The Story Behind The Better Living Bar Contra , the much-anticipated and most recent NYC offering from Dave Arnold, opened in 2024. Bar manager Theo Ouya uses Arnold’s extensive technical expertise and experience for each of the bar’s cocktails, including this shaken non-alcoholic concoction. As with all recipes in the Arnold realm, this is not for the faint of heart, from a preparation standpoint, and requires the typical cast of esoteric ingredients and equipment. Even if you don’t end up trying to tackle it at home, this recipe highlights the sheer effort and attention to detail Ouya, Arnold, and team have applied to every cocktail on the bar’s menu — whether they contain alcohol or not.
This recipe is part of our Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Programs in the U.S.
Ingredients
2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice 27.3 grams Cream Syrup* ¾ ounce Poly-D** ¾ ounce Metho-Good*** ½ ounce Glacid**** ½ ounce Orris Root Tincture***** 10 drops Wormwood Tincture****** 2 drops succinic acid solution*******
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Rate This Recipe:
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*Cream Syrup Ingredients
250 grams 36% heavy cream 250 grams white cane sugar 7 ½ grams citric acid solution (85 grams water and 15 grams citric acid powder)
*Cream Syrup Directions
Combine heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl and stir with a silicone spatula until completely dissolved. Stir in citric acid solution. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
**Poly-D
Ingredients
200 grams water
200 grams polydextrose powder
Directions
In a blender, add water then polydextrose powder and blend on high for one minute, until power is completely dissolved.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
***Metho-Goop
Ingredients
200 grams water
100 grams ice
6 grams Methocel F-50
3 grams white gum arabic
0.6 grams xanthan gum
Directions
In a blender, combine water, gum Arabic, and xanthan gum, and blend on medium until completely dissolved.
Add ice and blend until smooth.
Using rubber-gloved hands, incorporate Methocel, breaking up the clumps into small chunks.
Transfer solution to an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Stir mixture to break up any remaining chunks.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
****Glacid
Ingredients
298 grams water
252 grams food grade vegetable glycerin
17 grams lactic acid solution (88% powder solution in water)
15 grams tartaric acid powder
Directions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until dissolved.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
*****Orris Root Tincture
Ingredients
200 grams boiling water
3 grams orris root
Directions
In a sealable, heat-resistant container, combine ingredients.
Transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely.
Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
******Wormwood Tincture
Ingredients
200 grams boiling water
3 grams wormwood
Directions
In a sealable, heat-resistant container, combine ingredients.
Transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely.
Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
*******Succinic Acid Solution
Ingredients
98 grams hot water
8 grams Succinic acid powder
Directions
In a bowl, combine ingredients and stir until dissolved.
Use immediately or store in a cool dry place for up to one week.
