It’s spring, finally, and the first holiday of the season is here. Take a look at these easy cocktails you can make at home for your Easter celebration and moving forward into sunny outdoor days.
Mojito 75
Wax Myrtle’s at The Thompson Hotel, Austin, Texas
“Imagine that a Mojito and a French 75 caught spring fever, overcame their cultural differences, fell in love, and started a family. This is their baby. Drink the baby, respectfully.” – Charlie Schott, Land and Sea Dept. Beverage Director.
6 whole mint leaves
.75 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 1/2 oz. rum (get creative here, you can use aged rum, white rum, or agricole if you’d like more verdant vibe)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
3 oz. Moet Chandon Champagne, chilled
Garnish: mint sprig
Muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup and lime juice in a shaker. Add the rum and bitters and ice, and shake briefly. Double-strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with Moet Chandon Champagne and garnish with a mint sprig.
The Spanish Rose is a fresh cocktail inspired by Spain’s love for gin tonics.
The Spanish Rose
Carriqui, San Antonio, Texas
Named after a South Texas bird, Carriqui’s menu highlights regional favorites from the Rio Grande Valley to the Texas Coast, and up north to San Antonio, where Spanish influence is everywhere.
2 oz Alkkemist gin
0.5 oz Jack Rudy Tonic concentrate
Combine the two in a large wine glass and top with sparkling water. Sprinkle in your choice of warm aromatics – allspice, star anise, or cloves. Add a cucumber rose and your choice of lemon half moon or orange half moon to garnish. Stir gently with a cinnamon stick. Spritz with Rose water to finish.
As refreshing as it is beautiful, The Field Of Dreams is an elegant, yet easy to prepare sipper.
The Field of Dreams
Marion Miami
The delicate floral notes of lavender syrup and elderflower liqueur in this cocktail evoke a sense of spring and new beginnings, making it the perfect drink to celebrate the Easter holiday. The gin base provides a botanical flavor that is beautifully balanced by the sweetness of the elderflower liqueur and the subtle freshness of the cold-pressed cucumber juice. The lemon juice adds a refreshing tartness that perfectly complements the other ingredients, making it a well-rounded and harmonious cocktail.
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
0.5 oz St. Germain
1 oz lavender syrup
1 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz cold press cucumber
Combine all ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain into a martini coupe glass. Garnish with fresh lavender leaf.
Sweet, bitter and smoky, the Rosemary Blossom is a great option for an Easter celebration.
Rosemary Blossom
Ember Kitchen & Subterra Agave Bar, Austin, Texas
“A perfect mix of Aperol, strawberry, rhubarb, and grapefruit, infused with rosemary-infused tequila that adds depth to every sip. The velvety foam finish and smoking rosemary garnish create an effervescent appearance, capturing the essence of Spring in every glass.” – Chris San Andres, Head Mixologist at Subterra Agave Bar.
1.5 oz rosemary-infused blanco tequila
.5 oz Aperol
.5 oz homemade or store-bought strawberry rhubarb syrup (homemade recipe below**)
.75 oz clarified grapefruit juice
1 dropper of Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer
Add the infused tequila, Aperol, syrup, juice, and foaming bitters into a shaker tin set without ice, and dry shake until mixture has emulsified. Open up shaker tins, add 4-5 blocks of ice, and wet shake. Strain into a double rocks glass over format block ice, or an extra large ice cube. Garnish with a smoking rosemary sprig.
**Strawberry rhubarb syrup: combine 1 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup chopped rhubarb, 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and then remove from heat, allowing mixture to cool for 1 hour. Strain mixture and discard remaining pieces of strawberry and rhubarb. Remaining mixture will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Matkot & Chill is a citrusy, textural, and herbaceous, just sweet enough to remain refreshing.
Matkot & Chill
Ladino, San Antonio, Texas
“A vacation in a glass! We named it Matkot & Chill since we wish we were playing Matkot on a beach in Israel, sneaking sips of this in between rounds. Mezcal provides smoke, but Arak (anise-flavored Levantine spirit) cools it down and plays beautifully with the coconut, basil and grapefruit. A delicious easy-drinker for the upcoming summer heat! – Kate Houser, beverage director.
1.25 oz Banhez Mezcal
.25 oz Ouzo (A Greek anise-flavored aperitif. Can substitute with anise-infused vodka)
.75 oz grapefruit juice
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz basil syrup (1/2 cup basil leaves, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup ice cold water. Blend and then strain out the solids)
.25 oz Coco Lopez cream of coconut
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker. Shake, strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a grapefruit half-moon and fresh basil.
This cocktail is Easter in a glass, with fresh floral flavors and a refreshing finish.
Secret Garden
Monarch, Dallas, TX
“Spring is the season of rebirth and nothing says new beginnings quite like a cocktail that celebrates nature. The Secret Garden is light and refreshing with delicate floral notes perfect for that breath of fresh air, springtime feeling.” – Eric Simmons, Monarch Beverage Director.
2 oz Nolet’s Gin
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz elderflower liqueur
1/2 oz seedlip citric non alcoholic liquor
1/4 oz violette liqueur
1/4 oz simple syrup
Combine all ingredients into shaker, add ice, shake, strain and pour over rocks. Garnish with your choice of fresh flower.
This refreshing cocktails is sweet and sour, fruity and herbal, with a touch of smokiness.
That Watermelon Cocktail
Sweet Liberty, Miami Beach
The Watermelon Drink at Sweet Liberty is a beautifully balanced cocktail that is both sweet and sour, fruity and herbal, with a touch of smokiness that lingers on the palate.
1 oz. El Tequileño blanco
.5 oz. Montelobos mezcal
.25 oz. Select Aperitivo
.75 oz. watermelon juice
.5 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. agave nectar
5 drops white balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs cilantro (in shaker)
4 cucumber wheels (in shaker)
Shake and fine strain over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish half rim with Tajin and sprig of cilantro.
This super refreshing cocktail from Ronin in Bryan, Texas, will keep you cool all summer long.
Cool as a Cucumber
Ronin Farm & Restaurant, Bryan, Texas
“We love infusions, they’re the best way to extend a growing season in the bar. Taking full advantage of cucumber season, this Cool as a Cucumber brings along the punchy, herbaceous side of Yellow Chartreuse, combined with garden mint and the brightness of lemons. You want to make this cocktail!” – Danielle Soucy, Bartender.
1 oz cucumber infused gin
.75 oz Yellow Chartreuse
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
1 oz fresh cucumber juice
5-7 mint leaves
With a vegetable peeler, make a cucumber snake and place in a Collins glass. In a shaker, muddle mint with syrup, then add the remaining ingredients. Shake with ice, strain into the cucumber glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and edible flower.