Review: EastBev Co Asian Cocktail Subscription Box
The cocktailing world has long been in love with the flavors of Asia — but sourcing Asian ingredients like yuzu and cherry blossoms can be difficult on our shores. EastBev Co is bringing its talents to bear on the problem, offering a unique cocktail subscription kit that focuses exclusively on cocktails inspired by the Far East.
The proposition goes as follows: Each month you get a box filled with mixers, garnishes, recipes, and other knick-knacks designed to elevate your cocktail experience. There’s enough product for about four servings of three different cocktails: 12 drinks total.
What don’t you get? Booze. You’ll have to supply the hard stuff, even if — as is the case with one of the kits I received — the only alcoholic ingredient across the three cocktails is sake. (I also received a beta version of the kit that called for vodka, tequila, and soju.)
As for the cocktails, they range from fairly traditional (a yuzu sour with sake, yuzu juice, and syrup) to only slightly untraditional (a “spring flower” with sake, lemon juice, and cherry blossom syrup, topped with ginger beer). None of the cocktails in the first box grabbed me with “I must drink this right now” gravitas, but they all acquitted themselves admirably — if fairly simply. After all, who doesn’t like yuzu?
Given that the beta version of the kit had somewhat more exotic recipes — one, including yogurt, seemed particularly out there — one can assume that the boxes will eventually shift quite a bit between simpler and more exotic cocktails as the months go by. Prices change each month as well, from $42 to $50, with shipping included, cancel any time. At roughly $4 per cocktail — again, sans booze — EastBev’s kit isn’t cheap, but, then again, ingredients like pickled plum juice aren’t exactly easy to come by at your local bodega. Naturally, your mileage will vary on the value front.
If you’re game to try it out, use code 20THANKYOU on EastBev’s website (below) and you’ll get 20% off your first month’s subscription.