Behind the Bar: The Creative Journey of Dram & Draught's Menu

Walk into Dram & Draught, and you are greeted with a warm smile, along with an intriguing lineup of choices. If you order a cocktail, you will be working off a menu born from the collective creativity of our seven unique locations—not just to satisfy your taste buds but to make it a journey of flavor and imagination.

But it's our approach to the cocktail menu that really captures the moment—blending familiar flavors with the extraordinary. Bartenders in each of our seven locations start by collaborating and drawing inspiration from one of our seven cocktail families. Then, they make the drinks that define these categories with a unique local twist for a vibrant blend of creativity and collaboration around the bars.

First, the perfecting and choosing of location-specific cocktails; then, the collaboration goes much beyond the walls of each bar. The general managers and head bartenders from all locales come together, bringing the cream of their bars' creations to a bigger table. Here, the final form the cocktail menu takes represents combined excellence from all locations, with a common flair that retains the uniqueness of each place, infusing it right into the menu.

Take Raleigh, for example. Cole's "America Runs on Turkey" rips through that city right out of the gate with Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, locally-owned Larry's Coffee cold brew, toasted hazelnuts, and cherry bark vanilla bitters. This sip makes a statement: unapologetically, it's Raleigh using locally roasted coffee, and ingredients the city loves.

In Charlotte, the nightlife and a passion for espresso martinis inspired Shri's "Campfire Delight." The mix of graham cracker-infused Altos Reposado with Cantera Negra Cafe goes perfectly with nights spent with friends and telling stories into the late hours.

Randall's creation, "Faded with a Stranger," in Winston-Salem, inspired by guests loving a good sangria, combines Bacardi Dragonberry with Cabernet Sauvignon and strawberry-lemon oleo to create something familiar but exciting.

To that very end, our menu also features Dram Favorites and Classic Renditions—timeless favorites touched by our magic. These menu categories honor our heritage and timeless tastes our guests love.

Flip through our cocktail menu, and you'll take a flavorful journey through the cities we call home. Each cocktail has a story to tell that distinctively reflects the community and culture from which it was inspired. It's that connection to local scenes blended with the creativity of our bartenders that makes our menu read like a storybook of drinks.

With every visit to our bar, the cocktails you enjoy become a living chapter in our ongoing story of celebration of each location's diversity, creativity, and community spirit. We raise our glasses to share this story every time by inviting you to taste our cocktails and feel the local life they represent.

Cheers!