Blair Reynolds has been a miracle worker in the syrups arena for some time now, continually growing, continually selling, and many people would love to know why. Is it his charisma, reputation in the industry for quality products or the fact that a bar owner created their own product? Today, however, B.G Reynolds brand dips their toe into cocktail mixers. A good idea?
The three natural cocktail mixers include the Jet Pilot, Mai Tai and Zombie Punch. They all contain real ingredients made in nature and not a lab. That means no High Fructose Corn Syrup and loads of preservatives. The pro’s being a flavorful blend of natural ingredients to make a good cocktail. The con’s being a 90-day life on the bottle once opened so you’re going to want to have a party or two over the months.
Secondly, the price isn’t nearly as low as the manufactured sweetener products sold at big box stores, liquor stores and in cardboard displays during memorial day. One can buy a 1.75 liter (1,750ml) bottle for $6.50 on Amazon for a “strawberry daiquiri mix” (which contains no actual strawberries nor any other fruit or readable ingredients); the B.G Reynolds’ mixers will run you $15.99 a 750ml bottle.
The saying goes, “you get what you pay for” and there is no doubt that the B.G Reynolds’ folks are trying to prove that with high quality cocktail mixers. I also hope they plan to start to change people’s perspective on mixers (along with any competition they may get) because I feel that most people buying a jug of mixer for $6.50 isn’t really particularly wise to what Red #40 is or what high fructose corn syrup does to a cocktail. Worst, reading the ingredients list doesn’t show anything that seems food worthy, shouldn’t a strawberry daiquiri have strawberries in it?
A great example, the Jet Pilot cocktail mixer has the first two ingredients: water, pink grapefruit juice. This same mixer also contains, in its list, the ingredient: angostura bitters–one of the core components to a cocktail! The Zombie Punch containing water, sugar and white grapefruit juice as its core components. A revolutionary concept, but the question remains: will “normal” people understand the value of a good mixer? We know craft cocktail makers understand the use of quality ingredients, but they’re probably going to make their own fresh Mai Tai and Jet Pilot not utilize a mixer.
I think it’s time we educate the common consumer to use real products and spend the cash for quality instead of stuffing the pockets of low volume high margin bottles of chemicals. But, maybe that’s just me…
No Comments