Red Red Kroovy and "Never Gonna Stop"

Honey For The Bears

The Financial District of Lower Manhattan isn't necessarily known for it's bars, clubs or liquor stores, it does however have it's share of gems tucked away in the foundations of these sky scraping behemoths that make up the New York City skyline. While out and about on a gloomy, snowy, day we stopped in to our local spirit and wine emporium to peruse ingredients, when we saw a bright orange bottle on one of the higher shelves. "Clockwork Orange liqueur!??" There we were, 2 droogs thrilled that someone chose to put this into a bottle, when the polite baboochka merchant even offered to let us taste it before committing to a purchase... alcohol forward, but also with a lovely grove of flavor. As we're fans of both the book and film, we couldn't resist! But what about the tunes? What can we do with a novella-turned-film as far as music goes? We pondered. Beethoven was an obvious option. But we wanted to dig deeper. "Dig through the ditches" deep. What kind of song can we pair with something so out-there and shocking? 

"What's it going to be then, eh?"

Welly welly well...

A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film adapted, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novella A Clockwork Orange. It employs disturbing, violent images to comment on psychiatry, juvenile delinquency, youth gangs, and other social, political, and economic subjects in a dystopian near-future Britain.

                                                 Jehiah ready for a bit of the ultra-violence

Clockwork Orange Liqueur

This spice-infused spirit is 40% abv (80 proof) with a blend of orange peel, cinnamon and cardamom. Like the inner caliber of an old pocket watch, these flavors combine to bring you a citrus-driven gathering to politely remind you that it's 5 'o clock somewhere... 

Distilled by New Holland Brewing Company in Holland, Michigan

Red Red Kroovy
We don't have any Korova Milkbars in Lower Manhattan so we felt it was necessary to incorporate milk into this madhouse of a cocktail.  Much like an orange Creamsicle you devoured as a kid, the Red Red Kroovy will transport you back to the days of chasing the ice cream truck down the street, but then as it lingers on your palate you're plunged into an indulgent prison.  You find yourself absorbed into the cogs and wheels of fruit and spice and like a drencrom you can't put the libation down. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2oz Clockwork Orange liqueur 

3/4oz lemon juice

3/4oz grapefruit juice

3/4oz whole milk

3/4oz Kroovy Syrup*

Shake until frothy, serve on ice in a salted highball glass

*Kroovy Syrup:

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp whole coriander

1 tsp whole fennel

In a small saucepan, stir all ingredients and heat. Simmer until ingredients are reduced by half. Strain.

                                              Salt the rim of a highball glass with orange salt

"Never Gonna Stop"

For music, rather than take the Beethoven route, we decided to match the ultra-violent flavor in this choodessny firegold with a headbanging, Rob Zombie jam. This song was featured on 'The Sinister Urge' showcasing hand claps and acoustic guitars. The music video and lyrics are both heavily influenced by 'A Clockwork Orange'. Zombie can be seen in a Korova Milkbar similar to the one in the film wearing the classic "Droog" outfit and make-up. Sheri Moon Zombie can be heard singing "Red, Red Kroovy" behind the chorus. The song also references the book/film several times throughout with lyrics such as "my durango number 95", "horrorshow" & "skorry."

Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings January 12, 1965) is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the band White Zombie which formed in the mid-1980s and rose to fame in the early 1990s. As a solo artist, he has released five studio albums, three compilation albums, two remix albums, a live album, a video album, and 15 singles. In 2003 he expanded his career and became a film director, and has directed a total of six films, the majority of which he also wrote or co-wrote. He has also released numerous brands of comic books, and appeared as an actor on numerous occasions.

Zombie began his solo career with the release of his 1998 debut album Hellbilly Deluxe. The album was both a critical and commercial success, spawning three hit singles, reaching the Top 5 of the Billboard 200, and selling over three million copies worldwide. Hellbilly is Zombie's highest selling album to date. He followed the success of the album with The Sinister Urge in 2001, which had similar success to that of its predecessor. Zombie's first greatest hits album, Past, Present & Future, was released in 2003, and reached Platinum status by the RIAA. His third studio album, Educated Horses, was released in 2006, and was his third Top 10 entry on the Billboard 200. In 2010, he released Hellbilly Deluxe 2, calling it a companion to his debut album. His fifth album, Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, was released on April 23, 2013.

                                             

                                                       The bloodcurdling Zombie House!!

We hope you enjoy this pairing as much as we did! 2015 has been great for jamming and experimenting with cocktails, and we hope to continue to do so with you all! 

Always be safe and drink responsibly. 

Cheers!!