“We’re the Sam’s Warehouse of cocktails,” Matt Seiter says with a laugh. Yeah, no kidding. Seiter (left) is a mixologist and manager of Sanctuaria, a cocktail bar in the Grove, that boasts over 200 drinks listed on its menu.
“And we have thousands more in our heads that we can make,” Seiter says.
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On November 1, Seiter unveiled the bar’s new fall menu, which includes some old favorites as well as throwing some new categories into the mix.
The new menu is broken up into four main sections: Seasonal Sippers, which are seasonal drinks often mixed with fresh herbs from Sanctuaria’s own herb garden; the Show-Offs, drinks mixed with higher-end spirits, including the aptly named $100 Daiquiri; the B-Side Selections, which is further broken up into Cocktails on Tap, Big Bertha Cocktails, Barrel-Aged Cocktails, and Old-Standbys; and Tickles and Jiggers, which is a list of the bar’s base spirits which are served straight in either a 1 oz. or 2 oz. pour. Also on the menu is a selection of beers, wines, bottle-aged beers and non-alcoholic drinks.
So what’s new about this menu? For the first time, the bar is listing basic, commonly ordered drinks on its menu under the heading “Old-Standbys.” Seiter says that he has often noticed bar patrons seeming timid about ordering simple, common drinks, like a Manhattan (right), Long Island iced tea or a cosmo.
“I’m hoping that those people who want their old standby won’t feel uncomfortable ordering it. It’s on the menu, we want you to be comfortable in the bar, and we want you to have a good time. Not worry about ‘Oh my God, I’m ordering a cosmo!’” Seiter says. “We’ll whip it up and serve it to you with a smile.”
Also new is Sanctuaria’s selection of seasonal cocktails. This list of 13 drinks ranges from the Double Barrel Shotgun, to the Never Mind the Tremors, to one of Seiter’s favorites, the Calmer Than You Are, which Seiter describes as a “toddy-ish drink” with flavors that just “scream fall time.” And did I mention the drink is served while on fire?
Still on the menu is Sanctuaria’s selection of Cocktails on Tap. The bar can boast being one of the first in St. Louis to do so. Seiter says the bar is pushing the Oaxacan Sunrise as the cocktail on tap for the fall season.
Three cocktails from the new menu are pictured below. From left to right:
Caramel de Pomme (from Seasonal Sippers): Berneroy Fine Calvados, Pommeau, Honey Syrup, Cinnamon Syrup, Lime Juice, Brown Sugar Rim
Kind of Played Out (from Seasonal Sippers): Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Rehorst Gin, Honey Syrup, Lemon Juice, Blue Curacao, Fresh Lavender Flowers, Club Soda
Sanctuaria House Punch (from Cocktails on Tap) : Chamomile Infused Reposado Tequila, Lambrusco, Passionfruit, Lemon Juices
For those unfamiliar with bartender jargon, the Tickles and Jiggers section of the menu offers just that; tickles and jiggers. These are both measurements used for certain alcoholic drinks. A jigger is an old measurement, that ranges from an ounce to an ounce and a half, the perfect size for a spirit served neat, or on the rocks.
A “tickle” is a recently acquired part of Seiter’s mixologist vocabulary. He says he was watching a Blues’ game at the Arena Bar & Grill in Dogtown when he noticed several old-timers order a “tickle” of Jim Beam with their beers. Seiter says he called the bartender over and asked, “What the hell is a tickle of whiskey?” The bartender held up a tiny one ounce shot glass and said, “That’s a tickle.”
Turns out a tickle is a small serving of whiskey, to sip on while sipping on a beer.
“Just enough to tickle the palate,” Seiter says.
Along with drinks, Sanctuaria also offers tapas and desserts. Seiter prides himself on being able to serve a paired cocktail with every dish that’s offered.
As the autumn nights grow longer and colder, instead of curling up to a cozy fire, consider sidling up to a flaming cocktail, Sanctuaria-style.
