Cocktails: New Menu at RootDown; Art of Winter Tour

Cocktails have a way of coming back to the center of attention in old and new ways alike. Today, Rootdown launched its new cocktail menu and, just last week, the Art of Winter, a downtown guided cocktail tour launched its program.

At Rootdown, the existing menu got revamped and several additions, notably more stirred and spiritous beverages made the new list. Among them, the L.A., a Cocchi Americano, sweet vermouth, Campari, and tonic beverage, the Lemongrass Swizzle, made with lemongrass-infused Rum, grapefruit, lime, mint, and Angostura bitters, and the Mexican Suitcase, a mix of tequila, Lillet Rosé, orange Curacao, and grapefruit bitters.

The restaurant also changed its tap program to feature only Colorado beers going forward. Additions to the tap program include Great Divide's Orabelle Belgian Trippel and Dry Dock's HMS Victory Amber Ale. To accommodate the growing number of gluten-free guests, RootDown created a Cider & Gluten Free Beer menu that includes four ciders and two Portland-based gluten-free beers.

The Art of Winter Cocktail Trail program and contest launched last week. Organized over three separate min-cockail tours or a self-guided trail, this series of events features several LoDo and 14th Street restaurant and bar that compete for the base Grand Marnier-based cocktail.

How does it work? For the self-guided tour, the trail can be downloaded for free at Art of Winter. Upcoming guided tours, led by Matt Durgin, will take place on February 1 with stops of 14th Street at Row 14, Crave, and the Corner Office and February 8, stops not yet announced. The guided tours are $47 and are all inclusive. All participants are invited to vote for their favorite drink through their Forkly phone application. For more information, go to the Cocktail Trail website.

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· New Cocktail Menu at Colt & Gray, Recipes From Denver's Top Bartenders/a> [EDen]

Vixen cocktail at Crave [Photo: Alan Hill]