Low Alcohol Cocktails For All Day Summer Drinking
Fino Collins
Sherry is ideal for low-proof cocktails, and fino sherry—the palest, driest kind—works particularly well in this light, lemony Collins. Half an ounce of gin adds a bit of an herbal kick without much alcohol. Pick up a bottle of Tio Pepe at your local wine store; it'll only set you back around $16 and has enough for 15-plus of these cocktails.Instructions: In a shaker with ice, combine half an ounce of London dry gin (like Beefeater or, even better here, Beefeater 24), an ounce and a half of fino sherry (like Tio Pepe), 1/2 an ounce of fresh lemon juice and a 1/4 ounce of simple syrup. Shake that all up together hard, then strain into a tall glass over fresh ice. Top with 2 ounces of club soda and garnish with lemon wheels.
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Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
This bubbly, sweet-tart cocktail combines sparkling wine, with that sweet dessert wine you've never managed to use as well as deep-red pomegranate juice. Ingredients:2 oranges, thinly sliced crosswise 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 3/4 cup late-harvest white wine, such as late-harvest Riesling, chilled Ice cubes, for serving Two 750-milliliter bottles sparkling wine, chilled 3 tablespoons sugar 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (1/2 inch) 1 cup pomegranate juice Instructions: In a punch bowl, dissolve the sugar in the pomegranate juice, stirring vigorously. Add the sparkling wine and late-harvest white wine, then add the orange slices, diced pineapple and pomegranate seeds. Serve the sparkling pomegranate punch over ice cubes.
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Pamplemousse
Bright, refreshing and low in alcohol, the fresh basil is a nice touch. Oh, and it has the most fun cocktail name in history. Ingredients:Ice 1 ounce London dry gin 1/2 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 large basil leaf, for garnishInstructions:Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the garnish and shake well. Pour through a fine strainer into a chilled coupe and garnish with the basil leaf.
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Chambord Kir Royale
While a Kir is traditionally made with the blackcurrant-based creme de cassis, Chambord is similarly hued and brings similar dark-fruit flavors. A half-ounce gives us just the level of fruit flavor we’re after, but feel free to adjust to your taste.Instructions: In a champagne flute or coupe, pour in 1/2 an ounce of Chambord and top with 4 ounces of sparkling wine. Garnish with a raspberry.
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Cranberry-Spice Cocktail
The numerous cranberries in this delicious concoction perfectly complement the hard cider and the Aperol. Ingredients:1 orange wedge13 cranberriesThree 1-inch pieces crystallized ginger— 2 minced and 1 whole for garnish2 ounces Aperol1 ounce Lillet Blanc Ice4 ounces hard cider4 dashes Cranberry-Anise Bitters or Peychaud's bitters Instructions:In a cocktail shaker, muddle the orange wedge with 10 of the cranberries and the minced ginger. Add the Aperol, Lillet Blanc, bitters and ice. Shake well. Double-strain the drink into an ice-filled Collins glass and top off with the hard cider. Garnish with the 3 remaining cranberries and the slice of ginger skewered on a toothpick.
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Michelada Gingembre
Damian Windsor's favorite low-alcohol cocktail had been the Shandygaff (citrus soda mixed with lager) until he created a version with fresh ginger juice and a hoppy IPA; it was delicious. Adding a dash of hot sauce made the drink even better. Ingredients:Ice6 ounces chilled Sprite1 ounce fresh lemon juice1 ounce Simple Syrup3/4 ounce fresh ginger juice (grated from a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger and pressed through a fine strainer)Dash of jalapeño hot sauce12 ounces chilled IPA-style beerPinch of sea saltInstructions: Fill a chilled pint glass halfway with ice. Add the Sprite, lemon juice, Simple Syrup, ginger juice and hot sauce; stir well. Add enough beer to fill the glass; top with the salt. As you finish the drink, continue to pour in more beer.