Spring is a giddy time, not just for the returning birds and critters, but especially for folks who are feeling the effects of extreme isolation this winter, eager to join up with friends and enjoy life like the good ol’ days. While meeting up with a group at the local saloon for after-work drinks may still not be an option, we can now safely and comfortably get together outside as the sun shines brighter and longer each day. Invite some friends over, set up some distanced chairs around the yard, and play bartender with some of the Hudson Valley’s best bourbons, gins, and elixirs. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.
STOUTRIDGE FLOWER POWER
Created by award-winning bartender Francesco Dionese
Combining a Parisian-influenced liqueur that translates into “French gaiety” with a clean, refreshing gin that hints of juniper and lemon, it’s easy to see how this light and flavorful cocktail could easily lift anyone’s spirits. The addition of local honey, raspberries, and lemon make this a perfect spring refresher that’s almost too pretty to drink with the lavender garnish.
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Stoutridge Gin0
3/4 oz Stoutridge Gaiete Francaise Liqueur
1/2 oz New York wildflower honey
3/4 oz squeezed lemon juice
5 fresh raspberries
1 egg white
Lavender for garnish
METHOD:
Shake Stoutridge Gin0, Stoutridge Gaiete Francaise Liqueur, honey, lemon juice, raspberries, and egg white in a cocktail shaker until well mixed. Add ice and shake again to cool the drink. Strain into a coupe and garnish with the dried lavender.
2 oz Stoutridge Gin0
3/4 oz Stoutridge Gaiete Francaise Liqueur
1/2 oz New York wildflower honey
3/4 oz squeezed lemon juice
5 fresh raspberries
1 egg white
Lavender for garnish
Stoutridge Winery & Distillery, Marlboro, stoutridge.com
TUTHILLTOWN’S OSTARA
Created by Tuthilltown Spirits
Ostara is the Germanic goddess of spring and dawn, and an ancient celebration of the midway point when daylight and nighttime are equal. This cocktail evokes the first green bursts of spring as the flora begins to push its way up through the last remaining snow cover. Herbaceous and crisp, Ostara balances the bright, verdant flavors of gentian liqueur against the warm earth tones of Hudson Whiskey, the first bourbon in New York state history.
INGREDIENTS:
1 -1/2 parts Hudson Bright Lights, Big Bourbon Whiskey
1/2 part Suze or other gentian liqueur
1/2 part fresh lime juice
2 dashes celery bitters
4–6 parts club soda
4–6 basil leaves, torn in half, for garnish
METHOD:
Add all but club soda to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake to chill. Strain into collins glass over new ice and top with club soda. Garnish with two basil leaves.
Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery, Gardiner, hudsonwhiskey.com
