Packaged in a mason jar with a piece of twine tied into a bow around the opening, the farmers market presentation suggests sweet jams or preserves inside. Twist open the lid and instead find an aromatic blend of dried fruits and spices ready to be soaked in your spirit of choice. This is the deceptively simple concept behind DRANKSbyday, with a vision of curating refreshing cocktails and mocktails at home.
“DRANKSbyday offers an all-natural craft cocktail experience, bringing happy hour to you,” says Providence-based founder Dayna Passaretti. “Each infusion kit has a combination of pre-measured fruits, spices, herbs, and sweeteners that have suggested spirit pairings for each flavor,” like rum or bourbon in the vanilla, espresso, and cinnamon Dirty Chai or gin in the floral-forward Sprung mix.
After 10 years of bartending, the pandemic paused her work for a bit, and Passaretti found herself in need of a creative outlet. “I was looking into different ways to create cocktails and bring people an at-home experience,” she says. While a couple of base spirits, citrus fruits, and store-bought mixers are common elements of many a liquor cabinet, flavorful infusions raise the bar, so to speak, to truly bring that elevated nightlife experience home.
Passaretti first created the spirit-infusion kits as gifts for friends and family, then officially launched DRANKS almost a year ago. “All it took was one friend to say, ‘hey, I think that’s a great idea – do it!’” she says, “and I’m glad I did.”
Passaretti advises following the packaging for suggested spirit pairings if you don’t know where to start, or you can experiment with soaking the mix in a different liquor you have on hand. From there, it’s simple: infuse for two to three days – shaking the jar once a day – then strain. For spicy kits like Tropic Like It’s Hot and Firecracker, taste the second day and continue to infuse for a spicier result. Each jar serves up to eight drinks. A kit can last up to one years, and with alcohol, up to a month.
Ditching the booze? No problem – swap in an alcohol-free base to create mocktails. Passaretti even offers a sugar-free option – Pear Naked – for the health-conscious sipper with just pear, ginger, and lemon, and she strives to use locally sourced ingredients in all varieties. With an environmentally conscious mindset, Passaretti encourages customers to reuse the kit’s mason jar.
As more local retailers are picking up her brand (and a specialty cocktail even appears on the menu at The District in Providence – Spicy Mango, infused by Tropic Like It’s Hot), Passaretti hopes to expand her wholesale business and branch out into events, too. In the meantime, watch for seasonal varieties popping at farmers markets, so you can DRANK up the flavors of summer.
DRANKS' first and most popular kit is Lemonade Stand containing dehydrated lemon, elderflower buds, strawberry, and pure cane sugar. For a refreshing yet simple bevvie, infuse with your favorite spirit and add lemonade. For a summery spin on a classic cocktail, Passaretti shares, “A cosmopolitan is the way to go!”
2 oz Lemonade Stand mix
½ oz of cranberry juice
1 oz orange liqueur
½ oz fresh lime juice
Shake the ingredients with ice, strain, and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy!
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