Side Quest: Hell or High Water Tiki’s Wild Fusion Cocktail with a Leafy Twist!
GARNISH GAMES 2024
CONTESTANT: Lex Healy
RESTAURANT: Hell or High Water Tiki Bar
COCKTAIL: Sidequest
Attention all cocktail connoisseurs! Join us on August 4th at Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station for the 6th Annual Garnish Games. Ten of Denver’s most talented bartenders are competing to create the most visually stunning garnish—and you can get in on the action! Try each of their cocktails at participating restaurants and bars leading up to the event, then cast your vote to advance six bartenders to the live finale. Come watch, taste, and see who takes home the winning title at Garnish Games 2024!
In this video, bartender Lex Healy from Hell or High Water Tiki Bar in Denver shows us how to create a wildly inventive and flavor-packed cocktail called Sidequest. This cocktail is a madcap fusion of flavors inspired by the vibrant spices of India and the creative, cannabis-infused culture of Denver.
To make this cocktail, you’ll need:
• 2 oz Mezcal Union infused with fenugreek, cucumber, and curry leaf
• 0.25 oz Indian Chutney: tamarind, date, ginger, Kashmiri chili
• 0.5 oz Mango Puree
• 0.5 oz Thai Chili Simple Syrup
• 0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish: The vibrant and elaborate garnish begins with a hibiscus rose petal stripe and a cannabis leaf inside the glass. It features two Thai chilies, a clipped cone of Magic Marsala chips, an edible cannabis pakora, and a capsule of hibiscus rose water. The presentation is completed with a dried fenugreek and curry leaf joint, and a mango chili bear.
Inspiration: Lex’s inspiration for this garnish is a reflection of the beautiful chaos of their neurodivergent mind, a creative whirlwind that draws from the influences of Indian flavors and the cannabis culture of Denver. This cocktail, dubbed The Jersey Devil’s Lettuce, is a tribute to the wild ride of inspiration that comes from sharing space with fellow Jersey native Chef Dave Hadley. The result is a smoky mezcal creation with layers of tangy chutney, sweet heat, and an unforgettable garnish that blazes with color and flavor.
The 6th Annual Garnish Games is a bartending competition in Denver presented by DiningOut Magazine and Diageo Brand Spirits, culminating with a live finale on August 4th, 2024, at Meow Wolf Convergence Station.