Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.08.2017, Side 59

Dark &
Glittering Sips
Gaukurinn’s Vegan Cocktail Menu Impresses
Words: Hannah Jane Cohen Photo: Art Bicnick
While there are many options
for vegan munchies around the
city, it’s a bit more complicated
for animal lovers to get their
fix of good ol’ alcohol. Thank-
fully local alt-haunt Gaukurinn
is stepping up to the plate. Along
with the opening of a vegan din-
er, Veganæs, they are completely
vegan-ising the bar and to kick
this off, there is a new, a glam-
ourous vegan cocktail menu. We
sampled a selection of their up-
coming aperitifs inspired by, as
they say, “Glitter & Darkness.”
Sleepless Vod-kano
The Sleepless Vodkano is with-
out a doubt the standout of the
bunch. A vegan White Russian
that swaps out cream for soy
milk, the drink removes the un-
pleasant aspects of normal White
Russians—the heaviness, the un-
pleasant aftertaste—and replac-
es them with nutty delights. It’s
certainly less decadent, but much
tastier. Seriously, if there’s any
drink that could convert non-
vegans, this is it. Not your thing?
Yeah, well, you know, that’s just,
like, your opinion, man.
Goth Moss
The Goth Moss is a twist on the
famed Cosmopolitan that resem-
bles, well, goth moss. Served in a
martini glass with green sugar
dipped around the rim (“moss”),
the cocktail is completely matte
black (“goth”)—a result of a dash
of charcoal mixed in. It’s a strik-
ing look. You’ll feel like some vil-
lain in an iteration of ‘The Crow,’
and that’s fucking goth.
In terms of taste, the drink for-
goes a ton of lime juice and coin-
treau in favor of more dry ver-
mouth and grand marnier. This
gives it a spikier and lighter taste
and also a higher alcohol percent-
age. Though the drink looks like
it should have a bold flavour, it
doesn’t—more tangy—so if you
want something heavy, this ain’t
it. If a goth cosmo does sound
appealing though, make sure to
dress to depress. We recommend
a vinyl catsuit.
Starry Ice
Starry Ice can best be described
as a really good margarita that
doesn’t taste particularly booze-
y. It does though have a crazy elec-
tric blue color and glittery sugar
on the rim—back to the “Glitter
& Darkness.” To push this to the
next level, the bartenders plan on
soon adding bright sugar shard
garnishes, which will make the
drink resemble Jökulsárlón to
a T, hence the name Starry Ice!
The drink is inspired by the oth-
er owner of Gaukurinn—Starri
Hauksson. If you’re looking to get
a little “Jem & The Holograms,”
then drink up.
Sunny Nights
Sólveig Johnsen is one of the
owners of Gaukurinn, and this
beachy drink is an homage to
her sunny personality. It’s sort
of an orangey Dark ’N’ Stormy
with a dash of bitters, peach, and
cinnamon flavour. In a creative
turn, the bitters are poured on
the drink after the ginger beer—
before mixing—which gives it a
cool ombre effect and also lets
you taste their flavours stronger.
While the presentation itself is
much less flashy than the Goth
Moss, they make up for that by
flaming an orange peel on top of
the drink, which gives it a hint
of a smoky orange flavour (and
also looks cool). Of al l of the
drinks tasted though, this one
will no doubt be the most dan-
gerous. It tastes like juice with a
ginger kick but has a deceptively
large amount of alcohol in it. You
could easily down three, or ten.
Black Metal Brew
Gaukurinn is the black metal
hub of Reykjavík, and this drink
celebrates this legacy with a mix
of Brennivín, Fernet-Branca and
sugar syrup topped off with the
darkest Viking stout available.
This sounds, quite frankly, a lit-
tle gross, but the flavours work
together in a beautifully nuanced
manner. The bitterness of the
Fernet balances the licorice taste
of Brennivín—it also takes away
its strong rye aftertaste—result-
ing in a flavour best described as
the darkest strongest beer you’ve
ever had. It’s delicious—though
probably best for beer lovers.
Black Metal Brew is served in a
traditional Viking beer glass,
but we at the Grapevine propose
Gaukurinn purchase new glasses
with the Viking label as spiky
and obscured as possible—you
know, like black metal bands. To
be fair though, while the goblets
would certainly be trve/kvlt/or-
whatever-the-kids-are-saying,
they would probably be stolen
in the first night. If you don’t
trust our opinion, we were lucky
enough to have Aðalsteinn from
black metal titans’ ‘Auðn’ in the
building. “It ’s quite good,” he
said. Need we say more?
The menu premiers on September 1st.
Don’t miss it.
The Vegan bartender impressed his audience.
59The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 15 — 2017
The best of Icelandic produce
with a nod to Japan and South
America. Modern Icelandic
flavours, share plates and award
winning cocktails.
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