Ahhh, cold aguas frescas
June 12, 2008 7:34 AM Subscribe
Has anyone here ever sold aguas frescas?
After having had some of the good, honest to God aguas frescas that were made from scratch and not from a mix, I had to learn to make them myself. I've been tinkering with different flavors for a while and I've learned how to make a pretty good drink. I talked with an out-of-state friend recently who is on the committee for a small local festival. He's also a fan of the drinks and says I should come on out and sell them at the festival. After checking with the health department and other relevant authorities (taxation, etc.) it actually looks feasible to do. I can make a fair bit of money; not a fortune but it'll pay for my startup costs and the gas to go up and see some friends.
So I've gone and found where I can get the vitroleros (the glass barrels that they are traditionally sold in), since the presentation is what sells them as much as the taste. I've figured out what it would cost to make the drinks, and since I used to work for a foodservice distributor, I know how much cups, lids, straws, forks, napkins and etc. will cost. I've already devised a table setup that will maximize the visual impact. And I've figured out the exact ratios for making big batches of these fast. I've figured out a few flavors that are likely to sell well. I even have a collapsible canopy I can set up under to protect things from the sun. I've done what I can to get my ducks in a row on this before I commit to actually filling out a vendor app.
Problem is, I've never done this on a large scale before. It's one thing to make a gallon for the house. I can do one flavor at a time, drink it over a couple of days, and keep it in the fridge to keep it cold. To sell them at the festival, I'd need to make several gallons of different flavors, and keep them iced. If I need to make a new batch fast, I'll also need to ice the drinks down so that they chill fast and stay cold. (One of my big concerns is that I don't want to sell watered-down product because the ice melted.)
So, have any of you actually sold these drinks before? Are there other things I need to think about? Or do you have any other tips/advice? Or am I just crazy?
After having had some of the good, honest to God aguas frescas that were made from scratch and not from a mix, I had to learn to make them myself. I've been tinkering with different flavors for a while and I've learned how to make a pretty good drink. I talked with an out-of-state friend recently who is on the committee for a small local festival. He's also a fan of the drinks and says I should come on out and sell them at the festival. After checking with the health department and other relevant authorities (taxation, etc.) it actually looks feasible to do. I can make a fair bit of money; not a fortune but it'll pay for my startup costs and the gas to go up and see some friends.
So I've gone and found where I can get the vitroleros (the glass barrels that they are traditionally sold in), since the presentation is what sells them as much as the taste. I've figured out what it would cost to make the drinks, and since I used to work for a foodservice distributor, I know how much cups, lids, straws, forks, napkins and etc. will cost. I've already devised a table setup that will maximize the visual impact. And I've figured out the exact ratios for making big batches of these fast. I've figured out a few flavors that are likely to sell well. I even have a collapsible canopy I can set up under to protect things from the sun. I've done what I can to get my ducks in a row on this before I commit to actually filling out a vendor app.
Problem is, I've never done this on a large scale before. It's one thing to make a gallon for the house. I can do one flavor at a time, drink it over a couple of days, and keep it in the fridge to keep it cold. To sell them at the festival, I'd need to make several gallons of different flavors, and keep them iced. If I need to make a new batch fast, I'll also need to ice the drinks down so that they chill fast and stay cold. (One of my big concerns is that I don't want to sell watered-down product because the ice melted.)
So, have any of you actually sold these drinks before? Are there other things I need to think about? Or do you have any other tips/advice? Or am I just crazy?
Definitely keep it simple and limit the available flavors (but include tamarind because tamarind RULEZ all!). I have never sold these drinks but I have sold other food and stuff at festivals and I always overthink it, sadly, and end up offering too much variety. People like simple choices of either X or Y, especially at festivals where it's hot and they don't want to dawdle in a hot tent.
Also, find a helper for you! You WILL have to pee. I've done some festivals sans help and it is a nightmare. Good luck!
posted by hecho de la basura at 8:51 AM on June 12, 2008
Also, find a helper for you! You WILL have to pee. I've done some festivals sans help and it is a nightmare. Good luck!
posted by hecho de la basura at 8:51 AM on June 12, 2008
Can you keep them cold by using something that's not ice? I'm thinking of something like those plastic ice cubes that are sort of novelties, but they do work, and they keep drinks cold without watering them down.
You could keep some quantity of them, already frozen, in a cooler, ready to add to the barrels as needed. In a different cooler, you could keep some bags of actual ice that you could add to each cup (or not, as the buyer prefers) as it's served.
I love agua frescas.
posted by rtha at 8:55 AM on June 12, 2008
You could keep some quantity of them, already frozen, in a cooler, ready to add to the barrels as needed. In a different cooler, you could keep some bags of actual ice that you could add to each cup (or not, as the buyer prefers) as it's served.
I love agua frescas.
posted by rtha at 8:55 AM on June 12, 2008
We sold these in a fine dining hotel restaurant I worked in about ten years ago. Keep in mind that, for some reason, even with refrigeration, they go bad really fast. Not 'make you sick' bad, but they start to taste flat then slightly spoiled in a matter of hours. Keep tasting them as the day goes on, and don't be surprised if you have to throw lots of it away.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 9:53 AM on June 12, 2008
posted by jeff-o-matic at 9:53 AM on June 12, 2008
Haven't sold these before, but you can freeze two-liter soda bottles (filled with water of course) and submerge them in your drink barrels or coolers to chill things without watering them down.
(Not sure what health regulations that using "used" soda bottles would break, but I'm sure that it'll bunch up someone's panties, so it might not be a bad thing to check out..)
If you wanted to keep them form floating around, you could always try putting a strong magnet into the bottle with the water and then placing the whole container on something attracted to the magnet. or I guess you could add gravel to the ice bottles...
If you go this route, you should be prepared to bring a few coolers of ice bottles.
Alternately, have you thought of using dry ice? It'll definitely cool things down and attract the kids.
posted by terpia at 12:13 PM on June 12, 2008
(Not sure what health regulations that using "used" soda bottles would break, but I'm sure that it'll bunch up someone's panties, so it might not be a bad thing to check out..)
If you wanted to keep them form floating around, you could always try putting a strong magnet into the bottle with the water and then placing the whole container on something attracted to the magnet. or I guess you could add gravel to the ice bottles...
If you go this route, you should be prepared to bring a few coolers of ice bottles.
Alternately, have you thought of using dry ice? It'll definitely cool things down and attract the kids.
posted by terpia at 12:13 PM on June 12, 2008
I've never had an agua fresca (but now I want to) so this may not work...but could you make frozen agua fresca "ice cubes" from a few batches ahead of time, and use these to keep the drink cool?
This used in combination with that girl's suggestion above may keep things cold enough.
posted by mehum at 12:30 PM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
This used in combination with that girl's suggestion above may keep things cold enough.
posted by mehum at 12:30 PM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
It is customary to offer limón, horchata and jamaica, in that order, to emulate the colors of the Mexican flag: green, white and red. You could stick to those three flavors and add tamarindo, which -as hecho de la basura rightly states- RULEZ. They also offer the added benefit of keeping fresh for a looong time.
Copious amounts of ice usually float inside of the vitroleros and each client is served with a long-handled metal ladle. You don't need to have any forks or straws on hand. Plastic cups and paper napkins is as authentic as you could get.
posted by Cobalt at 3:01 PM on June 12, 2008
Copious amounts of ice usually float inside of the vitroleros and each client is served with a long-handled metal ladle. You don't need to have any forks or straws on hand. Plastic cups and paper napkins is as authentic as you could get.
posted by Cobalt at 3:01 PM on June 12, 2008
I bought some orchata today, and vitroleros didn't have ice in them. I was offered ice in my cup before she started dipping it out.
At the local festivals, there has been tons of ice in the aguas frescas. I've seen vendors stir them loudly, especially on hot days.
posted by QIbHom at 7:54 PM on June 13, 2008
At the local festivals, there has been tons of ice in the aguas frescas. I've seen vendors stir them loudly, especially on hot days.
posted by QIbHom at 7:54 PM on June 13, 2008
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posted by that girl at 8:30 AM on June 12, 2008