BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM
With stress levels running high and stay-at-home orders in place for almost all of us, happy hour is what you make of it. They say when life throws you lemons, you make lemonade. Many of us like myself aren’t used to working from home or staying indoors for long periods of time so this COVID-19 can definitely give us mood swings. With all our favorite bars and restaurants closed it’s now the time to shake, stir and sip our own cocktails at home to lighten the mood.
A lot of people see this time as a very depressing and stressful time but remember there is always a silver lining. Now is the time to look for the good in the bad. So, if you have the luxury of quarantining yourself inside your home, first of all, be grateful. Second, try one of these easy cocktail recipes. Unwind and chill with something cool because let’s face it, no one wants to get through quarantine completely sober. But I strongly recommend drinking responsibly. Now is the time to practice skills that you’ve wanted to learn and here is your chance to work on that mixology skill.
This week I’m sharing three cocktail recipes that are fun to make at home. You probably have some of these liquor on your shelves or these ingredients in your pantry. These cocktails take under five minutes to make with no professional tools needed.
Appleton Rum and Pink Grapefruit
Serves: 1 Time: 5 minutes
This cocktail recipe is a mix of Appleton rum topped with pink grapefruit soda and sweetened with a ginger infused simple syrup. Rim the glass with a lime infused sugar which adds an extra flavor that you will enjoy with every sip.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. lime scented sugar
- 2 oz. Appleton signature blend
- .5 oz. ginger simple syrup
- 4 oz. pink grapefruit soda
- 1 splash lime juice
- 1 cup crushed ice
Mixing Directions
To rim glass: Use the wedge of lime or lemon to rub around the rim of the glass to get it moist then dip into lime scented sugar.
Add rum and simple syrup to a glass and stir to combine then add crushed ice, grapefruit juice, lime juice. Cheers!
Raspberry Mint Smashed
This cocktail was created based on what I had on hand. You can recreate this cocktail using basil or any berries that you have on hand. Frozen berries even work.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 5-6 mint leaves
- 6 raspberries
- 2 oz vodka
- 3 oz Italian grapefruit soda
Mixing Directions
In a glass muddle together sugar mint and raspberry then add ice and the remaining ingredients and enjoy.
The Famous Blue Lagoon
Serves 1 Time: 3 minutes
Blue Lagoon is one of the best tropical cocktails for a hot day. You can put this drink together in no time. This blue drink features vodka, blue curacao and lemonade. The lovely blue color of the cocktail looks fun and exotic, but it really is a very simple drink to make at home.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces blue curacao
- 2 ounces vodka
- Lemonade
Mixing Directions
Pour vodka and blue curacao in a shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a highball glass with ice, top with lemonade, garnish and serve.
