Episode 33

Wilks & Wilson: Using Elixirs to Craft The Best Old-Fashioned, Manhattan, and Martinis

00:00:00
/
00:56:46

July 12th, 2018

56 mins 46 secs

Your Hosts
Special Guests
Tags

About this Episode

Wilks & Wilsonʼs hand-crafted, organic infused and all natural elixirs, though also meant for use in non-alcoholic beverages, cooking and coffee, are intended for use in cocktails. Many of these cocktails were common to the late-1800s to the early 1900s– also known as the pre-Prohibition era. The exact origin of the term cocktail is disputed. However, what is known is that, since even before this time, people have been using various blends of spirits, sugar and other natural ingredients as a way to enjoy their favorite alcoholic beverages.

Every spirit has its own nuance. Every cocktail has its own history and ingredients that have been carefully selected to bring out and enhance those nuances. Elixirs play a large role in that process. Zach and Greg wanted to brand themselves in that era, going for the term “patent medicine.” Patent medicine was the term for secret, original remedies common to this period, which often carried crazy names and wild claims.

Today, we are witnessing a return to the appreciation of the finer, hand-crafted cocktails of yesteryear. Staying ahead of the trend, Wilks & Wilson has scoured the annals of bartending to find the recipes and stories behind the greatest cocktails in history. Zach said his style of bartending centers around the pre-Prohibition era, naming it as his sweet spot. Instead of focusing on more modern practices, he said he researches and mixes historical, cultured cocktails, then puts a modern twist on them to make them his.

Wilks and Wilson make the finest cocktail elixirs available today. Every cocktail has a story and, with Wilks & Wilson, the story of the hand-crafted cocktail will continue to be written with taste and distinction.

Support An Indianapolis Business Podcast: Off the Circle

Episode Links

  • Wilks & Wilson — Wilks & Wilsonʼs hand-crafted, organic infused and all natural elixirs, though also meant for use in non-alcoholic beverages, cooking and coffee, are intended for use in cocktails.