bourbon

The Best 4th Of July Cocktails

Published

5 months ago

June 28, 2024

admin

Independence Day is time for fireworks, family, bbqs, travel and fun! The biggest holiday during the summer is also one of the booziest – and here are the cocktails to enjoy!

The Fresh Toast – Here are the best 4th of July cocktails to enjoy at every event. These are easy and will be a big hit!

July 4th is the big holiday in the summer and people make the most of it! Travel, bbqs, fireworks, parades all on the buffet of fun! And the centerpiece for most is a good drink….it is the 4th booziest holiday of the year. It is also a big weekend for marijuana, but with gatherings, most people reach for something cold. Here are the best 4th of July cocktails embracing the hot weather, tasty flavors and simple classic.

Watermelon

Watermelon is the perfect summer fruit – crispy, flavorful and hydrating, it has been a sticky favorite for years. This cocktail gives it a great twist for outdoor actives. Just be careful – it can be lethal!

Ingredients

Firecracker Shots

This could be the most delicious shot to celebrate Independence Day. A little effort will make a big splash when you arrive these taste treats! Great to kick-off the party or an extra special dessert!

Ingredients

Blue Layer

One 1/4-ounce envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Blue Curacao liqueur
1/2 cup vodka

Red Layer

One 1/4-ounce pouch unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup grenadine
1/2 cup vodka
Whipped cream, homemade or store-bought, for garnish

Create

Squeeze the grapefruit segments into a shaker and drop in the fruit (or add fresh juice)
Add the gin, sweet vermouth and Campari to the shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled
Place ice in a rocks glass and curl the grapefruit peel around the inside of the glass
Strain into the prepared glass

Rosé Spritz

Quick, easy and delicious – this is good for small and large groups as it can be assembled on the fly.

Ingredients

3 ounces pink Prosecco
2 ounces seltzer
1 ounce bitter orange liqueur, such as Aperol
1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
1 grapefruit twist
Mint for garnish

Create

Fill a white wine glass halfway with ice
Add Prosecco, seltzer, orange liqueur and grapefruit juice and stir
Garnish with a grapefruit twist and a sprig of mint

Mint Julep

The Mint Julep is an All-American classic drink celebrating horse racing, morning drinking and good bourbon! What better beverage to have at 4th of July BBQ?

Ingredients

8 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
¼ to ½ ounce simple syrup (you can make ahead)
2 ounces bourbon
Crushed ice

Create

In a julep cup or glass, muddle the mint leaves in ¼ ounce simple syrup
Add the bourbon and fill the cup with crushed ice
Garnish with mint

Simply Syrup

Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat
Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved.
Allow to cool, place in fridge to be cocktail ready

Remember to be careful on your consumption and drink plenty of water. Have a great Independence Day!

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amaretto

The Best Cocktails For A Fun Labor Day Weekend

Published

3 months ago

August 30, 2024

admin

Nothing is better to toast the twilight of summer than these easy cocktails.

Summer fun is dwindling, but there is a three day weekend to celebrate and enjoy the last bits. Whether at a bbq, camping or just hanging at the house, these are the best cocktails for a fun Labor Day weekend. The holiday was an organized to celebrate the working man. As labor and union movements grew, their leaders proposed that day celebrate labor. Oregon was the first state ti make it an official public holiday. And when it became a federal holiday in 1894, 30 states had recognized it and made it a thing. Now you can kick back and enjoy a cool drink and a relaxing three day weekend!

Mai Tai

While it is a huge travel weekend, not everyone can slip away. But this cocktail will let you mentally escape to the tropics. It is said it was concocted in 1944, according to Victor Jules Bergeron, aka Trader Vic, the owner of a tiki restaurant of the same name and one of the founders of tiki culture. Apparently he took a flavorful Jamaican rum and needed to mix it with something, so he took a fresh lime, some orange curaçao, a dash of rock candy sugar, and a bit of French orgeat syrup. He shook the mixture with shaved ice, placed half the lime shell on top of the drink and added a branch of mint to it to represent an island. The guest tasted it and declared, “Mai Tai-Roa Aé,” which means “Out of this world-the best” in Tahitian. There is where he decided to call the drink Mai Tai. Here is an easy version to enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup ice cubes
3 fluid ounces pineapple juice
2 fluid ounces orange juice
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger spiced rum
½ (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger coconut-flavored rum
1 teaspoon grenadine syrup
1 Maraschino cherry

Create

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes
Combine pineapple juice, orange juice, spiced rum, coconut rum, and grenadine in the shaker then shake vigorously
Strain into a glass full of ice
Add cherry for garnish

Soju

The Amazon

Soju is Korea’s most iconic and consumed alcohol. While the average Korean downs 53 bottles a year, it is just becoming popular in the US and Canada. Made from distilled grains, it has 12 to 25 percent ABV (although there are stronger ones). It’s the best-selling liquor in the world, with 100 million nine-liter cases sold in 2022, which out-sold Smirnoff vodka. This is a popular drink in cities across North America and named after the company whose employees made it so.

Ingredients

2 oz Soju
1 oz Sprite
1 oz Grapefruit juice
Orange slice

Create

Fill cocktail glass with ice
Pour in Soju, Sprite and grapefruit juice and mix
Add orange slice as garnish

The Paloma

Known as the working man drink, what better thing to drink this weekend? It’s believed the drink was named after the 1860s folk song “La Paloma,” Spanish for “the dove.” And who doesn’t need a little peace after a long day’s at work?

Ingredients

2 oz tequila
1/2 oz grapefruit
1/2 oz soda

Create

Fill rocks glass with ice
Combine ingredients in glass, stir
Enjoy

The Godfather

“I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse, a delicious, strong drink which will make you forget about the fall. The Godfather can deliver the goods with its namesake cocktail. It peaked in the 70s and 80s, but still delivers the goods.

Ingredients

2 ounces blended scotch or bourbon
1/4 ounce amaretto

Create

Fill a mixing glass 2/3 full of ice. Add the scotch and amaretto and stir until well-chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Sip into the weekend with these drinks and have a great time.

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bourbon

Cool Ice Cream Cocktails For A Heat Dome

Published

6 months ago

June 7, 2024

admin

Summer had roared in with record temperatures across the Southern US….boozy ice cream is a perfect way to make it more

Yes, it gets hot in the summer, but toss in a heat dome and temperatures soar! It is a weather phenomenon where the atmosphere traps hot air, like a lid or cap. The heat is trapped in the day and night and soars to usually high levels. But cool ice cream cocktails for a heat dome couple become your new boozy treat!

Champagne Float

Champagne is a perfect way to toast relief from 100+ degree temperatures…or just because it is a Tuesday. When not give a chic, adult update to the classic root beer float. This quick combo can be used for an afternoon delight or post dinner dessert.

Ingredients

Have chilled champagne flutes read
Add 3-4 small scoops of ice cream/sorbet/frozen yogurt to each glase
Top with champagne, garnish with a strawberry, and serve immediately

Margarita Ice Cream Float

Margaritas are go to cool drink of the summer….so why not kick it up a notch and a little cream fun????

Ingredients

2 scoops softened Vanilla Ice Cream
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 cup lemon lime soda
2 shot 100% agave tequila
lime wheel garnish
salt on the rim garnish

Create

Juice limes to produce 4 tbsp of fresh lime juice.
Wet rim of glass with lime wedge. Pour salt onto a plate. Turn glasses upside down and press rim into the salt. Scoop ice cream into each glass.
Combine lemon lime soda, tequila, and lime juice and divide between two glasses.
Garnish with lime wheel and grate lime peel and enjoy!

Martini A La Ice Cream

Take the cool, classic martini and make it a refreshing relief which laughs at the rise thermometer. You can choose a variety of flavors, but the pink of the strawberry looks great.

Ingredients

1 oz Vodka
1 oz White chocolate liqueur
1 oz Strawberry liqueur
2 scoops strawberry ice cream
Sugar
Ice

Create

Rim edge of martini glass in coarse sugar
Fill martini shaker with ice, vodka, white chocolate liqueur and strawberry liqueur
Shake well
Add two scoops of strawberry ice cream to martini glass and pour mix over top
Garnish with a strawberry

Boozy Chocolate Shake

Shakes are classic summer treats, and most people would be surprised to learn strawberry is the most popular flavor sold. Here is a classic cocktail blending the joy of ice cream and the richness of bourbon.

Ingredients

6 ounces bourbon
3 cups premium vanilla ice cream (plus more if needed)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons chocolate syrup, divided

Create

Place four heavy pint glasses in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes
Add the bourbon, ice cream, milk, and four tablespoons of the chocolate syrup to a powerful blender
Add three ice cubes, and blend until smooth. If the mixture seems too thin, add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ice cream and blend again
Divide evenly among the prepared pint glasses, and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining chocolate syrup
Serve immediately

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Aperol And Blood Orange Spritz

The Best Cocktails For The Spring

Published

8 months ago

March 24, 2024

admin

The flowers are in bloom, the sun is on your face and you are feeling thirsty. Here are recipes to capture spring in a glass.

Spring has finally arrived and it time to turn your face to the sun. Putting away the heavy coats and enjoying the warmer weather with the blooming of trees and flowers are all great traditions. As the season emerges, the increased sunlight exposure can boost serotonin levels in the brain, acting as a natural antidepressant for many. But what about something fun to sip? Hear the best cocktails for spring!

Aperol And Blood Orange Spritz

The Aperol Spritz has been the fun drink of brunches, happy hours and those longing for the Riveria or Italian countryside. Beautiful, tasty and full of fizz, it is the epitome of la dolce vita. But what about giving it a spring twist by adding Blood Orange. March/April is the tail end of their season and they should be rich in flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 oz.) Prosecco
1/4 cup (2 oz.) Aperol
1/2 cup fresh blood orange juice (about 3 oranges)

Create

Stir together Prosecco and Aperol
Pour over ice with blood orange juice in a tall glass
Garnish if desired

Sweet Tea Julep

Perfect for a brunch and day drinking, the Sweet Tea Julep is intoxicating and uplifting. The extra lemon gives it a hint of tartness. This makes enough to share or to have a nice long morning.

Ingredients

6 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
6 mint herbal tea bags
1 ½ cups (12-oz.) bourbon
1 sliced lemon
Crushed ice

Create

Combine water, lemon juice (more if needed), and sugar in a medium saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil, about 3 minutes
Remove from heat. Add mint herbal tea bags. Steep until cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour
Strain into a pitcher, and stir in bourbon and lemon slices
Serve over crushed ice, and garnish with lemon