Anthony on RIPE

Not too long ago I was behind my bar on a Sunday afternoon when these two guys came in for lunch. As they sat at my bar I noticed them noticing me (no not that way!) They noticed me making drinks with house made sour mix, and bloody Mary mix. They also watched me squeezing fresh lemon and lime in other cocktails and then introduced themselves. We discussed all things bar, and the importance of fresh ingredients. Come to find out it was Mike and Ryan the founders of Ripe Fresh cocktail mixers at freshbev llc. They explained the new product they were beginning to market and how it wasn’t being used in restaurants as of yet. The focus being on FRESH, Fresh Fruits squeezed at peak ripeness, 100% Organic Agave nectar for sweetening, Reverse osmosis filtered water, made to order in small batches and delivered cold right out of the flash pasteurization into the bottle.

A bit skeptical, I set up an appointment for them to come in and sample me on the product. A few evenings later we were at my bar tasting what I have to say is in fact the absolute best cocktail mixers ever. Ripe Fresh Sour Mix, Ripe Fresh Agave Margarita, Ripe Fresh Bloody Mary, and a little prototype that is bar far my favorite; Passion fruit, Honey, Cinnamon, and Red pepper.
The freshness was evident immediately, the natural flavors and sweeteners perfectly balanced. The only thing that was different was that I wasn’t cutting and squeezing fresh citrus into my drinks myself. It was already done for me as I made cocktails and tasted them side by side; I even tried their mixes in a few of my signature drinks. They made all of them even better and then inspired me to create even more!

The beauty of this product again is the FRESHNESS it allows not only great mixability with cocktails but cross mixing of their products with each other to further create even more cocktails and non alcoholic drinks.
So, I guess we can say I was sold on the product and brought it in. I’ve incorporated it into many specialty drinks on my menu, some were directly inspired from that evenings tasting and made on the spot.
The more I worked with Ripe the more I came up with and the more I was able to enhance many classics as well. That said I asked Mike and Ryan If I could write this. The response was yes and warranted a visit to the production facility.

I went to their warehouse/factory in Wallingford CT to see just how this process was done. Upon entering I was introduced not only to an amazing citrus aroma wafting everywhere, but fresh cases of san marziano(sp?) tomatoes stacked to the ceiling, and by god the largest vat of the best Agave nectar I have ever tasted. We talked a bit about Rums, cane sugar and other agave’s and flavor profiles of each as this day they were designing a new Mojito mixer.
My next journey was into a cooler filled with fresh citrus fruits and out another door into the production room.. One word, well two… COLD and Spotless. I was introduced to the machinery that would squeeze, extract, pasteurize and bottle. And then I had the pleasure in watching a case of what were the sweetest and juiciest limes I have ever tasted put into a basket on top of this automated citrus press and reduced to 4 liters of lime juice in about a minute.
I witnessed the process first hand and can definitely say it doesn’t get any more passionate, professional, or perfect. No additives, no preservatives, micro biotic properties as my wife calls it. I just call it perfect. The perfect sour mix, the perfect Margarita mix, and one of the best and most interesting bloody Mary mixes I have ever tasted. I have heard rumor of and apple ginger and experienced and got to assist in the first batch of Mojito made with fresh squeezed lime and fresh mint steeped in agave. Could this be the end of muddling as we know it? Perhaps.
All in all this is an amazing product and just what us cocktail enthusiasts need in this day and age as we are all searching our farmers markets for the next great fresh flavor to add to our cocktails. Perhaps this is why Whole foods carries them. If you don’t have one near you or the freshness isn’t in your area yet, check out Drinkripe.com click here and tell them Anthony sent you

Things to do with RIPE Fresh SOUR:
Plumbiscus:
1 ½ oz Pearl Plum vodka
½ oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
¾ oz Domain de Canton
3 bar spoons Hibiscus syrup
Shake ingredients over ice and strain over an edible hibiscus flower in a chilled martini/cocktail glass

Collins #209:
2 oz 209 small batch gin (the lemon notes match perfectly with the Ripe lemons used in the mixer)
1 oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
1 Bar spoon Fresh cracked black pepper
Shake ingredients over ice strain into an ice filed Collins/highball glass and top with soda water

Strawberry Sling:
Muddle two fresh strawberries in 1 oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
Top with 2 oz Cruzan Vanilla Rum
Shake over ice and strain into a chilled rocks glass
Garnish with a fresh strawberry




Bluesberry lemonade:
1 ½ oz Pearl Blueberry Vodka
3 oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
Shake over ice and strain into a Ice filled Highball glass
Add one tsp blue ciraco on top for effect. If in season toss in a few fresh blueberries.
Pacific Melon:
1 ½ oz Smirnoff melon vodka
½ oz Midori Melon liquor
1 oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
1 oz Orange Juice
Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass, garnish with orange

Sapphire Seveche:
Muddle a fresh bunch of cilantro (6-8 sprig tops) in about 1 oz Ripe Fresh Sour Mix
2 oz Bombay Sapphire (as this was designed for and around the botanicals in Bombay Sapphire I do not recommend substituting any other gin)
Shake over ice
Strain into an ice filled highball glass and top with Ginger ale

Frozen Strawberry Shortcake:
Ok, so someone gave my wife a bottle of this new whipped cream flavored vodka over the summer and the question arose. What do we do with it? Well nothing helps like living with a healthy eaters summertime stash in the fridge and a bartender who keeps a bottle or two of Ripe on hand.
A handful of fresh washed Strawberries diced.
1 oz Ripe Fresh sour Mix
2 oz Whipped Cream Vodka
Put all in an ice filled Blender and pulse till smooth.
Garnish with Whipped cream and a fresh Strawberry

And there is oh so much more you can do with this product. It even stands alone, add some water and offer the kids healthy lemonade. Add it to some seltzer water for a refreshing summer cooler. Its not just for cocktails!
Next up..
Ripe Fresh Agave Margarita: