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Thunderbolt, a cocktail bar in Echo Park, has quickly hopped on Mayor Eric Garcetti’s new order allowing restaurants to deliver alcohol. Now get ready to ditch tall unstable martini glasses and drink cocktails from a bag.

Photo courtesy of Instagram post from @thunderboltla Various cocktails in vacuum-sealed bags

Thunderbolt opened its doors in Echo Park in early 2019, but has recently been faced with having to close from government orders. Now that they can put their main sought after products up for delivery — their cocktails, they seemed to prepare swiftly. From bottles, to mini cans to vacuum-sealed bags, Thunderbolt is crushing the alcohol delivery game.

While customers are currently not able to go inside and enjoy the bar’s praised southern hospitality feel, they can get a feel of the home-iness from the unique, yet quaint packaging for their drinks.

Haley Risch/ Courier
Canned Thundergroni

The canned Thundergroni, containing gin, campari, vermouth, pineapple juice and lemon oil, was delightfully sweet. On the first sip of the coral-colored drink the pineapple flavor peeped through, making it very refreshing. Even though the pineapple flavor was tastefully subtle it still went well with the taste of the strong blanc vermouth and gin. As for the very light fizziness that followed every sip, it only made each sip taste more refreshing.

The Peach Thunderbolt, which comes in a cute mini vacuum-sealed bag, accentuates the Southern feel which the bar wishes to establish. Even though the drink seems to offer a nice southern peachy welcome, the ‘thunderbolt’ in the name doesn’t lie. This cocktail, consisting of two types of rum, peaches and mint is very strong.

The peach flavor is there, but it doesn’t do any favors in covering up this stiff drink’s rum. What the peach does overpower is the drink’s mint aspect. Being a strong drink, it is tasty and very crisp, just don’t expect the peach and mint to buffer the liquor.

The bottled espresso martini was the belle of the bar. This Counter Culture coffee mixed with vodka, sherry and demerara mix was the cocktail that stood out among the rest. The sherry and demerara made the drink just

Haley Risch/ Courier
Pork belly burnt ends and pickled onions on the side, garnished with lettuce

sweet enough, almost giving it a caramel-reminiscent taste. Even those who are not fans of coffee, and maybe even avoid it, (like myself) can relish this drink.

The $8 bite-sized pork belly burnt ends were very delicious. They were equally sweet and savory and paired great with the pink pickled onions they were served with. Unfortunately, by the time they had been picked up and were ready to eat, they had to be reheated. This is a typical downside of food delivery or pickup, and by no means the fault of the restaurant; but this was most likely the culprit for some of the pieces’ textures being a bit on the hard side.

The cocktails they offer range between $9 and $15, and the ones featured in this article were all $14. The prices were certainly fair for the delicious drinks they offer. However, the delivery fees through the various delivery service apps they’re associated with are a bit hefty, which is why Thunderbolt themselves recommend opting for the pick up option. The self-pick up option helps avoid delivery fees as well as allows the small business to retain more of the profits.

For people stuck in quarantine who are missing the cute creative drinks of bars in Los Angeles, Thunderbolt is a perfect place to get your fix from home. And the new packaging ideas are just as creative as the drinks themselves.

Thunderbolt is not only helping the community have a fun and boozy time from home, but they are also helping people in the hospitality industry who are out of work due to the coronavirus. Through anonymous sponsors, they are providing people with free meals, all they must do is sign up with a form from their Instagram page.

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