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'Kismet.”
That's how mixologist Bradley Ryan describes meeting his future business partner in the new cocktail-driven business Kindred Spirits. Franklin native Joshua Ellis was the first person Ryan met when he moved here from California a year ago. The two clicked right away. They both shared an enthusiasm for Nashville, its upbeat vibe, its hospitable ways, its openness to possibilities. They were, indeed, kindred spirits.
And it was kismet again when Ryan couldn't attend a summer party Ellis was hosting. Instead, he put together a few innovative cocktail batches, complete with garnishes, so that he could be there in spirit; all Ellis had to do was add the alcohol. Guests were bowled over by his concoctions, which evinced freshness, creativity, beauty, tasteand ease.
It was an aha! moment for Ellis. An entrepreneur at heart, he saw the makings of a niche business. Ryan's cocktails tasted exceptional, and the simplicity of putting them together gave him the chance to really engage with his guests.
'I was freed up,” says Ellis. 'I saw how Brad and I could help people become better hosts.”
The friends formed Kindred Spirits, dedicated to providing an easier way to make better cocktail. They gave it the perfect tag line: 'We prep, you pour.” Ryan crafts each recipe by hand in small runs, using local and organic ingredients. Devil's Cider is a seasonal meld of unfiltered apples, orange, cinnamon, rosemary, and cayenne, ideal for any brown liquor. The Margarit-O!, a Kindred specialty, has charred pineapple, vanilla bean, orange and limeit's made for tequila, Ryan notes, but is also terrific with bourbon.
With no preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup, a Kindred Spirits cocktail is a clean way to drink.
'You can combine our batches with soda water for refreshing nonalcoholic drinks, too,” adds Ellis.
Look for Kindred Spirits cocktail batches in the refrigerated section of select liquor stores early this year, slated first for The Gulch and Hillsboro Village neighborhoods.
Grab the January issue of Nashville Lifestyles for
3 Kindred Spirits Cocktail Recipes!