✶ Welcome to The Alchemist’s Ledger ✶
Tonight, we open the circle at the still point of the Solstice —
when darkness reaches its deepest breath and the first quiet promise of returning light is born.
In every glass there’s a choice: to sip without thought, or to raise something on purpose.
The Alchemist’s Bar is my offering to the latter — a place where mixology meets mindfulness, where ritual invites balance, and where every cocktail has a zero-proof twin so every guest is honored.
This Ledger will arrive monthly with:
a seasonal ritual recipe (cocktail + zero-proof pair)
a brief reflection and practical act of balance
sometimes, a symbol or blessing to carry with you
The Solstice is not about light.
It is about standing at the edge of darkness.
It is the season of quiet fire -
embers that live beneath ash,
breath that fogs against cold air.
Tonight, we drink warmth slowly.
Tonight, we honor stillness.
Tonight, we practice balance.
Ritual Cocktail - Ember & Stillness
2 oz Larceny Bourbon
1 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
3 oz strong-brewed black chai tea (cooled)
1 oz milk (can substitute non-dairy milk)
0.5 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dashes walnut bitters
1.5 oz Egg Whites (optional, for froth)
Method
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously until chilled and lightly frothy.
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
Garnish
Float a star anise.
Dust lightly with fresh grated nutmeg.
✶ The Alchemy ✶
Bourbon — Ember
The slow fire that lives beneath the surface.
Ginger — Spark
A flash of warmth that awakens memory.
Chai — Shadow
Spice and darkness steeped in time.
Milk — Stillness
Softness that tempers flame.
Walnut — Wisdom
Bitterness as restraint. Control as grace.
Zero-Proof Twin — Ember Without Flame
This is not a substitute.
It is a mirror.
3 oz strong-brewed black chai tea (cooled)
1.5 oz ginger syrup (recipe below)
1 oz milk (non-dairy milk can be substituted)
0.5 oz Demerara Syrup
1.5 oz Egg Whites (optional, for froth)
Method
Shake all ingredients hard with ice until cold and lightly frothy.
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
Garnish
Float a star anise.
Dust lightly with fresh grated nutmeg.
✶ The Alchemy ✶
Chai — Shadow
Depth, spice, and what lives quietly beneath the surface.
Ginger — Spark
Heat without flame. Energy without excess.
Milk — Stillness
Soft power. Quiet breath. Calm form.
Demerara — Balance
The thread that binds heat and shadow.
This is not absence.
This is intention.
House Fire — Ginger, Lemongrass & Black Pepper Syrup
(Foundation for the Zero-Proof Twin)
This syrup is the heat beneath the winter drink.
It holds fire without flame, spice without harm.
2 oz fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 cup filtered water
½ cup organic cane sugar
1 tbsp dried lemongrass, lightly crushed
6-8 whole black peppercorns, gently cracked
Tiny pinch of salt
Method
In a small saucepan, combine:
ginger
lemongrass
peppercorns
water
Bring just to a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil.
Cover partially and let simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Cover fully and steep for 20 more minutes.
Strain very finely through a mesh sieve.
(Optional: strain again through a coffee filter or nut milk bag.)
Return the infused liquid to the pan while still warm.
Stir in:
sugar
salt
Continue stirring until fully dissolved.
Cool completely before using or storing.
This is not sweetness.
This is structure.
Solstice Drinking Rite
Before drinking, light a candle.
Let the flame stand for what still lives within you.
Place your hand around the glass.
Feel its warmth.
Feel your own.
Breathe in once - slowly.
This is the breath of winter.
The breath of rest.
Remember that the Solstice is not the death of light,
but its quiet return.
Drink slowly -
not to forget,
but to let go of what must end,
and make room for what is ready to be born.
This is the work of the quiet season.
This is the ritual of winter.
This is balance.
May your pour be an intention, your sip a mirror, and your evening a place of balance.
✶ Light • Shadow • Balance ✶
—
The Alchemist’s Bar
IG: @the_alchemists_bar