The classic spritz cocktail is one you absolutely need in your home bartending arsenal. There are a few different ways to make a spritz, but we think our Grapefruit Spritz will be your new favorite summer cocktail!

What is a Spritz?

A spritz is a cocktail made with prosecco, a bitter liqueur, and a splash of soda water. It originated in Italy and it’s traditionally a pre-dinner drink. The bitter ingredient – called an aperitivo – is usually something like Aperol, Campari, Cynar, or Lillet.

The purpose of an aperitivo (also known as aperitif) as part of a pre-dinner cocktail is to stimulate the appetite with its dry, bitter nature. Italians often enjoy a spritz with a small snack before their larger evening meal.

We were gifted a bottle of Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo to taste and create our own spritz for summer. And it’s one of our new favorites!

About Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo

First of all, how gorgeous is this apothecary-style bottle? I just like looking at it on my bar. It feels like summer!

Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo is made by the family-run Torino Distillati in Piedmont, Italy, the birthplace of aperitivo. After the grapes are harvested, herbs and botanicals such as elderflower, coriander, cloves, thyme, grapefruit and lemon peel are added. After 30 days in the still, the botanicals are extracted and the liquid distilled. It’s then mixed with wine and rested in stainless steel for six months. The final step is chill filtration before bottling.

This aperitivo is refreshing and delightful. It’s only 17% ABV, which is perfect for a pre-dinner drink or happy hour by the pool.

Grapefruit Spritz Recipe

We paired Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo with Prosecco and grapefruit soda for a super-refreshing cocktail that’s simple as 1-2-3 to make! You can measure the ingredients, but this cocktail is just as easy to eyeball.

Just pour 3 oz chilled Prosecco, 2 oz Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo, and 1 oz grapefruit soda into a glass over ice and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

This Rosé Aperitivo would also be wonderful in cocktails such as the Bellini (add Prosecco and peach purée), the Paper Plane (add bourbon, amaro, and lemon juice), and the Naked & Famous (add mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, and lime juice). I’ll definitely be trying some of these out soon!

Grapefruit Spritz

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Light and refreshing, the Grapefruit Spritz is perfect for a day by the pool or pre-gaming before a night out!

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Ingredients

• 1 oz Grapefruit soda
• 2 oz Hotel Starlino Rosé Aperitivo
• 3 oz Prosecco
• Slice of grapefruit
• Ice

Instructions

1. Pour all ingredients in a glass over ice.
2. Garnish with grapefruit slice.
3. Please drink responsibly.

The post Grapefruit Spritz {Your New Favorite Summer Cocktail!} appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

Tequila is often the spirit of choice on Cinco de Mayo, so what’s a bourbon lover to do? Turns out that tequila and bourbon combine just fine in this rich, smooth Maple Bourbon Margarita recipe.

I’m a big fan of bourbon. So I never hesitate to mix it in a cocktail when I want to try something new. When we were experimenting with new Cinco de Mayo cocktails, I wanted to try a bourbon’d up version of a margarita.

This drink has all the usual margarita ingredients, but with a twist. I settled on maple syrup for a sweetener in this Maple Bourbon Margarita because maple and bourbon go so nicely together. Throw in a few dashes of orange bitters and you’ve got a rich, slightly sweet, delicious cocktail.

Maple Bourbon Margarita Recipe

To make this cocktail, you’ll need 1 ounce of tequila, 1 ounce of bourbon, 1 ounce of pure maple syrup, 1/2 ounce of Triple Sec, 1/2 ounce of fresh-squeezed lime juice, and 3-4 dashes of orange bitters. I recommend a nice reposada tequila because they are aged in oak barrels and complement the bourbon well. We only had silver tequila on hand when we were photographing this drink, but I made it again with reposada and it’s even better.

If you usually drink your margaritas with salt, consider another option for this drink. It’s excellent with no additions at all, but for an extra sweet touch, rim your glass with maple syrup and dip in sugar before making your drink.

This margarita is easy to make. Simply combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker, shake until frosty cold, then strain into a glass with fresh ice.

When your bourbon-loving friends swing by for a Cinco de Mayo drink, surprise them with this excellent bourbon-infused margarita!

Maple Bourbon Margarita

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

A rich, bourbon'd up version of the classic margarita.

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Ingredients

• 1 oz reposado tequila
• 1 oz bourbon
• 1 oz pure maple syrup
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 3-4 dashes of orange bitters

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake until frosty cold, then strain into a glass with fresh ice.
3. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 23gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Maple Bourbon Margarita: Something New for Cinco de Mayo appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

We’ve all heard of the whiskey sour, but did you know you can make a “sour” cocktail with just about any alcohol? This Tequila Lemon Sour recipe is bright and delicious – a perfect cocktail for Cinco de Mayo.

Sours are mixed drinks made with a base liquor, lemon or lime juice, and a sweetener/syrup. The whole “sour” category of drinks was also traditionally made with egg whites to produce a silky texture and a foam head.

Dry Shake vs. Reverse Dry Shake

For many years, I drank whiskey sours with a pre-packaged sour mix. The thought of raw egg in my drink? Blech. But then I tried it and I never looked back. Making a sour with an egg white gives it a wonderful, creamy texture that just can’t be beat.

The method I learned to make a sour is called a dry shake. You combine all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously. Agitating the whites causes their proteins to unfold and mixes in air bubbles, creating a nice foam that’s perfectly safe to drink. Once the ingredients are emulsified, you add ice to chill the drink and shake again.

Then recently I read about a reverse dry shake. What was this dark magic, I wondered? It was said that shaking your cocktail with ice after the dry shake was not recommended because it watered down the nice foam of the egg white. It sounded logical, so I put it to the test.

Tequila Lemon Sour Recipe

This tequila sour recipe calls for 1.5 ounces of tequila, 1 ounce of Limoncello, 1/2 ounce of Triple Sec, 3/4 ounce lemon juice, and 3/4 ounce egg white. I made one drink with the traditional dry shake: I combined all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice then, after a good shake, I added in ice for another shake. Strain into a glass and you get the drink on the left in this photo:

Next, I tried the reverse dry shake. I combined all ingredients except the egg white in a cocktail shaker with ice. After shaking to chill, I strained out the ice, added the egg white, and shook again. This ensures the drink is chilled, but the egg white foam is not watered down. You can see the result in the drink on the right.

After tasting both drinks, I much preferred the traditional dry shake followed by the wet shake. It does break down the egg white foam a bit more, but it results in an even, silky consistency. The reverse dry shake resulted in an meringue-like foam with much more air and much more separation. The foam sat on the top of the drink, while the drink itself lacked the velvety taste of the traditional sour.

I hope you will test out both shaking methods for your next sour and let me know what you prefer. And enjoy this Tequila Lemon Sour!

Tequila Lemon Sour

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

A bright tequila sour that's perfect for Cinco de Mayo.

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Ingredients

• 1.5 oz tequila blanco
• 1 oz Limoncello
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 3/4 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 oz egg white

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.
2. Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake again until the shaker is frosty.
3. Strain into a glass and serve.
4. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 36mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Tequila Lemon Sour Recipe appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

After New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day may be the holiday most associated with drinking. These 7 St. Patrick’s Day drinks range from the classic Irish whiskey to the green Grasshopper, as well as a couple unique cocktails you might not associate with St. Patty’s Day. Tequila anyone?

And if beer is your chosen St. Patrick’s Day drink, check out our Guinness cocktail recipes!

Irish Old Fashioned

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The classic Old Fashioned is usually made with bourbon, but for this St. Patrick’s Day drink we’re using Irish whiskey, of course! We also used a honey simple syrup (get the recipe in our Ultimate Guide to Simple Syrups!) for a warm, rich taste.

In a rocks glass, add 2 ounces of your favorite Irish whiskey, 1/2 ounce honey simple syrup, and two dashes each of orange bitters and Angostura bitters. Add ice and stir well. Cut a piece of orange peel and express is over the drink. Rub the orange peel on the rim of the glass, then drop it in the drink.

Irish Lady

The Irish Lady is smooth and sweet and it might be your new favorite whiskey sour! To make this cocktail, add the following ingredients to a cocktail shaker (with NO ice):

• 1 1/2 ounces of Irish whiskey
• 1/2 ounce of triple sec
• 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice,
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white

Give it all a vigorous dry (without ice) shake to emulsify the egg white. Then add a couple ice cubes and shake again. Strain into a beautiful coupe glass and watch the foam rise to the top.

Grasshopper

Everyone wants a green cocktail for St. Patrick’s Day. But not many of them taste good. We experimented with several recipes using crème de menthe and they mostly tasted like medicine. But the Grasshopper – a classic, green dessert cocktail – has enough sweet to balance out the minty medicine taste.

To make a Grasshopper, first prepare your glass. Grate a chocolate bar onto a plate. Rub the rim of your glass with a little crème de cacao, then dip the rim in chocolate shavings. Next, add the following to your cocktail shaker with ice:

• 1 ounce cream
• 1 ounce white crème de cacao
• 1 ounce green crème de menthe

Shake well and strain into your prepared glass. Garnish with a clover to give this cocktail a beautiful finish!

Irish Cactus

You don’t normally think of tequila for your St. Patrick’s Day drinks, do you? Well, think again! This cocktail was probably our favorite of all the drinks we tried.

The Irish Cactus is super simple to make. Just combine two ounces of Bailey’s Irish Cream and one ounce of tequila in a shaker with ice. Give it a quick shake just to chill it, then strain and enjoy.

Irish Coffee

Another favorite, this boozy coffee is a perfect after-dinner drink. Start with 4 ounces of hot coffee and add 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Stir to fully dissolve the sugar, then add 1 1/2 ounces of Irish whiskey. Stir and top with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Leprechaun Sangria

This sweet, tart, white sangria is a unique addition to your St. Patrick’s Day drink menu. To make it, pour the following ingredients into a large pitcher:

• 1 bottle of Pinot Grigio or similar white wine
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1 green apple, sliced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 2 limes, sliced
• 1 cup limeade (we like Santa Cruz Organic Limeade)

Stir all ingredients together and chill for a couple hours before serving.

Lucky Punch

This one’s for the kid in all of us. Do you remember that punch your mom made by combining sherbet and ginger ale? It’s my kids’ favorite.

You can make this in a punch bowl – with or without alcohol. Combine a 2:1 ratio of limeade to ginger ale in a big bowl, then add in several scoops of lime sherbet. For an alcoholic version, add in lemon vodka equal to the amount of ginger ale.

To make a single serving of this cocktail, use the same 2:1:1 ratio. Pour 4 ounces of chilled limeade, 2 ounces of ginger ale, and 2 ounces of lemon vodka into a glass and stir. Top with a scoop of lime sherbet. It’s sweet and so delicious!

Feel free to play with your ratios – this recipe is very forgiving. You can make it more or less “sparkling” by adjusting the ginger ale, or add more vodka if you want it super boozy!

Let us know if you try any of these St. Patrick’s Day drinks!

The post 7 Lucky St. Patrick’s Day Drinks {Classic to Unique!} appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

If I had to pick my favorite day of the year, I might just have to say it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Aside from being a great day to celebrate my Irish roots, it’s a day full of music, silliness and cheer that everyone can be a part of anywhere in the world. So when I knew we were going to work on some themed cocktails I couldn’t contain my excitement. And what better place to start than with the Irish staple, Guinness! My St. Paddy’s day would not be complete without a Guinness or two (or three..?). Funnily enough, I swore I never liked it until I had it in Ireland and I’ve been hooked ever since!

Guinness is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but these four Guinness cocktails will level up your celebration! Guinness is a dark Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness in Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It’s now one of the world’s most iconic beers. But not everyone loves a stout. Try one (or all) of these when you want something a little different – or a little more boozy! – than a beer.

Black Velvet

This delicious drink is perfect for the person who doesn’t love Guinness, but likes it a little! Just mix equal parts chilled Prosecco and Guinness Extra Stout in a champagne glass. It’s elegant, light, and so tasty. We absolutely loved it!

Lady Guinness

Pour one ounce of black currant liqueur in a glass and top with Guinness Extra Stout. And don’t you love our adorable shamrock garnish? It’s a cucumber cut with a shamrock cookie cutter!

For this one, you want to use a glass that will hold 6-8 ounces. Don’t use a beer or pint glass because you won’t have the right ratio of beer to liqueur.

We loved the flavor of this Guinness cocktail. It had just the right amount of sweet. We then wondered what other flavored liqueur might be good in a Guinness? Obviously Bailey’s Irish Cream came to mind and coffee liqueur might be pretty amazing too!

Guinness Milkshake

This delicious Guinness milkshake is perfect for your friend with the sweet tooth! Add 2 large scoops of ice cream, 1.5 ounces of whiskey, and 1 cup of Guinness to a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into a pint glass and top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. So yummy!

You can use any flavor ice cream you want – we used one scoop vanilla and one scoop mint chocolate chip. You could also try chocolate or coffee ice cream. You could also sub the whiskey with Irish cream! This recipe is so versatile, let us know what you try with it!

Jamaican Guinness Punch

This Guinness punch is a traditional favorite served at holidays and family gatherings in Jamaica! It has a sweet, milky, stout flavor and is easy to make in large batches for a party. Just be sure to keep it chilled well. The recipe below makes four drinks, but you can easily adjust it to make more. You’ll need:

• 12 oz Guinness Extra Stout
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a blender (or use an immersion blender), then divide into four glasses. A rocks-size glass works best for this cocktail. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon and enjoy.

We hope you enjoy these Guinness cocktails for St. Patrick’s Day – or any day!

The post 4 Guinness Cocktails to Level Up St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

This Pine Gin and Tonic recipe may seem a bit untraditional. Simple syrup and ice cubes made from pine needles? Who wants to drink a tree? Trust us – it’s surprisingly tasty (not to mention GORGEOUS!), with an earthy flavor that brings winter and Christmas to your taste buds.

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This cocktail involves a couple extra steps that you might want to prep the day before you actually want to make your drinks. You’ll need at least 2-3 hours to make your ice cubes and simple syrup.

How to Make Pine Ice Spheres and Pine Simple Syrup

The first step in creating this beautiful drink is to make the pine ice spheres. Start with a set of sphere ice molds. Place a small twig from a pine tree into each, cover with water, and let them freeze up.

Next, make your pine simple syrup. Simple syrup is a key ingredient used as a sweetener in many cocktail recipes. In its most basic form, it is made by combining equal parts sugar and hot water. Since sugar does not dissolve well in alcohol or in cold beverages, simple syrup is used to ensure that sweetness is uniformly mixed into a cocktail. 

To make this pine simple syrup, you first need to gather a couple boughs from a pine tree. We used about this much:

Remove the needles from the branches and rinse them well.

• Combine one cup sugar and one cup of water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 
• Heat the mixture to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar, stirring a few times. You want to see steam coming from the surface and a few bubbles. Do not let the water come to a vigorous boil or you’ll start boiling off water, which will affect your water to sugar ratio. 
• Lower your heat to medium-low. Add the pine needles to the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Stir several times during the heating process. 
• Remove from the heat and cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Strain out the pine needles and pour the syrup into a clean, air-tight jar.

A mason jar is ideal for your homemade simple syrup, and it’s a good idea to sterilize your jar in boiling water before storing your syrup to guard against any bacterial growth. Store it in your refrigerator and it will stay good for about 2 weeks. If you want it to last longer, mix in a half-ounce of vodka to act as a preservative. This will extend your syrup’s life to about 4-6 weeks.

You can find a lot more detail and more than 40 recipes in our Ultimate Guide to Simple Syrup.

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Making a Pine Gin and Tonic

When your ice cubes and syrup are ready, it’s time to make the drink. Find a gorgeous glass that holds 8-10 ounces. Place a pine ice sphere in the glass. (Don’t forget to take a photo because it’s just so pretty!)

Pour 2 ounces of your favorite gin, a half-ounce of pine simple syrup, and an ounce of fresh-squeezed lime juice into a cocktail shaker with just one ice cube and give it a quick shake. You don’t want to water this drink down (since you’ll also be adding tonic water), but you want it to get mixed and cold before you pour it into the glass so the pine ice sphere doesn’t melt too quickly!

Strain into your glass, top with tonic water and enjoy!

Pine Gin & Tonic

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A beautiful, wintry, unique cocktail that will impress your guests.

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Ingredients

• 2-3 pine tree boughs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• Tonic water

Instructions

1. To make the pine ice spheres: Place small pine twigs into sphere ice molds and let them freeze.
2. To make the pine simple syrup: Simmer 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water with the needles from 2 pine tree boughs. Gently simmer - do not boil! - for 15-20 minutes. Strain and cool.
3. To make the drink: Mix 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz pine simple syrup, and 1 oz lime juice with just ONE ice cube in a cocktail shaker. Give it a quick shake, then strain into a glass with your pine ice sphere.
4. Top with tonic water.
5. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Pine Gin and Tonic: A Drink to Impress Your Friends appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

This Fireball Eggnog recipe will spice up your favorite Christmas drink! Creamy eggnog blends deliciously with the cinnamon heat of Fireball Whiskey. Then we added a bit of orange flavor for a twist!

It’s the season of eggnog and sure, you can buy a boozy, pre-made version in your local liquor store, but what fun is that? Just buy some eggnog at the grocery store and try one of these two recipes to spike it up for the holidays.

Does Fireball Go With Eggnog? Yes!

Ever since Walmart started selling a non-alcoholic Fireball eggnog, people have been going crazy for this flavor combination. But if you want an alcoholic drink, you’ll need to add Fireball whiskey. And while I usually can’t get enough of Fireball, adding it to already-flavored eggnog just seems WAY too sweet.

The Fireball web site has a recipe they call Firenog. It’s 2 parts Fireball Whiskey and 1 part eggnog. Sounds fine, but I can never just follow a recipe. I need to make it my own.

I’ve been experimenting a lot with bitters lately and I wanted to use these orange bitters from Scrappy’s to balance the sweetness of this drink. I also decided to add a touch of Triple Sec to enhance the orange flavor.

This Fireball Eggnog recipe is simple. Pour 4 ounces of eggnog, 1.5 ounces of Fireball whiskey, 1/2 ounce Triple Sec, and 3-4 dashes of orange bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well until frosty cold, then strain and enjoy.

But if Fireball is not your thing, any whiskey or bourbon is generally excellent in eggnog.

How Much Whiskey Do You Put in Eggnog?

You’ll want a ratio of 4:1 eggnog to whiskey. For each glass, mix 4 ounces of eggnog with one ounce of whiskey, bourbon, or your spirit of choice. Mix well and served chilled or over ice.

There are many types of whiskey, so be sure to experiment with your alcohol of choice. I tried Misunderstood’s Ginger Spiced Whiskey, it was especially delicious! Chill this drink well and garnish with some crystallized ginger for a beautiful Christmas cocktail.

I hope you enjoy these eggnog variations and have a Happy Holiday season!

Fireball Eggnog

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

This Fireball Eggnog recipe will spice up your favorite Christmas drink!

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Ingredients

• 4 oz chilled eggnog
• 1.5 oz Fireball whiskey
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 3-4 dashes orange bitters

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake well until frosty, strain into a glass, and enjoy!
3. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 332Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 70mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 0gSugar: 27gProtein: 6g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Fireball Eggnog Recipe {With a Twist!} appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

When it comes to big-batch beverages for your party, Sangria is one of the most fun and flexible. With fresh cranberries and a ginger kick, our Ginger Pear Sangria recipe is unique, delicious and gorgeous! And the presentation just screams “Christmas.”

There are so many ways to make a sangria. Most involve wine, fruit, brandy, and some type of fizz. Often thought of as a summer drink, we think our Ginger Pear Sangria is best in the fall or winter. It blends the spicy kick of ginger with a rich pear syrup. Throw in some cranberries and it’s perfect for Christmas!

The fizz in our sangria recipe comes from Franklin & Sons ginger beer. Franklin & Sons products were first introduced in Britain in 1886 and the Franklin brothers quickly established themselves as experts in creating authentic, high quality recipes made from delicious hand-picked ingredients. The foundation of the Franklin & Sons tonic and mixer range is Staffordshire water and the finest British sugar with the highest carbonation possible to lift the most delicate botanicals of any spirit.

They have recently launched their tonic and mixer line in the USA and they can be found at your local Fresh Market! They have club soda, tonic water, ginger beer, ginger ale, and more.

We were gifted some samples of Franklin & Sons products and were delighted by the taste and the extra-fizziness of their mixers. Their ginger beer especially caught our attention. It’s not overly spicy like some ginger beers and it has a distinct lemon flavor that we thought would be perfect for sangria.

We happened to be planning a small holiday get-together, so we set to work creating this Christmas sangria and an awesome charcuterie board to pair with it.

How to Make Ginger Pear Sangria

To make our sangria, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 2 bottles of dry white wine (we used Dark Horse Pinot Grigio)
• 2 oz pear simple syrup (we made ours with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar for a richer taste)
• 2 oz ginger liqueur (we used Domaine de Canton)
• 12 oz ginger beer (we used Franklin & Sons)
• 3 pears, sliced
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries

Pour the wine, pear simple syrup, and ginger liqueur into a large pitcher or punch bowl and stir. Wash and slice your pears into thin slices. Add the pears and cranberries to the sangria. Pour in the ginger beer and stir again. Keep cold in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

When it’s time to serve, pour the sangria into a glass and top off with a little fresh ginger beer. Enjoy!

Ginger Pear Sangria

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A unique and beautiful sangria that is perfect for your party!

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Ingredients

• 2 bottles of dry white wine (we used Dark Horse Pinot Grigio)
• 2 oz pear simple syrup (we made ours with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar for a richer taste)
• 2 oz ginger liqueur (we used Domaine de Canton)
• 12 oz ginger beer (we used Franklin & Sons)
• 3 pears, sliced
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries

Instructions

1. Mix the wine, pear syrup, ginger liqueur, and ginger beer in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Mix well.
2. Add sliced pears and cranberries, and chill for at least an hour.
3. When serving, top each glass off with a little fresh ginger beer.
4. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Ginger Pear Sangria Recipe appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

The Mistletoe Mojito is a festive riff on the classic mojito. If you love a refreshing, minty mojito, you’ll love this holiday-themed version made with cranberry juice and cranberry simple syrup.

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We love mojitos. We’ve made them with blueberry, jalapeno, coconut, apple and basil, and even as a mocktail. So naturally we needed to make a Christmas version. And it needed cranberry juice and snowball ice cubes.

How to Make a Christmas Mistletoe Mojito

The first thing you need for this Christmas mojito is cranberry simple syrup. We love this Organic Cranberry Spice Syrup from Royal Rose Syrups, but making your own cranberry simple syrup is easy and delicious.

Combine one cup of fresh cranberries, one cup of sugar, and one cup of water in a saucepan and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. You want the cranberries to be softened but not popped. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.

Strain the fruit out with a fine mesh strainer, but don’t press the berries through because that will cloud the syrup. The cooked, strained cranberries are the equivalent of fresh cranberry sauce, so eat them with your holiday meal or enjoy them on yogurt or ice cream. And save a spoonful because you’ll use it in this drink.

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While your syrup is cooling, gather the rest of the ingredients for the Mistletoe Mojito: 6-7 mint leaves (or more to your taste), 2 ounces rum, 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1 ounce cranberry juice, 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup, and 1 spoonful (about a tablespoon) of cooked cranberries.

Add the mint leaves, spoonful of cooked cranberries, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker and muddle gently. You don’t want to mash the mint leaves, you just want to massage them to release the oils.

Next, add ice, simple syrup, cranberry juice, and rum to the shaker and shake well until frosty. Strain into a highball glass — and to really make the mistletoe magic, you’ll need three ice spheres (get these ice molds to make spheres) so it looks like a snowman!

Finally, top with club soda or seltzer and garnish with a couple fresh cranberries and a sprig of mint. Cheers!

Mistletoe Mojito

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

The Mistletoe Mojito is a festive, holiday cocktail made with cranberry juice and cranberry simple syrup.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries, plus a few for garnish
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 oz light rum
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 6-7 mint leaves (or more to your taste)
• Seltzer or club soda

Instructions

1. To make the syrup: Simmer the cranberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, then strain and allow to cool.
2. Strain gently, don't press the cranberries through the strainer because it will cloud your syrup.
3. Reserve a spoonful of strained cranberries. Save the rest of the cranberry sauce for a meal or dessert!
4. To make the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the mint leaves, lime juice and about a tablespoon of cranberry sauce.
5. Add a few ice cubes, rum, cranberry juice, and 1 ounce of your cranberry syrup. Shake well until frosty.
6. Strain into a highball glass over ice spheres, top with club soda, and garnish with a couple fresh cranberries and a sprig of mint.
7. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

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Vodka is the perfect spirit for Christmas cocktails because it doesn’t add a strong flavor to your drinks. You can let the flavors of the season shine! We created three vodka cocktails for Christmas that are sure to impress your friends and family.

Christmas Vodka Cocktails with NEFT

We were gifted a sample of NEFT Vodka and we loved everything about it – from the unique packaging to the smooth, clean taste with its slightly sweet finish. Crafted in the Alps of Austria for its oxygen-rich spring water, NEFT is an ultra-premium vodka with a taste as memorable as its container – this sophisticated metal drum that protects the vodka from light and heat. It’s available in black, white, or a seasonal pride theme.

Not only is the barrel stylish, it’s highly functional. After pouring, you screw the cap back on and push it down into the barrel top – making it portable, leak-proof and unbreakable. The barrel also keeps NEFT Vodka cold for up to 6 hours. But don’t freeze your vodka! Did you know that freezing vodka dulls its taste? Just chill it in the frig a couple hours before using.

Rosemary Vodka Cranberry

Our first Christmas cocktail is a riff on the classic vodka cranberry. Cranberry is a popular holiday flavor, but adding in a bit of orange and rosemary brings this drink to the next level.

• 2 oz NEFT Vodka
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz cranberry simple syrup
• 2 inches of fresh rosemary
• Frozen cranberries, sugar, rosemary and an orange slice for garnish

Muddle the rosemary in orange juice, then add the rest of the ingredients to the cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain over fresh ice. Add an orange slice, rosemary, and frozen cranberries for garnish and sprinkle with sugar.

Ginger Vodka Cranberry

Another vodka cranberry riff, this cocktail uses ginger liqueur for a bit of a kick!

• 1.5 oz NEFT Vodka
• 1 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice

For this beauty, simply shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, then strain over fresh ice and garnish with cranberries and lime.

Coconut Chocolate Martini

Did you know that the classic martini is made with gin and vermouth – not vodka? But over time vodka became an acceptable substitute and bartenders everywhere started calling anything with vodka in it a “martini.”

This recipe is really about as far from a true martini as you can get, but it is served in a martini glass! And it makes a fantastic dessert cocktail.

• 2 oz NEFT Vodka
• 3/4 oz Cream of Coconut
• 1/2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
• 1/4 oz chocolate syrup (leave this out if you like it less sweet)
• Chocolate chips and coconut flakes to rim the glass

First, you’ll want to garnish your glass. Pour some coconut flakes on a plate. Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate chips (or more if you’re making several drinks) in wide bowl or plate in the microwave. Stir well so the chocolate is smooth, then roll the rim of your glass in the chocolate. Immediately dip the glass in the coconut flakes.

Pro tip: After making this drink, we recommend you only rim half the glass with chocolate and coconut. Rimming the full glass looks pretty, but the coconut hardens in the chocolate and it’s a bit “spiky” on your lips when you try to drink it!

Once your glass is prepared, pour the vodka, cream of coconut, chocolate liqueur, and chocolate syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well – 30-60 seconds – to fully incorporate all the ingredients. Strain into your prepared glass and enjoy!

The post Three Christmas Vodka Cocktails That Will Impress Your Guests appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, come light the menorah,
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the hora —

{{ Insert screeching sound of a vinyl record stopping abruptly }}

No, there won’t be much partying or hora-dancing for Hanukkah 2020. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of these amazing Hanukkah cocktails. Or two. Or five.

A Bit About Hanukkah

Somewhere around 2,200 years ago, the Jews lived in the Holy Land of Israel, which was ruled by the Persians and the Egyptian Greeks. They allowed the Jews to follow their religious traditions. But then King Antiochus IV came along and forced the Jews to worship Greek Gods. Anyone caught practicing Judaism could be killed.

A group of Jews called the Maccabees revolted and, after a 3-year war, they liberated Jerusalem from the Greeks. The Maccabees wanted to rededicate their temple to God, as the Greeks had been worshipping Zeus there. They lit the temple’s menorah (the Hebrew word for lamp) but they could only find enough oil to keep the menorah lit for one day. Miraculously, the menorah remained lit for 8 days!

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for 8 days and Jews traditionally eat fried foods such as potato latkes and jelly doughnuts to commemorate the miracle of the oil.

Now I enjoy a peppermint or eggnog cocktail as much as the next person, but they don’t go very well with brisket and latkes. So I created five Hanukkah-themed cocktails to help celebrate the Festival of Lights. L’chaim!

Menorah Margarita

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This margarita is a bit smoky – like the candles on your menorah. It gets its beautiful blue hue from simple syrup and ice cubes made from butterfly pea flower tea (recipe below).

• Mix 1 ounce mezcal tequila, 1 ounce blanco tequila, and 1 ounce lime juice in tall glass.
• Add crushed ice and club soda, leaving about 1-2 inches at the top of the glass.
• Carefully top with crushed blue ice cubes.
• Slowly pour 1 ounce of blue simple syrup on top. As the syrup and ice cubes slowly mix with the lime juice, the bottom of the drink will start to turn purple. Once you mix it, it will all turn purple.
• Mix well before drinking to distribute the flavors.

How to Make Blue Simple Syrup

I made my blue simple syrup with butterfly pea flowers (click to buy some – they are really fun!). Here’s the step-by-step:

• Steep 1/4 cup dried butterfly pea flowers in a teapot with 4 cups of boiling water.
• Steep for 10 minutes, then strain out the flowers.
• Combine 1 cup of the blue tea in a saucepan with 1 cup of sugar. (Keep the rest of the tea to drink and to make ice cubes.)
• Heat the mixture to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar. You want to see steam coming from the surface and a few bubbles. Do not let the water come to a vigorous boil or you’ll start boiling off water, which will affect your water to sugar ratio. 
• Stir with a whisk several times during the heating process. 
• Remove from the heat and cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Pour into a clean, air-tight jar. A mason jar is ideal for your homemade simple syrup. It’s a good idea to sterilize your jar in boiling water before storing your syrup to guard against any bacterial growth.
• Find more simple syrups recipes in our Ultimate Guide to Simple Syrups!

The remainder of your butterfly pea flower tea can be used to make blue ice cubes or to simply drink as a healthy tea. And if you don’t know about its magic color-changing properties, squeeze some lemon in your tea and watch it turn purple!

Vodka Gimel

Gimel is the best letter on the dreidel.

Dreidel is a game played on Hanukkah that involves spinning a 4-sided top. At the beginning of each round, every player puts one game piece into the center “pot.” Game pieces can be anything from pennies to poker chips to chocolate Hanukkah coins called “gelt.”

When it’s your turn, you spin the dreidel and the letter it lands on tells you what to do. You might get nothing (nun), you might get half the pot (hey), or you might have to put a piece in (shin). But when the dreidel lands on gimel, you win the whole pot!

A riff on the Vodka Gimlet, I enhanced this cocktail with a bit of blueberry. If you prefer the classic Gimlet, use gin instead of vodka.

• Combine 2.5 ounces of vodka (or gin), ½ ounce lime juice, and ½ ounce blueberry simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
• Shake until frosty, the strain into a coupe glass.
• Add blueberries for garnish.

Mazel Tov Cocktail

No, not molotov cocktail, but this drink does have some fire in it. And I tried so hard to make it flame. Cinnamon sticks don’t burn, they only smoke. Same with rosemary and thyme. Then I read that you could soak a sugar cube in high-proof alcohol and it would burn. No dice – even when I made a little “pool” of 100 proof bourbon inside the orange peel shell. (If anyone knows how to make a flaming cocktail garnish, please let me know!)

Flame or no flame, this fireball mixed drink pairs wonderfully with the applesauce on your latkes.

• Pour 2 ounces of Fireball Whiskey into a rocks glass (you can personalized ones – click here!).
• Add 2-3 dashes of Bitterman’s Burlesque Bitters (You need these bitters! They are a mix of hibiscus, acai, and long pepper – seriously, this stuff is amazing!)
• Add ice and stir.
• Top off with ginger ale and stir again.
• Garnish with orange peel, cinnamon stick, or something flaming!

The Jelly Donut

Jelly donuts, or sufganiyot, are a traditional Hanukkah treat. And there’s nothing wrong with starting your day with jelly donuts and a cocktail. It’s 2020.

• Rub a glass rim with lemon juice, then roll it in powdered sugar.
• Carefully place ice in the glass (I recommend ice spheres made with these molds). Don’t “drop” the ice in the glass – it will make the powdered sugar fly all over and fall off the rim.
• Pour 2 ounces of vanilla vodka, 3/4 ounce lemon juice, and 3/4 ounce Chambord liqueur in a cocktail shaker with 2-3 ice cubes.
• Shake until frosty, and strain into your prepared glass.
• Garnish with lemon peel and raspberries.

The Spinning Dreidel Hanukkah Gelt Cocktail

This sweet concoction goes down easy and makes a lovely dessert cocktail while playing dreidel.

• Squeeze some chocolate syrup onto a plate and dip a glass in it. Roll it around to get a good amount of chocolate on there and let it drip down inside the glass. For a cleaner look, you can melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and rim the glass in the melted chocolate – this is thicker and the chocolate will harden on the glass rim instead of dripping.
• In a cocktail shaker, add 1 1/2 ounces each of vanilla vodka, Rumchata, and Godiva chocolate liqueur.
• Add 3-4 ice cubes and shake for about 30 seconds.
• Strain into your glass and top with chocolate shavings.

I hope you enjoy these Hanukkah cocktails and have as much fun with them as I did. Happy Hanukkah!

The post 5 Hanukkah Cocktails to Put the Mazel in your Tov appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

Cranberries are the flavor of the holiday season. So instead of the traditional orange juice mimosa on Christmas morning, mix up this simple and delightful Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler. It’s also perfect for Valentine’s Day or brunch any time of year!

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Essential Ingredient: Cranberry Simple Syrup

We here at Spilling Tequila are big fans of Royal Rose Organic Simple Syrups. Their products are organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free, with ingredients locally sourced near their Newcastle, Maine facility. Each syrup is made with raw sugars, farm-fresh ingredients, and without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

We do love to make our own simple syrups, but Royal Rose has some unique flavor profiles that are tougher to duplicate (like the Hot Ginger Lime we used in this Hot Ginger Mule!).

Their Cranberry Spice is perfect for all your fall and winter holiday drinks. It’s tart and warm and mixes well with whiskey and vodka. It also makes a stellar sparkling cocktail.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler Recipe 

To make this drink, you’ll need 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, 1 ounce of Royal Rose Cranberry Spice Organic Simple Syrup, and chilled Prosecco.

The hardest part of making this drink is getting those fresh seeds out of the pomegranate. Yep, it’s messy, but fresh ingredients are SO worth it.

Once you’ve liberated the pomegranate seeds from their captivity, put about 1/4 cup of seeds in measuring cup (or any other wide-mouthed container) and add 1 ounce of the Cranberry Spice syrup. Muddle well to release the pomegranate juice.

Give the mixture a stir and then strain into a glass. For this drink, you’ll want to use a champagne flute, a large coup glass or any sparkling wine glass. We chose this gorgeous glass not thinking about how big it was and ended up pouring half a bottle of Prosecco into one drink!!! Oops! I’d recommend one the smaller ones above.

Once you’ve strained into the perfect glass, top off the Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler with Prosecco and garnish with some pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon stick. If you opt for giant glassware – you may want to double up on the pomegranate/syrup mixture to maximize the fruity flavor.

Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Instead of the traditional orange juice mimosa on Christmas morning, mix up this refreshing Cranberry Pomegranate Sparkler.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
• 1 oz Royal Rose Cranberry Spice Simple Syrup
• Chilled Prosecco

Instructions

1. Combine pomegranate seeds and cranberry spice syrup in a measuring cup (or other container) and muddle well.
2. Strain into a glass and top with chilled Prosecco.
3. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds and a cinnamon stick.
4. Please drink responsibly!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

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