Recipes 351

Summer is a good time to try these ready-to-drink cocktails, which you can serve straight from the can, bottle or pouch.

They offer a portable, consistent sipping experience.

Long Drink peach

A popular Finnish highball, the long drink originated at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. Produced since 2018, the Finnish Long Drink is one of the best, most consistent RTDs. The peach version, the first new flavor in four years, is crisp and juicy, with natural sweetness and botanical notes of gin. $14.99 per six-pack, 5.5% alcohol by volume. thelongdrink.com

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Pari modern mule

Alessia Vettese founded Pari while training for a marathon and wanting a complex, nonalcoholic cocktail made with better-for-you ingredients. Pari’s zesty drinks are made with ginseng, ginger, citrus extracts, premium Mexican agave and sparkling water. The 8.4-ounce drinks also can be used as a mixer. $60 per 12-pack. drinkpari.com

Tip Top naked and famous

Packaged in small cans, this represents the inaugural mezcal beverage crafted by a cocktail firm based in Atlanta. In order to refine the recipe for this smoky-citrus concoction, Tip Top collaborated with Joaqín Simó, the creator of the celebrated modern cocktail in 2011. Priced at $17.49 for a four-pack of 100-milliliter cans, with an alcohol content of 25%. tiptopcocktails.com

Via Carota craft cocktails

Not only do Via Carota cocktails come in stunning, thick, chevron-patterned glass, but they also are bright, intensely aromatic and well balanced. After pouring the drinks over ice, you can reuse the elegant bottles. Originating at a restaurant in New York’s West Village, the cocktails come in three families: Negroni, martini and bourbon-based. $24.99 per four-pack of 200-milliliter bottles, 11% ABV, $39.99 per 375-milliliter bottle. drinkviacarota.com

Credit: Handout

Horton coconut rum cocktails

The inspiration for these rum-based cocktails came from Krista Horton’s go-to coconut rum and diet cola beach drink. The pineapple soda version drinks like a piña colada. $43.99 per 12-pack of 12-ounce cans, 7% ABV. drinkhorton.com

Little Saints paloma

Fizzy pink bubbles lift the aromas and flavors of grapefruit and agave in Little Saints’ sugar-free, nonalcoholic paloma. Boosted by a blend of reishi mushroom extract and terpenes, it adds a mood-lifting touch to the cocktail experience. $20 per four-pack of 250-milliliter cans. littlesaints.com

Dulce Vida watermelon margarita

Made with watermelon juice, Dulce Vida blanco tequila, and lime juice, this drink is packaged in a Tetra Pak, making it both portable and sustainable without compromising on quality. Enhance the drink’s tartness by adding more lime juice. The price for 1 liter is $17.99. dulcevidaspirits.com

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Surfside vodka-based cocktails

Surfside’s line of canned cocktails includes the low-calorie, flavorful iced tea and vodka. The mix of real tea, lemonade and handcrafted stateside vodka is like a perfect Arnold Palmer with a kick. $20.79 per eight-pack, 4.5% ABV. drinksurfside.com

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Talkhouse Encore cocktails

This line of fruit-forward drinks, made with all-natural juices, was inspired by the Stephen Talkhouse in the Hamptons of Long Island, New York. $19.99 per four-pack, 5% ABV. drinks.talkencore.com

Sprinter peach cocktail

Mixing premium vodka, real fruit juices and sparkling water, Sprinter cocktails are available in grapefruit, lime, black cherry, and peach flavors. The peach variety is particularly notable for its sweetness and effervescence. Priced at $19.99 for an eight-pack, containing 4.5% ABV. drinksprinter.com

Dogfish Head blood orange mango vodka crush

Vodka is distilled over blood oranges and mangoes, then blended with orange juice, mango juice and lime for a sweet, tart burst of flavor. $5 per 355-milliliter can, 7% ABV. dogfish.com

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About the Author

Angela Hansberger is a freelance food, spirits, & culture writer who has written for Bon Appetit, Atlanta Magazine, Audubon, and is a contributing writer for the AJC.

Credit: Rae Conner

Credit: Handout

Credit: Courtesy of Torchy’s Tacos

Credit: Ben Gray

Crafted around the world, rum is a diverse alcoholic beverage that enhances a variety of mixed drinks.

While World Rum Day is typically marked on the second Saturday of July annually, National Rum Day is recognized in the United States on August 16th. Rum is commonly linked to Caribbean nations; however, this spirit made from sugarcane is now distilled in many regions, including Scotland, Africa, and Hawaii.

Rum serves as the fundamental ingredient in many tropical concoctions and several classic beverages like the daiquiri, mojito, and piña colada. Creative mixologists are increasingly using rum in unconventional and even savory drinks. Here are 10 excellent examples, acknowledging both the artisans behind them and the beloved spirit.

This unique cocktail imitates the traditional appetizer of Prosciutto and melon, generously mixed with rum.

Created by the team at New York’s Bottino restaurant, this cocktail represents a summery blend, incorporating the smoky and savory flavors typical of the classic Italian Prosciutto and melon pairing. The creators at Bottino enhance this experience using San Daniele Prosciutto fat-washed Jamaican rum, ripe summer melon, and a dash of lemon to deliver a refreshing citrus twist, creating what they describe as an “umami explosion in a glass.”

To prepare the rum infused with San Daniele Prosciutto fat, mix the ingredients and allow the blend to rest for at least three hours. This process permits the rum to fully absorb the distinctive smoky and savory characteristics of the prosciutto. After infusing, strain and chill the rum prior to mixing.

For the cocktail, take a shaker and combine the prosciutto fat-washed rum with cantaloupe juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add ice to the shaker and energetically shake for about 15 seconds until the mixture is well-chilled. Strain the concoction into a cooled coupe or rocks glass. Garnish with a skewer of melon cube and a rolled slice of prosciutto, topped off with a dehydrated lime wheel.

The Cartel Old Fashioned exudes a tropical coconut essence.

Coconut Cartel Rum incorporates coconut water instead of distilled water in the proofing process for their premium aged Guatemalan rum and their newly introduced blanco blend from the Dominican Republic. These distinctive rums are perfect for enhancing cocktail recipes where a coconut flavor is desired.

In a mixing glass, combine syrup, bitters, and rum. Fill the glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Use an orange peel over the glass for aroma and as a garnish.

Heat coconut water and coconut palm sugar over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Featuring Koloa Rum, this cocktail, originally designed for Thanksgiving, suits any festive occasion.

“I designed this recipe specifically for Thanksgiving since it celebrates the flavors in cranberry sauce. I wanted the color palette to be very Thanksgiving-inspired, with red, burnt orange, and light orange. All that said, it could work any time during the fall or even into citrus season,” says mixologist Lee Corbett.

Fill a highball glass with ice and pour the cranberry juice into the bottom. Then, in a cocktail shaker, combine the tangerine juice, rum, and ginger liqueur; shake with ice and strain gently into the serving glass without disturbing the bottom layer. Fill with ginger beer to the top. Garnish with a citrus slice and a few sugared cranberries on a cocktail pick.

The Estatua Verde cocktail, created by acclaimed Austin, Texas bartender Justin Lavenue.

A fabulously fancy, statuesque up cocktail from the mind of Justin Lavenue, co-owner of The Eleanor in Austin, Texas. At the bar, they garnish the drink with a torched cassia bark chip and a few sprays of flamed Amburana-infused Plantation O.F.T.D. Dark Rum.

Mix 3 oz of Estatua blend with .75 oz of lime juice and 2 dashes of foam tincture in a shaker tin. Introduce cubed ice, seal, and shake vigorously. Pour through a Hawthorne strainer into a cooled Nick & Nora glass, then garnish before serving.

Enhance your mojito by incorporating fresh coconut water for a refreshing variation.

The recently launched Eclipse Navy Strength rum by Mount Gay, which enjoys a historical association with sailing, is crafted at 57.1% ABV and delivers complex flavors of vanilla, passionfruit, roasted pineapple, and a touch of sea salt.

Begin by gently muddling mint leaves at the base of the shaker. Add Eclipse Navy Strength, lime juice, and simple syrup, then give it a light shake. Serve the mixture in a Collins or highball glass, top up with coconut water and crushed ice, and finish with a mint garnish.

Rum, basil and lemon make this Imperial Basil Smash an easy, modern classic.

This herby take on the classic smash cocktail incorporates fresh basil and Dominican rum to create a complex yet refreshing drink.

Pour the basil and lemon juice into a shaker and gently chop them; add the Barceló Imperial and simple syrup, then complete with ice. Shake vigorously, strain, and pour into a shallow glass with ice. Garnish with basil leaves.

Give your classic Bloody a twist by using the dark rum of your choice instead of vodka. Recipe courtesy of Bridget Albert, mixologist at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

Mix all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice. Shake thoroughly. Pour into a tall glass filled with ice. Add garnishes including a celery stalk, cherry tomato, and an olive.

This cocktail, crafted with Brugal 1888 rum, offers a perfect blend of fruity and spicy flavors.

While typically seen as a tropical, often frozen drink with fruity flavors, the classic daiquiri is actually quite straightforward and refreshing, made simply with rum, lime juice, and a touch of sugar. This newer version incorporates the exotic flavor of mango and a subtle spiciness from Ancho Reyes.

After shaking, strain the mixture into a rocks glass containing ice. Enhance with a garnish of Tajin and slices of mango.

The Chili Passion Martini fuses rum with the essence of Southeast Asia.

The creators at Jaya at The Setai in Miami designed this vibrant and spicy concoction. They steep the vodka in a mix of red Fresno and jalapeño chiles for at least two days to develop the right flavor intensity.

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing glass. Incorporate chili flakes. Shake over ice and strain into a Martini glass. Use a Thai chili for garnish.

The Cloudlifter, crafted with Ron Zacapa, stands out as a superb choice for an after-dinner drink.

This delightful dessert cocktail showcases Guatemala’s finest Zacapa 23 Rum, matured for 23 years in casks that previously aged American whiskey, Sherry, and Pedro Ximénez wines.

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain to discard the ice, then dry shake and double strain into an Otis coupe glass. Top with crushed pistachios and serve.

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August 16 is National Rum Day, so it’s a great excuse to make these 10 rum cocktail recipes.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Summer might be winding down, but there’s still plenty of time to soak up as much as possible. Warm weather, outdoor dining and tropical cocktails are just a few aspects of the season worth savoring.

August 16 is National Rum Day, and the holiday is even more of a reason to enjoy tropical rum-based cocktails before Labor Day weekend rolls around.

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You’ll want to make these refreshing drinks before summer ends.

Food & Wine / Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop styling by Christina Daley

Even though August is the beginning of the end of summer, we’re still reaching for refreshing spritzes and frozen cocktails to beat the heat. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue and want to make a Dirty Martini Spritz to bring Martini lovers into the fold, or simply want to take it easy with a three-ingredient Ginger-Lemon Tonic, these are the month’s most popular cocktail recipes to end the season in style.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

The so-called spritz of the summer, the Hugo Spritz was first made by bartender Roland Gruber in the Northern Italian town of Naturno, near the Austrian border.

The extra bubbles from the combined Prosecco and sparkling water enhance the floral aspects of this spritz.

Legend has it that this simple drink was named after elderly Italian gentlemen who found themselves swerving on their bicycles to get home after enjoying one too many drinks.

Not sure what wine to use? We suggest trying a dry Italian Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

This combination of spicy ginger and tart lemon was inspired by a drink F&W Assistant Editor Lucy Simon’s grandmother would make to soothe an upset stomach or sore throat.

Complex and refreshing, this three-ingredient tart and fizzy drink is a satisfying nonalcoholic alternative to a Gin & Tonic.

With the invigorating essence of shiso leaves, this vibrant dark purple spritz is an excellent option for utilizing excess red wine.

Adding red wine vinegar introduces a desirable boost of acidity to the concoction. Optionally, you may replace it with red verjus for a more fruit-forward taste.

One of Cuba’s greatest gifts to the cocktail world, the Hemingway Daiquiri boasts a rich backstory. Developed in the 1930s at the famed El Floridita, it is said to have been either a preferred choice of the legendary author Ernest Hemingway or crafted in his tribute.

In contrast to a typical Daiquiri that uses cane sugar or simple syrup, the Hemingway Daiquiri primarily uses maraschino liqueur for sweetness.

For crafting this classic cocktail, opt for a light-bodied, dry style of Port, which is a fortified wine originating from the white grapes of Portugal’s Douro Valley.

Low in alcohol but full of flavor, the White Port and Tonic is a great example of a highball, which combines an alcoholic base with a carbonated mixer to extend the drink.

Food & Wine / Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop styling by Christina Daley

You’ve probably had a Dirty Martini, but when was the last time you tried a Dirty Martini Spritz? Playful and briny, this cocktail is an enjoyable way for Martini and spritz enthusiasts to find common ground.

Prefer a sweeter cocktail? Simply replace dry vermouth with Italian vermouth bianco (also known as vermouth blanc).

Simple rosé syrup is all you’ll need to transform your French 75 from classic to beach-ready.

If you have leftover syrup, try drizzling it over ice cream or cakes, or mix it with club soda for a low-ABV highball.

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If you’re committing to a sober summer or simply in search of a delightful non-alcoholic beverage, here are some suggestions.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Knight’s Steakhouse in Ann Arbor is all about making sure diners who may walk in as strangers leave as friends after enjoying quality food and boozy cocktails.

The longstanding Ann Arbor restaurant recently celebrated 40 years at 2324 Dexter Ave. after husband-and-wife Ray and Mary Knight began the eatery in April 1984, after the opening of Knight’s Market in 1952.

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Rubber duckies bobbing on ice. A smoke show. Colorful floral arrangements and fruit floats. Punch bowls always deliver on the “ooh-ahh” factor, according to beverage industry veteran Tasmen Braam, general manager of The Family Jones Spirit House.

So, when Braam decided to add a few shareable sippers to the menu to showcase the distillery’s key spirits and the bar’s housemade syrups and juices, she started by sourcing an array of beautiful glass punch bowls from the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall and local thrift stores.

Everyone raise a glass: Large-format convivial cocktails are officially back, with a handful of Front Range bars inviting groups to gather around a punch bowl.

Large-format cocktails run the gamut, from the kitschy “fish bowls” at Wally’s Wisconsin Tavern that are jazzed up with Swedish Fish candies and blinking LED ice cubes, to the classic tiki cocktails like Mai Tais and Zombies at Jungle that can be ordered in a medium format with five drinks to a large size with 13 drinks.

The Family Jones Spirit House has introduced new large-format cocktails, including The Bikini Bottom, featuring Family Jones vodka, pineapple, mint demerara, and angostura bitters, providing an island escape in every sip. Another addition is The Porch Swing, combining Ella Jones Bourbon, peach tea, syrup, and lemon, reminiscent of sipping sweet tea on a Georgian porch swing according to Braam.

The gin-based Captain Planet at Family Jones includes a health-conscious mix of cucumber, celery juice, tangerine, and lime. Each cocktail is served with a ladle for self-service from a communal bowl, with a small taste tester included for those celebrating special occasions.

Over at Forget Me Not in Cherry Creek at 227 Clayton St., the establishment offers four large-format cocktails. Options include the firebird with tequila, ancho reyes, guava, sparkling wine, and citrus, and the bourbon-centric Prospector’s Payoff featuring honey, pineapple, ginger, lemon, and bubbles.

The beverage director at Forget Me Not, Nicole Lebedevitch, focuses on creating approachable, visually appealing cocktails featuring elements like fire and elaborate garnishes for an Instagram-perfect presentation. The aim is to promote a fun, shared experience among guests.

To avoid using communal straws, Forget Me Not utilizes a large glass decanter with a spigot for its bulk drinks, along with separate glasses for individual use.

Meanwhile, at Adrift Tiki Bar located at 218 S. Broadway, the establishment offers punch bowls suitable for groups of two to four. They also feature a notable $150 Hono Nui Bowl, available only for groups of six or more. This exceptional bowl is a nod to the traditional Tortuga tiki drink, crafted with a blend of rums, cacao, dry curaçao, homemade grenadine, lemon, orange, and an entire bottle of champagne.

It raises a question: Is it safe to return to buffet lines, birthday parties with blown out candles, and shared punch bowls?

This question was directed to Jason Tetro, a microbiologist known for his books “The Germ Code” and “The Germ Files” and as the host of the podcast “Super Awesome Science Show”.

In theory, if everyone uses their own straw and avoids any backwashing, it should be generally safe, according to Tetro. Typically, beverages at bars are served individually, but even communal punch bowls that use separate straws are relatively low risk.

“However, to accomplish this, one must draw the liquid up with the straw, remove the straw from the communal container, and allow it to drain into their mouth,” Tetro noted. “This isn’t the easiest action to perform, although it might make an entertaining game.”

Despite all precautions, sharing a drink with others increases the likelihood of transmission by close interaction with an ill person, Tetro added.

“Therefore, while the shared drink itself might be a concern, the greater risk could be the close proximity to an individual who is laughing, yelling, coughing, or sneezing,” he said.

With that disclaimer out of the way: Go big! Then go home (in an Uber!)

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No matter where you are in the country right now—no matter what town you’re in, on what time of what day—the answer to that question is almost certainly, yes. Imagine someone places an icy Mojito into your hand, condensation already beading on the glass, the bright mentholated aroma reaching up to invite you to take a sip. What are you going to say? No?

Rum is the ultimate summer spirit. There are some spirits, like gin, that can easily wear summer clothes, and others, like whiskey, that require a bit more mixological magic to get them to vibe with the sunshine, but rum doesn’t need so much as a raised eyebrow. Rum was born in the sun. Molded by it. There’s some fair disagreement about where specifically rum was invented—some say Barbados in the mid 1600s, while others point to earlier versions in both Indonesia and Brazil—but no matter where it’s from, one thing those places all have in common is that even the winters are hot.

Rum drinks have also gained a reputation for being big buckets of juice. This is understandable, but unjust. Their inextricability from tropical vacations is a double-edged sword because the bars at these places tend to use sugar as a substitute for freshness, precision or training. Fortunately for everyone, properly made rum drinks are never too sweet and are a late-summer revelation—whether it’s the bracing tartness of the traditional Mai Tai or the sultry texture of an Old Cuban, here are nine rum cocktails to get you through the dog days of summer.

The Queen’s Park Swizzle is like the alter ego of the Mojito, its dark twin. “If the Mojito is like a lovely evening with your spouse,” we write, “the Queen’s Park Swizzle is like a beautiful stranger leading you by the hand down a dark hallway towards the sounds of a party you can’t yet see.” They share a build—rum, lime, simple syrup, and mint—but the Queen’s Park trades the Mojito’s easy brightness of light rum for the indulgent vanilla notes of an aged rum, and adds a spicy shock of Angostura Bitters on top, all supercharged by the chilling power of crushed ice. Make the recipe below and find out why it has been called “the most delightful form of anesthesia given out today.”

2 oz. aged rum

0.75 oz. lime juice

0.75 oz. demerara syrup

8-10 mint leaves

Add mint leaves to a tall glass. Add simple syrup and gently muddle mint into the syrup. Add crushed ice two-thirds or so full and agitate (either swizzle back and forth with a swizzle stick or a bar spoon, or else just stir) until the glass begins to frost. Add crushed ice to fill and decorate the top with two to three dashes of Angostura Bitters. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve with a straw.

There are two Daiquiris, and for our purposes, we can divide them into the right kind and the wrong kind—and if you believe Daiquiris to be blended concoctions of sour mix spiked with rum so cheap they don’t sell it in liquor stores, I regret to inform you that you’ve only had the wrong kind. “One is the neon slushy you’d get in Cancun that’s so sweet you involuntarily lick the air after you taste it,” we’ve warned you of previously, “and the other is one of the greatest simple cocktails of all time.” A proper Daiquiri is simply rum, lime, and sugar—find out why it’s a great litmus test of a bartender’s skill, or just make one, below.

2 oz

1 oz. fresh lime juice

0.75 oz. simple syrup

Add ingredients to shaker tin, add ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds. Strain off ice into a stemmed coupe glass. Garnish with a thin lime wheel or honestly nothing at all and enjoy while reflecting that the best things are often the simplest.

The Piña Colada is a vacation in itself, “the cocktail equivalent,” we say, “of the guy at the bar wearing a Hawaiian shirt who keeps trying to strike up conversations with everyone, and whom you end up liking despite yourself.” It is as much as anything responsible for the sugary reputation of rum drinks, but with a lighter hand on the coconut and a little added lime juice, it can be transcendent. Honestly, even bad ones are pretty good, and good ones are phenomenal.

2 oz. rum

0.25 oz. lime juice

1.5 oz. pineapple juice

1.5 oz. cream of coconut

If using pebble ice: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with a handful of pebble ice and “whip” to mix everything together. Dump contents into a festive glass and pack in as much more ice as will fit.

If using a blender: Add liquid ingredients and about 6 to 8 oz. ice to a blender and blend on high for about 10 seconds. Empty into a festive glass.

In both cases, garnish with pineapple leaves, an orange slice and a little colorful umbrella, if you’ve got it.

“Across the entire classic cocktail universe,” we claim, “no drink has suffered more indignity—had more liquid crimes done in its name—than the Mai Tai.” Like the Daiquiri, you might think you know what the Mai Tai is about, but if you’re picturing a deathly sweet, over-juiced concoction, you’re picturing the wrong one. The original 1944 Mai Tai is just rum, lime, orange liqueur and almond—tart and bracing, and among the strongest of the classic cocktails. Find out what Mai Tai means (and how it became the sugar-embalmed zombie version of itself) here or make one for yourself with the recipe below.

2 oz. aged rum (Appleton Estates Signature Blend or Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum)

0.5 oz. orange curaçao (Grand Marnier)

0.5 oz. orgeat (Small Hands Foods Orgeat)

1 oz. lime juice

Add all ingredients together in a tin with crushed ice. Shake briefly, about five seconds and empty contents into a tropical-looking glass. Pack with more crushed ice and garnish with a juiced lime husk and a sprig of mint, so it looks like a palm tree on a small green island.

The Old Cuban—aged rum, lime, simple syrup, and mint, with Angostura Bitters and Champagne—is very often described as a combination of a French 75 and a Mojito, but we think that’s not quite right. Both of those latter cocktails are pure brightness, while the vanilla from the aged rum and the spice from the bitters in the Old Cuban “moves it from poolside to inside,” we write, “as if under a slowly twisting ceiling fan in a smoky room, long narrow beams of light through the wooden shutters.” It is the darker side of refreshing, the more alluring and seductive side, and has our vote for one of the best cocktails invented in the last 20 years.

1.5 oz. aged rum

0.75 oz. lime juice

0.75 oz. simple syrup

6-8 mint leaves

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

2 oz. sparkling wine

Add all ingredients except wine to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well for 10 to 12 seconds and strain into a flute or stemmed cocktail glass. Top with wine and garnish with a mint leaf or sprig.

The Painkiller is one of only a handful of drinks that has been patented by a liquor company, so legally speaking, there’s only one recipe we’re allowed to say is a Painkiller, and unfortunately, it isn’t all that good. But Painkiller-adjacent recipes can be phenomenal—some incorporate lime and/or passionfruit to shock the whole thing to life, and some just use a different rum to add richness. Either way, it’s a template too good to be ignored—and it’s all the more fun when you know the sordid history of the drink, involving corporate espionage and a run in with the Royal Navy here.

2 oz. Pusser’s Rum

4 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. orange juice

1 oz. coconut cream

Shake on crushed or cracked ice for four to six seconds and dump contents into a tall glass or tiki mug. Top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a grind of nutmeg if you have it, or a slice or orange, or pineapple leaves, or all three.

And, of course, the Mojito, the drink that’s like a beachy Cuban summer in a glass. It’s light, bright, effervescent and fresh. There was a time when the Mojito was the bane of bartenders back in the early aughts when the drink was popular but the craft cocktail movement hadn’t really found its sea legs yet. So that usually meant this drink felt like a chore to make during an era of Jack and cokes and vodka-sodas. But once we introduced fresh ingredients and proper technique across the world of cocktails, it was time to reclaim the Mojito’s honor.

2 oz.

0.75 oz. fresh lime juice

0.75 oz. simple syrup

10-12 mint leaves

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake. In a tall glass, gently muddle an additional three to five mint leaves. Shake the cocktail and strain it into the glass over fresh ice. Top with 1 to 2 oz. soda water. Garnish with two mint crowns (the top of the plant) twisted together to form a bushy mint explosion on top.

When the heat of the day subsides and you want that rum cocktail nightcap, there’s the Bitter Tears, the tropical take on the Manhattan that you never knew you needed. I’m proud of (nearly) every drink I’ve put on a cocktail menu over the last dozen years, but the Bitter Tears is perhaps my favorite of all of them. It is made from equal parts Japanese whisky, pineapple-infused white rum and Cynar, with a touch of salt. As such it is simple (just three ingredients), easy to make (same amount of each), easy to reproduce (infusing pineapple is dead simple), and not only unusual (see above), but if I may say, very very good. You could use , but that is the distilled essence of pineapple and so is not precisely the same. Chop up a pineapple and let it sit in rum for three days, and you have an infused pineapple rum, juicy with a non-trivial amount of acidity, and that acidity in a stirred, Manhattan-like cocktail is fascinating and delicious.

1 oz

1 oz

1 oz. pineapple-infused white rum

Small pinch of salt, or 5-7 drops of a 1:4 salt to water tincture

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir for 10 to 15 seconds (for small ice) or 15 to 25 seconds (for bigger ice). Strain off the ice into a coupe or cocktail glass, express the oils of a grapefruit peel over the drink, and garnish with the peel.

It was at the bar La Floridita, in Havana, where Ernest Hemingway commissioned this unusual little Daiquiri variation in 1939. Lead barman Constantino Ribalaigua had created the excellent Daiquiri #3, with grapefruit and maraschino liqueur. Hemingway—both a diabetic and a savage alcoholic—didn’t like sugar in his drinks, so he threw out most of the sweetness and, just for fun, doubled the rum. This puts us in a bind, we write: “Hemingway’s version is, simply put, unacceptable,” both too tart and too strong, and “no one even considers making it his way.” Check out the three ways modern bartenders adapt this Hemingway Daiquiri, or just make our favorite, below.

1.5 oz

0.5 oz.-0.75 oz. lime juice

1 oz. grapefruit juice

0.75 oz

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well for 10 seconds, and strain into a stemmed glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

The inventor of the tiki classic Three Dots and a Dash, Ernest Raymond Gantt, was famously secretive about his recipes, so this drink was nearly lost to time. It was tiki archaeologist Jeff ‘Beachbum” Berry, who discovered the formula in the notebook of an old bartender of Gantt’s and published it in his 2007 book Sippin’ Safari. There’s always some ambiguity in tiki recipes, but in the subsequent 17 years we’ve collectively settled into agreement about the ingredients, if not precisely the ratios. The Three Dots and a Dash features juicy orange contrasted against textured spice, grassy rum deepened with rich honey, with the lime and falernum reminding you that this is all a tropical experience. It is at turns seductive and spicy, and eminently delicious.

1 oz. aged agricole rhum

1 oz. aged demerara rum

0.5 oz. orange juice

0.75 oz. lime juice

0.25 oz. falernum

0.25 oz. allspice or “pimento” dram

0.5 oz. honey syrup

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake everything on crushed ice, and empty into a tall glass. Add more crushed ice to fill, and garnish with three cherries on a pick, and something to represent a “dash,” like a pineapple stick or pineapple leaf.

The Daisy de Santiago is made of rum, lime juice, a touch of sugar, and Yellow Chartreuse, served on crushed ice with a mint sprig and a sparkle of soda and it is a lovely thing indeed. It’s got the bright exuberance you’d expect but lifted by the carbonation and charmed by Chartreuse’s spice. It tastes splendiferous—not showy like a firework, but showy like a mink coat. While a Daiquiri is snappy, the Daisy de Santiago is garish. While a Daiquiri is radiant, the Daisy de Santiago is seductive. Is it better than the Daiquiri? Of course not. But we love it all the same.

1.5 oz. aged rum

1 oz. lime juice

0.5 oz. simple syrup

0.5 oz. Yellow Chartreuse

1 oz. soda water

To a tall glass, add all ingredients. Add crushed ice about halfway up and give a brief stir or swizzle, five to eight seconds, to begin the chilling process. Fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig or two.

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Belle_Rose is a spritz style drink from Belle de Brillet

August is in full swing, bringing sweltering temperatures across much of the Northeast and other parts of the U.S. According to NOAA’s latest climate outlook, above-average temperatures are expected to continue, making it the perfect time to cool down with some refreshing spritz cocktails​.

Originating in Italy, the spritz cocktail is traditionally made with Prosecco, a bitter liqueur, and soda water, offering a light and bubbly respite from the heat. From the Veneto region’s classic Aperol Spritz and Seville Orange Spritz to an innovative drink inspired by pizza, each drink brings a unique taste of its locale. As the heat drives people to seek cooler, more hydrating options, these spritz cocktails offer the perfect blend of refreshment and sophistication.

The Simona Spritz combines the crisp flavors of MARTINI Bianco with Prosecco and a dash of chili tincture for a spicy, refreshing twist.

Martini Bianca Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Build in a spritz glass over lots of ice, stir gently, garnish, and enjoy.

The quintessential Milanese aperitivo, the Campari Spritz stands out with its sophisticated bitter taste and distinct red hue.

Campari Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Fill a glass with ice. Add Prosecco, Campari, and soda water. Garnish with an orange slice.

Belle de Brillet’s Belle Pamplemousse is a refreshing spritz style drink that combines their signature pear liqueur with lemon juice and grapefruit soda.

Belle Pamplemousse is a refreshing spritz-style drink from Belle de Brillet.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Pour all ingredients into a glass of ice and stir gently. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

This vibrant spritz combines bubbly rosé from Archer Roose with gin and grapefruit for a refreshing summer drink.

This tasty spritz combines bubbly rosé from Archer Roose with gin and grapefruit for a refreshing summer drink.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Combine gin, grapefruit juice, and Campari in a glass with ice. Stir, top with Bubbly Rosé, and garnish with thyme and a grapefruit slice.

Created by Daintree Rooftop & Lounge, this sophisticated cocktail combines Juliette Peach Liqueur with various flavors for a unique twist.

Created by Daintree Rooftop & Lounge, this sophisticated cocktail combines peach liqueur with various flavors for a unique summer spritz.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Fill a glass with ice. Add all ingredients except champagne, stir gently, and top with champagne. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon.

The Gin Spritz by bartender and beverage director Brendan Bartley, combines the botanical flavors of Revivalist Garden Gin with elderflower cordial, soda, and Prosecco, creating a refreshing and floral summer cocktail.

This refreshing Gin Spritz is garden ready—garnished with thyme and a grapefruit slice, perfect for summer sipping.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Add all ingredients to a large wine glass. Top with ice.

The iconic Aperol Spritz from the Veneto region of Italy boasts a bright orange hue and bittersweet taste.

Aperol Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Combine Prosecco and Aperol in a glass filled with ice. Add soda water and garnish with an orange slice.

This spritz combines gin or vodka with cucumber, mint, and Nixie Zero Sugar Ginger Ale for a refreshing garden-inspired drink.

This spritz combines gin or vodka with cucumber, mint, and ginger ale for a refreshing garden-inspired drink.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Muddle cucumber and mint in a shaker. Add gin, vodka, and lime juice, shake, then pour into a glass. Top with Nixie’s Ginger Ale.

This spritz features the smooth flavors of PATRÓN EL CIELO tequila combined with chilled Pinot Grigio or Provençale Rosé wine and ginger ale.

PATRÓN EL CIELO Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a white wine glass with cubed ice, stirring to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange wedge.

Luxardo Bitter Bianco‘s Pink Spritz blends dry white wine with pink grapefruit soda for a vibrant, refreshing drink.

Pink Spritz blends dry white wine with pink grapefruit soda for a vibrant, refreshing summer beverage.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Build over ice, stir to mix, and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Created by influencer Julianna ‘Jules’ McIntosh, this pitcher is perfect for sharing with friends and features Cutwater Long Island Iced Tea.

Created by influencer Julianna ‘Jules’ McIntosh, this pitcher is perfect for sharing with friends.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Fill a pitcher with infused ice cubes and pour in the Long Island Iced Tea. Top with sparkling water and garnish with blackberries, orange slices, mint, and thyme.

This spritz features the women-owned, California-based Seville Orange MOMMENPOP aperitif, made with Seville oranges and sparkling white wine.

Seville Orange Spritz from Mommenpop

Ingredients:

Instructions: Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour in sparkling white wine and MOMMENPOP Seville Orange Aperitif. Stir gently and garnish with an orange slice.

Created in Italy in 1952, Cynar’s unique flavor comes from ‘cynarine,’ a natural substance in artichokes, giving this spritz a bold flavor profile.

Cynar Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Combine Prosecco and Cynar in a glass filled with ice. Add soda water and garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Belle de Brillet’s Belle Bulle combines their pear liqueur with lemon juice and sparkling water for a refreshing, elegant spritz.

Belle de Brillet’s Belle Bulle combines their pear liqueur with lemon juice and sparkling water for a refreshing, elegant spritz.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Pour the ingredients into a large wine glass filled with ice cubes and mix. Garnish with two green olives and a pinch of salt to release the flavors.

818 Tequila‘s Italian Orange Spritz combines their Reposado tequila with Aperol and Prosecco for a unique twist on the classic spritz.

818 Italian Orange Spritz

Ingredients:

Instructions: Fill a spritz glass with ice. Pour in tequila and Aperol and stir to combine. Top with Prosecco and club soda. Garnish with an orange slice.

Amante 1530′s The Amante Spritz blends their premium liqueur with Prosecco and high-quality soda water for a sophisticated cocktail.

The Amande Spritz from Amante 1530

Ingredients:

Instructions: Gently combine over ice in a large wine glass.

This savory-inspired cocktail by Nora Furst of Corzetti in San Francisco, “Pizza Spritz” combines bitter liqueur with oregano syrup and Lambrusco for a savory and unique spritz.

La Sirene Bitter Artigianale’s “Pizza Spritz” combines bitter liqueur with oregano syrup and Lambrusco for a savory and unique spritz.

Ingredients:

Yield: Approx 780ml Shelf Life – 2 weeks

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a white wine glass and serve over ice.

with sparkling wine and a splash of soda. This simple yet elegant spritz features

Lo-Fi Spritz from Lo-Fi’s Gentian Amaro

Ingredients:

Instructions: Build in a white wine glass over ice and garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Belle Rose is a spritz style drink from Belle de Brillet

Belle de Brillet’s Belle Rose is a spritz style drink that blends their pear liqueur with rosé wine and sparkling water or lemonade.

Ingredients:

Instructions: Pour all ingredients into a glass full of ice and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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