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!

07-02-2025

I recently saw Kevin Kos (@kevin_kos) post a video explaining that the proteins found in a milk-clarified cocktail are enough to produce a natural foam layer when shaken. I wanted to try this myself with a Strawberry Clover Club (Clover & Out) I created recently. This technique works well for those drinks that traditionally are served with an egg white (sours), as it brings back that texture you lose when clarifying. Cheers y’all!

07-01-2025

This cocktail was created by my friend Jonny Norton (@yoers_). Mezcal does the heavy lifting. Montenegro brings in that warm orange and gentle spice, and Italicus lightens it up with bergamot and a soft, floral edge. A few drops of citric acid and saline keep it crisp, and grapefruit oil seals it all with a bright pop. Cheers y’all!

06-30-2025

A few days before the version most people know as the Paper Plane, the Paper Airplane showed up on the menu at The Violet Hour (@violethourchicago) in Chicago.

Toby Maloney (@tobycocktail) had just opened the bar and asked Sam Ross (@samueljoelross) to come up with a drink for their summer menu. Ross had been experimenting with Amaro Nonino in New York and eventually landed on bourbon as the base after testing it at Milk & Honey. He called Maloney at 3am and left a voicemail with the specs, naming it after the M.I.A. song.

The original version used Campari, which made it drier and more bitter. Bartenders were even adding simple syrup to help round it out. A few days later, Ross realized Aperol made for a better version and called to update him. By then, the menus were printed, and Maloney had misheard the name. So the Paper Airplane, with Campari, briefly existed before the Paper Plane we know now took its place. Cheers y’all!

06-29-2025

This cocktail was created by Sam Miller (@samson_miller) while working at the legendary San Francisco tiki bar, The Zombie Village (@thezombievillage). Sam now co-owns Remora (@remorabar), a tiki bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. This swizzle builds off the Queen’s Park Swizzle, swapping in cinnamon and passionfruit for the sweeteners. Definitely add this to your must-make cocktails this summer. You won’t be disappointed. Cheers y’all!

06-28-2025

The Hemingway Daiquiri we know today is likely a far cry from what Hemingway actually drank at El Floridita in Havana. His version, known as the Papa Doble, was double the rum and no sugar, likely tied to his diabetes diagnosis (though he didn't shy away from alcohol...). Over the years, the drink evolved into something more balanced. Specs vary, but this is the one I come back to. A touch of simple syrup helps smooth the citrus while keeping the bright lift from lime and grapefruit. The maraschino is kept to a quarter ounce so it adds depth without hijacking the drink. For a little extra brightness, toss a grapefruit peel into the shaker tin. Cheers y’all!

06-27-2025

This classic cocktail is named after the 1939 play of the same name by Joseph Kesselring. This cocktail was originally shaken, which is not typical for martinis (sorry Bond). The reasoning is likely due to this cocktail needing more dilution, as noted by Simon Difford. I agree, though I think one could use a long stir to get that effect. I do enjoy that this is a cocktail that utilizes that dust-gathering bottle (Crème de Violette) effectively. Cheers y'all!

06-26-2025

I came up with this cocktail, inspired by Chloe Fisher’s Sotol-based creation Sotold Ya So. I swapped in Banhez Mezcal Ensamble, but the heart of it stayed playful and bold. Feel free to use tequila (blanco, reposado, or añejo) if that’s more your style. The tropical, almost funky fruit notes in this mezcal (think pineapple and banana) complement the ripe cantaloupe and zesty Tajín beautifully. Cheers y’all!

06-25-2025

This one is by Ryan Magarian (@ryanmagarianpdx) who made it for Oven and Shaker (Portland, OR). Magarian is known for his excellent bar program and one of my all-time favorite drinks: Pineapple Trainwreck. This is actually an iteration of the Pepper Smash #2, which he created using aquavit (think caraway flavored vodka) and yellow bell pepper juice. Consider this one the margarita version. Cheers y’all!

06-24-2025

She’s bitter, she’s funky, she’s back for round two. I recently received some booze mail from Tempus Fugit Spirits (@tempus_fugit_spirits) and wanted to make something because I just love their stuff (this is not an ad!). This one is my riff on the Trinidad Sour. It’s one of those drinks that looks like it shouldn’t work, but it seriously does. Instead of the usual rye, I went with funky Jamaican rum and added banana liqueur for a tropical twist that still plays well with the bitters and orgeat. Serve in a coupe or over a rock. Cheers y’all!

06-23-2025

This cocktail was created in 2013 by Brad Farran for Death & Company. This shaken brandy cocktail is fruit-forward, tangy, and just a little unexpected. Strawberry and elderflower provide soft, floral brightness, while cinnamon and a touch of aged balsamic vinegar add spice and depth. Strawberry and balsamic may sound unusual in a drink, but they’re a classic pairing in the culinary world. Here, that same sweet-acid contrast gives the cocktail structure and intrigue. Cheers y’all!

06-22-2025

This cocktail is my summer riff on the classic Saturn, made with snap pea–infused gin for a crisp, garden-fresh twist. The combination of passionfruit, orgeat, and Chartreuse keeps things bright, herbaceous, and layered. The blue curaçao mist is optional if you're feeling a little extra. Cheers y’all!

06-21-2025

This modern classic cocktail was created by Erick Castro (@hungrybartender) in the late 2000s. I love learning about the history of cocktails, and one of my favorite sources is Robert Simonson (@robertosimonson). In Modern Classic Cocktails, Simonson explains how Castro, after noticing bourbon’s absence in pre-Prohibition recipes, set out to change that. He developed the drink while working at Heaven’s Dog and first served it at Bourbon & Branch, but it didn’t catch on widely until it landed on the menu at Rickhouse, a high-volume bar with broader reach. The ingredients are simple, and even when bartenders stray from the original specs, the flavors still hold up. That adaptability is part of what helped the drink spread to bars across the country. Cheers y’all!

06-20-2025

This is definitely one of my favorite cocktails I have had in Portland, Oregon. I was so stoked when Nick Flowers (@nrewolf), co-owner of Too Soon (@toosoonpdx), sent me the specs. It’s no surprise that they are a 2025 Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honoree for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar for the West region, in addition to being named one of the Best Bars in America by Esquire. If you have never been, I highly recommend a trip. As for this drink—who can say no to gin, curry spices, bell pepper, coconut, lime, and basil? It’s savory, creamy, and bright, delivering a full sensory experience from flavor to aroma. Cheers y’all!

06-19-2025

This one was created by Arash Ghassemi (@bababubblezz) at Green Door & Schwarze Traube (Berlin), where it won the German Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition in 2016. It’s like an Old Cuban with a color change and an herbal twist. The rum stays the same, but lemon replaces lime, and basil steps in for mint. Instead of Angostura, Campari brings the bitter—adding both depth and a beautiful hue. Switch it up this summer and give this one a try. Cheers y’all!