Chapter 6: Elixirs & Ales

Even with all of the extraordinary variety in the multiverse, every culture, plane, and world seems to have one thing in common: everyone drinks! And there is no shortage of beverages to accompany the recipes in this book. Drinks move between cultures more freely than foodstuffs, so it is hard to pin a given concoction to its origin. Elves may be given to wine, and dwarves to ale, but gather some adventurers in a bar, and most will prove just as daring in their tastes as they are in their heroic exploits.

Some even say that you can't fully appreciate food without a fine drink pairing. Whether you need an uplifting cup of tea, a thirst-quenching juice infusion, or something a bit harder to take the edge off, the taverns of the multiverse await your patronage. Cosmopolitan bartenders have elevated the invention of drinks to an art that rivals alchemy for its complexity and cleverness—their creations can seem downright magical; and sometimes, they are.

Unfortunately, there is only space here for a few noteworthy libations. To get a thorough knowledge of drinks in the multiverse would require an epic quest to the edges of reality itself because in every corner of the known worlds, no matter what the materials at hand, someone has figured out a way to get tipsy. There are potions, palate cleansers, beer, ciders, spirits, ales, wines, juices, enhanced waters, natural springs, coffees, teas, and cozy glasses of warm bedtime milk to be had out there.

The recipes collected here have all blazed a path through the realms to become mainstays of the adventuring lifestyle. The most popular concoctions have their own regional names and variations, catering to the sense of humor and the taste buds of the locals, so it never hurts to know a few nicknames for your favorite potent potable.

Cheers!

Par-Salian's Tea

Whether you're a warrior doffing your plate mail after an arduous adventure or a wizard relaxing after a studious session in the stacks, each day demands time for repose. From an obscure oolong to a common chamomile, teas are imbued with incredible calming and restorative effects for the body and soul. The powerful white-robed Highmage Par-Salian was renowned for his arcane prowess, but those close to him warmly recounted his potent tea leaf homebrew as well. A single saucer full of this extraordinary blend, which was known to include a fresh ginger infusion with honey, chamomile, dried lemon, orange peel, and a dash of slippery elm bark (granting it a smooth, oily aftertaste) among its components, was said to soothe even the most dogged cold—an effect that ensured the survival of one of Par-Salian's most famous students, Raistlin Majere. Numerous interpretations of Par-Salian's legendary tea remain popular throughout Krynn, with some iterations steeped with rare and psychedelic bekial seeds from the thorn bushes of Estwilde, though it is said that none, save for his most trusted students, could successfully replicate his herbal amalgam.

Mushroom Tea

When the hearth fire dims in the Underdark, the drow are known to reach for their kettles—not to make any herbal tea, but instead an after-dinner broth of simmering mushrooms. If they can find them, the drow prefer matsutake, though shiitake or maitake will do in a pinch. They place the sliced mushrooms into a clear broth seasoned with dried kelp, sometimes with a splash of fish stock or soy sauce and alcohol, and heat it in a teakettle. From this, they pour small cups of the fragrant tea to imbibe slowly until the mushrooms cook to perfection, at which point they are eaten with a fine skewer.

Evermead

Crafted from a secret Evermeet recipe and aged for hundreds of years, a sip of this splendid elven concoction is "a taste of the higher planes themselves." Superlatives aside, in the culinary realm, it is undeniably the beverage by which all others are measured. Smooth and aromatic, this extraordinary elixir blankets the palate with powerful notes of clover honey and a mélange of elven fruits and grains that are so rare they don't even have a name in the common language. Rumored to use ingredients and techniques similar to feywine, this pricey draught is only available on the Isle of Evermeet in the Trackless Sea west of Faerûn or in Aurora's Catalogue by hand keg or bottle. If you ever are lucky enough to try the original, make sure to drink slowly—it can just as quickly intoxicate as inspire. This recipe, though, is crafted sans alcohol to preserve your better judgment.

Dwarven Mulled Wine

Pronounced by dwarven diplomats "the finest mulled wine this side of the material plane," this mixed beverage is a multicultural affair. Originally crafted to celebrate the signing of the Swordsheath Scroll, which ended the Kinslayer War and sealed a treaty between the Thorbardin dwarves and the nearby Qualinesti elves of Krynn, dwarven drinksmiths combined their own full-bodied dragon's wine and local spices with delicate, fresh fruits provided by the Qualinesti. The result was a perfectly balanced, spicy and sweet concoction that satisfied and warmed the insides of both groups as they spent cold winters constructing their shared fortress of Pax Tharkas. Years later, during the War of the Lance, this recipe was popularized by Lord Gunthar, Grand Master of the Knights of Solamnia, who would serve it to visiting knights (and himself) as a favorite nightcap. Flavored with orange slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, this fruity and full-bodied wine packs a dwarven-size punch, but is sure to thaw your bones during Yuletide or any other time of year.

Cocoa Broth

A warm hearth, a cozy chair, and a steaming mug of chocolatey, liquid goodness—for a halfling this is the Seven Heavens (the Green Hills of Venya to be exact). Rumored to be the result when a halfling mage cast wish to find the perfect fireside beverage, this salty, sweet, and spicy cocoa creation tickles every part of the palate and cheers every part of the soul. Infused with coffee and spices from a far-off region of Toril called Tukan, just add some marshmallow to this beverage, pick up a good book or scroll, and you can call it a night.

Hot Spiced Cider

Hot spiced cider is an essential seasonal drink with appeal to all seeking warm liquid refuge after a day on the trail. Fresh-pressed apple cider, usually sold by the jugful at marketplaces or farms, is simmered over a low fire or stove with allspice, cloves, brown sugar, and a burst of orange tossed in for measure before it's topped with fresh cream and a cinnamon stick. Halflings serve up their own special varietal named Moonslake, a minty, alcoholic apple cocktail that's been blended with a boiled and strained mint-crushed water yielding a biting, cool aftertaste (that humans tend not to enjoy). Elves prepare it clean, often cheesecloth strained, for a refined, glassy amber appearance. Dwarves aren't fussy, they just like it spiked. Regardless of your preference, savor one of these cool-weather concoctions to warm you from the inside out.

Goodberry Blend

Few spells in a druid or ranger's repertoire are as handy or nutritious as a well-timed casting of Goodberry. A single "goodberry," transmuted by drawing upon the divine essence of nature itself, can provide an adventurer with a full day of nourishment; some have denoted their enchanted healing properties. But despite any druidic lore or magic, one thing is certain: this healthy blend of field berries boosted by green essentials, banana slices, honey, and a pinch of salt will provide anyone with the vital essentials needed to start the day's journey.

Delayed Blast Fireball

It's no coincidence that the mixed drink known as the Delayed Blast Fireball received its moniker from the famed damage-dealing wizard incantation. Sometimes referred to as "firestar wine," this sweet and syrupy concoction with a cinnamon inflection is layered with flavors and packs a serious punch that does justice to its arcane namesake. The spiced bourbon and spicy pepper flakes form a lethally delicious combination that goes down easy but delivers its full effects several rounds of beverages into the night.

The Mindflayer

Vodka stored at subzero temperatures is combined with fresh ginger and grape juice (for a hazy purple hue) and finely crushed ice. It is served so cold that if your first frosty gulp doesn't zap you with a mind-numbing brain freeze, then the alcohol blast that hits right after just may! Variations of this popular chilled beverage (sometimes referred to as "Cone of Cold" or "Shondath Icewine") are aplenty across the Sword Coast.

Rollrum

The picturesque city-state of Tashalar is known for its jeweled coasts, temperate climes, and abundant vineyards, as well as for one of its most famed exports—rollrum. This dusky, licorice-infused tonic is noted for bright, herbal tones and a minty finish. Establishments of the highest pedigree, ranging from the Elfsong Tavern in Baldur's Gate to the Lady Luck in Daggerford (as well as a slew of questionable taprooms), offer up homebrewed incarnations of this absinthe-style classic. For those not inclined to partake in alcoholic imbibement, but who are still seeking a minty beverage, try elven sprucebark quaff, which also serves as a potent palate cleanser.

Potion of Restoration

Every adventurer needs a pick-me-up now and again, and nothing slakes the thirst and dulls an ache quite like a Potion of Restoration. Fruity and sweet, with tones of blackberry and lemon, the gin hides away until you already feel its fire in your belly. Barkeeps imbue it with a pinch of butterfly pea, which gives it a distinctive blue color—in a dimly lit dungeon, you might even mistake it for its magical namesake. But then again, if you drink enough of these, you will know neither pain nor fear...though you may not be undertaking any glorious feats either.

Zzar

There isn't a human-run tavern on the Sword Coast that doesn't serve some form of Zzar, a northwest Faerûnian bar staple. Often pricier than lager or stout, this nut-flavored, orange-hued refreshment is often crafted by fortifying sluth (a sparkling white wine) with an almond liqueur. Some barkeeps substitute amaretto for a liqueur that mimics the taste of almond but forgoes nuts entirely in favor of herbs and spice, while others add their own twists to the tried-and-true recipe. In any case, the desired result is a smooth and creamy nut drink with a strong kick and a vibrant aftertaste that might include subtle variations ranging from sweet or tangy to salted or roasted.

Chultan Zombie

Located on the southwestern coast of Faerûn stands Port Nyanzaru, the last bastion of civilization before an untamable expanse of undead-infested jungles, perilous rivers, and oversize alpha predators. You may have seen a massive Tyrannosaurus rex in the flesh, but you haven't really been to Chult unless you've tried the "zombie," a rustic, fruit juice cocktail composed of indigenous produce, local liqueurs, and a medley of rums. Served in massive wooden bowls at nearly every eatery in town, the Chultan Zombie boasts an enticing velvety, saccharine flavor that hides the waves of alcohol lurking beneath the surface. Wild fresh flavors collide on your taste buds making it feel as if Elminster cast a charm spell in your mouth. A word to wise travelers: Refrain from chugging a bowl of this before you go dinosaur hunting...or do, if you need the added boost of liquid inspiration. A version of the "zombie" showcasing a medley of local fruits is served at watering holes on the precipice of the jungle frontier of Q'barra on Khorvaire. Other variations include a just-as-delectable non-alcoholic variety from the Flanaess, perfect for young adventurers.