Batch Craft Soda Shirley Temple

Back in the 30's bartenders on the movie lot would mix up some ginger ale (or lemon lime if it was all they had) with some grenadine and throw in a cherry to make it seem special. These drinks had a singular use; they were used to bride a child actress into giving some good takes for the “talkies.” They would pretend they were grown up drinks and only girls who performed well earned their grown up drink. Mix up one of these cocktails and those little feet would be dancing up a storm, never missing a step. If she messed up though, she was given straight sour mix.

Is any of this true? I have no idea. As far as I know this beverage was created by a bartender at bowling alley who was trying to appease the kids on a Saturday afternoon. That, at least, is my history with it. Whatever its origin story it's a great little drink. This Batch version of the classic drink doesn't quite capture the essence of the bowling alley version that I love from my youth, but it is a cleaner, more distinguished version. I mean it's not coming out of a soda gun, so chances are it's going to be of better quality. Whether you're trying to get kids to dance, or to bowl there really isn't a better beverage for the job.