We love seeing creative cocktails all year-round but especially during the holidays. The creativity is at an all-time high and this year is no different. Here are some that we have been enjoying from our industry friends around the country!
Ski Trip Featured at Sorellina in Hoboken, NJ
2 oz Zacappa No. 23
8 oz House Hot Chocolate
(top with house made toasted marshmallows)
Book Club Featured at Sorellina in Hoboken, NJ
2 oz Bourbon
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz honey syrup
4 oz Chai Tea
Sippin’ Santa
Nickel City, Austin, TX
Aged Demerara Rum
Amaro
Lemon
Orange
Gingerbread mix
Chillin’ With My Snowmies
1909 Temecula: Temecula, CA
Created by Bartender: : @Iam_Tut
Plantation Pineapple
Pineapple Juice
Coconut Puree
Lime Juice
Apple Spice
House made Ube Taro Syrup
Highway to the Manger Zone
Black Lodge, VA
Created by Bartender: Steve Yang
George Dickel Rye
Aperol
Amaro Nonino
Spices
Acidified cranberry
Snowball Sipper
Distrito Federal in Campbell, CA
Created by Bartender: Jorge Vargas
Gin
Dry vermouth
Spiced pear liqueur
Grenadine
Lemon
Whatever you choose to drink this holiday, please do so responsibly. If you are out and about, please be sure to #TipYourBartenders
1.5 OZ COMPASS BOX KING STREET “ARTIST BLEND” BLENDED SCOTCH
1 OZ FRESH LEMON JUICE
.75 OZ HONEY 3:1 SYRUP
.5 OZ LIQUID ALCHEMIST GINGER SYRUP
MIST COMPASS BOX KINGS STREET “GLASGOW BLEND” BLENDED SCOTCH
GARNISH: CANDIED GINGER/LEMON WEDGE
VESSEL: 10.5 OZ ROCKS
COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A MIXING TIN. ADD ICE. SHAKE VIGOROUSLY FROM 7-8 SECONDS. STRAIN INTO VESSEL WITH FRESH ICE. MIST WITH SCOTCH. GARNISH.
PUMPKIN SPICE
1 BOTTLE UNDERBERG
1.5 OZ COMPASS BOX KING STREET “ARTIST BLEND” BLENDED SCOTCH
1 OZ FRESH LEMON JUICE
1 OZ PUMPKIN SYRUP (SEE RECIPE BELOW)
.25 OZ TURBINADO 2:1 SYRUP
1 EGG
1 OZ STOUT
GARNISH: GRATED CINNAMON
VESSEL: 8 OZ COUPE
CHILL VESSEL. COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A MIXING TIN. DRY SHAKE. ADD ICE. SHAKE VIGOROUSLY FROM 10-15 SECONDS. ADD IN STOUT. FINE STRAIN INTO CHILLED VESSEL. GARNISH.
PUMPKIN SYRUP RECIPE:
800 GRAMS SIMPLE SYRUP (2:1)
400 GRAMS CANNED PUMPKIN PUREE
COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER. RUN UNTIL TRHOUGHLY COMBINED. STORE IN REFRIGERATOR FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS.
YIELD: APPROX. 1 QUART
NOTES:
RECIPE DONE BY WEIGHT FOR CONSISTENCY. RECIPE CAN BE SCALED AS LONG AS IT IS A 2 PARTS SYRUP TO 1 ONE PART PUREE CONVERSION.
APPLE BUSHEL
1 BOTTLE UNDERBERG
1 OZ COQUEREL BOURBON CASK FINISHED CALAVADOS
.5 OZ LIQUID ALCHEMIST APPLE SYRUP
1 DASH APPLE BITTERS
1 DASH ANGOSTURA BITTERS
GARNISH: FRESH OR DEHYDRATED APPLE CHIP
VESSEL: 10.5 OZ ROCKS
COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A MIXING GLASS. STIR FOR 10-15 SECONDS UNTIL YOU GET A TWO FINGER WASH LINE. STRAIN INTO VESSEL OVER ICE OR A LARGE FORMAT CUBE. GARNISH.
Flavored WhiskeyPhoto credit: AJ Shorter Photography
2 oz Duke & Dame
1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Red Wine
1/2 oz Agave
Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice and strain into coupe glass.
Pineapple Whiskey Mule
2 oz Duke & Dame
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 1/2 to 2 oz Ginger Beer
Shake ingredients (excl. ginger beer) in cocktail shaker and pour into copper mug over ice. Top off w/ginger beer. Garnish w/pineapple slice (or rosemary sprig).
Pumpkin Paradise
Get ready for Fall with pumpkin treat!
1 ½ oz. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
¾ oz. Zaya Gran Reserva Rum
½ oz. orange juice
½ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. pumpkin cream of coconut mix*
3 pineapple top leaves
Pumpkin spice
For the pumpkin cream of coconut, blend all ingredients to taste.
To make the cocktail, shake all ingredients together in a shaker with ice and pour into cocktail glass.
Garnish with three pineapple leaves and powdered pumpkin spice.
Gold Rush
1.5 oz of Ragtown Whiskey
0.5 oz of lemon juice
0.5 oz of honey syrup
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice, then shake well for 1 minute. Double fine strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with mint sprig.
If you are looking for an easy cocktail that is ready-to-serve, Sunshine Punchthe new creamsicle cocktail – is now available! Inspired by the iconic, frozen creamsicle treat, Sunshine Punch is the perfect blend of orange and vanilla with a lingering cream finish that continues to develop with each sip.
Whatever you do this Labor Day weekend, please do so responsibly and be sure to #TipYourBartenders!
Is The Pornstar Martini The TRUE Drink of the Summer?
While some are saying either The Hugo Spritz or the Limoncello Spritz are going to be the drink of Summer 2023, we are pushing for The PornStar Martini!
While we do love the idea of The Hugo Spritz, the Porn Star Martini is really having it moment and we think it deserves the crown! Originally said to be created by Douglas Ankrah, owner of LAB London Bar, the Pornstar Martini is a modern classic. Ankrah first dubbed it the Maverick Martini after the Maverick’s Gentleman Club in Cape Town, but he then changed the name to the Pornstar Martini as he thought of it as something a porn star would drink – and of course to get the raised eye-brow reaction! For that reason, along with the flavor profile of the cocktail, is why we love this drink. The Pornstar Martini was so popular that Ankrah even had his own Passion Fruit Liqueur!
The Pornstar Martini has been tremendously popular in the UK for many years, and now has increasingly been appearing on menus across the US this year (helping to push the overall martini craze! This falls in line with the massive trend of bringing back classic cocktails, as we have seen with the Negroni, Spritz and Old Fashioned (and all their variations), and of course the Espresso Martini.
The drink is made with vanilla vodka, passion fruit puree, passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup, and served with a sidecar of champagne or sparkling wine. Personally, we love it with a sidecar of champagne BUT we have seen a few recipes that note to “top with champagne,” and even some frozen variations.
It is too early to call any of these drinks the true “drink of the summer” BUT we are looking forward to seeing more of the Pornstar Martini and watching it continue to trend.
We can’t believe that summer is flying this year but, what we can believe is that bars and restaurants all over the country are putting together some incredible cocktails for their guests to enjoy. Here are a few that we have gathered from around the country!
Strawberry Aperol Spritz
Created By:Bar Manager Kim Taylor
3 oz Prosecco 1.75 oz Strawberry–infused Aperol .25 oz Orange Gin 1 oz Soda Soak 1 pint of fresh, sliced strawberries into 1 liter of Aperol for 24 hours.Strain strawberries out and refrigerate the remaining Aperol(the Infusion will keep for 6 months).CombineAperol mixture and Gin, and top withProseccoandSoda.Enjoy!
Cucumber Martini Featured at Quintessence Hotel, Relais & Châteaux
The hotel’s award-winning Julian’s restaurant serves this delicious drink, made with cucumber juice, St-Germain, and Tanqueray.
Mrs Maggy is a traditional margarita enhanced by baby cactus puree and mint leaves – creating an herbal and earthy flavor palate that is seriously refreshing. Located on the fringe of the charming and relaxing fishing village of Zihuatanejo, along the crystal clear waters of Mexico’s Pacific Coast, the sophisticated beachfront boutique is the perfect laid back summer vacation destination.
Recently, Prairie Organic Spirits asked three of their mixologist friends in the Twin Cities to help us craft the Sips of Summer: One-of-a-kind sustainable cocktail recipes that will taste great and impress your friends!
Sarah Ashenbrener, Bar Manager at Gus Gus (St. Paul, MN)
Add all ingredients into shaker tin, shake with ice for 10-15 seconds, and strain into chilled coupe glass.
Snap Pea Syrup Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup snap peas, washed and roughly chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then take off heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain out all solids and refrigerate.
Grant Lavrenz, Assistant General Manager and Bar Manager at Khâluna (Minneapolis, MN)
Floral French 75
.
2 oz Prairie Organic Gin
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Dried Flower Simple Syrup (see below)
3 oz Champagne
Instructions:
Shake or stir ingredients for 15 seconds. Strain ingredients into wine or flute glass. Top off with your favorite champagne. Garnish with a lemon coin. Using a paring knife, cut a penny-shaped slice of outer peel.
Dried Flower Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Dried flowers
Instructions:
Pour ingredients into a small pot and bring to a boil. Slowly stir sugar until it dissolves. Let cool for 15 minutes. Crush, mix, or blend together. Add flowers to the simple syrup after water comes to a boil. Let the flower mixture steep for 15 minutes. Strain using a coffee filter. Syrup is ready to use.
Spritz cocktails have long been a warm-weather favorite due to their fresh taste and lower ABV. The Hugo Spritz is no exception, with a simple recipe and naturally sweet flavor thanks to the addition of St-Germain elderflower liqueur. It has already been dubbed the “drink of the summer” by the New York Times and Google searches for the cocktail have increased by 519% since last year.
But what even is the Hugo Spritz!? It is noted that it was originally invented by Roland Gruber, an Italian bartender in 2005. He wanted to make this fun variation on the Aperol Spritz. In his recipe he used lemon balm syrup which has since been switched to St-Germain, an elderflower liqueur.
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 oz St‑Germain
2 oz Martini Prosecco
2 oz Soda Water
8-10 Mint Leaves
Lime Wedge For Garnish
Mint Sprig For Garnish
DIRECTIONS Add ice into a wine glass.
Pour in St‑Germain and add approximately eight mint leaves.
Top with sparkling wine and soda water.
Stir the drink to combine all of the ingredients.
Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge
Interested to see how this continues to grow throughout the summer and will this officially be crowned as the drink of the summer for 2023?!
Created by Mariena Mercer Boarini, Master Mixologist – North America
Don Julio Blanco Tequila
Watermelon juice
Lime juice
Habanero infused- organic agave nectar
Butterfly pea blossom tisane
Wynn’s signature spiced salt
Coconut Mojito
6-8 fresh mint leaves
1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
½ ounce fresh lime juice
1 ½ ounces Sammy’s Beach Bar Platinum Rum
2 ounces coconut water
1 ½ ounces of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
1 ounce soda water
Rim: Coconut cream and toasted flakes
Fresh Mint Sprig
Dip the rim of a rocks glass in some coconut cream then roll the moistened rim in some coconut flakes. In the prepared glass, add the mint leaves, brown sugar and lime juice. Using a muddler, gently (yet firmly) muddle the ingredients. Then fill with ice and add the rum, coconut water and coconut cream. Stir well and top with soda water. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
June 10th is National Gin Day and is another great excuse to drink this amazing spirit! These cocktails are far from classic Gin cocktails like the Martini and Gin & Tonic but will help you celebrate this holiday in style.
EMPRESS LAVENDER HAZE
2 oz. Empress 1908 Gin
1 oz. Lavender Honey Syrup
2 oz. Lemonade Lavender Sprig
Fill a stemless wine glass with crushed ice. Shake lemonade
and syrup on ice and strain into the glass. Layer
Empress 1908 Gin on top and add more crushed ice. Garnish with a
lavender sprig
Terroir Bramble
2 oz St. George Terroir Gin
1/2 oz St. George Raspberry Liqueur
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice, then strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Drizzle raspberry liqueur over the top and garnish with lemon.
Recipe by: St. George Spirits (riff on Dick Bradsell’s Bramble recipe)
Pour lime juice & simple syrup into a tall glass. Add mint & use a bar spoon or muddler to press the mint leaves. Pour in crushed ice, BACARDÍ Mango Chile and stir. Top with Soda water & garnish.
Dark and Stormy
1½ oz Goslings Dark Rum
5 oz Q GINGER BEER
½ oz Lime Juice
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the Q GINGER BEER and squeeze in the lime. Top with the rum so it floats on the top, looking like a dark storm cloud that will force you to stay at the bar all afternoon. For a lighter but still delicious version, try our Q LIGHT GINGER BEER
Filthy Classic Daisy 1.5oz Tequila 0.5oz Orange Liqueur 1oz Filthy® Margarita Mix Splash of club soda Garnish with orange wheel & daisy
Pour the tequila, liqueur, and margarita mix in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain over a chilled coupe glass. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with an orange wheel and daisy.
Original Dry Le Sud
2 oz. Noilly Prat Original Dry
Chilled Perrier®
Frozen green grapes
Small ice spheres
Method: Stack ice spheres all the way to the top so one peaks over the washline. Pour Noilly Prat Original Dry over ice spheres and tip with chilled Perrier. Garnish with frozen grapes.
Summer Hibiscus Cooler
1 ½ oz Rum, Passionfruit Rum, or Coconut Rum
½ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)
1 Can Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER
1 Lime Wheel
Shake all ingredients, except the Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEERand strain into a highball glass filled with ice then top with the Q HIBISCUS GINGER BEER and garnish with a lime wheel.
Shake things up this year and give Mom what she really wants and deserves this year…some quiet time with a delicious cocktail! Check out these refreshing cocktails and mocktails below:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a pint glass with fresh ice and garnish with lime wheel and a celery stalk!
I LOVE YUZU is a mocktail by Chef Danielle Duran Zecca — as seen on the Food Network’s “Kitchen Casino” and “Beat Bobby Flay” and who has worked at award winning restaurants from Le Bernardin to the Modern and Le Coucou. Watch her make it here!
2 OZ GHIA
1 0Z YUZU
0.5OZ CINNAMON SIMPLE SYRUP
Rose Water Spray
Sparkling Water
Add the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Strain content from shaker into glass, preferably a coupe. Top with Sparkling water and a spray of Rose water. Garnish with a flower and smoke with dry Rose Petal.
Queen Bee
1.5 oz Aberfeldy 12
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz honey syrup
Mint leaves
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Top with prosecco or sparking wine
Garnish with a mint sprig and bee pollen
Add all ingredients to shaking tin, taking care to slap your mint prior to adding it to release its oils. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a coupe and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a mint sprig and bee pollen.
Earthy Beet by Jayme Henderson
2 oz Wilderton Earthen
1.5 oz beet juice
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz ginger-honey syrup
Dianthus flowers, for garnish
In a mixing tin, combine Earthen, beet juice, lemon juice, and ginger-honey syrup. Add ice and shake well. Double-strain into a coupe and garnish with the dianthus blooms.
A Bedtime Story
1.5 oz chamomile tea-infused Broken Shed Vodka*
0.5 oz bergamot liqueur
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
1 egg white
Edible flower
Dry shake all the ingredients, then shake again with ice. Double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an edible flower.
*Chamomile Tea Vodka
15 chamomile tea bags
750 ml Broken Shed Vodka
Add the tea bags to a glass container. Cover with Broken Shed Vodka and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain back into your original bottle.
Regardless if you are out, at home or working this Mother’s Day, give thanks to all the Mom’s and be sure to #TipYourBartenders ! Happy Mother’s Day!!
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