Paulius Musteikis
Pressed margarita in a martini glass.
The Mason Lounge is, first and foremost, a craft beer bar — one of the best in Madison. That’s its thing, and it is fantastic.
But let’s say you find yourself at 416 S. Park St., and you’re not in the mood for anything with barley or hops. They have a nice selection of bourbon, Scotch and whiskey, but you’re not feeling that either. Maybe you’re gluten-free. Maybe you’re just being difficult.
But there’s a little section on the drink menu that contains some unexpected gems — citrus cocktails made with fresh juice, squeezed via an industrial citrus press. It takes a bit of labor to liberate the juice from the fruit — when I ordered three pressed cocktails for myself and friends, the bartender looked crestfallen.
“That’s gonna take a minute,” he said.
But it’s worth the wait. There’s a lime drop and a lemon drop — both classic vodka cocktails made vastly better with the fresh juice in place of sugary syrups. Best of all is the pressed margarita, made with the simplest of recipes — nothing but fresh lime, triple sec and silver tequila served over ice with a salted rim.
It’s a perfect execution of a classic. You can even ask for it in a mason jar.
