Pop-up bar takes over on Sutter Street with plenty of Christmas spirits
“Miracle” at Pacific Cocktail Haven gives us lots of holiday kitsch in San Francisco
By M. T. Eley
Merry Christmas, Union square. Pardon if the Yuletide cinema references are a little thick today: the Miracle on Sutter Street, currently encamped at Pacific Cocktail Haven, is snowed over in kitsch Christmas comfort, wrapping paper, holiday pin-ups, dangling lights and the occasional flurry out front, and the feeling is catching.
Miracles are popping up all from Yukon to Panama, London to San Francisco, with a couple dozen sprinkled in between. Ours is an easy walk from the Union Square skating rink — still $20 for an hour and skates — and there’s no reason not to hobble on over afterwards to recover your inner child with one or several of the sixteen holiday cocktails. I took the in-laws, visiting for Thanksgiving, to opening night and we tried six for you.
Start off with the Snowball Old-fashioned, on the top right: a pleasant tipple ending in gingerbread notes. The wormwood bitters will remind you a bit of a sazerac, effectively an old fashioned with an absinthe wash. Served on an ice sphere in a dreidel lowball glass. Next up:
Rudolph’s Replacement
A nutty white russian served in crushed ice in a ceramic t-rex. Almond milk lends a lot of flavor here, especially as the crushed ice begins to water down the vodka and coffee liqueur for a pleasant adult Yoo-hoo.
The Diehard
Die Hard diehards will rejoice at this chance to assert themselves. It’s a rummy reminder of a pina colada on crushed ice, but the coconut orgeat goes down more lightly than cream alongside pleasantly sweet pineapple juice. Served in a topless St. Nick mug. No, not like that.
The Carol Barrel
The Carol Barrel is everything you need to go a-wassailing, served over crushed ice. For me, Guinness punch is the star of this show: alongside nutmeg and chocolate bitters, peppering the banana liqueur notes and rum for a boozy, sweet fruit salad tossed with whiskey.
Krampus
A krampus, in case your Alpine folklore is dusty, is St. Nick’s horned counterpart who frightens bad children rather than the usual coal lump à la Americain. Simple and effective, like this drink: tequila, habanero bitters and herbals for an almost Tex-Mex inspired cocktail in one ugly mug you can hold with both hands.
Hot Buttered Rum
My recommended evening ender: hot buttered rum: buttery and creamy with just enough spirit to warm your belly after all those cold cocktails. Oat milk here is an interesting choice given the presence of spiced butter, but it works quite well given its inherent, sweet creaminess with grated nutmeg.
One of adulthood’s great victims is the way you felt those glorious three weeks in December, when one day dominated the horizon. Here’s a fine way to recall that feeling, if only for a glass. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 3PM-12AM until December 30th.
// 550 Sutter Street, https://www.pacificcocktailsf.com/.
M. T. Eley is a San Francisco-based writer.
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