Last Thursday, local food writer and restaurant critic Liz Cook hosted The Malört Mêlée at Minibar.
Malört, in case you’re blissfully unaware, is an ultra-bitter liqueur that’s popular in Chicago. It’s usually offered as a shot more as a dare than for drinking pleasure. Cook wanted to see whether local bartenders could make it tasty—which they mostly succeded at.
Attendees waited in line for hours to sample six Malört cocktails submitted by the event’s competitors. It was a lively crowd that waited patiently in a long line as live music played.
The Campground’s Christopher Ciesiel, who made a fruity fan-favorite called the Handshake Drug with Malört, palo santo gin, grilled pineapple honey, Ancho Reyes Verde, lemon, orange cream citrate.
The event raised funds for the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault.
