Wildly Inventive Drinks at Library Bar in Philadelphia

High-Style Cocktails & Deliciously Daring Philadelphia Drinks

Where:
Library Bar
The Rittenhouse Hotel

Hours:
4pm-Midnight

Cozy up by the fireplace with friends, or grab a classic novel off the shelves of the most stylish bar near Rittenhouse Square. Elegantly accented with dark oak floors and fine art, our very own Library Bar invites hotel guests and Philadelphia locals to mingle in the spirit of literary, culinary, and handcrafted cocktail masterpieces – none more impressively inventive than The Kraken.

Behold, The Kraken!
A longtime staple in global fine dining, squid ink is the latest savory ingredient to move from the kitchen to the cocktail glass. That’s right, the freshest trend in mixology is the pitch black sea “juice” behind delicacies like Spaghetti Di Nero. Essentially, it imparts dramatic color and an aquatic amount of salinity to drinks like The Kraken, a starkly gorgeous (and delicious) creation from Library Bar’s chief mixologist, Papi Hurtado.

Conjure Your Own Sea Monster
While The Kraken looks frightfully dark, its flavor is actually quite refreshing, tropical and light. Starting with a generous vodka base, sweet and tart profiles marry with the addition of Pinot Grigio, a Japanese citrus juice known as yuzu, agave nectar, and limoncello, an Italian liqueur. A small amount of squid ink imparts the drink with seaside notes, as a spiraling “tentacle” of lemon peel reaches from the glass. Here’s how to make your own:

In a shaker, combine:
2 oz Ketel One Vodka
1 ½ oz Pinot Grigio
¾ oz Yuzu Japanese Citrus Juice
½ oz Limoncello
1 ¼ oz Agave Nectar
¼ teaspoon Squid Ink
Ice

Shake very well for 20-30 seconds. Double strain into a martini glass, garnish with a long, thin lemon zest, and enjoy!