Ash 91, 121
Franky had several bottles sitting out on the bar top, as well as a large cocktail mixer, sliced lemons and reed straws. He'd been working on a new recipe for a few weeks now, a new cocktail specifically for today's Bar Crawl. And he still wasn't even sure if it was remotely close to perfected, but this was as good as it was going to get for now.
There were a couple of customers sitting at the bar in front of him, regulars that had come in every day, had been watching Franky working on this concoction of his, had even sampled them and given feedback, in exchange for the free drinks. Outside in the chilly evening, the sun was just beginning to set. And once it dipped below the horizon, it would signal the beginning of the Crawl within the Knob.
The Crawl was a popular tradition within the Imperium and had made its way to many other cultures. The task was simple. You purchased a flagon at whichever bar you were starting at, and asked for the Crawl Special. This special was different at every bar and pub. It was whatever cocktail or brew that the bartender had deemed their specialty cocktail for the event. Usually this was an expensive, for a pub, drink, but the quality, creativity, and uniqueness were special. It was just as much a competition between the bartenders as it was among those doing the Crawl.
After receiving the drink in the flagon, the contestant must drink every single drop of it. Upon doing so, the bar would etch into their flagons their name or initials or some other insignia associated with them. After that, the contestant made their way to the next bar. And this repeated all night. There was no true winner, simply the acquisition of bragging rights and signatures on flagons.
And Franky was presenting his creation, The Long Knob Iced Tea.
The bottles on the bar top were unlabeled, but Franky knew what each was. The first was a Deep Grackle Gin, made from some berries down in the Warrens, gathered and distilled by a small band of Grackles, and was a soft amber color. The second was a Sol'Valen tequila, a common drink there, rare here in Zaichaer, and was so clear and distilled that the bottle looked empty. The third was a light Sangen rum, made from a mixed blend of sugars. The fourth was a Vykuli vodka, potent and burning. The fifth was a dark orange, near brown liqueur, made from very questionable sources and methods from a band of maniacs in the Clockwork Wastes. The final ingredient was a chilled tea, from leaves on an obscure mountain in Cathena, supposedly picked by trained monkeys.
Franky had spent weeks testing different blends, different ingredients and this was where he settled. He grabbed the large pitcher-turned-mixer, and poured in a bunch of chunked ice. And he quickly began adding in ingredients in the practiced proportions. This was a strong cocktail that would, if blended well, wouldn't taste like alcohol at all. Instead, it had a refreshing, little bite, the sort of cocktail someone could drink way too much of without realizing it.
He popped the lid on the mixing pitcher and gave it a firm shake, and let it sit, waiting. Then he looked out over the room, "Alright, if you're participating in the Crawl tonight, come on up and try the Long Knob Iced Tea. Five golds, steep I know, but I promise you that it will be the best thing you'll drink all night."
