The Hottest New Drink: Brick & Mortar

Looking for a drink that allows you to keep your man card but still drink something fruity? I've got the one for you!

We moseyed into Red Fox Lounge—that fabled Orange Avenue hotel bar whose singers inspired the famous Saturday Night Live sketch. My friend had chosen the tiny locale to spend his last night of singleness, enjoying the stylings of the late Mark Wayne and his wife Lorna Lambey. Out of nowhere, one of the other groomsmen held out his hand and demanded I turn over my "man card."

I guessed that ordering a Shirley Temple no longer demanded the respect it once had. He hummed and hawed; I shrugged, content with my choice. But I couldn't shake the question: "Why do people judge others based upon their drink selection." I'd heard that song and dance before, but never understood it. I don't like beer, wine, or the stuff that tastes like cleaning solution. So ginger beer with add ins is the extent of the craziness. 

The next time I went out, I decided to flip the script and order something similar to a Shirley Temple, but call it something else, just to see if I would be similarly looked down upon. I considered it an experiment.

So, when the waitress asked my order, I said the first masculine thing that came to my mind.

"Brick & Mortar."

Because she was unaware, I graciously explained: "Ginger ale and grenadine, with some orange juice."

That was it, she just got my drink. Nobody complained. But something surprising also happened: it was kind of fun to order. When I've done so since, (which I have numerous times) someone invariably ends up laughing—either at my subtle ridiculousness or the usually self-assured bartenders appearing wrong-footed. When all is said and done, the mood is lightened, and the drink is tasty.

So, I guess that's why I (and some of my friends) still order the Brick & Mortar when water won't cut it—it tastes good, brings some fun with it, and—most importantly—it doesn't require a "man card" for purchase.

Brick with mortar