Something & Tonic Book Release/Pop-up Bar by Maison Ferrand+Top Note+Tomr's

3118 North Milwaukee Avenue,Chicago IL 60618

14 June, 2021

Description

Award-winning bartender Nick Kokonas hosts a tonic pop-up bar and book release at Avondale Bowl for his new cocktail book Something & Tonic. THE EVENT Join award-winning bartender Nick Kokonas when he hosts his pop-up tonic bar and book release at Avondale Bowl, and sip cocktails straight from his new cocktail book Something & Tonic: A History of the World’s Most Iconic Mixer. Each guest will receive a hardcover copy of Something & Tonic and will have a chance to get it signed by the author. Attendees will also receive one drink ticket to choose from three cocktails featuring Maison Ferrand Spirits, Top Note Tonic, and Tomr’s Tonic Syrup. The full bar will be open for guests to start a tab and try all three. There will also be an opportunity to taste through some of Maison Ferrand’s spirit portfolio and mixers from Top Note, plus each person will receive a swag bag. Guests can also feel free to lace up their bowling shoes by reserving a lane at the regular rate. Hour-long reservations are on a first come, first serve basis by emailing [email protected]. This event is for ages 21+, and all attendees are subject to ID checks before entry. THE BOOK The expanse of western civilization was hindered by a mosquito bite. For centuries, malaria devastated the European explorers who defined the contours of our modern world map—and the indigenous people who resisted them. The cure? Quinine contained in the bark of the South American cinchona tree, whose medicinal properties were discovered around the turn of the 17th century. Over 400 years later, quinine defines the essence of tonic, the most iconic mixer in the world. Something & Tonic follows the fascinating history of tonic from the jungles of the Andes mountains to the happy hour highball. Award-winning bartender Nick Kokonas takes you on a journey around the globe, revealing how tonic emerged from medical necessity to recreational tipple. Included are 60 original cocktail recipes that reveal tonic’s potential beyond the highball, plus tips, tricks, and insight into modern bar culture and cocktail making. More info at www.somethingandtonic.com THE AUTHOR Nick Kokonas is an award-winning bartender who lives and works in Chicago, Ill. where he has played an integral role behind some of the city’s most prestigious bars. He developed Something & Tonic while beverage director at The Heritage in Forest Park, Ill. He continues to participate in renowned international cocktail competitions and looks forward to the day he makes a drink for you. More info at www.somethingandtonic.com THE VENUE Avondale Bowl is a eight-lane bowling alley and bar on Chicago’s northwest side. Originally built in the 1920s, it operated under many names, including Court Lanes, Avondale Recreation, and, from the 1950s until its closure in 1990, as Northwest Bowl. It subsequently sat vacant and fell into disrepair until 2018, when the current owners undertook to restore these vintage lanes to their former glory. Fast forward two years, with the restoration complete, the owners were able to turn their focus to developing a bar program that gives a nod and a wink to bowling’s blue collar past (you can always walk in here and get a beer and a shot for $6 flat), while also showcasing the Chicagoland area’s robust selection of local breweries and distilleries, as well as catering to the citizenry’s penchant for a well-crafted cocktail. They welcome you in to enjoy a game of bowling, the ideal indoor sport. More information at www.avondalebowl.com THE SPIRITS Maison Ferrand is owned by Alexandre Gabriel, Cellar Master, and creator of fine spirits. Based in Cognac, Maison Ferrand produces Ferrand Cognac according to ancestral techniques stretching back ten generations; Plantation Rum, celebrating the world’s finest rum terroirs; and Citadelle Gin, gin de château. Alexandre’s passion for exploring ancient techniques and developing new ones through constant experimentation has made him a true font of knowledge. He is always looking for new experiences and opportunities to share his discoveries. In 2017, the American Distilling Institute presented him with its highest distinction for his remarkable contribution to the world of spirits. More information at www.maisonferrand.com THE TONIC Top Note has been crafting mixers and tonics that make it a joy to make a cocktail since 2015. Starting out in a kitchen in Milwaukee making cocktail syrups, in 2017, Top Note released an award-winning line of carbonated soft drink mixers. The duo of Noah and Mary now have three regularly available tonics, a grapefruit soda, ginger beer, and club soda available throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. In 2021 they will release their first Bartender Reserve line Gentiana; a tonic made for the aperitivo cocktail hour #goldenhourcocktail. It will be exclusive to wholesalers in Chicago and Wisconsin and found in their storefront. More information at www.topnotetonic.com Tomr’s Tonic Syrup founder and chief formulist Tom Richter (called Tommer by his dad, hence Tomr’s) was first a Broadway actor. Understandably, an acting career lends itself to lots of bartending gigs. Tom found himself “behind the stick” in some of New York City’s finest and most creative bars, and through the years, he has earned high praise for his talents behind the bar. Richter had an epiphany while mixing his gazillionth gin and tonic. The flavor of the quality gin the customer ordered was all but destroyed by the fructose sugar and extracted quinine-based tonic. He went home that night and immediately started tinkering with recipes, and in 2007 he had his formula. Richter began serving it at the bar he was working at, and customers loved it so much soon they were buying bottles to take home. Bartenders and Bar Managers heard about a unique tonic being made by a guy named Tom, and a business was born. More information at www.tomrstonic.com