Miracle pop-up bar at Crafted Concoctions serves swirly Christmas spirits in festive style

Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial
·3 min read
Miracle on Main's "On Dasher" combines bourbon, mezcal, sweet vermouth, spiced hibiscus, Burlesque Bitters and lemon.
Miracle on Main's "On Dasher" combines bourbon, mezcal, sweet vermouth, spiced hibiscus, Burlesque Bitters and lemon.

In the months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebecca Dougherty could use a miracle after just opening her and her husband's sophisticated cocktail bar, Crafted Concoctions. It was a tough time to open a new bar, and she and her staff relied on to-go cocktails and other last-minute measures to drum up business.

But Miracle, the worldwide Christmas pop-up bar sensation, would bring national attention to the Tavares bar.

Crated Concoctions' Krampus night was a festive time on Dec. 2. At 7 p.m. on Dec. 22, Tavares will host its Ugly Sweater Block Party. Krampus and Unicorn mugs are also on sale this year
Crated Concoctions' Krampus night was a festive time on Dec. 2. At 7 p.m. on Dec. 22, Tavares will host its Ugly Sweater Block Party. Krampus and Unicorn mugs are also on sale this year

"We had visited downtown St. Pete and there's a bar there called Intermezzo," Dougherty recalled about a trip taken with her husband/co-owner, Craig Williamson. "They were actually a Miracle location and that's what kind of made us look into it a little bit more because of how festive it was and how cute it was in there."

Once the holidays came around, Dougherty approached Miracle, um, and just sent out an email asking if the would be able to do it."I got a phone call back from Joanne Spiegel, the manager of Miracle," Dougherty said. "She needed a one-on-one phone conversation to make with me to make sure we were a good fit — as far as cocktails and location go. They only do them about every 35 miles from other towns. They won't do any closer than that. So, once you find one, you'll see a couple others around it, but not very close.

"So, it's hard for anybody else in this direct area to be one of those locations, but we did it because it was so fun. We felt like everybody needed some Christmas magic at that time and we wanted to again, get the buzz out that we existed."

The idea initially came from Manhattan bar owner Greg Boehm, who decided to pause construction of Mace and transform the unfinished space into a pop-up bar serving holiday-themed drinks amid colorful and delightfully tacky Christmas decorations.

The holiday pop-up was a big hit. New Yorkers loved it and the Boehms' friends in the bar industry asked how they could re-create the holiday magic in their venues, leading to an epic geographic expansion that would even make a circumnavigating Father Christmas jealous.

Miracle initially expanded to four U.S. locations, and in 2016 it went worldwide with pop-ups in Greece, Montreal and Paris. Miracle pop-ups are serving up Christmas spirits across the U.S., in Canada, Europe, Asia and Central America.

Offering a uniquely festive and fun experience, downtown Tavares' seasonal Miracle on Main pop-up lounge is a spirit-ed Christmas-themed bar serves zingy, sweet and nuanced holiday-inspired drinks in an over-the-top yuletide setting.

Like the others, Crafted's bar features kitschy holiday décor, ingeniously conceived cocktails and, what the event's founders characterize as "the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to."

Just this week, the bar posted tantalizing details about its Krampus drink on Facebook: "The Krampus cocktail is still here for the rest of the season! Made with reposado tequila, oloroso sherry, allspice dram, mezcal, ginger, hibiscus, lime, and hellfire bitters. Mugs are also while supplies last."

The "On Dasher," inspired by the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" cohort command, features bourbon, mezcal, sweet vermouth, spiced hibiscus, Burlesque Bitters and lemon. There are also twists on egg nog and an Old Fashioned, inspired by Bruce Willis' "Yippie Kay-Yay ..." catchphrase in "Die Hard."

Also in Tavares: 'This is my way of giving back': Tavares restaurant is much more than just a place to eat

ICYMI about Miracle bars: Holiday-themed 'Miracle' pop-up bars are serving up Christmas cocktails across the country

ICYMI about Miracle:

Along with drinks, Signature Miracle mugs will be available for purchase (a fun stocking stuffer, for sure).

At the end of the 2023 season, Miracle will donate 10% of net proceeds from the retail sales of Santa Pants, Christmas Carol Barrel and Santa Heads mugs to the Seva Foundation, an international non-profit health organization based in Berkeley, California, known for preventing and treating blindness and other visual impairments.

BTW's Crafted Concoctions is located at 115 E. Main St., Tavares. Check out their holiday pop-up bar's Facebook page at facebook.com/MiracleOnMainTavares.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Christmas spirits are bright at Miracle on Main in Tavares