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Bootleg Cocktail
This is a delicious lemon-lime and fresh mint summer cocktail that can be modified to your taste. You can use vodka or gin and you can make your bootleg concentrate as sweet or sour as you like.
Club Soda, The Botanist Gin and Bootleg Concentrate Bootleg Concentrate
1 can frozen limeade or frozen lemonade
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh mint leaves, washed
Add all ingredients to a blender (I love my Vitamix Explorian) and blend until the mint is well incorporated. I like my cocktails a little tart, but if you prefer a sweeter cocktail you can either add some simple syrup (heat 1 part sugar to 1 part water until dissolved, chill and store in the fridge for up to 1 month) to the blender or skip the fresh juice and use a can of frozen lemonade concentrate with the limeade and mint. The mint will separate when the concentrate sits, so just give it a stir each time you make a new cocktail. This concentrate will last in your fridge about 3 days before the mint starts to lose its bright green color.
Bootleg Cocktail Bootleg Cocktail
2 oz Botanist gin or Grey Goose vodka
2 oz Bootleg Concentrate
Add to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
Pour mixture into a glass filled with ice.
Top with 6 oz Q club soda, more or less to taste.
Garnish with a lime wheel or fresh mint.
For a non-alcoholic version just combine the Bootleg concentrate with club soda and / or lemonade.
Cheers!
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, someday soon, more travel.
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Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz
I love Spritz Cocktails in the summer. The basic ingredients of a Spritz are Prosecco, club soda and one or two additional ingredients for flavor. Since rhubarb season is here, I created this Spritz using rhubarb. Try the recipe below, my Aperol Spritz recipe or just grab a bottle of Prosecco and club soda and create your own Spritz flavors with other liquors or bitters you might have on hand. I’ll be posting more Spritz cocktail recipes throughout the summer.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 c Rhubarb
1/2 c dried Hibiscus flowers
3 1/2 c Water
2 T Truvia or 1/3 cup sugar
1 lime, use a potato peeler or zester to peel the skin off the lime, try to get as little pith (the white part) as possible (juice the lime and save the juice for a different cocktail)
Before simmering Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Turn the heat down to simmer. Put on the lid and simmer for 30 minutes until the rhubarb is mushy and the water is dark red.
After simmering Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour / ladle into a fine mesh strainer to remove the sediment. Store the concentrate in a small covered pitcher or jar. The concentrate is good for two weeks in the fridge.
Note: I don’t really like sweet cocktails, so I tried making my concentrate without sugar and the rhubarb was way too tart. Taste the concentrate before taking it off the heat to see if you need to add more sugar.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz
1 oz Aviation gin or your favorite brand
1 oz Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 oz LaMarca Prosecco
2 oz Q club soda
Add all ingredients to a large wine goblet filled with ice. Mix well. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Hibiscus Rhubarb Spritz Non-alcoholic Hibiscus Rhubarb Lemonade
1 oz Hibiscus Rhubarb Concentrate
4 oz lemonade
2 oz club soda
Add all ingredients to a large wine goblet filled with ice. Mix well. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Cheers!
If you have a favorite Spritz cocktail, leave your recipe in the comments below.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, someday soon, more travel.
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Bramble
The Bramble was created in London in the 1980s. It’s a refreshing spring cocktail that basically tastes like a blackberry lemonade. Enjoy this as the weather starts to warm up.
Bramble Ingredients 1 1/2 oz Nolet Silver Gin
.75 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
.75 oz simple syrup
.5 oz Chamboard or Creme de Cassis
To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Chill. This will keep in the fridge for one month.
Add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour in gin mixture.
Top with Chambord or Creme de Cassis. Garnish with lemon and a blackberry.
Cheers!
Bramble