Refreshing Grapefruit Summer Drinks

When the temperature rises above 90 degrees for what seems like days on end. When the swamp that is slowly running down your back makes a beeline for your brow- burning on the way down… you know that it is time for a refreshing little cocktail. One that smacks of tart and slightly acerbic flavor- a touch of smoke- a hint of sweet- the peel of citrus, the oil of grapefruit.  Here are refreshing grapefruit summer drinks that are a riff on the classic Hemingway daiquiri.  We have a nice blend of cocktail with two having medical grade cannabis in the mix.

Decarbing is an essential method of making cocktails that have the THC in them. THC. I don’t work with CBD, so please- don’t ask. Hemp is rope, building materials, cosmetics- not carefully crafted cocktails made with non-commercial spirits. All you’ll get is a headache.

The Amos Speck Hemingway

Amos wasn’t the first mayor of Denver. This is a take on the Hemingway made with Cannabis infused Absinthe and Rhum Agricole from Martinique.

Decarb your cannabis in the Nova Decarboxylation chamber — it’s a self contained, microprocessor controlled chamber that looks like a thermos bottle. It decarbs cannabis to 100% bioavailability, making for perfect infusions.

Deep inject the decarbed cannabis into the alcohol of your choice with two cylinders of nitrous oxide — venting and shaking the ISI between each application.

Strain through cheesecloth and rest in the freezer for an hour or so, strain then use in craft cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. (100mg Decarbed Cannabis) infused into Rhum Agricole
• ½ oz. White Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ oz. Maraschino Liqueur (like Luxardo, think dry, not sweet!)
• 3 oz. Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit juice
• Grapefruit Zest
• Fresh ice
• Cannabis Smoke

Prep:

Fill a frozen rocks glass with cannabis smoke. Add one large cube of ice and cover with a lid. To a Boston Shaker combine the Rhum Agricole, the balsamic vinegar, the Maraschino Liqueur, the Grapefruit Juice and lots of fresh ice. Cap and shake hard for 30 seconds. Strain over the large ice in the cannabis smoke filled rocks glass. Garnish with a grapefruit zest. Serve.

• Related Story: 5 Refreshing Summer Drinks Made With Vinegar

The next little Cannabis infused drink is named for another mayor. In this case he was from Seattle. The Corliss Stone Hemingway has hints of another one of my favorite cocktails- the Absinthe Frappe’. In this case we will force THC into Absinthe and then add a portion of both grapefruit and lemon juices, a touch of Maraschino, fresh mint, a touch of Rose scented simple syrup finished with a splash of seltzer.

The Corliss Stone Hemingway

• 1.5 oz. Cannabis Infused Absinthe –like Lucid or Jade
• ½ oz. Rhum Agricole
• 3 oz. Freshly Squeezed grapefruit juice
• ½ oz. Freshly Squeezed lemon juice
• ½ oz. Maraschino Liqueur
• bunch of perfectly washed fresh mint
• 1 oz. Rose Simple Syrup – like from Royal Rose in Maine
• Fresh Ice
• Cannabis Smoke filled Collins Glass with large ice cubes

Prep:

Into a Boston Shaker, muddle the mint lightly to reveal its perfume. Add some fresh ice. Top with the juices. Add the Absinthe. Add the Rhum Agricole. Add the Maraschino. Add the Rose Simple Syrup. Cap and shake hard for 30 seconds or so. Fill a frozen Collins Glass with cannabis smoke. Add one spear of hand cut ice and a zest from a grapefruit. Double Strain the cocktail over the spear ice and serve.

AC Bonnell was an early mayor of Portland, Oregon. I honor him with this little grapefruit soda that has more than just a touch of rum in the mix.

AC Bonnell Fizz

• 2 oz. Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
• 1 oz. Rhum Agricole
• 4 oz. Grapefruit Seltzer
• 3-5 drops Bittered Sling Rhubarb Bitters

Prep:

Into a Collins glass with some large cube ice: Add the Rhum Agricole. Top with the Grapefruit Seltzer. Float the Grapefruit juice on top. Dot with the Rhubarb Bitters and serve. Definitely not sweet!

Eliphalet Greeley Cocktail

Mr. Greeley was an early mayor of Portland, Maine

• 2 oz. Rhum Agricole VSOP
• 6 oz. Freshly Crushed Sugar Cane Juice
• Coconut water Ice
• 1 oz. Cane Sugar Syrup
• Splash of lime juice

Prep:

To a cocktail mixing vessel, fill ¾ with bar ice. Add the VSOP. Add the Sugar Cane Juice. Add the Cane Sugar Syrup. Add the Lime Juice. Stir. Strain over Coconut water ice cubes in a Double Old Fashioned glass. The final drink of this series is another take on the acidulated beverages that we call Shrubs- in a Hemingway-esque style- full of flavor and bite!

Henry Lang was an early mayor of Newark, NJ. What he has to do with Hemingway is not known, they didn’t even live in the same era.

Henry Lang Hemingway

• 2 oz. Rhum Agricole
• 2 oz. Freshly Squeezed Grapefruit juice
• 1 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
• ½ oz. White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 oz. Champagne (add at end)
• 1 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• 1 oz. Dark Simple Syrup

Prep:

To a Boston Shaker filled ¾ with bar ice. Add the juice. Add the Rhum Agricole. Add the maraschino. Add the gin. Add the vinegar. Add the simple syrup. Cap and shake really hard. Strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass with a grilled grapefruit slice (broil or grill grapefruit rounds and cool before using — grill marks are a big plus!)