Alcademics

Inside ABV in San Francisco is a small balcony room recently renovated to include an additional bar and some tall shared tables. They're calling the space Overproof, and it will have four themes over the next year. The first is called Flip Flop and it's dedicated to rum. The whole space is decorated in a tropical, 70's sunsets and Cuban posters theme. This will all change when it converts to a whisky bar with a different name in three months, so prepare to get your kilt dry-cleaned. 

There are two seatings nightly, and for 80 bucks inclusive of tax and tip, attendees are given a tasting menu of 5 smaller-than-usual drinks and 5 bites, though they emphasize that it's neither a dinner nor a cocktail pairing.

There are no substitutions available on the food or drinks, so your friendly neighborhood vegetarian won't be eating there any time soon, but I did get in for a look at the cocktails on the current menu. 

Hurricane Sandy is a bright little number with rum, passionfruit, lemon, and Cappelletti in the glass, and a spray of cochineal-dyed-red rum on top. 

Pink Flamingo is a take on the Jungle Bird with agricole rhum and "tiki-aperitif"- a custom aperitif blend they made in place of Campari.

"Cuba Libre" is a take on the rum and Coke, but in the form of a bottled, carbonated cocktail that contains no Coke at all. Instead it has rum, Bonal, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, and is carbonated and served from a glass Coke bottle.

Coconut Daisy is a play on the Daisy de Santiago with toasted coconut-infused rum that gives it a nice complexity. 

Pineapple Bum is a bottled cocktail with Stiggins Fancy pineapple rum, Cappelletti, and rancio wine, served in a glass with water frozen into it. The rum and rancio combination is delicious and caramel-like; a great end to the tasting menu. 

Reservations are available at the Overproof website.