto a sus padres. “Recuerdo que hacía mucho calor y la cualidad refrescante de la bebida ‘para niños’ se me ha quedado grabada en el cerebro hasta el día de hoy”, cuenta el mixólogo, chef y escritor conocido por Cocktail Whisperer y autor de Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations.El libro de tragos con THC de Warren Bobrow
El recuerdo de esa bebida se convirtió en una compleja, insólita e inesperada introducción a la mixología. “Aunque estuviera hecho para un niño, seguía siendo un cóctel”, apunta Bobrow.
Y, en su vida, una cosa llevó a la otra: fue lavaplatos, estudió en la escuela culinaria, se convirtió en chef, trabajó en restaurantes de todo tipo, se volvió un reputado barman y hasta fue nominado a los Spirited Awards – Tales of the Cocktail Fundation, reconocidos premios de la industria. Escribió seis libros de mixología y cientos de artículos en revistas de todo el mundo. “Ha sido una vida muy ocupada”.
Contenido relacionado: Todo lo que Necesitas Saber sobre la Cerveza de Cáñamo
Así las cosas, esa “vida ocupada” está ungida en el juego, en las pruebas y en la innovación. Pero, curiosamente, sostiene sus decisiones profesionales en base a cierta simplicidad. “Un cóctel bien mezclado no debería tener una plétora de ingredientes dispares”, reconoce.
En ese sentido, desde sus 16 años que empezó a investigar en el mundo del cannabis en las bebidas. Y aquel puntapié inicial también estuvo sujeto a una especie de carambola: de adolescente, compró unos brownies de faso horribles en el Washington Square Park de Nueva York. Llegó a su casa, los pasó por la licuadora, les tiró encima un montón de licor de chocolate y helado de chocolate. Y… ¡Boom!
“Estaba con unos amigos y quedamos muy drogados y borrachos”.
En su momento, cuando escribió su primer libro, Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today, publicado en el año 2013, su editor de aquel entonces no le permitió incluir temáticas cannábicas.
Con el tiempo, esa tendencia se fue revirtiendo y el cannabis fue tomando un lugar más preponderante en su bibliografía.
Pero su vínculo con el cannabis no se dio en su etapa investigativa, sino que tiene una ligazón atávica: su abuelo tenía una botánica en la que fabricaba productos farmacéuticos. “No eran más que aceites de serpiente, pero yo siento que hay una correlación”, confiesa.
Entre los cócteles con cannabis más populares se yergue el Mezzrole, que se vende exclusivamente en California, Estados Unidos.
¿Qué es el Mezzrole? Una combinación de pequeñas limas del Caribe francés en un puré, mezclado con un toque de vinagre japonés en una versión ácida y herbácea. Una base de jarabe de jengibre muy picante de Pickett’s oriundo de Denver, Colorado. “El mejor concentrado de cerveza de jengibre del mundo, y he probado muchos durante mi investigación”, señala.
Contenido relacionado: Conocé ‘La Casa Grande’, el Restaurante Cannábico Más Mágico de El Bolsón
El cóctel sigue con una base de Agricole de 100 grados, una creación artesanal de nanotecnología de THC. Eso incluye unos 10 miligramos de THC, de una cepa llamada Hippie Crasher.
“Es un trago realmente revolucionario y repleto de terpenos”, confiesa.
A la sazón, el Mezzrole es una creación de Bobrow cuyo objetivo es dejar re loco a sus bebedores. “No quedás destruido, pero no es muy diferente a la versión social de fumar un porro. Eso sí, sin el molesto humo que anuncia tu presencia”, asegura el mixólogo.
Y continúa: “Quería construir un cóctel de THC que te permitiera llevar adelante todas las interacciones sociales de la planta sin condenarte al ostracismo social de los no fumadores. Estoy ofreciendo la experiencia completa del cannabis en un cóctel bien construido, que realmente huele como una flor de cannabis bien curada”.
Entre los tragos con cannabis más arriesgados aparece el que hizo durante su aparición en Viceland. “Me pidieron que hiciera un cóctel de CBD/THC que pudieran sentir”.
Allí, envalentonado por la sugerencia de la producción, mezcló una botella de whisky bourbon puro de barril con una porción de zumo de naranja asada, pomelo rubí con amargo de angostura y refresco italiano de naranja. Además, le agregó unos 250 mg de THC y CBD.
“Se encendieron un poco”, bromea Warren.
Inminentemente, su libro Apothecary Cocktails está por llegar a su quinta reimpresión.
Sin embargo, no todas son buenas noticias para Bobrow: “La parte mala es que me incluyeron en la lista negra de la industria del licor, por lo que hubo una gran animosidad y miedo hacia mí. Injustamente, la verdad. Pero ese fue una especie de final para mi carrera. Aunque, en abstracto, no fue lo que acabó con mi carrera”.
¿¡Cómo!? ¿Warren Bobrow se retiró de las barras?
“Tuve que hacerlo por mi salud. Engordé mucho trabajando como embajador de marcas de bebidas alcohólicas artesanales fuera de los establecimientos y como juez de ron para el Ministerio del Ron y el Rum XP. Mi trabajo consistía en emborrachar a la gente con los mejores licores del mundo, con las recetas de mis libros y la experiencia que me proporcionaba el hecho de trabajar para Chris James en el Ryland Inn como ayudante de bar”, devela.
Contenido relacionado: Alimentación, Cannabis y Paranoia con Narda Lepes
“¡No es un trabajo fácil!”, tira, entre chistes, a sus 61 años.
En la actualidad, Warren dirige la empresa productora de Klaus, una bebida ready-to-drink infusionada en cannabis, y despunta el vicio de la divulgación escribiendo con regularidad para las revistas Skunk, Cannabis Cactus y Different Leaf.
—La primera vez que bebiste un trago con cannabis fue durante aquella anécdota que contaste en la que tenías unos 16 años. Ahora bien, ¿cuándo fue la última?
—Mmmhhh… La última vez fue la otra noche. La experiencia fue, justamente, con Klauss, mi bebida. No quería beber ninguna de las aguas carbonatadas con sabor a caramelo, ni los jarabes. Son demasiado dulces, no me gustan. Por eso mi bebida no es dulce, ni mucho menos: es ácida y bien equilibrada.
Mientras tanto, el universo de la coctelería profesional mira con cierto recelo el mundo del cannabis. Es que, por estos días, el consumo de THC mezclado con bebidas alcohólicas es ilegal en Estados Unidos (a excepción de California). Por eso, sus tragos no están disponibles en los bares norteamericanos.
Contenido relacionado: Cocinar con Marihuana: una Guía para Principiantes
Entre sus próximas creaciones, Bobrow planea hacer una nueva versión del clásico Zombie, un cóctel compuesto por diversos tipos de brandy y ron mezclados con diversos tipos de jugos frutales. El cóctel contará con detalles provenientes de una cepa sativa que “hará que quieras bailar bossa nova”.
En su caso, el famoso mixólogo consume cannabis de manera medicinal porque padece de glaucoma y la marihuana le “preserva la visión”. Asimismo, reconoce que le gusta “estar re loco” porque le hace “sentir inspiración” y le permite escribir, abrir el cerebro y, según afirma, desbloquear su tercer ojo. “Por varios motivos, el cannabis forma parte de mi vida”.
The post Conocé a Warren Bobrow, el Famoso Mixólogo Norteamericano que Hace Tragos con THC appeared first on High Times.
I used to live up in Maine for several years. It’s where I fell in love with the seacoast, fish that smacked of the ocean- freshly plucked from the sea. Oysters when I could afford them were not like the ones I’d tasted around the country. These were fresh, without being shipped fresh. Back in the 1980s when I lived in Maine it was a very different place. Sure, we all smoked weed, but it was not legal yet. And if you should get caught with some, the penalty was unkind and inappropriate at best. But as I remember, the quality was amazing. Certainly not like the gassy strains I was accustomed to smoking in New York City, or the fruit salad strains out West. These terroir-driven farms were all over and each had their own history. I can only imagine the quality today, given the legality of the plant in Maine. That’s where talented cooks like Zack Squier come into the picture. He is a classically trained chef, that is for certain. And with his love for the plant, he has unleashed the benefits of good ingredients, simply prepared with love into a format that includes solventless THC. I’d say that’s a win/win for those of us who value quality over just getting stoned.
With that said, may I please introduce Zack Squier… Cannabis Flavorist and Alchemist.
Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Where’s home now? Why Maine?
I’m Zack Squier, Founder & Chef of Squier’s Specialty Edibles. I was born in York, Maine before moving to Sierra Nevada, where I grew up until entering high school. I moved back to the east coast in 2006 and have been living here since. I fell in love with Maine as a young adult, moving to Kittery at the age of 23, before making my way up to Portland where I currently live and where my company is based.
I chose to stay in Maine because I love the overall vibe here, Portland especially. It’s the perfect place for me and has what a big city offers, just fun-sized. The food is on another level, with a killer music scene and top-tier cannabis culture to boot.
Another reason I love Maine is the community. Everyone is proud to be from Maine and it’s for a good reason. From the beautiful summers on the ocean to the cozy winter season in the woods, the tranquil state offers everything I look for in a place. I’m happy to call Maine my home.
Where did you go to learn about culinary arts? Why cannabis? Who taught you?
I began working in restaurants when I was 13, washing dishes at a short-order breakfast joint on the weekends. From then on, I continued down the industry path, working in numerous restaurants under great chefs, learning as much as I could while having as much fun as possible (maybe a little too much fun). I gradually made my way up the ranks from dishwasher, to fry cook, grill cook, sous chef, to executive chef, eventually opening a restaurant, Umami, I was part owner of in Northwood, New Hampshire.
The restaurant industry is also where I was first introduced to cannabis. Smoking behind the dumpsters with the older line cooks and getting into trouble. At that time, cannabis wasn’t as accepted and mainstream as it is today. To be honest, I didn’t really start taking cooking seriously until I was around 20 years old and around that same time is when I began to realize how special and misunderstood the plant was. Whether people used cannabis for the numerous mental or physical benefits or just to let loose, it was fascinating to me. I was inspired to explore all the different ways it could be consumed and played with, creating infusions, and experimenting. I knew whatever I was going to do in life, I wanted it to involve the magic of food and cannabis.
Tell me about your company. What do you do?
At Squier’s Specialty Edibles we specialize in cannabis-infused drink mixers and beverages. What sets us apart from other edible-focused companies is that our ingredients are our main priority. We make our products from scratch with 100% real fruit, organic blue agave, fresh squeezed citrus, and solventless hash rosin.
Being a chef, I didn’t like how I had to compromise my everyday eating habits if I wanted to consume an edible. I desired to provide people with a product that had just as much passion and integrity into the food ingredients as the cannabis used. It made zero sense to me why companies take cannabis – that growers and extractors spent months carefully producing and curating – and infuse it into terrible food ingredients, pumped with artificial flavors and food coloring. It doesn’t do the plant justice and that’s where we strived to do things differently.
Working in the restaurant industry for many years, I witnessed firsthand how bad alcohol abuse can get and how it can negatively affect people’s lives. I myself had my troubles with it. We’re offering people an alcohol-free alternative, whether they are sober from booze and want to consume an adult beverage, or if someone just doesn’t want to deal with a horrible hangover the next day. An ideal option for those following a “Cali Sober” lifestyle, our cannabis-infused mixers are made for every canna-consumer as you can customize your dose by adding a little or a lot: micro to macro.
Do you have any ideas for cocktails with your product?
We regularly release delicious recipes and always showcase unique ways to use Squire’s product. We design our elixirs to be able to easily add your preferred dose into sparkling or still water, but we encourage people to get creative with them. They can also be baked and cooked with, allowing you to enhance any dish.
Whether that be a craft canna-cocktail, an infusion into a homemade ice cream, baking into a batch of brownies, infusing a sauce for wings, or simply adding a tablespoon to your nightly tea before bed. The possibilities are endless! Use in any recipe that could use a little fruit “punch”.
What is your passion?
My passion is food – I love creating it, sharing it, and eating it. Food has been a constant for me and legitimately what my life has revolved around for almost two decades. Food is life and it ties directly into beverages. When I think about why I love working in the food and beverage industry, it’s because of the way it brings people together. No matter our differences, we all eat and drink. Every culture has different cuisines, dishes, and techniques. It’s truly fascinating and you can never stop learning!
Cannabis and food are similar in this manner. They both have a beautiful way of uniting us, whether it’s a joint being passed around in a circle of strangers or sitting down to enjoy a meal cooked with loved ones. By combining two of my passions, food, and cannabis, I’ve truly found my purpose, which is to create a product that helps others and connects the community.
Follow on social media: https://www.instagram.com/squiersedibles/ – https://www.squiersedibles.com/
@DjManindabag
Boston, MA (January 24, 2023) – Leading Massachusetts cannabis retailer and wholesaler Rev Brands is partnering with El Blunto, America’s top blunt producer, to bring their one-of-a-kind cannabis products to the Massachusetts market. El Blunto implements an evolution of historic cigar-making tradition that borrows age-old techniques from master cigar rollers to create products of the highest caliber with the highest level of finishing.
“National expansion and product accessibility has been a fundamental part of our growth strategy at El Blunto and an integral part of our success,” said Q. Ladraa, CEO and founder of Albert Einstone’s, El Blunto’s parent company. “We are delighted to be partnering with Rev Clinics, which is the number one distributor in Massachusetts and has a glowing reputation for being a standard-bearer in product quality and customer service.”
El Blunto’s line of cannabis products uses top-shelf, indoor premium quality flower that is broken down by hand, never ground, to ensure maximum terpene preservation, highest potency, and longest burn time. They are then hand-rolled in a 100% tobacco-free wrap made from all-natural fibers and sealed with El Blunto’s in-house cigar glue to guarantee a clean and superior product.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with El Blunto to introduce this incredible brand to the Massachusetts market,” said Tom Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer of Rev Brands. “The uniqueness and superb quality of these glass-tipped, whole flower blunts are what has us most excited about the partnership, and we look forward to sharing it with our customers and retail partners alike.”
The partnership will launch with ‘El Blunto Gold,’ which will be available as a single 1.75g blunt for $30 at all three Revolutionary Clinics medical dispensaries in Cambridge and Somerville and at leading dispensaries throughout Massachusetts.
Rev Brands and El Blunto plan to roll out additional products including El Blunto’s mini blunts and mini-blunt packs (El Bluntito and El Bluntito 4-packs respectively) and their ‘Rose Gold’ (infused with melty ice-water hash) and ‘Platinum’ (infused with premium THCa diamonds) line-ups in the coming months. To learn more, visit www.revbrands.org.
ABOUT REV BRANDS
Founded in 2018, Rev Brands is a leading cannabis manufacturer and wholesale operator exclusive to Massachusetts. Rev Brands is committed to delivering greater reliability from seed through service with a focus on quality and variety in its product lines. Rev Brands is guided by customer feedback to meet the demand for novel products and searches for the most unique and viable strains to deliver high-quality products throughout dispensaries in Massachusetts. Revolutionary Farms, its grow facility in Fitchburg, is the largest and most high-tech in the state with more than thirty-five grow rooms. The facility supplies over 150 retail establishments with sought-after products and flower. Rev Brands employs more than 250 employees across its manufacturing and wholesale operations and proudly supports the local industry by using local vendors and donating time and money to community causes. To learn more, visit https://revbrands.org/ or follow along on social at @rev_clinics.
ABOUT EL BLUNTO
El Blunto is a California-based cannabis brand that offers ‘The World’s Finest Cannabis Experience’. Born from a passion for craftsmanship and quality, El Blunto is an evolution of the historic cigar-making tradition. Borrowing age-old techniques from master cigar rollers, we create products of the highest caliber with the highest level of finishing. Product design and development is approached like a true science, ensuring customers get the same, phenomenal experience every single time. The El Blunto lineup includes El Blunto (cannabis cigar), El Bluntito (mini-blunts), El Jointo and El Jointito (joints and mini-joints), as well as pouches of full-flower and Roll Your Own Blunt Kits. El Blunto products are available in 1000+ dispensaries across the United States. El Blunto is a subsidiary of Albert Einstone’s. For more information, visit www.alberteinstones.com.
Five questions with “Red House” and the Van Brunt Cannabis Company
Warren Bobrow: I’ve been a member of the CSA for a couple of months now. Please let me share with you some of what I learned from the experience so far.
Tasting Notes:
The Crème de la Chem is all about pine, gas, and snipped garlic chives. I want to decarb some of this luxurious cannabis in my Ardent and whip the toasty, activated craft cannabis into my favorite cream cheese mashed potatoes- 3 cups boiled Yukon Golds, a cup of high-fat butter, ½ cup of cream cheese, and those beforementioned chives. Of course, freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Whip in the decarbed cannabis at the end and eat up. Pro-tip: always use a fork when making mashed potatoes. And get down that nice ceramic bowl from your grandmom’s house to make your mashed potatoes. Take your time, there’s no rush. Wash this down with a Belgian Kriek Ale or a glass of iced buttermilk. Deliciousness.
Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? How did you discover NYC?
Red House: I moved to Brooklyn from Richmond, Va. in Dec ’08. NYC had always been on my mind.
My father is from NY, my sis went to med school here too. She was holding the door for me, and I would have come much earlier but I was always happy where I was.
My only regret in coming to NYC was not moving sooner than I did. As I outgrew RVA almost ended up in Asheville, NC, and Philly a couple of times. Working in the restaurant industry, NYC was the obvious choice.
Warren Bobrow: What are you working on right now? What makes you different than your peers?
Red House: Just beginning the CSA, it’s a side project to Van Brunt, and being on a monthly schedule it’s at its own pace. In addition to getting Van Brunt up and running, developing the CSA, I’m involved with some projects more focused on hospitality.
I have strong connections to the restaurant industry and the idea of high-end consumption lounges and canna-friendly restaurants in NYC is exciting. None of this 420 stoner vibe, but something Sam Sifton would write about.
What makes the CSA different though is the socialist model. It’s not even close to how the traditional cannabis market works. Cannabis has been going by capitalistic business values forever and ever. This is operated more like a traditional CSA farm or co-op.
Warren Bobrow: What is your favorite strain right now? Who taught you the craft?
Red House: Impossible to choose. Always loved Durban Poison, anything with some pine I’m always interested in. Citrusy/hazy sativas are a go-to also… I think Cherry Ghostenade from King Greens is a recent favorite.
I taught myself to grow cannabis through lots of reading and lurking on the net. It’s all really easy, knowledge is key. My initial interest in plant life, that credit has to go to Mom. She grew up on a farm in PA, so learning how to grow peas and carrots as a kid and take care of houseplants and all that, yeah that was the foundation. Once you understand plants’ basic nature, cannabis is easy.
Warren Bobrow: Tell me a little more about the CSA? How do you get involved?
Red House: The CSA (community-supported agriculture) model fits best because I don’t intend to ever be in the flower market, not even wholesale. I just enjoy growing and want the excess flower to have a home. Edibles, white label, and private label, are the main focus for Van Brunt. The garden being a cooperative keeps my time more available to work more on that. Some of the members are excited to learn about growing or just want to get involved and hands-on. That’s great, bc I just want to grow. We attend industry events to meet people and talk memberships. Planning meetups and trim parties for members in the future too. So, there’s a community aspect to the plan which is always welcome. No work or time given is required with membership, that’s optional and shares are offered in exchange for time spent “in the garden” … The value is great for people who use flower on the regular and like lots of variety, supporting their local economy and cleanly grown flower. Going to be including edibles or pantry items infused with the trim and kief of the harvests with the shares from time to time as well as including other local producers. January, we have Kings Greens joining us with some Bushwick-grown Huckleberry in addition to Orange Haze and Grapewalker Kush strains from mine. Contact on instagram @ van.brunt.nyc or email: VanBruntCSA@gmail.com for more information.
Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?
Red House: I’m a music lover first and have appreciation for all peoples’ creative talents. I would never do that professionally over concern music may become too much like work. Was very lucky to work in the right spots while I was young. Was drawn to food as a profession and that’s easily 2nd or 3rd to music as my first passion. Worked in a bunch of high-end joints for years and years and I’m into the discipline, detail, and refinement but need a more relaxed space to work. Really dig on classics done right. Not fancy high-end soignée, just done right. Modern takes and trends are fun but dishes that have been popular for hundreds of years are popular for a reason. Doing a dish entirely in its truest traditional sense is one of the things I love most. You know how ppl are sometimes looking for the “most authentic” or “traditional” thing? I’m kinda like that. I want the most basic bitch Al Pastor taco. but when everything about it is just right. Talking fresh tortillas, a real adobo, and all that. That’s something I will gush all over.
***I’m proud to belong to the CSA and taste these marvelous herbs, grown with care and love in New York! WB***
Follow on Instagram: @van.brunt.nyc
Feature Photo Courtesy: Red House