If 2020 were a drink, here’s what a Kentucky company thinks it would taste like
Flavorman, the Louisville-based custom beverage company that creates specialty flavors for drinks, set out to answer a crucial question: If 2020 were a drink, what would it taste like?
So, they created a mocktail and actually canned a limited run that the company plans to use to toast the end of a year that brought the coronavirus pandemic, murder hornets, wildfires and toilet paper shortages.
“It’s been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone, so in an effort to spread some positivity, we wanted to do something fun,” said David Dafoe, Flavorman founder and CEO. “As beverage architects, we’re always looking for ways to challenge our creativity, so we thought— let’s make 2020 into a beverage.”
For fun, they sent me a sample, which they said wouldn’t taste as bad as it sounded. They were wrong: It tastes like burnt cough drop.
According to a statement, the commemorative drink was inspired by four themes from the year: seeking comfort, a global consciousness around health, the power of hope and the unpredictable series of events that have defined this historic period.
They chose pink grapefruit flavor for its tart taste and boost of immunity. But grapefruit can leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
So to make that, Flavorman paired it with honey. The result is bittersweet, “mirroring the sense of hope which has carried us through every challenge faced this year.”
As a nod to “the overwhelmingly harsh realities of this Dumpster fire of a year,” they added a smoky, spicy ginger to the flavor profile.
And made it gaudy orange and full of gas. (In other words, it’s carbonated.)
“I think the team did a great job. The drink offers a playful snapshot — a time capsule— of 2020 in beverage form,” Dafoe said in a statement. “This last year has disrupted our world in ways we couldn’t have predicted, but it’s also proven our ability to adapt, innovate, and find creative solutions to keep powering forward. That’s something we can all celebrate.”
The bad news is you can’t buy it anywhere, it’s just a one-off the company made for kicks.
But the good news is that 2020 is ending.
This story was originally published December 9, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
