This holiday season, Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails in Downtown Phoenix will transform into an over-the-top winter wonderland as the Valley’s first “Miracle Bar”, the nationally known brand of Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bars. Guests can enjoy this from Black Friday through Dec. 30, 2018.

Originally launched in New York City in 2014, Miracle will open the unique pop-up experience in 90 locations at some of the most highly revered cocktail establishments around the world, including Blue Hound, the only Miracle Bar in Phoenix.  

Taking holiday decor to a whole new level, Miracle by Blue Hound will feature all-new, seasonally-themed cocktails and dishes served in a festive setting. On the outside, snowy windows will show just a glimpse of what to expect. As the doors open, holiday revelers will be dazzled by tens of thousands of Christmas lights, hundreds of Elf on a Shelf dolls and ceilings swirling with icicles, garland and more. Bartenders and staff will also be decked out in ugly sweaters and festive holiday attire.

“We’ve been watching this cocktail bar pop-up concept gain tremendous recognition over the years in major markets like New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles and we knew we needed to be the first to bring it to Downtown Phoenix,” said Wade Gruenewald, director of food and beverage at Blue Hound. “The Miracle concept is a perfect fit for us as it complements our award-wining craft-cocktail program and ties in to the holiday festivities at CityScape Phoenix.”

The cocktail menu will feature 12 seasonally-inspired Christmas concoctions. Standouts of the menu include:

  • Snowball Old Fashioned: Butterscotch rye, spiced Demerara, Wormwood bitters and orange zest.
  • Bad Santa: Hot milk punch with Barbados Rum, Trinidad Overproof Rum, Batavia Arrack, pineapple juice, lemon juice, almond milk, eight spices, coconut water and coconut oil.
  • Koala-La La La, La La La La: Gin, pine, dry vermouth, lime, eucalyptus syrup and orange bitters.
  • Gingerbread Flip: Bourbon, gingerbread syrup, Elemakule Tiki Bitters, whole egg and nutmeg.
  • Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!: Sweet Potato Barbados Rum, Cachaça, Trinidad Oveproof Rum, Dry Curacao, marshmallow orgeat and lime.
  • Jingle Balls Nog: Cognac, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, brown butter, cinnamon, cherry, vanilla, almond milk, cream, sugar, egg and nutmeg.
  • And A Partridge In A Pear Tree: Reposado Tequila, Pear Brandy, mezcal, spiced Demerara syrup, lime, egg white, cub soda, angostura bitters and cinnamon.

In addition to the cocktails, Miracle by Blue Hound will also debut a new food menu for the season, under the direction of Executive Chef Dushyant Singh. Some festive standouts include the Gobble Gobble with a confit turkey leg, black vinegar tart cherries and sweet potato puree; Oh My Gourd with savory battered delicata squash (donuts), everything spice, apple butter and bourbon maple; Selfish Bowl with shellfish, chorizo, preserved lemon chermoula, Blue Hound Pale Ale and Noble Bread; and Santa’s Treats with mini cookies, cereal milk and chocolate bark.

For Christmas enthusiasts really looking to up the ante this holiday season, guests can reserve an entire booth at Blue Hound that will be named after the season’s favorite characters offering tableside s’mores and bottle service. The VIP experience can be booked by contacting kendall.hain@bluehoundkitchen.com.

Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix is also getting in the spirit and offering two different stay packages so guests can make the most of their holiday breaks. The perfect package for families, A Miracle Experience is available to book now through Jan. 5, 2019 starting from $169 per night and includes two tickets (including skate rentals) to CitySkate at CityScape Phoenix and two Miracle® holiday mugs. For couples, the Holiday Romance package is available to book now through Dec. 29, 2018 starting from $179 per night and includes a dining credit to Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, two tickets to CitySkate at CityScape Phoenix (including skate rentals) and two cocktails at Miracle by Blue Hound. Both packages can be reserved at https://www.hotelpalomar-phoenix.com/things-to-do-in-phoenix/winter.

Recently named one of the “Best Hotel Bars in the West” by Tales of The Cocktail, Blue Hound is an American gastro-lounge serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour. Under the direction of Lead Bartender, Phil Clark, the blazing cocktail program raises the bar for drink culture in the city’s urban core and is known for stellar libations and an extensive selection of top-shelf spirits, garden-fresh ingredients and house-made tinctures and syrups. Clark was also just named “Best Bartender in 2018” by Phoenix New Times.

The concept for Miracle was born five years ago, when upon the advice of his mother, Greg Boehm decided to halt construction of what was to be his new East Village cocktail bar Mace to transform the unfinished space into a pop-up bar serving holiday-themed drinks among festive décor. As crowds swarmed the NYC location, Boehm’s friends throughout the bar industry asked how they could recreate the holiday magic in their own bars and expansion became inevitable. Over the past few years, Miracle has expanded from 4 locations to over 50 in 2017.

Miracle at Blue Hound will be open 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Friday through Saturday. For more information about Miracle at Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, visit https://bluehoundkitchen.com/ or call (602) 258-0231. For more information about the Miracle pop-up, visit https://www.miraclepopup.com/.