For the next offering in the Locks and Libations series, where I am pairing “unlocked cocktails” with puzzle locks, I present one of the greatest locks of all time, the “DanLock”. At each step in the solving process for the DanLock, most people are stuck for a while (sometimes a very long while), have an epiphany, go forward a bit, and have to stop again. This process repeats itself a few times before victory is at hand. I found the perfect unlocked cocktail to pair with this puckish padlock, the aptly named “Stop and Go” by mixologist Julia Momose. She created it as part of her “zero-proof” (non-alcoholic) pairing menu for Chicago’s double-starred Michelin restaurant Oriole. Her goal with these zero-proof cocktails was to show people how elegant and complex these drinks can be, crafted with the same care and culinary intensity typically reserved for high proof cocktails. The drink features Verjus, the pressed juice from unripe grapes, which translates from the French as literally “green juice”. It is high in acidity and low in sugar, and it remains unfermented, so is non-alcoholic. Reminiscent of wine, and much milder than vinegar, it is often used in sauces and mustards, and more recently, cocktails. It shines in the Stop and Go, which uses rich demerara to sweeten the elixir and tonic to give things a festive pop. The name derives from the color of the drink contrasted with a vibrant sage leaf floated on top. Try this unlocked cocktail while trying your hand at unlocking the DanLock – it will keep your mind clear, even if it remains the only solution you find. Cheers!

Stop and Go by Julia Momose

2 oz Verjus rouge

1 oz rich demerara syrup

Tonic water to taste

1 sage leaf

For more about the devious DanLock see:

Boxes and Booze: The IDF

For more Locks and Libations see: