story by

Liesel Schmidt

|  photos provided by 

Chaste No. 850

T

here’s no better way to celebrate 
an event than with a great 
drink, but unless you’ve hired a 
mixologist or have a background 

in bartending, you might feel as though your 
options of topping things off with a fabulous 
cocktail are pretty limited. 

Taking the guess-work, the hassle, and 

the expense out of the entire cocktail hour 
experience was the driving force behind 
Chaste No. 850, a combination of rums and 
tropical fruit juices that all come together 
harmoniously in one bottle to become what 
owner and founder Bess Grasswick calls 
“the kind of beach-inspired cocktail that you 
would make for yourself if you had the time.” 

Created in small batches right here in the 

spirited South, Chaste has been the toast 
of the town since Freeport local Grasswick 
founded it in 2011, and cocktail enthusiasts 
all over the country have made its success 
spill past the tipping point. And there’s a 
reason for that: Using the fi nest ingredients to 
achieve their “not-too-sweet” elixir, Chaste 
offers the ability to customize cocktails easily, 
to achieve something fl avorful and unique 
without the need for an entire bar-cart’s worth 

of additional mixers, liquors, and garnishes. 
“We want to provide people with a properly 
made cocktail and make it easily accessible 
to them,” Grasswick explains. “The whole 
concept behind this product was to offer 
people something that’s extremely versatile, 
so that anyone, anywhere, and in any type of 
situation can love it.”  

And love it, they do, pairing up this 

premium beverage with everything from 
simple fruit juices to high-end champagnes. 
And in times of celebration like wedding 
receptions, Chaste certainly has things in the 
bottle. “With all of the costs and intricacies 
involved with planning for wedding 
celebrations, a ready-to-serve cocktail is a 
great way to have a budget-friendly liquor 
option for any couples who want to serve 
something to their guests besides just the 
traditional beers and wines,” Grasswick 
explains. “Even on its own, the fl avor of No. 
850 makes it great simply served over ice; 
but it’s also customizable with inexpensive 
additions and fresh garnishes that will keep 
everyone happy. And if you want to have 
a signature drink at your event, using it to 
create large batches is a great option that also 

The Perfect Mix

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1/24/17   7:27 PM