Cigar City Brewing (CCB) announces the release of a new ready-to-drink cocktail, Paper Plane, produced in collaboration with Tampa’s Dark Door Spirits. This RTD is a first for CCB, but likely not the last.
As innovation continues to be a driver for the brewery, it made sense to lean on the expertise of a neighboring craft distiller to collaborate on Paper Plane. The challenge was to figure out a way to create a cocktail that truly emulated both local brands. How could CCB contribute beyond just recipe ideas and gladly participating in trials? Dark Door knew the answer. They offered the opportunity to take a CCB beer, in this case Citrus Siesta Golden Ale, and distill it down to a spirit made from grain and hops. In other words: to develop a cocktail with the soul of a beer. The project took off from there.
CCB’s ethos has always been to brew the beers they want to drink, and the Paper Plane cocktail is no different. While many iterations were developed and trialed, it was an easy decision to go with a modern classic of mixology created by renowned bartender Sam Ross.
“We were very excited to work on something unique to the ready-to-drink space with our friends at Cigar City Brewing,” said Shane Neukam, Brand Manager for Dark Door Spirits. “As we began this project, we all agreed that it had to be something fun and different, and that’s how we landed on the Paper Plane. We were looking for the one we could creatively make our own, and in the end, it’s something we are really proud of.”
Citrus Siesta Golden Ale’s orange and lime qualities shine through in the resulting barrel-aged spirit. Aperol flavor is achieved through the addition of both pink and red grapefruit, while Dark Door’s Ibisco Amaro provides the body and herbal qualities traditionally imparted by Amaro Nonino. With the ultimate addition of lemon, these dynamic ingredients combine to create a 5.0% ABV concoction whose light carbonation adds a tactile dimension to this take on the contemporary cocktail.
“We’ve been friends with the folks over at Dark Door Spirits for a while, so this was a fun collaboration,” said Justin Clark, Vice President of Commercial Development. “I love the convenience of being able to take a complex cocktail with you anywhere that you can take a cooler. Typically, there would be too much involved to have a beverage like this at the ready. While this release is crafted as a limited small-batch, we are planning what’s next for CCB beyond beer innovation.”
Paper Plane will be available only at Cigar City Brewing’s Spruce Street Taproom and Dark Door Spirits Distillery for a limited time in August 2021 in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans. A special release event will take place on Friday, August 13, from 4-6 p.m., at Cigar City Brewing; and a release event at Dark Door Spirits will take place on August 20, from 6-9 p.m.
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