Post and Courier: Proof introduces 19 new cocktails

By Hanna Raskin

Proof’s celebrated gin-and-tonic still leads its cocktail list, and the King Street bar wouldn’t dare do away with its Knuckleball, better known as the whiskey drink with pickled boiled peanuts in it. But Proof’s menu has undergone a significant overhaul, featuring a slew of cocktails developed by staff bartenders.

Of the 38 cocktails on the menu, which Proof released earlier this week, 19 are brand new.

Many of the additions are tequila-based, including The Zach the Knife, made with Cointreau, yellow chartreuse, raspberry and lemon; the Hudson Picker, featuring mulled cider, Suze, Benedictine, lemon and Jamaican bitters; and Nectar of the Night, completed by two different amari.

Owner Craig Nelson says he’s looking forward to serving all of the above, as well as a Valkyrie, which combines Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Cynar, Averna and St. Germain. He’s reluctant to guess which of the cocktails will resonate with customers, though.

“It’s hard to say until you serve them for a while,” he says.

Still, at least one drink on offer has already been a hit with professional judges. Bar manager Sam Gabrielli originally created The Elephant’s Keeper (gin, pollen cream, rose water, honey, lemon, egg white and a pony of beer) for a Hendrick’s Gin contest. He won.

At $16, The Keeper is the costliest cocktail on the list; the majority of them are priced in the $10-$12 range. Most of the by-the-glass wines on Proof’s rejiggered menu run a few dollars more than the mixed drinks, but Charleston Madeira – which local restaurants typically sell for $12-$14 – is $9 here.