Inventive San Diego co*cktails [with recipe!] (2024)

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It’s a well-known fact that San Diego is the craft beer capital of the US, but did you know thatour co*cktail game is equally on point? We’ve got bars and restaurants that are making their own flavored syrups, ginger beer, bitters, shrubs and alcohol infusions. Pairing these handcrafted elements with thoughtful flavor combinations results in some seriously inventive and damn tasty co*cktails. Below, I teamed up with Expedia Viewfinder to share a variety of libations from 3 hot bars and restaurants in San Diego plus a recipe for an incredible tequila co*cktail.

This Inventive San Diego co*cktails list starts with a series of beautiful beveragesfrom Zymology 21, a laboratory-themed restaurant in the heart of Downtown San Diego. I went to thegrand opening of Zymology 21 last year, and I wasso impressed with their co*cktail program. They present intriguing flavor combinations with a real sense of showmanship. Alcoholic entertainment through modern mixology.

Since opening, Zymology 21 has mastered the art of the shrub, a fermented drinking vinegar. Flavors include carrot, ginger and grapefruit; pear and blackberry; strawberry balsamic; honey, cranberry and apple; and beet and pomegranate. These vibrant, sweet-tart blendsare then mixed with an alcohol of choice (tequila pictured here). You can get a flight and try all five!

Zymology 21 is currently working on a new bitters program. All of the little bottles on the back wall (photo below) each contain a different bitter / tincture infusion. I can’t wait to go back and try them out!

Here are my co*cktail picks at Zymology 21:

Calavera Catrina: Tequila, Grapefruit Ginger Carrot Shrub, Piloncillo, Habanero Bitters, Cucumber & Cilantro. This was my favorite libation. Bright, fresh with just a hint of heat. (click here for the recipe!)
The Resurrectionist: Fords Gin, Currant Pimms, Strawberry Shrub, Lime, Cardamom Bitters, Absinthe Strawberries. A local favorite with strong berry notes and a subtle absinthe undertone. The Currant Pimms is made in-house. The strawberry garnish is soaked in absinthe then torched before topping the drink.
Shrub Flight. 5 test tubes + 5 shrubs + 1 liquor = a flight. This is a fun way to experience all the shrubs while achieving a pleasant buzz. Incredible fire and dry ice presentation.

While you’re trying out all of these fun co*cktails, be sure to orderone of their salad or sandwich boards. Once again, the presentation and flavors are over-the-top delicious. Next up, Sycamore Den.

Located in the hip, eclectic neighborhood of Normal Heights, Sycamore Den is serving up some of the best co*cktails around San Diego. In various hues of copper and brown, this 70’s themed bar is fully equipped with wood walls, stone accents, antique fixtures, leather seating, and a shotgun wall in the back. Along with asizeable list of beer and whiskey, the Sycamore Den is known for their contemporaryco*cktails. They make many of their syrups in-house, including coconut, celery, ginger-cinnamon, and cinnamon-honey.

Calavera Catrina

by Brandon Matzek

Recipe provided by Zymology 21. I have not personally tested this recipe.

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Servings 1 co*cktail

Ingredients

1/2 ripe cucumber, peeled and sliced
5 cilantro leaves
1 1/2 ounces U4RIK silver tequila
1 ounce Carrot Grapefruit Shrub (see note below)
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 ounce Contratto Blanco Vermouth
3 dashes Habañero Bitters

Garnishes: baby carrot with greens, cucumber slice, strip of lemon zest

Instructions

Muddle cucumber and cilantro leaves in a co*cktail shaker to release flavor and juice. Add silver tequila, shrub, lemon juice, vermouth, habañero bitters and ice. Cap the co*cktail shaker and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a short tumbler filled with ice.
Garnish with a baby carrot, cucumber slice and strip of lemon zest.

Notes

The Zymology 21 team provided me with a very loose recipe for making the Carrot Grapefruit Shrub. This process is best done to taste, so specific ingredient amounts really aren't needed. The finished shrub should have a nice sweet-tart balance with notes of carrot and grapefruit. Here's notes from Louis Chavez, Zymology 21's head mixologist:

Peel equal parts ripe grapefruit and orange, completely removing the pith. Cube or thinly slice all fruit, and place in a large jar or bowl. Coat fruit with sugar and let sit loosely covered for a few days. Check, taste, and stir the fruit each day (bubbles are okay, it means it's fermenting a little). Keep adding a little sugar each day. Next, make the vinegar syrup: equal parts champagne vinegar and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add vinegar syrup to the shrub. Stir until all sugar on the fruit is dissolved. If sugar remains, add a touch of vinegar until it is liquid. Juice an equal amount of carrots, then stir in the fruit-vinegar mixture. Pour the shrub through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Taste and bottle. Adjust the flavor by adding more sugar, vinegar, or freshly squeezed juice to taste.

Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

Discover more of what you can see in San Diego by exploring the Expedia Viewfinder Image Library.

I partnered with Expediaon this article. All thoughts and opinions shared in this article are my own. A big thanks to Zymology 21, Sycamore Den and Polite Provisions for hosting these co*cktail experiences.

Brandon

I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, co*cktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!