Cocktail Armageddon Is Here

The End Times might actually be here… but only if you’re a cocktail. That’s because a new trend, the Vapor Spirit, is starting to catch on. The Vapor Spirit is an invention that boils your favorite spirit so that you can literally inhale the alcohol through a straw. The Vapor Spirits product claims to make drinking “as easy as breathing,” and it promises enhanced flavor and smooth “drinking,” all while reducing your chances for a hangover. We’re kind of worried. Here are the details on what the Vapor Spirit is and how to use it, as well as three reasons why it might just kill the cocktail. 

What the heck IS the Vapor Spirit?

The Vapor Spirit includes a long straw fitted into a glass globe, placed on top of a pint glass. It looks like an alcohol-filled sphere poked by a straw, all of which is balanced on a pint glass with a candle in the bottom of it. Having troubles visualizing it? Check out their website.

The Vapor Spirit website claims that vaporizing alcohol is the natural next step in the evolution of alcohol consumption. They also point out that while alcohol itself has changed many times over the years, that the way we consume it has not changed—and they think that our habits are due for an upgrade.

How to use the Vapor Spirit

These directions are copied directly from the Vapor Spirit website:

• Open your Vapor Spirit
• Light candle and put in pint glass
• Place custom Vapor Spirit metal ring around top of pint glass
• Use funnel to pour approx. 1.5 ounces of desired spirit into globe
• Place globe on top of the glass with opening facing up
• Let sit for 5-7 minutes
• Put straw into globe
• Inhale deeply and hold for a second, then exhale
• Please enjoy responsibly

Since the alcohol you imbibe is a vapor, it will go directly to the bloodstream and instantly affect you. Your happy-drunk feeling will last 15-20 minutes, according to the Vapor Spirit site, and if you sip nonstop, a 1.5-ounce drink will take you about 20 minutes to finish. Wow.

Cocktail Killing Reason #1: It’s trendy and futuristic

If Don Draper were a character on The Jetsons, he would have vaporized his scotch and smoked it through a straw. 

Not only is this novelty drinking technique totally new and different, it also has so much potential right now, because it’s coming on the heels of the craft distillery revolution.

If your customers and bartenders agree that the newest spirits flavors should be applauded, experiencing those new flavors with fewer impurities seems like an obvious choice.

Cocktail Killing Reason #2: It vaporizes calories

Bond villains would be all over the Vapor Spirit because they could vaporize their enemies (namely Bond), and celebrate their evil victories with a vaporized drink toast.

Since the Vapor Spirit also cuts down on calories, lots of other people will be celebrating too. Michelle Obama’s War on Obesity mandated that 2015 is the year of drink menu calorie counts—and those numbers might just cut down on your drink sales. If your customers can lower their calorie counts by smoking their liquor, those sales should skyrocket right back up.

Cocktail Killing Reason #3: It makes drinking “hangover-free”

Seriously, hangover-free drinking? I don’t even need to make a joke about that one because literally everyone will want to go out and enjoy themselves if they don’t have to suffer the after-effects. I think this is the biggest reason why the Vapor Spirit may just spell out the end times for cocktails.

I’m not saying the cocktail will die this year or even this decade… but I am definitely suggesting that you update your menus with a Vapor Spirit option.

Closing thoughts

If your restaurant is known for being on the cutting edge of mixology, you may want to look into purchasing the Vapor Spirit. I’m not affiliated with Vapor Spirit in any way, I just honestly think it’s a really cool idea. At the very least, “Smoking Drinks” should become major sellers at your restaurant as your excited guests burble and tweet to their friends about their incredible experience with this new alcohol consumption method.

Photo courtesy of Alon