Sunday, June 15, 2025

The Perfect Memorial Day Cocktails

Summer is starting and what better way than one of these perfect cocktails!  Happy Memorial Day!

This weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and nothing says celebration like a refreshing drink shared with friends and family. Whether you prefer gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, or something bubbly, here are five crowd-pleasing drinks with a bit of history behind each. Here are the recipes for the perfect Memorial Day cocktails.

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The Classic Tom Collins

This citrusy classic dates back to the 1800s and became especially popular in America during Prohibition thanks to its easy-to-drink profile.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz London dry gin
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • Club soda to top

Create

  1. Shake gin, lemon juice, and syrup with ice
  2. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice
  3. Top with soda
  4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and cherry
Peach and Black Tea Highball

French 75

Named after a powerful WWI artillery gun, the French 75 has packed a punch since the early 20th century, blending bubbles with botanical notes.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz gin
  • 0.5 oz lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup
  • 3 oz Champagne or Prosecco

Create

  1. Shake gin, lemon, and syrup with ice
  2. Strain into a flute and top with bubbly
  3. Garnish with a lemon twist

Peach & Black Tea Highball

Inspired by Southern porch traditions, this highball gives a nod to classic sweet tea with a modern whiskey backbone.

Ingredients

  • 1½ oz bourbon
  • ½ oz peach liqueur or purée
  • 3 oz chilled black tea
  • Lemon or peach wedge for garnish

Create

  1. Fill tall glass with ice
  2. Add all bourbon, peach liqueur and black tea
  3. Stir gently
  4. Garnish with Lemon or peach wedge

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Spicy Paloma Verde

The Paloma, Mexico’s real national cocktail (sorry, margarita), gets a green upgrade with jalapeño and fresh herbs.  The spicy is a perfect way to combat the heat, While it might feel like the opposite, the sensation of heat from spicy food triggers a cooling response in the body through sweating.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz agave syrup
  • 2 oz grapefruit soda (like Jarritos)
  • 2 jalapeño slice for garnish

Create

  1. Muddle 1 jalapeño slice lightly in cocktail shaker
  2. Add tequila, lime, and agave and shake lightly
  3. Strain into a salt-rimmed glass
  4. Top with soda
  5. Garnish with 2nd jalapeño slice

Michelada Negra

A darker, spicier cousin of the basic beer cocktail, this version uses a dark Mexican lager and smoky mezcal for depth. Micheladas likely originated in Mexico in the 1940s.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz mezcal
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • 3 dashes hot sauce
  • 1 dash Worcestershire
  • 1 pinch Tajín or chili salt
  • Dark Mexican lager (Negra Modelo or similar)

Create

  1. Rim a pint glass with Tajín
  2. Mix mezcal, lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire
  3. Top with beer
  4. Stir gently and enjoy

Cheers to summer, sunshine, and remembering those who served.

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