Foes and First Loves
There’s a government agency most people have never heard of. It’s responsible for regulating a $275B market. It’s called the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Luckily (read: sadly) for me, I’ve become quite acquainted.
If you know Phreshly’s origin story, you know it started serendipitously. A single Insecure-inspired tweet took off and next thing you know, I was hearing from people who wanted a simple cocktail that could be delivered to their house. Sounds easy enough.
That’s where the TTB (also affectionately known as the Time Theft Bureau) comes in. After consulting an attorney, my wife, I realized you can’t just put a cocktail in a can and sell it. The TTB has a division that combs through every detail of how alcohol and tobacco brands label and advertise their products to make sure it’s in compliance with the law. I’ll give you an example of the type of “work” they do.
In June 2021, we submitted our labels for approval and it was randomly delayed. Once we finally hear back, the TTB says we can’t have the name “Bay Lemonade” because it’s the same name as an ingredient in the drink…it’s the name of our SKU. Fast forward a little and they’re back again with another delay because they can’t find the ingredient “strawberry puree”. Now if you cook, you know a puree is cooked food that’s been pressed into a paste or liquid. Strawberries are fruits that grow on trees. My guess is no one’s introduced them to Google yet.
So maybe it’s for the best that most people haven’t heard of the TTB. While I have and will continue to, it’s just another step on the journey to building a game-changing brand. With that, let’s hop into the recipe
Cocktail Name: “First Love”
This recipe was inspired by a memory from decades ago when I had my first drink with my mom and her friend Happy. The best way to describe the feeling is total bliss. It was so good I slept for the entire day. So here’s to being transported back to a beautiful “first-time” memory.
Ingredients:
Rosé
Gin
Peach syrup
Peach
Roses (for flavor enhancement)
Sugar
How to make peach syrup:
Peaches: Use fresh or frozen peaches. You’ll need about 16 ounces weighed out (without the pits) or about 3 cups measured out.
Note: I’ve found that different brands of frozen peaches yield different syrup. Some result in a thinner, more translucent syrup, and others make a thicker, more flavorful syrup. Just something to consider when using frozen peaches.
Simmer: Let the syrup simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. After it’s simmered for 10-15 minutes, remove it from heat. Let it cool for about an hour at room temperature before straining it to add to the flavor notes and thicken up the syrup nicely.
Note: avoid cooking at too high a temperature or the sugar will begin to caramelize (turn amber or brown in color).
Add-Ins: Try adding in a bit of pure vanilla extract, a touch of bourbon, a cinnamon stick, nutmeg, or fresh rosemary to give more layers of flavor to the syrup.
BONUS: For health-conscious folks, you can also make it sugar-free!
Simply cook down the peaches in water, and you’ll get peach-flavored water. If you want it sweet but without refined sugar, try adding honey, agave nectar, or your favorite sugar substitute.