Name a Wren’s Nest Drink, Win a Mystery Prize!
A few months from now we’ll be hosting an event at the Ravinia Club. It’s a little fundraiser where all proceeds from the house drink will go to the Wren’s Nest. Generous and great, no?
Even better, we get to name the drink ourselves. Oh, and we get to concoct the libation, too. But come on, we get to name it! Score!
Unfortunately, we are not entirely the most creative folks, Lain and I. Thus, we have come up with the following:
- Brer-tini. It’s a martini.
Let’s try to top that.
Because you’re so smart, we thought we would pose the challenge to y’all. The person who comes up with the best name and drink will win a bag of things collected from around our office. There is truly no telling what this mystery prize will contain.
Here’s what we’re looking for:
- A drink with broad appeal.
- A drink that contains alcohol.
- A drink that people like to order in multiples of at least 3.
- A name that can be said with a knowing wink.
- Something that can be easily created and served. No zests or sprigs here, thanks.
Perhaps it’s the color of tar. Maybe it uses Brer Rabbit molasses! Maybe it’s green beer because you think it deserves more than St. Patty’s Day.
The world is your oyster, but it might make sense to stick to the following topics: Brer Rabbit Stories, the Briar Patch (bonus points for a Star Trek reference), Uncle Remus, or Joel Chandler Harris (who didn’t mind a drink or two himself).
Ready? Set. Go!
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Amelia Trace Lerner
Program Director
Lain Shakespeare
Executive Director
29 Comments to Name a Wren’s Nest Drink, Win a Mystery Prize!
“The Laughing Place” – Sweet Tea Vodka cut with Apple Cider. Delicious!
How about be’er?
Be’er is cute, but I like Terra’s “The Tar, Baby” Kahlua drink idea and Irwin’s “Hare of the Dog” (or Fox?) the best. With the negative Tar Baby connotations, it’ll probably get you guys some national press…regardless, a Kahlua based drink would be awesome.
How about something red (like Chandler’s hair) and we call it “The Bastard”?
Emily, that’s a high bar to set. Nice work.
Laurie, I like how you’re catering to the lowest common denominator. (I won’t say “as usual,” but….) Who doesn’t like be’er?
David, good point. I also asked this question on my Facebook status for those of you not on Facebook, coughcoughKirkcough. Hare of the Fox! Kahlua Tar Babies! As long as it doesn’t congeal, I’m for it.
Keep these coming, please!
P.S. Deb = Very nice! We can refine that.
How about briar juice? If you know the ecto cooler recipe, you know the briar juice recipe. It’s easy to make, relatively affordable, green, and will make people happy when they drink it.
If you need to know the actual recipe, let me know, but I don’t want to get people too excited.
B’reRITA – it’s an on the rocks margarita. Nancy and I definitely know how to make that one and can serve em up all night long!
Jodi
1. Well, it is already a drink, but the name is great given the theme:
It’s a “Wahoo.” We know you ain’t really dead if ya holler Wahoo!
1 shot Vodka
1 shot Amaretto
Pineapple Juice
2. It might be a bit heavy, but you could do “Brer Mud Turkle” with
Coffee or chocolate Liqueur, Creme, rum, and creme de menthe
3. An Owdacious Villyun
I just like the name….I couldn’t think of a drink. Maybe a red snapper or something.
4. A Billy Malone
lemon, powdered sugar, gin, club soda, mint sprigs
okay after enjoying a B’reRita tonight myself here are some more ideas…
Remus’s Rum Remedy (a rum punch) or Remus Rum Runner if you want to be simple about it; Remosa (a mimosa but I don’t know if we can do this one cause it involves champagne and not sure that’s offered as part of the deal at the ravinia); Briar Patch Punch (any kind of vodka punch drink), Briar Patch Delight which is a gimlet; a martini could be called a Dirty Fox but dirty martini’s are an acquired taste for sure. GreyHare (instead of greyhound) but an acquired taste drink as well; the ZippityDoDah Delight (again a vodka type punch which might be to much Song of the South related but might also be something that will be familiar with the Ravinia Club audience.) I’ll keep thinking…I’m sure after another round of margarita’s I’ll have some more creative thoughts…
- The tar baby – Coca-Cola and champagne
- Uncle Rumus – 4 different kinds of rum and a Werther’s
PS, I can’t believe I was the first one to come up with Uncle Rumus.
Jodi, maybe you should have a few drinks before each board meeting. I know I d–should.
The Original Emily, I like #2 and #3! I’ll stop at Greene’s on my way to work tomorrow and get back with you regarding my findings. Miss Nannie will cancel my appointments.
Christa, the understated elegance of the Uncle Rumus is astonishing. So far it’s the best and least plausible idea.
Joe, you know how I feel about Ecto Cooler. Can we make it in a bathtub? You know, for a test run.
I don’t know much about the drinks themselves. but names that might work could include elements of these ideas:
-Big Road
-Ginger Beer (Br’er Rabbit’s drink of choice)
-Billy Sanders (the alt Uncle Remus)
-Briar Patch
-Joel Chandler H(something starting with an H)
-Turnwold or Eatonton something
-Br’er Rabbit’s Laughing Drink
Of the ones already suggested Remus Rum has a nice ring.
How about Remus Rum-de-Yum??
I will need more information before I can provide you with the winning recipe.
1) This place looks pretty ritzy, I am assuming the crowd will be composed of primarily of sophisticated upper crust type folks. Is this correct?
2) Do you have a full bar at your disposal? Or are we limited in our booze/mixer selections?
3) You (Amelia) say the “proceeds” from the house drink benefit the Wrens Nest. Are they taking the cost of the drinks out of the proceeds, or are they donating the hooch to you? If the Wrens Nest is paying for the sauce the primary goal of the drink should be cost efficiency.
4) I noticed that one Henry Aaron is on the Board of Governors at the Ravinia Club. Is that the Henry Aaron, as in Hammering Hank?
5) What is the date of this gala, and when do you need to make a decision on the beverage of choice? In other words, how long to I have to test my concoctions? (I really want that mystery bag.)
6) Hey, I recognize that jar of molasses!
7) The comments section of the Wrens Nest Blog is my primary means of communication. I have no need for Facebook.
There is so much genius exhibited here I barely know what to do with myself.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to enjoy my third Uncle Rumus of the morning. The Werther’s were already in my purse!
Brian, the Big Road has potential, and I do love Ginger Beer. This would be a lot easier if I didn’t drink anything other than Miller High Life.
Kirk, here are the answers to your questions. 1. It is pretty ritzy. It’s like a city club. The patrons will be a mix of Ravinia Club members and folks who we can entice to join us. Coincidentally, it’s family night so we’ll have storytelling for the kids.
2. I believe it’s a fullish bar, yes.
3. There’s no cost for the Wren’s Nest. The Club takes in the cash, but sets aside whatever is spent on “our drink” and gives it to us. I think they have mixers, say, once a month, and then 3 times a year a nonprofit is highlighted. For me, this is more of an exposure thing, but if the drink is insanely good, the cash could be not insignificant.
4. Yes, the same Hammering Hank. He of the Krispy Kreme down the street.
5. Mid June.
6. Yup, thanks for the molasses, Kirk!
7. Point taken.
Uncle Rumus is genius in the ‘leaving guests incoherently drunk’ department, but even I’d have a hard time downing more than 4 or 5. Owdacious Villyun is an awesome name. Sounds like you need two lists-one for evil punishment shots (a la Uncle Rumus, Owdacious Villyun, The Bastard, etc), and another for things you could actually consume all night.
I wouldn’t worry about being classy enough; my brother and I served gallons of frat-boy punch at a fancy Xmas party this year, and every one loved it. Recipe? 18*Natural Light, 60 oz Silent Sam Vodka, 3 cans frozen lemonade concentrate, 3 cans frozen fruit punch concentrate. Maybe a good candidate for the night’s poison-you can drink it easily, it tastes great, and it costs next to nothing to make. Just don’t let the DDs have any, it sneaks up on you…
I must say, as the unofficailly official bartenders of the annual backyard shindig we assumed you would turn to us first! But we would not have come up with “Uncle Rumus” which is clearly grade A material.
Based on the need to sell drinks in multiples I would suggest:
Brer Bomb: A Jagerbomb but with Whiskey.
Brer Bear Beer: A Beer with a shot in it.
Both quick to make, sell in multiples, but are definitely not for fancy pants people. Simple drinks from simple minds.
I want to clarify for those making Uncle Rumuses at home that when I say “different kinds of rum” I mean types not brands. E.g. coconut, spiced, gold, silver, etc.
Lain,
I trust that you had a busy day since Miss Nannie canceled your appointments. I have never seen the blog more alive. I suppose that you all should throw these shindigs more often.
Original Emily-
I think it’s booze as a topic that is peaking so much interest.
Perhaps Original Emily means that we should devote this blog to booze with a hint of Brer Rabbit, and not the other way around.
Well…I suppose I have a dry sense of humor (or lack thereof), but I was teasing about how booze makes us come out of the woodwork.
Oh, and I certainly wouldn’t want to insinuate that the blog ease up on the Brer Rabbit (JCH collecting being a hobby and all). I’m just enjoying the liveliness!
I suggest a good old whiskey ginger as a tribute to JCH’s love of whiskey and his red hair.
My roommates suggest adding NyQuil to any drink. They also recommend Sparks +, a drink that, much like JCH, has suffered from negative media but is ultimately a timeless classic. Maybe.
“Can we make it in a bathtub”
Obviously YES!… Although I would recommend a gatorade water cooler thingy, if you have access to one. Either way though.
Geoff has both a large volume of Sparks (or had, anyways-he bought all the cans he could find) and a Gatorade cooler devoted to disarmingly powerful mixed drinks.
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