Technology-Inspired Cocktails for Upcoming Special Events

With a host of seasonal invitations ready to go out, it's time to choose a signature cocktail to wow the event crowd. 

Inspiration this year comes from Scott Steinberg, futurist keynote speaker and consultant for more 1,500 brands, and Jeanette Hurt, author of "Drink Like a Woman," who have collaborated to create "Cheers to the Future!," a free, downloadable recipe guide featuring drinks based on emerging trends, such as NFTs, cybersecurity and virtual reality.

Here's a taste:

HODL That Bitcoin!

Ingredients

1 oz. scotch, preferably aged in rum barrels 
1 oz. aged rum, preferably aged in scotch or whiskey barrels
1/4 oz. rich aromatic syrup (see recipe, below)
2 dashes of old-fashioned or aromatic bitters
2 dashes of orange bitters 
A fresh plum slice, half of a fresh fig and/or a whole star anise for garnish

Rich Aromatic Syrup recipe

1 cup hot water
2 cups turbinado sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise 

Mix together until sugar is dissolved. Let spice infuse for at least 20 minutes or up to 20 hours. Variation: Using a cocktail smoker, smoke a few hickory chips, cover for 30 seconds, then serve.

Mixing the drink

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in all the ingredients and stir together until well-chilled (about a minute). Strain into an old fashioned glass, then garnish with fresh plum slice or 1/2 fresh fig and/or whole star anise. 

Find More

The Cheers to the Future! booklet also has recipes for cocktails called the Malware Destroyer, Seeing Green, Why's My NFT in Your Metaverse? and FTW: Let the Games Begin!