Feb 14, 2024 - Food and Drink

What we're sipping: 18th Amendment cocktail

Worth Sparkman

A photo of a frosty drink in a tall glass on a granite bar. — The 18th Amendment. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

The 18th Amendment — prohibiting the manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating liquors — was in effect from 1920 to 1933.

About 100 years after its repeal (with the 21st Amendment), a bartender at TheatreSquared in Fayetteville invented drinks to accompany the play, "What the Constitution Means to Me."

The setup: The Commons is the bar and cafe in the lobby of TheatreSquared, where patrons can snack and drink before shows.

The drink: I tried the nonalcoholic 18th Amendment, made with Pink House Alchemy's sarsaparilla syrup, cream, bayleaf bitters and soda ($6).

👍 The verdict: This brew started off with a great effervescent punch, tasting a bit like a cream cola but not so intensely sweet as a commercial soft drink.

As the play progressed and the drink diluted a bit, the bottom one-third was a pleasant, wholesome sweet mix of cream and syrup. Just enough to keep me sipping.

Of note: The bar also serves a very alcoholic 21st Amendment made with Delta Dirt vodka, Ozark Lager, strawberry syrup and black tea from Savoy Tea Co.

My wife, who was skeptical, thought it was fantastic.

⏰ Check it out: The Commons is open Tuesday-Saturday, 8am through the last show; and Sunday, noon-5pm.

"What the Constitution Means to Me" runs through March 3.

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What we're sipping: 18th Amendment cocktail

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