Not too long ago, Philly’s cocktail scene consisted of three simple steps:

1.)    Pour vodka (or if you’re like me, gin)
2.)    Add vermouth
3.)    Insert olive

But of late, we’ve entered somewhat of a boozy revolution. It started small with a craze of 'tini proportions--the appletini, the phillytini, the flirtini, the anything-clever-you-can-add-to-a-tini-tini--but now, thanks to the efforts of some fine mixologists around town, many drinks receive the cerebral treatment, on par with the tapas explosion or the Asian fusion fury. Whether it’s an emphasis on organic ingredients, local sources or simple brainy combinations executed to perfection, these master mixers are leading the cocktail coup d’état.

The Artist: Matt McHale, Bar Manager, Azul

The Mix: For the majority of Azul’s cocktails, Matt doesn’t carelessly heap in sugar or use it as a weapon to obliterate any semblance of a liquored taste. “Most places use high fructose corn syrup in their drinks, which has been sitting on the shelf for months,” says McHale. “They use it as a cover, not a complement, just adding sugar to drinks to make them sweeter.” Instead, McHale relies on agave nectar, a natural syrup from the agave plant that’s sweeter but less sticky than honey, to give his drinks the perfect touch. Partial to the brunch menu, McHale finds that “agave nectar works especially well for brunch cocktails, its subtle sweetness balancing well against the acidic qualities of grapefruit, orange and lemon.” And he’s a big fan of boozy margaritas, too. One of his favorite mixes is the Buenos Dias Margarita.

Buenos Dias Margarita
1 1/3 oz. Milagro Silver Tequila
3/4 oz. Cointreau
Splash of lemon juice
1/2 oz. pink grapefruit juice
1 tsp. orange marmalade
1/2 tsp. agave nectar

 Pour a cup of ice into a shaker. Add tequila, Cointreau, lemon juice and orange marmalade. Shake well. Add agave nectar and grapefruit juice. Shake again. Pour into margarita glass. Add ice.

The Artist: Nicholas Jarrett, Beverage Manager/Bartender, Apothecary Bar + Lounge

The Mix: An homage to the days when mixed drinks were used for all manner of medicinal purposes, Apothecary is a laboratory for innovative cocktails. Infused with healthful ingredients like Siberian ginseng, echinacea and even hawthorn root, the drink menu is truly unrivalved. Created by Tad Carducci of the Tippling Brothers, the Dermis Fanasticus began with “a flavor combination and a concept--healthfulness, particularly in terms of skin health,” says Jarrett of the ginger-cucumber concoction. The idea was then fleshed out with suitable ingredients, “organic rye vodka, organic aloe juice, a little lemon for acidity and a touch of organic agave nectar for low-glycemic-index sweetening.” While Apothecary doesn't typically disseminate its elixir recipes, we were able to get their Dermis Fantasticus recipe, including the ingredients for its secretive “proprietary skin tincture."  

Dermis Fantasticus
1 oz. organic rye vodka
1 1/2 oz. ginger liqueur
2 oz. fresh English cucumber puree
2 oz. organic aloe juice
3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. organic amber agave nectar
10 drops proprietary skin tincture (yellow dock root, Oregon grape root, goldenseal, prickly ash and myrrh)
2 spritzes lemon verbena hydrosol (a non-alcoholic, food-grade aromatic distillate)

Combine all ingredients except the lemon verbena hydrosol in a shaker on ice, shake vigorously, strain over fresh, filtered-water ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh-cut cucumber and a piece of fresh ginger. Finish off with the lemon verbena hydrosol for aromatics. Sip and "achieve the glow."

The Artists: Andres Sanchez and Israel Nocelo, Bartenders/Mixologists, Positano Coast

The Mix: Positano Coast is, according to Rosita Lamberti, operations manager for Lamberti Restaurants, “lucky to have two great bartenders (Andres and Israel) who are actually mixologists." Constantly creating and coming up with fresh ideas and cocktails, they recently made exclusive summer drinks such as the Lupa Cocktail (Stoli Orange, Aperol liquor, prickly pear puree, fresh lemon, prosecco and ginger syrup) and Positano's signature cocktail, the Positano lemon drop (creamy limoncello with their own lemon-infused vodka). Both are perfect summer concoctions, but my absolute favorite is The Spa on the Coast.  

The Spa on the Coast
4 fresh watermelon cubes
6 tarragon leaves
1 lemon wedge
1 oz. homemade limoncello
1 oz. premium vodka
1/2 oz. agave nectar
1 1/2 oz. prosecco
 
Muddle the watermelon, tarragon and lemon in a pint glass. Add the limoncello, vodka and agave nectar. Shake with ice. Finish with prosecco.

The Artist: Katie Loeb, “Bartendrix,” Chick's Cafe & Wine Bar

The Mix: Self proclaimed Intoxicologist, Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals and Aphrodite of Alcohol, Katie Loeb will tell you that “mixing drinks isn’t rocket science.” Yet a quick look through her eGullet forum on making limoncello may convince you otherwise. Hailed as the Limoncello Queen of eGullet, Loeb loves rhubarb and infusions. How would she have us enjoy this lemony treat? “Over ice cream, drizzled on buttery pound cake with fresh berries, in iced tea, in a cocktail glass with vermouth or Lillet blonde or ice cold in small sippable shots.” Among other accolades, this infusion was voted one of the top two recipes by the LA Times in 2004.

Limoncello
12 lemons
1 lime
2 750ml. bottles 100-proof vodka, divided
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Remove the yellow/green part of the lemon and lime peels with a sharp peeler or fine grater, carefully avoiding the bitter white pith. If any pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off. Put the peels in a jar or bottle, add one bottle of vodka and seal tightly. Steep until the peels lose their color, at least two weeks. Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and boil until the liquid turns clear. Let the syrup cool. Strain the vodka from the peels and mix it with the remaining bottle of vodka and the syrup. Put the liqueur in bottles, seal tightly and let the components marry for at least one week before using. For drinking straight, store in the freezer.