Cody P.
Google
Late twenties. For me, someone who’s been done with school for (more than) a couple years now, this is a hard time to meet new people. In my quest to find new “third spaces,” I happened upon Common Ground, a mahjong group hosting events around the 626 area. One of these events, “Free Spirited Mahjong,” has been recurring on Thursdays at Free Spirited, a sober and (mostly) vegan craft cocktail lounge.
The inside is quaint and cozy. Plush booths and tables with swanky armchairs were each stationed with a mahjong set. The bar was especially magical, and, in contrast to the lounge’s warm, ambient lighting, was illuminated by a faint otherworldly glow.
Our bartender, Arleo, was very nice. I liked listening to him explain the drinks and the virgin spirits that he brewed himself. As a fledgling mixologist, one of the reasons I wanted to come was to learn more about mocktails, and listening to Arleo was enlightening, productive, and fun.
My first drink of the night was the Very Magical Cat, which caught my attention online because of its eye-catching colors. The flavor profile was delicious - sweet and floral. I love anything with passionfruit, and I can never resist a butterfly peaflower moment.
Next, I had The Initiative, a very creative and nerdy cocktail with a Dungeons and Dragons concept. The base of this mocktail is a bitter red cordial, used to substitute aperitifs such as Aperol or Campari. Citrus is added from calamansi and bubbles from hopwater. The most interesting part of this drink, however, is the sweetener, or more specifically, the method by which you choose your sweetener. Arleo will hand you a D20 dice. It lit up when it touched my hands! Your roll will determine what kind of sweetener is used in your drink. I rolled a 2, which got me aquafaba (not very sweet, but anything under 10 will get you something not very sweet). Arleo whipped up my drink and served it to me in a copper mug. Refreshing and hoppy. I’m tempted to revisit just so that I can roll again.
My friends really enjoyed their drinks as well. Our collective favorite drink was the Butterbeer. It was sweet like honey, and almost tasted like cider to me.
I had a lovely time at Free Spirited, and would definitely come back. The drinks were delicious, and everyone got to enjoy them without having to worry about having a designated driver. The craftsmanship put into these drinks was just as, if not more, exquisite as that of a cocktail. And, they’re very affordable. If anything, I feel like they could charge even more for their drinks. Tax and tip are already built into the price, but even then, I was surprised at how low the tab was. I’ll be sure to return.