A Low Proof Cocktail For Every Situation At Soho House

By Melissa McEwen in Food on Jan 23, 2015 7:00PM

Soho House Chicago (113 N. Green St.) not only has multiple low-proof cocktail options, but has them on multiple menus at their different restaurants and bars. It’s a showcase of beverage director Kalani Ben’s skills and the potential versatility of low-proof drinks.

The under the radar drinks menus here first caught my eye when I was at a media event at Chicken Shop and spotted a drink that was perfect for washing down rich salty food like chicken skin or their marrow infused “Dirty burger.”

My favorite at Chicken Shop is the Vermouth Swizzle, made from Martini Bianco, Cazadores Blanco, lime, sugar, and grapefruit bitters. Since it was low proof it was also an excellent excuse for the equally refreshing Aperol Spritz, a classic blend of the aforementioned aperol, prosecco, Stiegl Radler, and bitters.

A similar drink is available at the other second floor restaurant, Pizza East: the Spritzed & Bittered, made with aperol, prosecco, Stiegl Radler and orange bitters. Ben says these drinks act as a drink version of an amuse-bouche—an approachable drink to get the palate ready. “They all suit a different palate—bright and citrusy, or complex and dark- it’s all about balance and covering all the bases.”

At the third bar Ben helms, the Allis bar in the lobby, they have a medium-proof creamy amaro-based Vaquero Sour, featuring ancho reyes, luxardo amaro abano, lemon, brown sugar and egg white. If you want to drink a large variety of low-proof drinks in different environments, you can try them at all three bars without even venturing outside into the Chicago cold.

Ben wasn’t always a bartender. He started at the back of the house as a dishwasher and then a line cook. He made sushi rice and one day a bartender was absent. He got a chance to be behind the bar for the first time. But he wasn’t entirely serious about it until he worked as a doorman at the Drawing Room at its apex, when people like Charles Joly and Cristiana DeLucca were working there. Often they’d shut the door when the bar filled up, so he’d go downstairs and watch them and ask questions. The experience inspired him to become a full time bartender.

Ben says he likes to use a diversity of ingredients but have at least one familiar ingredient so people can both feel comfortable and try something new. “We want to prod the guests to ask questions” he says. He also designs his low-proof drinks to function at any part of the dining experience, as great before, during, or after drinks. The drinks offered at the bars at Soho House showcase this perfectly, balancing both classic apertif and digestif ingredients. And don't worry, you don't need to be a member to visit The Allis, Chicken Shop or Pizza East.

This is part of a series here at Chicagoist focusing on low-proof cocktails. We hope to highlight the best, so stay-tuned for further chapters in the Low-Proof series.