On December 5th, 1933 something wonderful happened in the midst of The Great Depression. The 18th Amendment (you know, that truly horrible one that literally ripped the booze right out of our mouths?) was abolished, giving the downtrodden people of America something to finally celebrate. Can you imagine how bad the hangovers were on December 6th?
Each year, 21c likes to celebrate the free flow of the past several decades and will hold their annual Repeal Day celebration on December 5th. While 21c Louisville has been holding Repeal Day celebrations for years and 21c Cincinnati hosted their first last year this will be the first outing for 21c Bentonville and The Hive. Ian Tabor, Beverage Manager at The Hive notes that everyone is very excited to bring the Repeal festivities to a new corner of the country, saying “a Repeal Day celebration holds an even more special place here in Benton County with our true Repeal Day being only a year ago.” Up until recently Bentonville was in a dry county with only a few places serving liquor upon signage of a registry…in true speakeasy fashion. To help liven up the festivities the team at The Hive will all be dressing in fashions from the era and guests are invited to dress in their own satin spats and fringe dresses as well. In the tradition of 21c Repeal Days passed, fake moustaches will be handed out so everyone can drink like the Dapper Dan they always knew deep down they were.
While the usual cocktail list will be available there will also be a new menu solely dedicated to the cocktails of the era. Expect twists on old favorites like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan and with lesser known libations such as the Corpse Reviver #2. The Hive’s head mixologist Brandon Davidson is responsible for the list this year, curating a menu consisting of prohibition-era cocktails such as the Bee’s Knees, Sazerac and Waldorf. But don’t expect only the classics. Tabor and Davidson will also be throwing out some curve balls to make new the old favorites.
What cocktail is Tabor and the team most excited for you to try this year? The 21c! Says Tabor, “it’s a take on a Corpse Reviver #2 but instead of absinthe it has crème de cacao, giving it this deliciously interesting twist. It stays true to the prohibition-era style of alcohol forward drinks but is still approachable enough for anyone to try.” We can’t wait.
Cheers!
> To make a reservation, call The Hive at 479.286.6575
