Mad Scientists in Denmark Have Created a New Class of Canned Cocktail

(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- In Copenhagen, the street Refshalevej curves past the city's most famous restaurants—Noma, Alchemist, and Amass—and takes you to the doors of Empirical Spirits. The distillery describes itself as a “flavor company,” making novel alcoholic magic by macerating fruit, herbs, and botanicals into booze outside traditional categories such as gin, rum, or vodka. This spring it delves into the fast-growing world of canned beverages. Its Can 01 (charcoal black) and Can 02 (hot pink), each $11.25, are made from a vacuum-distilled spirit base of beet molasses and Belgian saison yeast—light enough for backyard grilling but rich enough for contemplative sipping.

What's the Competition?

There's nothing commercially available that compares with what Empirical is doing. Flavored tonics can be exotic and evocative but aren't alcoholic. And most ready-to-drink cocktails rely on boring simplicity. But premium beers and newer canned concoctions can provide perspective.

• The Flemish ale Rodenbach Classic (5.2% ABV) has a bracing sourness that aficionados rave about—and gentler palates flee.

• Cardinal Spirits' Maui Mule (6.5% ABV) tarts up the vodka-ginger standard with passion fruit puree.

• JuneShine hard kombucha (6% ABV) ferments organic green tea with honey. Tangy and sour flavors may feature hops, grapefruit, pineapple, mint, or trendy activated charcoal.

The Case 

As fridges become increasingly overrun by bland hard seltzers, ­ co-founder Lars Williams, a Noma alum, and Chris Stewart, Empirical's head of research and development, capture an extrasensory, woodsy vibe. The binding element in Can 01 is oolong tea, which rounds out the qualities of its supporting ingredients such as toasted birch tea and a Douglas fir spirit. At 10% ABV, it quickly sends your mind on a contented stroll. As the color of Can 02 (8% ABV) suggests, it's more brisk, thanks to sour cherry juice and a black currant bud spirit. Those flavors, like the oolong, help showcase the taste of pine cones—candied yet sylvan, sophisticated yet green. In the end, these aren't merely drinks: They're intoxicating poetry. $45 for 330ml four-pack

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Gaddy at jgaddy@bloomberg.net, Justin Ocean

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