By Francine Cohen

Perrier slim can traditional

When we first heard that people were sneaking Perrier into movie theatres we were both impressed (because we could imagine how delicious and civilized it would be with popcorn) and slightly confused (as to how they got that ubiquitous green bottle past the eagle eyed ticket takers). Then the new day of Perrier dawned on us…Perrier now comes in slim cans. (www.perrier.com)

Sound like a bunch of marketing hype to cover expensive re-packaging? Actually, it’s not. It’s a new way of looking at a venerable brand. The bubbly zero-calorie water from Vergeze, France that always offered rich, stable bubbles throughout your entire drinking experience.

Now, not only can you take Perrier with you on the go, easily, but the applications for cocktail usage are much more functional now too. No worries that opening a bottle of Perrier is a huge commitment for your guest and your inventory when it goes flat. The new Perrier slim cans are like the wine by the glass for the cocktail (and non-cocktail) set.

In a world where guests are super specific about their liquor brands and water choices, why shouldn’t they be equally demanding about their mixers? It’s a practice that other brands have embraced and speaks to the quality of your establishment. No name calling, but why use another brand and inject somewhere in the realm of 60mg of sodium into a drink when Perrier only brings 2, plus minerals that provide texture and an extra layer of flavor to your bubbly beverage.

And, speaking of flavors, Perrier also comes in Lime and Pink Grapefruit. Now that’s refreshing! But don’t just listen to us, hear what the experts have to say:

Tony Conigliaro
Using Perrier is great fun because you can separate out the aromas in a cocktail. You can say, this drink will deliver the citrus flavors first, then the woodsy flavors. The Carbonation in Perrier releases aroma while adding flavor.

Karin Stanley
One of the things that I found special when I started working with the Perrier was the flavors. Adding grapefruit Perrier to a grapefruit drink adds to the flavor rather than diluting it. People are so specific about the vodka used in their drink, why not about the soda or mineral water?

And then there’s the professional argument to be made about freshness and quality:

Justin Noel
I use Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water as opposed to the soda from the gun because I believe that when creating a nice effervescent cocktail you can’t just stopped at nice ice, nice glassware, and fresh ingredients. To do that and top a great drink off with soda from a gun would be like serving cheap prosecco over champagne at a black tie affair.

Lynnette Marrero
Mixologists and bartenders have moved away from the soda gun ever since the cocktail renaissance began in NYC at Milk and Honey. The idea is that when making craft cocktails the drink deserves to have all ingredients be as fresh as possible. Soda guns by nature are not fresh. Stale water gets stuck in the soda lines and then is carbonated as it comes out. It is often tainted by the other flavors in the gun as well. The end result is a mediocre cocktail. Perrier offers clean crisp flavor. Opening the bottle/can guarantees that your cocktail is going to be elevated. The larger bubbles in Perrier also offer a consistent product. Flavor is carried through the bubbles to your palate where they explode with flavor.”

So, don’t you agree it’s time to banish that gun and bring in the cans?

Perrier Caribbean
1 slice of peeled fresh ginger
20 ml of clear honey
40 ml of dark rum
3 drops of Angostura bitters
10 ml of fresh lime juice
100 ml of chilled PerrierCrushed ice
1 slice of cucumber
½ stalk of lemongrass

Put ginger, honey, rum, bitters and lime juice in a tall, slim glass. Mix well with a bar spoon while slowly adding the chilled Perrier. Fill half of glass with crushed ice and add cucumber and lemongrass. Mix well with a bar spoon. Fill the rest of the glass with ice and add a straw.

For more recipes go to: www.societeperrier.com/types/mixology/#.T-oB8Rf-_FI. Of course chilled, and right out of the can, works too. Especially at the movies.

Perrier slim can pink grapefruit