Cocktail Culture—Cocktail Tour of Downtown Rapid City

Behind the bar, two gentlemen are muddling, mixing, shaking, and stirring.  Ice chunks fly as citrus fruits are sliced into rounds and infused vodkas are splashed in to pretty glasses.  The flurry behind the bar isn’t some angry rage being witnessed…it is a frenzy, though…a frenzy of fun cocktails waiting to be appreciated! 

This is exactly what my girlfriends and I did on a recent weekend in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota:  we frolicked in the fun of unique cocktails.  Luckily for us, there are great places to get these libations, all within walking distance of great hotels, creating the perfect trifecta for cocktail enjoyment.

 

Vertex Sky Bar at the top of the Hotel Alex Johnson is the perfect place to start for tasty cocktails.  The interior of the bar is vintage art deco, a perfect throw back to the 1920s.  The gorgeous late afternoon sun reflects off the outdoor fire pits as the sky deck warms patrons’ bodies and the cocktails warm their hearts.

Any fan of the Moscow Mule knows that it is a great first drink for the night.  The light, refreshing citrus and ginger actually act as a palate cleanser prepping for the rest of the evening’s tastings.  Mules are also great drinks for the spring as days and nights begin to heat up for the season.

The next cocktail of interest is the Pineapple Upside Down.  Again, a drink that screams sunshine, the vanilla vodka, Malibu coconut rum, pineapple juice, and Grenadine create perfect sweetness for sipping, as well as create a fabulous-looking drink.

 The Blind Lion is a spot I always feel as if I should keep secret, yet it is such an entertaining environment that I want others to share in the absolute excitement of this hidden gem.  The ambiance of the speakeasy is taken very seriously; nearly every aspect is meant to catapult customers back to the days of prohibition:  phones are discouraged, conversation is stimulated, and drinks are authentic.  Do not come here when in a rush; each of the drinks is meant to sipped and enjoyed at a leisurely pace while reflecting on life’s pleasures. 

The Pear Side Car mixes pear brandy, orange sour, and house-made brown sugar simple syrup with a brown sugar rim to create a beautiful drink.  It is then poured into a martini glass, topped with an orange round, and sprinkled with dried rose petals, creating an absolutely decadent beverage.

My personal favorite is the Lavender Star.  It could be because it is served in a champagne flute, but it could also be because it has vodka and fresh-squeezed lime juice.  No, the best part of this drink is the house-made lavender simple syrup that smells and tastes like spring in a glass.

 

Kol, on the corner of Main Street and Mount Rushmore Road, is one of the hippest places to sip cocktails in downtown Rapid.  Modern and upscale décor prepares customers for the modern and upscale drinks available.  These truly distinctive cocktails are anything but the norm found in the average bar.  They are fun, and yes, maybe a little frivolous—which, frankly, is why they are so enjoyable to drink!

The White Cosmo is truly a beautiful cocktail.  The show piece of this creation is the orchid frozen in a large ball of ice in the center of the martini glass.  Poured over the top of the most beautiful ice ever is a concoction of vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and white cranberry juice.  

The Red Hot Sangria is an interesting twist on the traditional Spanish wine cocktail.  The base of malbec wine, vanilla vodka, cranberry syrup, and sparkling wine are just the beginning.  The special ingredient is the brandied cranberries, created by macerating the fruit in brandy, Grand Marnier, orange zest, sugar, and cinnamon sticks.

The flurry to make a gorgeous cocktail is intense, but so is the wonderful creation that can result from this unique art form.  Downtown Rapid City has wonderful establishments at which to enjoy many creative libations.  Take a cocktail tour soon and get to know the culture of Rapid. Book a hotel or plan for a ride at the end of the night, then enjoy getting familiar with the bartenders chopping, slicing, mixing, and pouring the coolest drinks in town.  

He Doesn’t Sleep…So You Don’t Have To--Tony DeMaro of Kol

Laser lights flash in the dark.  Large, blue halos glow over a crowd that is dressed to the nines and transfixed by the music coming from the DJ booth above. 

Yes, something has been started…Ig-Nite is in full swing.

Just hours before this thumping club scene, the same exact space was Kol, the super-trendy eatery Tony DeMaro and company opened last spring after a year of work and a million dollars of renovations.

 

As soon as Kol closes, the tables are cleared out, an expansive LED light curtain hangs over the kitchen housing the huge coal-fired oven, and the lights go out.  Circle-shaped LED lights dangling from the center of the now-club match the LED lighting throughout the rest of the dance floor.  The laser lights all over the ceiling finish the atmosphere that is clearly “a Vegas/Miami style nightclub” seeking “to challenge each and every sense in order to create an unforgettable night out on the town.” 

Have I mentioned that this is in Rapid City?  Central Black Hills.  South Dakota.

Tony DeMaro, proprietor of Kol, Murphy’s Pub, and The Blind Lion, has literally spent years watching his dreams—Kol and Ig-Nite—become reality.  First, his group purchased the prime real estate at the corner of Rapid City’s Mt. Rushmore and Main Streets.  The spot was formerly many different types of businesses, most recently Dublin Square, another bar.  However, many will remember years and years ago, before downtown Rapid began its evolution from slightly-seedy city center into the cool and modern place for people it is today, the establishment was once a strip club.

My how times have changed!

Ig-Nite has set a charge in Rapid City’s social scene.  Before the grand opening on October 30, Tony distributed Platinum Tickets through his personal and business Facebook pages.  Those who were interested in attending needed to personally come to Kol to collect their tickets, then be in line at 10:00 p.m. when the club officially opened.  First come, first served to those who dressed the part for the party—no baggy jeans and backward baseball caps here.  

When the doors opened to much fanfare, men were dressed in collared shirts and sports jackets.  Women were in fabulous footwear and fashionable frocks. 

And this crowd was not disappointed.

A VIP seating area sat opposite the full-service bar.  Yes, the cocktails were wonderfully creative, but bottle service of both wine and liquor were available as well.

Performers swung from the ceiling.  Dancers spun fire sticks.  DJs jammed to the latest beats.

Tony’s party was definitely a success.

But he is not even done yet.

The evolution of Rapid’s newest hot spot is still not over.  Tony’s endless energy has him dreaming up one more plan for this adult playground:  a vintage arcade in the basement.

As a child who grew up in the 1980s, Tony wants more entertainment for the sophisticated set of socialites in the area.  The large space in the basement has been gutted and will eventually hold the best old-school arcade games—think Pac Man, Tron, Frogger, etc.—along with a small bowling area.  

Tony’s mission to give the Black Hills the absolute best in entertainment may have already been fulfilled in some people’s eyes, but definitely not his.  He will continue to use his Energizer Bunny dynamism to make these establishments the best; his boundless drive and motivation (and an equally-energetic and hard-working business team) have led him to be one of the most innovative restaurateurs in the area.  

He doesn’t sleep much as he thinks of and then puts into action all these pioneering ideas for the Black Hills.

That’s okay, though.  Because he doesn’t sleep…you don’t have to either!

Ssshhhhhh...Blind Lion Speakeasy

Around the corner we looked, hoping not to be noticed.  We slipped into the back alley.  Luckily, no one was there.  My companions and I saw the door we needed.  We quickly slunk inside.  Down the long stairway we walked, a bit apprehensive about what we might find along the way.  Then we saw it:  the door.  It looked just like a safe, but we knew the “treasures” hidden behind were more than money.  After entering the code, the heavy door budged.  On the other side, the dark room invited us in further; however, first we had to pass yet another test with a secret phrase. 

Super secret entrance to the Blind Lion...shhhhhh!

Down the long stairway...

to find the door to the "safe."

The year was 1923, and prohibition was in full swing.  Because alcohol for commercial ventures was illegal, people like my group of the evening had to sneak around just to enjoy a cocktail.  Speakeasies were not uncommon, just difficult to find and dangerous to be caught frequenting.  We were on edge.

Wait!  The year was actually 2015, and my friend, her husband, my husband, and I had just passed through all the obstacles to get inside Rapid City’s Blind Lion, the only speakeasy in the Black Hills. 

The rules of the Blind Lion help you go back in time.

Though the reservation was made through text only and the entrance codes were sent this way as well, the confusion of the year can easily be explained after this initial modern interaction.  The rest of the event truly felt like being transported back in time.  The instant we stepped into the Blind Lion, we indeed could have been in 1923.  The servers were all dressed in period clothing.  The furniture was authentic.  Even the room, located in the basement of an old brick building (Murphy’s), was sound proof from the floors above.  We couldn’t hear the outside world, and the outside world could not hear us!

Everything felt like it was 1923!

Hidden away in the Blind Lion.

 Once seated, our group was offered “The Axe.”  Not to be worried; this was nothing scary.  It was what the Blind Lion called its cheese and charcuterie board.  There was also a limited but lovely looking menu for those interested in food, desserts included.  Our main interest, however, was the unique cocktail menu. 

Filled with distinctive options, the cocktails were the main reason to sneak around to this establishment.  Premium liquors, house-made ingredients, and hand-chipped ice were the basis for these drinks.  Though beer and wine options were available, as our server told us, the cocktails here should not be missed.

The drink I enjoyed was the Lavender Star:  vodka, fresh lime juice, lavender simple syrup, and Champagne.  Of course, I had to do the sparkling wine cocktail on the menu.  It only seemed right.  Light, refreshing, and flavorful, this was a great way to mix wine and liquor.  

The Lavender Star--Champagne cocktail.

My friend Amy ordered the Pear Side Car:  pear brandy, orange sour, and brown sugar syrup with a rock brown sugar rim.  Beautifully served in a martini glass, this was a drink worth trying.

The Pear Sidecar--pear brandy and rock brown sugar rim.

Amy’s other half Bryce ordered the Burnt Apple.  This absinthe-based cocktail packed a kick as it was mixed with apple whiskey, Licor 43, Peychaud’s Bitters, and cinnamon.  Though this was a very tasty concoction, the art of creating this drink made it even more special.  Behind the bar, the inside of the glass was coated with liquor and then set afire.  This fire was put out when the mixed drink from the shaker was poured into the martini glass and then topped with a round apple slice.

The Burnt Apple--work of art in the form of a cocktail.

Brian, my other half, ordered the most unique drink on the menu—the Smoking Barrel.  A special machine was used to smoke the customer’s choice of tobacco.  The smoke was pumped into a small carafe with the liquor of choice—in Brian’s case Pendelton Whiskey—then swirled with the smoke to infuse the alcohol.  This infused whiskey was then poured over a large ice ball in a cognac-style glass, which held the smoke on top of the liquor.  This was beautiful!

Making the Smoking Barrel.

Our cocktails were sipped in pure indulgence as we enjoyed the exclusive environment of the speakeasy (including a dress code that requests patrons to at least be in business casual attire).  Many other wonderful options of cocktails were on the menu.  We just couldn’t try them all in one night…and still make it up the stairs!  This just means that another visit to the Blind Lion must be in our near future.

We felt as if we needed to hide even as we sneaked out of the hidden bar to end the evening.  It wasn’t until we hit Main Street Rapid City to view modern vehicles and numerous people taking selfies on cell phones that we realized we had been transported back to the modern era.  Whether prohibition was really a simpler time—or it just felt that way to us that night—I’m sure could be argued.  However, the Blind Lion is a hidden gem.  People who enjoy a special ambiance and artful cocktails instead of a dirty bar and cheap beer will rave about this clandestine experience.   Don’t be apprehensive to feel as if you are breaking the law.  Sneak a peek soon!