For many, Labor Day weekend signals the last hurrah, the week after starts to feel like the true end of summer. The beginning of fall. The start of a new school year. For the rest of us, it signals another reason to drink. Thankfully, author and cocktail maestro Warren Bobrow, a good friend of The Fresh Toast, has created the perfect cocktail to bid adieu to summer.
The cocktail, which Bobrow calls “Syncopation,” is anything but sweet. If you didn’t get the memo, we are done with sweet summer drinks. “Our palates call out for depth, balance and flavor,” says Bobrow. “With a little help, it will be fall in the glass.”
Syncopation
2 oz Mezan XO Jamaican rum
4 oz coconut water
2-3 dashes Peychaud bitters – bright red in color
Splash seltzer
Fresh mint
Coconut water ice (frozen coconut water)
DIRECTIONS
Add coconut water ice to a tall glass
Add coconut water
Pour Mezan over the top
Add Peychaud’s
Slap mint (to release the fragrant oils) and garnish
Serve
If you drink a few too many of these, Bobrow has just the cure — New Orleans style. It’s a milk punch that could not be quicker to pull together. Here’s what you do: mix together equal parts brandy, simple syrup, vanilla, heavy cream, milk, ice, and nutmeg. Shake. Serve. And then remember that your hangover is proof that you lived up the last days of summer like someone who was never going to see the sun again.
Warren Bobrow, a.k.a. The Cocktail Whisperer, is the author of four books, including his latest: Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics.
Cocktails, beers, vapes, and gummies are all staples of social gathers – but is the cocktails or the vape better?
Alcohol has long consistent hold on society. Having been part of India, the Middle East and more, it has played a part in medicine, religion, intimacy and recreation for thousands of year. Yet alcohol has become the modern accepted intoxicant. But is an old fashioned or a gummy healthier in today’s world? Moderation is the key for both, but science comes down clearly on one side.
Cannabis and alcohol are two of the most widely used recreational substances, but their health impacts differ significantly. While neither is without risks, research suggests that cannabis may be the healthier option overall when used responsibly.
Alcohol consumption carries substantial health risks, especially with heavy or long-term use. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that excessive alcohol use leads to approximately 88,000 deaths annually in the United States. Alcohol is linked to liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and increased cancer risk. It can also exacerbate mental health issues and contribute to accidents and violence
Cannabis, on the other hand, has a lower risk profile. There have been no reported deaths from marijuana overdose, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. While smoking cannabis can have negative effects on lung health, alternative consumption methods like gummies, tinctures and oils avoid this risk. Cannabis is also less addictive than alcohol, with about 9% of users becoming dependent compared to 23% for alcohol.
Both substances impair cognitive function and motor skills in the short term. However, alcohol tends to have more severe immediate effects, including the risk of alcohol poisoning. Cannabis typically does not cause the intense hangover effects associated with alcohol use.
Moderate alcohol consumption may have some cardiovascular benefits, according to some studies. However, cannabis has shown promise in pain management and as a potential alternative to more dangerous opioid medications. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that researchers continue to explore.
While both substances carry risks, the available evidence suggests that cannabis is likely the healthier choice when compared to alcohol. It has a lower risk of overdose, less severe long-term health consequences, and potentially more medical applications. However, it’s crucial to note that the healthiest option is always moderation or abstinence from both substances.
It seems everywhere you turn it is all politics….you just need a break and these cocktails may help!
The nation is in the final throes of the election and it has been brutal. You can’t turn around without donation requests, outrage or just news news news. According to a study, it is the most stressful election to date. It could be a good idea to tune out and breathe for a bit. Here are the best cocktails to forget politics and have some fun.
The Gin Rickey originated in Washington, D.C. in the 1880s. Bartender George A. Williamson created the drink at Shoomaker’s Bar after witnessing Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joseph Kyle Rickey add a lime to his bourbon highball. The drink was named after the Colonel Rickey, who was known for drinking bourbon with soda and lime. The Gin Rickey became more popular than the original bourbon version, and was especially popular during Prohibition.
Ingredients
2ouncesgin
1/2ouncelime juice, freshly squeezed
Club soda, to top
Lime slice for garnish
Create
Fill a highball glass with ice and add the gin and lime juice
Top with club soda
Garnish with lime slice
El Presidente
This classic Cuban cocktail is likely named after President Mario García Menocal, who served from 1913 to 1921. The El Presidente became popular in Havana during the 1920s and 1930s, when many Americans visited Cuba to escape Prohibition. After Prohibition was lifted, Americans brought the cocktail back to the United States. It bring a little tropical sun and fun to any day or moment.
1 1/2ounces white rum
3/4ouncedry vermouth
1/4ounceorange curaçao
2dashesgrenadine
Create
Add the white rum, dry vermouth, orange curaçao and grenadine to a mixing glass with ice
tir until well-chilled
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Vesper
This sexy drink has a story. Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, was inspired by his visits to Dukes Hotel in London, where he was served stiff drinks by head bartender Gilberto Preti. He worked it into Casino Royale and named the concoction after Vesper Lynd, a double agent and love interest of Bond.
1cupice
3fluid ouncesgin
1fluid ouncevodka
½fluid ounceLillet blanc
1orange twist
Create
Fill a cocktail mixing glass with ice
Pour in gin, vodka, and Lillet, stir until chilled
The shandy originated in England in the 1850s as a mixture of beer and ginger ale or ginger beer, and was originally called a shandygaff (what a name!). By the late 19th century, the ginger ale was replaced by lemonade or lemon soda, and the “gaff” was dropped to shorten the word to “shandy”. By adding a brown liquor, this ups the alcohol and richness of flavor. Perfect to take you mind off politics.
Ingredients
2 to 4 leaves fresh marjoram
1 3/4 ounces 100-proof bourbon
3/4 ounce grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
3 ounces chilled IPA or another beer
Grapefruit twist for garnish
Create
In a mixing glass, dry-muddle the marjoram.
Add the bourbon, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and simple syrup into the mixing glass. Fill with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a pint glass over fresh ice.
Top with the beer and stir briefly and gently to combine.
If you’re a cocktail drinker in Denver, you’ve likely tried a libation with a dash of creativity from Alex Jump and Stuart Jensen.
Jump spent four years as the bar manager for Death & Co. in Denver before starting a consulting business and emerging as a leader in the low- and non-alcoholic beverage movement. Jensen is co-owner of local drinkeries Curio and Roger’s Liquid Oasis, and was part of the ownership group at the now-defunct Brass Tacks in LoDo.
Together Jump and Jensen, who got married earlier this year, are a cocktail power couple shaking up the local scene, and in 2025, they’ll debut their first concept together.