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Bright, Floral, and a Little Indulgent Pink lemonade with an indulgent, tropical twist. Ingredients: 3 oz fresh brewed hibiscus tea 1 oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz sweetened condensed milk Build: Add hibiscus tea, lemon juice, and condensed milk to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled and lightly frothy. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and a hibiscus flower. Enjoy! Note: we are using fresh brewed tea that is still warm, if you are using chilled tea, you will need to add about 1oz of water to help with dilution.

Cranberry Mule: Simple, Festive, Refreshing, and Downright Delicious The tartness of cranberry and lime melds with the bite of ginger to create a drink that honestly doesn’t feel like a mocktail at all. Recipe: Cranbery Mock-Mule Ingredients: ~4 oz cranberry juice (100% cranberry if available; we like Knudsen) ½ oz lime juice, or the juice of a small lime ~4 oz ginger beer or ginger ale (the spicier, the better. Fever-Tree or Buffalo Rock recommended) Build: Fill a mule mug (or similarly sized glass) with ice. Add cranberry juice, lime juice, and ginger beer or ginger ale. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy.

A split-base Sazerac with Rye and Cognac, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters, sugar, and an Absinthe rinse. What I like to call a funky old fashioned. Recipe: The Sazerac Ingredients: ~⅛ oz absinthe (just enough for a quick rinse) 1 sugar cube ¾ oz cognac 1¼ oz rye whiskey 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters Lemon twist, for garnish Build: Add the absinthe to a chilled rocks glass and swirl to coat the interior. Discard the excess, or keep it if you like a little extra absinthe punch, and set glass aside. In a mixing glass, add the sugar cube, cognac, rye whiskey, and both bitters. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into the prepared rocks glass. Express the oils from a lemon twist over the drink, run it around the rim, and drop it in. Note: Traditionally, a Sazerac is served without ice, but rules are made to be bent. Serve it up, over ice, or on a large cube. It’s your drink after all. Enjoy! History: In some circles, the Sazerac is referred to as America’s first cocktail. Its name dates back to the 1850s and a little spot in New Orleans called the Sazerac Coffee House. But the drink itself goes back a bit further, to the 1830s, when Antoine Amédée Peychaud, creator of Peychaud’s Bitters, started serving a mix of cognac, sugar, absinthe, and his bitters out of his pharmacy. Originally made with cognac, the recipe shifted in the 1870s due to a shortage caused by a pest infestation that wiped out much of France’s grape crop. Rye whiskey stepped in as the base spirit and never really left. Then in 1912 came the ban on absinthe, fueled by fears of its supposed hallucinogenic effects and a growing wave of temperance sentiment. With absinthe off the table, bartenders subbed in Herbsaint to keep the drink’s bold, aromatic character intact. Thankfully, the ban was lifted in 2007, and the Sazerac could once again be made the way Peychaud intended. Just a year later, Louisiana made it official, naming the Sazerac the official cocktail of New Orleans. A drink shaped by history, held together by tradition. That’s the kind of story we like to sip on.

Pisco Sour with Egg White and an Angostura Bitter swirl Recipe: Pisco Sour Ingredients: 2oz. Pisco .5oz lemon juice .5oz lime juice .75 simple syrup 1 egg white Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker with Ice. Shake well to chill and whip the egg whites. Strain into a coupe glass Garnish with angostura bitters and enjoy! History: While generally credited to Victor Morris, a bartender from Salt Lake City who moved to Lima in 1903 and opened Morris' Bar in 1916, the true origin of pisco, and by extension, the Pisco Sour, remains hotly contested between Peru and Chile. The story of this spirit begins in the 1500s, when Spanish colonizers introduced winemaking to the indigenous peoples of Peru and Chile. Locals began producing a grape-based brandy known as aguardiente de uva, with each region developing its own distinct techniques and styles. It wasn’t until the 1600s, when barrels shipped from the Port of Pisco (in Peru) began bearing the port’s name to indicate their origin, that the word “pisco” started gaining traction. By the 18th century, it had evolved into the commercial term for this uniquely South American spirit. The Famous Cocktail, The Pisco Sour has roots in both Peru and Chile. While Victor Morris is often credited with creating the cocktail as a South American twist on the classic Whiskey Sour, it was Peruvian bartenders like Mario Bruiget who helped refine it into the version many recognize today, incorporating egg white and bitters to achieve its signature frothy texture and layered flavor. The Chilean variation, on the other hand, offers a bright, elegant expression of the drink, typically made with only pisco, lemon juice, and sugar. Its more spirit forward profile and bold citrus character highlight the natural qualities of Chilean pisco, making it a refreshing and equally celebrated interpretation.

Classic Old Fashioned - Garnished with a cocktail cherry and orange twist The OG Cocktail and a Demonstration of the Beauty of Simplicity A great Old Fashioned holds all things in balance: subtly boozy, gentle sweetness, and mild spice from the bitters. Elegance in simplicity. Below is my standard recipe for an Old Fashioned, and the great thing is you can sub out some (or all) of the components for other ingredients within the same category to create something uniquely yours. Recipe: Old Fashioned Ingredients: 1.5 oz Whiskey(not something exceptionally high proof. Should be something you dont mind drinking on its own though: Old Forester 86, Henry McKenna, Elijah Craig, or similar)(or another spirit of choice: i.e. tequila, rum, gin… even vodka) 0.5 oz simple syrup (or another sweetener/liqueur: maple syrup, Luxardo, amaretto, etc.) 4 dashes Angostura bitters (or literally any other bitters) 2 dashes orange bitters Build: While technically this should be built in a mixing glass and strained over fresh ice (or a large cube) to serve… let’s be honest, who wants to do that at home? If you agree, skip to step 3. In a mixing glass with ice, add all ingredients and stir to chill. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice or a large cube. Alternatively, add all ingredients directly to a rocks glass with ice and stir to chill. In both cases, garnish with a cocktail cherry and orange twist… or don’t (it’s your drink). Serve and enjoy. Note: Just as you play with the base ingredients, have fun with the garnishes too. Make one with Kahlúa instead of simple and garnish with coffee beans. Use maple syrup and garnish with a piece of bacon. The possibilities are endless. History: The origin of the Old Fashioned starts with the origin of the cocktail, or at least the term cocktail. The original definition, published in The Balance and Columbian Repository in 1806, was: “A stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters… vulgarly called a bittered sling.” If this sounds familiar, it should, because it’s essentially the recipe for an Old Fashioned (even if we don’t know the exact proportions… so maybe not exactly, but close enough). For decades, this was the standard definition of a cocktail. That is, until the late 1800s, when cocktails began to evolve to include citrus, vermouth, and other ingredients that deviated from that original formula. It’s around this time that the term “old fashioned” starts popping up. Legend has it that bar patrons, longing for the original style, would order their drinks “the old fashioned way” for example: “I’ll take a whiskey cocktail, the old fashioned way.” And while today an Old Fashioned is almost unquestionably made with whiskey, I’d argue we should extend them to other spirits, as they were originally, and let them shine.

Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco, Campari, and Carpano Antica A Bright, Bubbly Twist on the Classic Negroni Recipe: Negroni Sbagliato Ingredients: 1.5 oz Campari 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth (we like Carpano Antica) 1.5 oz Prosecco Build: In a mixing glass filled with ice, add Campari and sweet vermouth. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice, or into a chilled coupe or champagne flute without ice. Top with Prosecco, garnish with an orange twist, and enjoy. History: From Happy Little Accident to Viral Cocktail! Sometimes life’s little mistakes lead to great inventions, and the Negroni Sbagliato, literally translated as “Wrong Negroni”, is no different. As the story goes, Mirko Stocchetto was working behind the bar at Bar Basso in 1970s Milan when a customer ordered a classic Negroni. In his rush, he accidentally grabbed a bottle of Prosecco instead of gin and poured it in. And just like that, history took a delightful detour. In an alternate timeline, maybe Mirko noticed his mistake, dumped the drink, remade it, and moved on with his night. But thankfully, that’s not how it went. Instead, realizing what he’d done, he paused, then decided that the Prosecco might actually make for a refreshing twist on the original. So, he served it anyway. As luck would have it, the customer loved it. The drink was an instant success, spreading first across Milan and eventually around the world. For decades, the Negroni Sbagliato enjoyed a quiet but steady presence in the cocktail world, beloved by bartenders and those in the know. That is, until one fateful interview in 2022, when House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy casually mentioned it as their favorite drink. And just like that... it. went. viral. Almost overnight, the “mistaken” Negroni became an internet sensation, capturing the attention (and taste buds) of a whole new generation. Not bad for a happy little accident born in Milan all those years ago.

Bitter, Sour, Smokey, and Just a Touch of Sweet. The Naked and Famous has it All! Created by Joaquín Simó while working at Death & Co. in New York, this cocktail has been described as the “bastard love child” of the Last Word and the Paper Plane. Simó’s original version calls for lime juice, but I genuinely think lemon’s brighter tartness gives the drink just a little something extra. Recipe: Naked and Famous Ingredients: 3/4 oz Lemon Juice(Or lime juice for the original version) 3/4 oz Aperol 3/4 oz Mezcal 3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well to chill. Double strain into a chilled coupe, martini, Nick & Nora, or other appropriate glassware. Garnish with a lemon or lime twist. Enjoy!

The Mojito, packed with mint and garnished with a lime wheel Recipe: Mojito Ingredients: 6 large mint leaves (or 10–12 medium) 0.5 oz simple syrup 1/8 of a lime (optional) 1 oz lime juice (or juice of 1 large lime) 1.5 oz white rum (we prefer Cruzan) ~2 oz soda water Build Option 1: Built in the Glass For those who like the mint leaves in the mix. Add mint and simple syrup to your glass, then gently muddle to release the oils. (Optional) Add the lime wedge and muddle to extract juice and oils from the skin. Pour in lime juice and rum. Add ice, leaving about 2 oz of room at the top. Stir well to chill. Top with soda water and give it one last gentle stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and a fresh mint sprig. Build Option 2: Shaken and Strained For those who prefer a smooth sip without the leaves. In a shaker, combine mint and simple syrup. Muddle gently. (Optional) Add the lime wedge and muddle again. Add lime juice and rum. Fill shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a glass over fresh ice, leaving space for soda water. Top with soda water and stir gently with a bar spoon. Garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig. History: Most people probably don’t think twice about the history of this simple, refreshing summer drink, but its origin story might surprise you. It started out in Cuba as a medicinal tonic called El Draque, named after the English privateer Sir Francis Drake, and was used to help fight off scurvy and dysentery. Over the years, it evolved with the culture and ingredients available, eventually becoming the summer icon we know and love today. While El Draque laid the foundation for the mojito, it definitely didn’t start out as the crisp, cool cocktail we’re familiar with. It took centuries of refinement to get there. The original version from the 1500s was made with aguardiente de caña, a much earthier, harsher precursor to rum, along with lime juice, sugar, and mint. It wasn’t until the 1700s, when rum production improved, that the drink started to evolve into something closer to its modern form. By the 1800s, the mojito (still without soda water) had found its place in Cuban culture, and by the early 1900s, it took on its final form with the addition of soda water, giving it that signature fizz and refreshment. From there, it didn’t take long for the drink to catch on, especially with tourists. During Prohibition, Americans flocked to Cuba in search of good drinks and better nightlife, and the mojito was ready and waiting. By the time the 1950s rolled around, it had left its mark across the globe, and it still stands today as a proud symbol of Cuban heritage and hospitality. So next time you're enjoying one, remember, this cocktail may be easy to drink, but its history runs deep.

The Manhattan: Simple Build, Legendary Backstory Recipe: The Manhattan Ingredients: 2 oz. Whiskey(Rye preferably, but whatever you enjoy) 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth(Recommend Carpano Antica) 2-3 dashes of Angostura Bitters 3 Black Cocktail Cherries for Garnish Build: In a stirring glass. Add ice, Whiskey. Vermouth, and bitters. Stir to chill Strain into a coupe glass, or (if you prefer) into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with cherries and enjoy! History: The Manhattan is a simple drink with a history that’s anything but. As you might expect, its story begins in New York, but when it begins is where things get muddy. The most famous version would have us believe the cocktail was created in 1874 at the Manhattan Club by a physician named Dr. Iain Marshall, during a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome (Lady Randolph Churchill) to celebrate the election of Samuel J. Tilden as governor of New York. It’s a great story… until you realize Jennie Jerome was in England at the time, preparing to give birth to Winston Churchill. That timeline alone sinks the tale, but despite the factual cracks, this is the version the Manhattan Club championed to give the drink an air of prestige and socialite glamour. Now, onto what is likely the real origin story. As vermouth found its way into the New York bar scene in the 1860s, it’s very likely that several bartenders were experimenting with whiskey, bitters, and this “new” Italian fortified wine around the same time. But one name does stand out: a bartender known simply as Black, said to have created the drink at a bar somewhere on lower Broadway around 1860. Decades later, other bartenders and even patrons backed up this account in interviews, lending it surprising weight. This lines up cleanly with the earliest printed Manhattan recipes from the early 1880s, which already treat the cocktail as familiar, something that had clearly been around long before the Manhattan Club’s 1874 claim. So while we may owe our thanks to Black for crafting this beautifully balanced classic, we can probably offer a bit of begrudging gratitude to the Manhattan Club for helping turn it into a household name. Whichever version you choose to believe, I hope you enjoyed this story almost as much as a well-made Manhattan. Cheers.

The Last Word, served with a cocktail cherry and lime twist The Last Word: A Prohibition Classic That Still Speaks Volumes Bright and herbaceous, with a punch of citrus to keep things lively. The Last Word demonstrates how sometimes simplicity itself is the best option. Recipe: The Last Word Ingredients: 3/4 oz lime juice (fresh squeezed) 3/4 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur 3/4 oz gin (preferably Bombay Sapphire or another citrus-forward option) 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well until thoroughly chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe, martini, Nick & Nora, or other appropriate glassware. Garnish with a lime twist and a dark cocktail cherry. Enjoy!

A Pair of Last Laughs, the lovechild of a Last Word and French 75 What Happens When a French 75 and a Last Word Fall in Love A lot of recipes go with ⅔ or ¾ oz across the board, but here that ends up crowding the glass and muting the Champagne. We prefer dialing everything back to ½ oz; it gives the herbal and citrus notes of the Last Word space to breathe and lets the prosecco still do its thing. Ingredients: 1/2 oz lime juice (fresh squeezed) 1/2 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur 1/2 oz gin (preferably Bombay Sapphire or another citrus-forward option) 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse 2–3 oz Champagne or dry sparkling wine (to top) Build: Add gin, Chartreuse, maraschino, and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake well to chill. Double strain into a chilled coupe or flute. Gently top with Champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with a lime twist and a dark cocktail cherry.

The Improved Appletini - A grown up version of the classic appletini from the 90s, still sour, but with a more refined taste and feel. Garnished with an apple slice and a dark cocktail cherry. Recipe: Improved Appletini Ingredients: 2 oz apple brandy (preferably Laird’s Applejack or Laird’s Bottled in Bond) 1 oz acid-adjusted apple juice(under our "Syrups and Such" tab) 1 oz regular apple juice Build: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake well to chill. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a black cocktail cherry and a thin slice of apple. Enjoy!

Recipe: The French 75 Ingredients: 1 oz lemon juice ½ oz simple syrup 1 oz London Dry Gin ~3 oz Champagne or sparkling wine (to top) Build: Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin to a shaker with ice. Shake to chill. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice — or into a Champagne flute without ice. Top with Champagne or sparkling wine (we like prosecco). Garnish with a lemon wheel or lemon twist, and enjoy! History: The French 75 draws its name from the French 75mm field gun used during World War I, famed for its power and precision, capable of firing 15 rounds per minute. Much like its namesake, the cocktail delivers quite a kick. While variations of the drink date back to around 1915, during the war, the version that stuck and most closely resembles what we know today appeared in the late 1920s. It made its print debut in Here’s How by Judge Jr., where it was notably served in a tall glass (most likely a Collins) rather than the champagne flute that’s common today. Over the following decades, countless minor tweaks surfaced, usually just shifts in proportion, but two things stayed consistent: the combination of gin, citrus, and champagne, and the Collins glass presentation. It wasn’t until the latter part of the 20th century that the flute became the standard vessel for champagne cocktails. As for why the original was served in a Collins glass, there are two leading theories. The first: it’s a riff on the Tom Collins, simply swapping champagne for soda water. The second, and our favorite, is that the shape of the glass nods to the 75mm shells themselves. Whichever story you prefer, whether you take yours in a Collins or a flute, one thing remains certain: The French 75 packs one hell of a kick.

Daquiri No. 3 in front of the same drink in Jeffrey Morgenthaler's The Bar Book This recipe was developed by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert at The Floridarita Bar in Havana, Cuba during the early-mid 1900's, but more on that in the "History" section below. Recipe: Daquiri No. 3 Ingredients: 2 oz of white rum 1/2 oz of simple syrup 1/2 oz of lime juice 1/4 oz of grapefruit juice 1 tsp of maraschino liqueur Build: Combine all of the above in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well chilled(usually when the shaker begins to frost over). Pour over an old fashioned glass(also known as a lowball, rocks glass, or short tumbler) filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime wedge is traditional, though I like the lime wheel and grapefruit twist that is shown above. Tip: To make easy crushed ice, fill a gallon zip lock bag with ice, seal, wrap in a dish towel, and tap not-so-lightly with a hammer or meat tenderizer until a fine crush is achieved. History: Though Constantino Ribalaigua Vert is certainly owed credit for the popularization of the Daiquiri, the story of The Daiquiri predates the beginning of Constantino's at The Floridarita by more than a decade. The Daiquiri's creation is somewhat up for debate as some credit Mining Engineer Jennings Cox in 1898 and others credit US Congressman William A. Chanler in 1902 with the drinks origin. Regardless of who you choose to believe the creator was, the namesake and original recipe are the same. The Daiquiri's name is attributed to the beach and iron mine in Santiago de Cuba where Jennings worked and that Chanler eventually purchased, and the recipe was simply sugar, lemon juice, and rum poured over glass of ice and stirred until the glass began to frost. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when Constantino, known by his regulars as Constante, created the famed Daiquiri No. 3, but it was most assuredly after he stepped behind the bar of The Floridarita for the first time in 1914. Constante quickly garnered a reputation for his ability to amaze guest and became known as "El Rey de los Coteleros" or "The King of Cocktails". Just Four years later after, shortly after The Floridarita's 100th anniversary, Constante saved enough to buy the bar from owner Don Narscisco Parrera who had decided to retire. After purchasing the bar in 1918, Constante continued his craft for three more decades earning the bar the nickname "La Cuna del Daiquiri" which translates to the "Cradle of The Daiquiri". The bar's and Constante's reputations drew tourist from far and wide, particularly those seeking a reprieve from prohibition, including the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway, though not particularly a fan of The Daiquiri No. 3, avidly imbibed a variant called the "Papa Doble" also known as The Hemingway which cuts out the sugar and doubles the rum, he so enjoyed this drink and was such a staple of The Floridarita that to this day a bronze statue of the famous writer can be found sitting at the end of the bar with a smile on his face.

A truly all out Bloody Mary, packed full of Pickled Veggies, shrimp, sliders, bacon, you name it! While I don’t think I’ve ever made two Bloody Marys exactly the same, they all follow this basic recipe, and then get a little more of "this" or "that" depending on how I’m feeling or who I’m making it for. And that’s exactly where the beauty of this drink lies: you can truly make it your own, as you will read below. Standard Bloody Mary Recipe: 4 oz tomato juice(I like to make my own by blending and straining roasted canned tomatoes, but off-the-shelf works just fine.) 2 oz vodka 4–5 dashes Worcestershire sauce 6 shakes Louisiana-style hot sauce (I’m partial to Melinda’s.) Juice of half a lemon 1 tsp horseradish A healthy sprinkle of fresh black pepper Build: We’re keeping it simple here, and build it right in the glass you’re going to serve it in. Rim your glass. Use chili salt, Tajín, plain salt, lemon pepper, etc. or skip it altogether. Add all ingredients to the glass and mix well. Top with ice and give it a good stir to bring everything together. Garnish to your heart’s content (we certainly did). Enjoy! History: What truly sets the Bloody Mary apart from its cocktail contemporaries is its endless adaptability. From smoked salts and infused vodkas to extravagant garnishes that range from pickled vegetables to entire sliders, it has become far more than just a drink, it’s an experience. This remarkable customizability is no accident; it reflects the very spirit of its creator, Fernand “Pete” Petiot. An innovator behind the bar, Petiot didn’t just mix ingredients; he listened, adjusted, and transformed a modest tomato and vodka concoction into a bold, savory classic. The Bloody Mary stands today not only as a brunch staple, but as a testament to the power of creativity, experimentation, and a well-placed dash of hot sauce. While the origin of its name remains shrouded in speculation (as murky as a well made Bloody Mary) the creation of the drink itself is clear. Credit belongs to Fernand "Pete" Petiot, a skilled bartender working in 1920s Paris, at the famed Harry’s New York Bar, a gathering place for American expatriates and European bohemians alike. Petiot’s original concoction was a simple mixture: equal parts vodka and tomato juice, which proved to be a novel and refreshing mix. However, it wasn’t until the early 1930s, after Petiot’s move to New York, that the Bloody Mary began to take on its modern form. At the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel, he found the original version lacking appeal among American patrons. To suit their tastes, Petiot began enhancing the drink with a blend of Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, hot sauce, and horseradish, creating a more robust and savory cocktail. This reimagined version, bold, complex, and distinctly American, soon became the standard bearer of the Bloody Mary, securing its place in cocktail history and on brunch menus for generations to come.