Each week, we order the same cocktail at two different bars for a friendly head-to-head battle. Go to the bars, taste them both and tell us what you like about each by tagging @pghcitypaper on Twitter or Instagram and using #CPBoozeBattles. If you want to be a part of Booze Battles, send an email to food-and-beverage writer Celine Roberts, at [email protected].
The Goldmark
4517 Butler St., Lawrenceville
Drink: Cucumber Collins
Ingredients: Beefeater gin, yellow Chartreuse, cucumber, lemon, soda
Our take: A sip of this drink felt like a quick inhale of frosty winter air, which is a welcome sensation on a sweltering day. The combination of the citrus and vegetal tastes of the ingredients created notes of green tea and took any bite out of the gin. A touch of sweetness and a little pulp from the cucumber and lemon gave the drink some heft and added dimension to an otherwise airy, smooth cocktail.
Vs.
Dorothy 6 Blast Furnace Café
224 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead
Drink: Cucumber Collins
Ingredients: Hendrick’s gin, muddled cucumber, pickled ginger, Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liquor, soda
Our take: The first taste is pure cucumber. Ginger contributes a light spiciness that isn’t overwhelming but deepens the flavor profile. Salinity from the gin works to keep the cocktail from being overly sweet and allows the gin flavor to shine through without being hot on the palate. The cucumber garnish provides a delightful crunch to the end of the drink.
