Craft Cocktail: Ballad of a Thin Man at Icehouse

The Ballad of a Thin Man at Icehouse // Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

Icehouse bartender Sean Eddins // Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

I always forget how hot Minnesota can get. The winters freeze the part of my brain that holds memories of the sun and its warming embrace. And then every June I’m shocked to notice my pasty skin suddenly radiating red under a cloudless sky.

I’m staring down a stretch of Nicollet Avenue that’s cowering under an oppressive burst of heat. Patio diners wiggle under umbrellas to capture of a sliver of shade. People slink out of storefronts to the comfort of their air-conditioned cars. No one is moving very fast.

After an exhausting morning bike ride, I just want to sit down with a cocktail and relax. I dip into Icehouse, where I’m met with a blast of cold air, and bartender Sean Eddins. He recommends the Ballad of a Thin Man, and since I’m a sucker for a Dylan reference, I agree.

“It’s the most patio-friendly cocktail we have right now,” he says. “Light, fruity, effervescent, but it’s not wimpy. That Tattersall Aquavit gives it that earthy feel—it’s no fruity blended drink.”

It’s a summery Collins—straightforward flavors with a beautiful texture. “Pineapple—when you shake it, it gets that nice foam,” Eddins says. “If you like that texture you can add a little egg white to make it extra foamy.”

I might do that when I make it at home. For now, I’ll just order another, apply some SPF, and watch the humid afternoon drip and condense.

Ballad of a Thin Man

Ingredients

2 ounces Tattersall Aquavit
1½ ounces pineapple juice
¼ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce simple syrup (1:1)
Club soda
Angostura bitters

Method

Photo by Kevin Kramer, The Growler

Shake the first four ingredients with ice, strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice, top up with club soda, and drizzle with two dashes of Angostura bitters.

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