What if you could lose weight, boost your immune system and help
stop global warming—all while getting drunk? That's what 20-something brothers Courtney
and Carter Reum, former investment bankers on Wall Street, have set out to do
with VeeV, a 60-proof açaí spirit that's become all the rage at such trendy bars as
Stone Rose Lounge,
Green Door and
Chloe.
The pros
Not only is açaí packed with 57 percent more antioxidants than
pomegranates and up to 30 times more heart-healthy anthocyanins than red wine, but it
also has vitamins C and E, calcium, dietary fiber, omega-3s, and protein. What’s
more, the Reum brothers are environmentally conscious. Their alcohol is
distilled by a company operated with wind-generated power, they use recycled
packaging and soy ink, and they insist that their salespeople drive hybrids. The
best part: A portion of their proceeds are donated to the Brazilian rainforest, where
açaí berries are harvested—proof they’re not using the green cause as a
marketing gimmick.
The cons
VeeV is also made with prickly pear, which allegedly fends
off hangovers. Such has not been the case for me. On a recent night at
Whist, I drank three of the bar’s signature VeeV cocktails and was completely
useless the next morning.
The taste
Like vodka, VeeV doesn’t have a whole lot of flavor and
lends itself well to creative concoctions. That must explain why bars have
been creating signature VeeV drinks, like
CUT's MoVeeV Star, made with fresh ginger
and orange juice, and
X Bar's VeeV Ambrosia, topped off with St. Germaine
Elderflower Liqueur. Want to have a cocktail party for Earth Day? The açaí booze tastes
amazing with Modmix’s organic mixers, notably the French Martini.
The bottom line
If you'd rather burn a hole in your pocket than in the ozone layer, order a VeeV
cocktail.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix
Los Angeles.
