Three words to get your St. Patrick’s Day party started this year: Vodka infused whipped-cream. This genius product called Whipshots™ was launched recently by cultural icon Cardi B, who has joined forces with Starco Brands and celebrity mixologist Rob Floyd.
For St. Patrick’s Day, the obvious choice would be an Irish coffee topped with a Whipshot but Floyd, who rose to ‘startender’ status while working at the SLS hotel in Los Angeles with Jose Andres, takes it a step further. Three to be exact – as he follows a simple trio of ingredients for the recipes below that you can recreate at home.
These days when Nashville-based Floyd is not on the road for his wildly popular interactive Cocktail Theater appearances, he’s filming several shows from his third season of Home Bar Hero on the Spirits Network to Bar Rescue streaming on Paramount, while juggling collaborations from Pepsi and the NFL to Princess Cruises. “I’ve been working with the cruise line for seven years,” confirmed Floyd. “I’ve done menus for 300 bars, and trained 6,000 mixologists all over the world. It’s wonderful that I get to work with people and train them from the Philippines to Germany.”
Collaboration in a Can
As for the Whipshot move, “This was a dream come true,” said Floyd. “I got approached to work with two of the smartest people I ever met, Ross Sklar, who has developed many genius pattens and has come over to the culinary side, and Cardi B. who is also a genius and one of the nicest people. You can see why she is on the top of her game, not only is she talented, but so sharp, always thinking and right on the money. Working with these two has elevated what I think was possible in the industry to another level because of what they can do.”
What they have accomplished is to create a party in a can that is dairy-free, with 10 percent alcohol (vodka) and you don’t need to refrigerate it. The product comes in three flavors from mocha, vanilla and caramel. This also enables you to be your own bartender at home and create some interesting concoctions or have some fun with it (see image below). “It’s just what I see on social media,” laughed Floyd.
According to Floyd, “Yale did a great study that shows people laugh and smile about 17 times a day but in a good bar, they do it 17 times in an hour. And, since we couldn’t all go to bars recently, it makes your own bar super special and what they have done here is just awesome.”
Whipshots is available online nationwide and will appear on shelves across the U.S. in 2022.
Floyd on Three of the Biggest Bar Trends
- One of the biggest sellers I’m seeing right now, it’s unbelievable as I would have ranked this about 40 or 50 on my cocktails list, but it’s espresso martinis.
- The mocktail trend has also been astronomical. At my live cocktail theatre shows at Caesars Palace, I noticed that people really wanted a cocktail and have the experience and flavors but didn’t want the alcohol. I call these the ‘designated driver’ drinks. They get to have the experience but without the tequila and no one can tell the difference apart from a little bit of the alcohol taste. This way you don’t have to be stuck with a diet soda all night and everyone saying, ‘why aren’t you drinking.’ So, we do a great zero-proof cocktail that they can have fun with and be part of the experience for the night and not be questioned. I really think this trend will keep growing and Pepsi is actually developing some of these and trying to be on the forefront of this.
- Really approachable drinks. It can be daunting going into a place to order or even making a drink at home. It needs to be something that people can execute easily at home, have fun and understand what’s in it. Maybe it’s a riff on a classic like a Moscow Mule and then maybe throw it off a little with one extra step, like adding the whipped cream to the top and make it exceptional.
- I also recommend that people experiment with a 3-step cocktail and make it their own. It’s something that accelerated during the pandemic but people love making drinks since they have been staying at home and they have embraced it.
Whipshots Irish Coffee
- 2 oz Irish Whiskey
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 6 oz dark strong coffee
- Pinch of Moldon Irish Sea Salt
Glass: coffee mug or rocks glass
Garnish: Whipshots Vanilla and mint leaves
Preparation: In a warm coffee mug/glass combine Irish whiskey, light brown sugar, sea salt, and coffee. Gently stir and top with Whipshots Vanilla. Garnish with dark chocolate shavings and enjoy.
Over the Rainbow
- 2 oz Tequila
- .25 oz Grand Marnier
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Strawberry Fennel Syrup
- Edible Leprechaun Gold
Glass: rocks
Garnish: Whipshots Vanilla
Preparation: In a mixing tin combine tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, strawberry syrup, and gold dust. Shake with ice then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with Whipshots Vanilla and add fresh strawberry or a lime wheel for an additional fun garnish.
Top of the Mornin’
- 2 oz Whiskey
- .25 oz Grand Marnier
- .75 oz Lime Juice
- .5 oz Ginger Citrus Syrup
- 2-3 ounces ginger beer
- Forbidden Shamrock edible green glitter
Glass: rocks or mule mug
Garnish: Whipshots Vanilla, fresh ginger and a lime or lemon wheel
Preparation: In a mixing tin combine whiskey, Grand Marnier, lime juice, ginger syrup, and forbidden shamrock and shake with ice. Prepare mule mug or rocks glass with fresh ice and ginger beer. Strain in your cocktail and add Whipshots Vanilla then garnish and enjoy.
