Hey Lolita, Hey

Photo Credit: Kelsey Huffer

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]L[/dropcap]olita is the life of the party everywhere she goes. She’s the cutest cocktail server there is. She is a remodeled 1960s caravan that was carefully refurbished by a Colorado wilderness lover who brought her passion for the outdoors to the bartending scene.

Cocktail Caravan is a mobile high-end full-service cocktail and beverage station service with bartenders based in Denver and Boulder. Lolita is the center of the company, a charming 15-foot caravan with counter space, an open window for serving and a bench seat on one side.

Crystal Sagan is the founder of Cocktail Caravan, which has been pouring locally-sourced libations for a year and a half. After a decade of bartending, Sagan stepped into a role in publishing, but kept her hand on the cocktail shaker. After standing behind the bar for a friend’s wedding serving 300 guests, the phone never stopped ringing. After that, she started serving at events exclusively. The business has grown to become a group of bartenders sourced out of Denver and Boulder and a kitschy little trailer who is the center of attention, along with the cocktails she serves.

“We’re having a blast,” said Sagan.

When she first found Lolita, the 1969 caravan trailer was a mess and had to be taken down to her frame and rebuilt, salvaging the original windows.

“I’d seen the caravan bar trend growing in popularity in Australia and Europe and thought it would go over well here so took a gamble and went for it.” Lolita dresses for the events in vintage and modern kitsch accessories—along with her “ridiculously” named plant friends.

She helps credit the ingenuity and freshness of her drinks to her love of nature, using locally-sourced ingredients and a blast of wilderness to keep them fresh.

“When I’m home and it’s time to get down to business with some cocktails, the mountain vibes are definitely influencing what guests are seeing on the menu—pure, breathtaking and blissful,” said Sagan.

Active in the local ski community, she also has experience as a writer and photographer for ski publications. “Being in the mountains where you’re the exception, not the rule, and the mountains are the boss and take-your-breath-away beautiful at the same time is my happy place.”

Her love of the mountains and nature has brought a mountain-fresh quality to her cocktails, sourced locally and constantly rotating depending on the availability of produce and local offerings.

“We’ve been lucky enough to work some very high-end dinners with Kendal Norris of Mason Jar Events, where we’ve paired cocktails with various strains.”

Photo Credit: Kelsey Huffer

“It sounds super-mega cheesy, but those are my big takeaways from being way out there in the mountains and what we’re in turn aiming for with our cocktails,” she said. “We’re using fresh ingredients and keeping things simple in cocktail recipes to let the integrity of the natural ingredients shine through, and the fresh ingredients are so much more powerful than using a flavored liqueur that guests at events are often blown away by the difference.”

Part of working with local herbs includes partnering with local cannabis businesses to offer a different kind of herbal refreshment.

“We’ve been lucky enough to work some very high-end dinners with Kendal Norris of Mason Jar Events, where we’ve paired cocktails with various strains,” said Sagan, who mentioned she has done cocktail pairings with edibles as well as incorporated cannabis into beverages. “For those events we’re working to enhance the flavors of a flower with cocktails, just as you would in pairing wine with your dinner.”

The recent summer heat waves have inspired beverages for the latest events Cocktail Caravan has catered to. “We’re using fresh ingredients and being mindful of summer heat and offering things that double as refreshing,” Sagan said. “Fresh herbs are always a big hit throughout the summer, things like basil, thyme, sage and mint are great in cocktails. Cucumbers are in season and a perfect way to introduce a refreshing twist into cocktails when it’s a million degrees outside.”

“When I’m home and it’s time to get down to business with some cocktails, the mountain vibes are definitely influencing what guests are seeing on the menu—pure, breathtaking and blissful.”

At a recent scorching event, a twist on the julep that included Breckenridge Bourbon, black tea, fresh mint and lemon and a dash of simple syrup was reminiscent of a cool breeze with every sip—hence its name, Mountain Julep. “Every single guest gushed over how amazing it was.”

Whether you’re planning an event or hosting a fabulous cannabis-infused dinner party, don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your cocktail service, courtesy Lolita of Cocktail Caravan.

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