alcohol
The Best Tariff Friendly Cocktails
The weekend is for fun, so here are some affordable cocktails to kick back and relax
There has been a buzz about tariffs and the global stock markets are quaking. But most don’t realize at the end of hte day, as people settle down, their favorite cocktails will be hit. Foreign alcohol is significantly impacted by tariffs imposed by the current adminstartion. These tariffs include a 25% levy on all beer imports, additional tariffs on aluminum used in beer cans, and varying tariffs on wines and spirits from different regions. Popular brands such as Guinness stout (produced by Diageo), Italian Campari liqueur, and imported beers like Corona and Heineken are directly affected. Tequila has been on the list, but currently has escaped. To help the wallet and the throat, here are the best tariff friendly cocktails.
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Strawberry Bourbon Basil Smash
What better way to relax than with some good, old-fashioned bourbon. This cocktail combines the rich flavor of barrel aged bourbon with spring treats like strawberries and fresh basil.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh strawberries, cut into chunks
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons simple syrup
- 3 fluid ops bourbon
- 1/2 cup ice, or as needed
- 3 fluid ozs sparkling water, or as needed
Create
- Muddle strawberries, basil, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail glass until smashed together and fragrant
- Add bourbon and ice
- Stir to combine
- Top with sparkling water
Hard Ball
After a tough week or if you just want to start the evening off with a different note, consider this cocktail. The story of peanut butter whiskey, most notably Skrewball, begins with Steven Yeng, a Cambodian refugee who, after immigrating to the US, developed a love for peanut butter and later combined it with whiskey to create a popular cocktail at his bar, which eventually led to the creation of the brand in 2018. Skrewball is made in San Diego.
Ingredients
- 1½ ozs Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
- 4 ozs Berry flavored Hard Seltzer
Create
- Combine ingredients in a highball glass
- Add ice
- Stir and enjoy
American Mule
Vodka’s history is rooted in Eastern Europe, with both Russia and Poland claiming its origins, though the word “vodka” itself is Russian, meaning “little water”. While the exact origins are debated, the earliest written records of vodka-like spirits appear in the 14th century, with the word “wódka” appearing in Polish documents in 1405. But why not put an American spin on it using Tito’s, which is made in Texas, and have a popular American Mule.
- 1 1/2 oz Tito’s Vodka
- 3 oz ginger beer
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 lime slice for garnish
Create
- Combine ingredients in a chilled glass
- Add ice and stir
- Garnish with lime wedge
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Cucumber Gimlet
This cocktail feels like you are diving directly into summer, skipping spring. The cucumber brings a whole level of freshness. Crisp, cool and completely tariff free.
Ingredients
- 3 cucumber wheels, thickly sliced
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 2 ozs gin
- 3/4 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
- Cucumber wheel, sliced thinly for garnish
Create
- Add the cucumber wheels and simple syrup into a shaker and muddle
- Add the gin, the lime juice and ice and shake until well-chilled
- Strain into a coupe glass
- Garnish with a cucumber wheel