Tis’ The Season
MIRACLE ON ORANGE , THE COURTESY BAR
The Courtesy Bar was one of 51 bars in the world to be asked to join Cocktail Kingdoms, Miracle International Holiday Pop Up Cocktail Event. It only seems fitting that Orlando's first craft cocktail bar be chosen to be a part of Miracle. Courtesy's own Dylan March is who to thank for Miracle on Orange happening.
The idea behind it comes from Miracle on Ninth Street, the yearly Christmas/Hanukkah pop up event that will have even the grinch feeling the yule tide. They incorporate everything from decorations,, costumes, and cocktails inspired from holiday traditions. Miracle on Ninth and sister project Sippin' Santa's Surf Shack are spreading out to 51 different bars and restaurants. Whether you're in New York or Orlando you will be enjoying the same cocktails.
We stopped by to check out Miracle and ask a few questions. Billy Masker and Dylan March were bartending and I was lucky enough to ask Dylan about how he brought Miracle to Orlando. Dylan March worked for Cocktail Kingdom when he lived in New York. Through this he developed a relationship with Greg Boehm, owner of Cocktail Kingdom, and the bar Mace and Boilermaker, in New York. Around July this last year Greg asked Dylan if he would be interested in bringing Miracle to Orlando. It would be one of two locations in Florida, both a first time location. They want to stress that they want the bars who host the event to be far enough apart to where it is special to that area. The other Miracle pop-up is in Delray Beach, Florida at the bar Death or Glory.
Dylan brought the idea to Gene and Diana Zimmerman to see what they thought about the idea. Dylan says that most bars cannot keep up with the Miracle concept, but The Courtesy Bar is a perfect size, both for volume and quality. Each location that is chosen is given an extensive manual specifying how to make all the ingredients in the cocktails, how to build the cocktails, decorations, and more. Both bartenders said it was a couple hundred pages long and very thorough. All for a good cause though, because according to them it was the most profitable month of the year and the most profitable December since opening in 2012. Sales more than doubled and they got a lot of new time guests who came specifically to try Miracle.
Although Miracle is supposed to end on Christmas, there is the option given out to stay opened through New year’s Eve. With the success they had with their first take on the event, they decided to extend their opening to New Year’s Eve. With the rapid success of this years Miracle, it is likely to say that it will be back next year, probably in more Florida locations than the original two. Bartist and all other passionate spirit enthusiasts are looking forward to the following year's Miracle on Orange, with the hopes that more Florida locations follow. Tis' the season, and the season was delicious!
