We love spring, and even though it’s been a bit cold and dreary here lately, we are celebrating the season with delicious, refreshing cocktails. Here are a few we recommend for your holiday weekend and beyond:
Berry G & T
This delightful sipper is totally customizable based on what you have on hand, just whip up a quick berry simple syrup and cut up a few things, and you’re ready to go.
2 oz North Shore Gin No. 6 (or No. 11, Dearborn Gin or North Shore Vodka)
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Berry Simple*
2 Slices Strawberry (or a few raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc.)
2 Short Thyme Sprigs (or basil leaves, or mint leaves, or other herb)
Add spirit, lemon & simple to a goblet. Fill with ice, then add in strawberry slices, thyme sprigs & top with tonic water. Garnish with a lemon wheel inside the glass and another thyme sprig.
*Berry Simple: add 1 cup water and 1.5 cups sugar to a saucepan; add 1 cup berries of choice (cut up strawberries, halved blackberries, or raspberries and blueberries). Bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Cool completely, then strain out the berries. Do not press the berries into your strainer unless you want a cloudy syrup. Save berries for another use (in yogurt, on waffles, etc.!). Refrigerate syrup – will last at least a month.
Peas de Résistance
Muddle:
2 Snap Peas, Cut into Pieces
2 Short Thyme Sprigs (1-1.5″ long; can use a different herb if preferred)
3/4 oz Plain Simple
Add:
2 oz North Shore Gin #11
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth (we’re using Noilly Prat)
Shake with ice, then double strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, into a coupe glass. Garnish with a snap pea or two on a skewer (long ways), or just throw in a couple of ’em.
Peachy Keen
This is a lighter, refreshing sipper for daytime gatherings, or for when you want something a bit lighter & fizzy.
1-1.5 oz North Shore Vodka (also delicious with Twisted Citrus Vodka)
3/4 oz LEMON
1/2 oz Peach Hibiscus Simple*
Club Soda
In a Collins glass, add vodka, lemon and peach hibiscus. Add ice, then top with club soda and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist, or a hibiscus flower if you have one.
*Peach Hibiscus Simple: brew 1 cup of hot water with 3 tsp of Tiesta Peach Party tea for 5 minutes; strain out tea leaves. Add tea to saucepan, add 1.5 cups sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 30 seconds or so, then cool completely. Store in the refrigerator, should last for a month or longer.
Whiskey Neat
You can’t go wrong with whiskey neat, especially on a cooler night by the fire pit. We’ll be sipping some of our American Whiskey this weekend (still available through our online store), or maybe some American Single Malt (available at the distillery).
Happy Memorial Day weekend!
