Narwhal’s Crafted Urban Ice to bring frozen craft cocktails to Midtown

Co-owners Brad Merten and Brandon Holzhueter plan to cool down Midtown this summer with frozen adult beverages at Narwhal’s Crafted Urban Ice. The duo announced that their new bar, located at 3906 Laclede Ave., is slated to open in early summer.

The announcement comes on the heels of the news that the city recently revoked the liquor license of Tropical Liqueurs, a Soulard bar serving slushy alcoholic beverages, after resident complaints. Holzhueter said he has worked closely with Saint Louis University and the surrounding community to keep them fully informed of the concept, and Narwhal’s will not offer carryout drink options.

“I know there will be people who have that preconceived notion,” he said. “I want to combat that idea that you even want to leave. (We want to) provide them with a classy, cool yet comfortable atmosphere where (people) want to stay and drink.”

Holzhueter said Narwhal’s will use fresh fruit, house-made sodas and herbs grown in-house to create slushy alcoholic cocktails. “We’re growing what we can and doing things as fresh as we can,” he said. “Making it a truly craft cocktail … in frozen form.”

A rotating menu will include spins on classic cocktails like a blackberry Moscow mule with fresh blackberries, house-made ginger beer and fresh mint; a root beer float with house-made ice cream; and a grapefruit whiskey sour with house-made grapefruit soda and sour mix.

The 1,900-square-foot space will feature a large patio in back and 14 stainless-steel frozen beverage machines spinning behind the indoor bar. While there won’t be food available onsite, but customers are welcome to bring in food or order delivery.