07-22-2025

This cocktail was created in 2008 by Kirk Estopinal (@kirks_quarantunes) and featured in The Bartender’s Manifesto by Emma Janzen (@emmajanzen) and Toby Maloney (@tobycocktail). Kirk set out to make a mojito that neither looked like one nor required the effort. It drinks more like a daiquiri, but the subtle mint notes give it that nod. He chose Brugal Añejo for its honeyed viscosity that holds up as the drink warms, without becoming texturally awkward. These days, he says he’d probably serve it on the rocks to make sure it evolves in a delicious way. Cheers y’all!

07-21-2025

This cocktail was created by Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm) as a mash-up of the classic tiki Nui Nui and Cure’s Drink of Laughter and Forgetting. The name comes from Doctor Yah-Yah, a New Orleans voodoo practitioner described in Herbert Asbury’s The French Quarter, tying the drink to its Crescent City roots. Bright citrus and warm spice meet a bitter, herbal base, making this a bold and layered hybrid of two very different drinks. Cheers y'all!

07-20-2025

A Negroni riff inspired by a Piña Colada?! Or is it a Piña Colada riff inspired by a Negroni? Or is it simply just a great cocktail? I hope I don’t anger too many people by posting two “Negronis” this weekend that aren’t traditional. BUT, as soon as I saw Jordan Hughes (@highproofpreacher) share this beauty, I had to make it. It’s what happens when a beach bar and an aperitivo hour fall in love. Cheers y’all!

07-19-2025

The Saturn is by far the most popular gin-based tiki drink (and my partner’s favorite). Here, I closely follow Jean-Félix Desfossés’ (@jfdesfosses) recipe, where he adds half the gin post-clarification to maintain those delicate botanical notes that are usually lost during clarification. This time I used Empress gin, but you can easily use another gin and add butterfly pea flower for color. Rum is not usually included in a Saturn, but here it helps increase the ABV and ease the clarification process. I had the same idea @storyaboutcocktails did when he saw the Saturn mold – check his variation out! Cheers y’all!

07-18-2025

Don’t cancel this Negroni. I recently saw Ed (@ed_tales) stir this one up and it definitely caught my eye. To quote Ed, “Is this a Negroni? Is a hotdog a sandwich?” Regardless of where you fall, this cocktail is delicious. This one is packed with botanicals, herbs, and bitterness. Don’t be turned away from the green (Midori), as it doesn’t dominate, but adds a nice sweetness to balance the bitter. Cheers y’all!

07-17-2025

This one comes from Teardrop Lounge in Portland, OR. I had it in person before finding the recipe online. Vodka is the base, but the passionfruit and lime bring tropical sunshine while hot honey syrup adds a gentle heat. A little bubbly on top makes it bright and refreshing. You can also try it with tequila or mezcal for a fun twist. Cheers y’all!

07-16-2025

Fernet and Campari walk into a tiki bar. This cocktail was created by the amazing Frederic Yarm (@fredericyarm). It is a hybrid between the Ferrari (equal parts Fernet Branca and Campari) and Death & Co’s Gilda (tequila, lime, pineapple, and cinnamon). Yarm named it after a turn-of-the-century New Orleans crime syndicate known for blackmail and ominous death threats marked with black hands and crimson skulls. The trio of lime, pineapple, and cinnamon wonderfully balance and complement the bitter Ferrari components. Cheers y’all!

07-15-2025

An identity crisis never tasted so good. This cocktail was created by Jordan Hughes (@highproofpreacher) as part of his “New Week, New Old Fashioned” series, where he takes the old fashioned template and gets creative with it. This one, he admits, is tough to call an old fashioned, but it sure is delicious. Mezcal adds smoke, Chartreuse brings herbs, and orgeat rounds it all out with some nutty smoothness. This one is totally worth a try! Cheers y’all!

07-14-2025

This cocktail was created by the legendary Erick Castro (@hungrybartender) for his bar Gilly’s House of Cocktails (@gillyshouseofcocktails; San Diego, CA). Castro recently shared a picture of this cocktail and was so kind enough to send me the specs. I love a tropical gin cocktail, and this one hits every note. The combo of Yellow Chartreuse, honey, and absinthe brings this deep, herbal backbone that plays so well with the bright pineapple and lemon. The turmeric is visually stunning and adds a warm, earthy nose that sets the tone before your first sip. My partner is also obsessed with this drink and I have a feeling it will be in the rotation now. Cheers y’all!

07-13-2025

I found this cocktail in Sasha Petraske’s “Regarding Cocktails.” Marcos Tello took the classic gin-based cocktail The Business and gave it a smoky twist with mezcal. Then he finished it off with just a pinch of cayenne and sea salt on top. He shakes it with one big ice cube until the drink pours out with a soft, almost soapy-looking froth. That foam is not just for show. It gives the drink a silky texture and helps bring the salty spicy topping to the forefront. Cheers y’all!

07-12-2025

This cocktail was created by Brandon Bramhall (@friendzelwashington) at Attaboy Nashville in 2017. It is accurately described as “big, bold, and bitter.” This Kingston-esque Negroni hit the spot and offered herbal complexity. Simon Difford emphasizes the importance of the orange peel oil here, hence why I also used two. Cheers y’all!

07-11-2025

A daiquiri born from L.A. street tacos. This cocktail was created by the wildly talented Branden von Fugate (@thisisacocktailbook). This one was inspired by the flavors of al pastor street tacos. He survived on these for years while he lived in Los Angeles – in fact, he named this drink Los Angeles when he put it on his opening menu at Sueño, though changed it after another similar name sounding cocktail was making the rounds. The new name is a Zelda reference, but also a reference to the motorcycle he always rode to get these tacos. If you’re not already following Branden, fix that. His cocktails are thoughtful, bold, and never boring. Cheers y’all!

07-10-2025

This cocktail was created by Gil Bouhana at Milk & Honey (NYC; now closed). He shook up a Daiquiri riff with Avuá Amburana and a grapefruit peel using the Regal technique for Sasha Petraske. Sasha took a sip and said, “That’s a drink.” From then on, it was a staple. Cheers y’all!

07-09-2025

This cocktail was created by Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills in New York City and found in Sasha Petraske’s “Regarding Cocktails.” It has strong similarities to the classic Silver Fizz, which uses simple syrup instead of orgeat. I love the multiple layers of almond flavor from the orgeat and amaretto. Cheers y’all!

07-08-2025

This classic cocktail dates back to 1941 where it was featured in Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion. The name of the drink is a nod to a naval battle cry from the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States. I’ve seen some specs dial the Fernet down to a quarter ounce, but surprisingly, the Fernet did not bully the other ingredients here. Cheers y’all!

07-07-2025

I posted a patio cocktail to my story over the weekend and folks asked what the specs were. I honestly just took this delicious Sandia recipe, created in 2016 by David Valdez at Simbal (Little Tokyo, Los Angeles; now closed), and turned it into a highball by adding soda water. It turned an already refreshing drink into something even lighter and perfect for hot afternoons. Cheers y’all!

07-06-2025

This cocktail was created by Nathan Talbert (@food_ninja808). He was influenced in part by the tiki classic Saturn (gin + passionfruit). The addition of Aperol and pineapple turns it into something bright, juicy, and definitely on the sweeter side. A little more gin post-clarification helps keep it balanced, so adjust to your palate. Bonus points if you add edible glitter for that full galaxy vibe (I didn’t have any at the time of shooting this!). Cheers y’all!

07-05-2025

Created by Joe Beauprez (@joe.e.b), this drink hits hard but stays balanced. Overproof rum brings the heat, Malört throws in its signature bite, and orgeat plus cinnamon smooth it out with some rich, nutty depth. Lime juice cuts through it all, keeping things from going off the rails. It’s like a Mai Tai that’s been through some things. Loud, bitter, somehow comforting. You feel it in your chest in a good way. Cheers y’all!

07-04-2025

This cocktail was created by Jon Mateer (@vodkapaysmybills) at TPC Sawgrass (St. Augustine, FL). Yellow Chartreuse and Averna round out the edges with herbal warmth and a little richness, while just a touch of passionfruit and vanilla pull in something tropical and unexpected. Though, I find the spice of rye works well in tropical/tiki drinks, so I especially enjoyed it here. Cheers y’all!

07-03-2025

As soon as Isaiah LaBelle (@onesipclub) sent me this recipe a few days ago, I had to reshake it. This is his twist on the modern classic Penicillin by Sam Ross. Here, Isaiah introduces a bitter component (Campari), which adds another bite to pair with the fiery ginger. This one truly is worth reshaking and I thank Isaiah for telling me to drop everything and make this. Cheers y’all!