Bobby Heugel worked on The Brave cocktail for a full year before opening Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston in 2009, and it remains the only drink that has been on nearly every Anvil menu since opening day. Not unlike Anvil itself, the Brave is a bit of an oddball considering it doesn’t get shaken or stirred with ice—just swirled around in a wine glass and then misted over with aromatic Angostura bitters and garnished with a flamed orange peel. Perfectly delicious and balanced in its own right, the Brave changes the idea what a traditional cocktail can mean. In a tongue-in-cheek nod to the cocktail’s constancy, staff will often answer Anvil’s phone with,“Anvil, home of The Brave. How may I help you?”
The Brave
Bobby Heugel, Anvil Bar & Refuge | Houston, TX
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 ounce mezcal (preferably Del Maguey Vida)
- 1 ounce blanco tequila (preferably Siembra Azul)
- 1/2 ounce Averna
- 1/4 ounce Royal Combier
Garnish: 3 mists Angostura and a flamed orange peel
Directions
- Build ingredients in a wine glass.
- Swirl to combine.
- Mist sides of glass evenly with Angostura (in a mister bottle) and garnish with a flamed orange peel.