Gracias Madre's beverage director, Jason Eisner, is known for coming up with some of LA's most inventive cocktails, and this particular concoction is no exception. The Contraband is made from housemade moonshine gin, Mexican fernet and Italian sweet vermouth, with a smooth finish that leaves you wondering if they had it this good in the 1800s. $20
In the ebb and flow of trends, it's always true that what's old is new again, whether that means street style suddenly incorporating jean vests or funk creeping into every song on the radio. Same goes for cocktail bars in LA. The latest ingredient to pop up in bars throughout the city is moonshine, which gained popularity in the 19th century and now has the reputation of being something your mustached friend keeps in a recycled jar on top of his fridge. Don't worry, though—we're not suggesting you drink it straight. The cocktails below use moonshine in a way our Appalachian relatives could never have dreamed—and we're pretty excited about it. Shine on!
