Whether you’re celebrating Labor Day by heading to a backyard BBQ, or throwing your own party or are just enjoying a relaxing Labor-less day at home, a great cocktail can be just what you need to take your celebration to the next level.
If you’re looking for a new cocktail to try for the occasion, we’ve put together a list of great drinks perfect for the relaxing holiday ahead. Some of these will require a little bit of “labor” to get right, while others are super-simple, if you’d prefer to have a “Labor-less” holiday.
Ketel Soda Cucumber Mint
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Ketel One Vodka
4 oz. Club Soda
Fresh Cucumber
Fresh Mint
Directions: Fill glass with ice, add Ketel One Vodka, add club soda, add fresh wheels of cucumber and finish with fresh mint garnish.
Lychee Mule
Available at: Sushi Garage
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Vodka
.25 oz. Soho Liqueur
½ oz. Lime Juice
1.25 oz. Lychee Puree
1.5 oz. Ginger Beer
Directions: Add all ingredients into a shaker and strain into a copper mug with ice. Garnish with 2 mint spring leaves and lychee.
High Noon
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. The Botanist Gin
.2 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
¾ oz. Elderflower Liquor
Tonic Water
Directions: Measure The Botanist Gin, grapefruit, elderflower and pour into highball glass. Add ice and finish with tonic water. Garnish with grapefruit peel
Belvedere Strawberry Shrub
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Belvedere
¾ oz. Fever-Tree Naturally Light Indian Tonic Water
½ oz. Shrub & Co. Strawberry with Meyer Lemon Shrub
2 oz. soda water
Directions: Add Belvedere Vodka, tonic and shrub to a highball glass and fill with ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a strawberry and cracked black pepper.
Blackberry Gin Collins
Available at: Diplomat Prime
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Hendricks Gin
Juice of 1/2 lemon
.75 oz. simple syrup
2 muddled blackberries
Directions: Shake vigorously and pour over ice. Top with 3 oz. of club soda.
Islandic Paloma
Ingredients:
2 parts Reyka Vodka
1 part fresh grapefruit juice
½ part Ancho Reyes
½ part simple syrup
¼ part fresh lime syrup
Directions: Combine ingredients. Shake and strain into collins glass. Garnish with black lava rock rim and a lime or grapefruit wheel.
Modern Greyhound
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Belvedere Vodka
½ oz. Aperol
3 oz. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
1 oz. tonic water
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice. Roll contents and garnish with a grapefruit slice and a dash of salt.
Cures What ALES You
Created by Gareth Howells, VNYL
Ingredients:
1 oz. Jägermeister
1 oz. Rye Whiskey
2 oz. Arrogant Bastard Ale
1 Orange segment
½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ oz. Simple Syrup
2 dashes Orange bitters
Mint (8 leaves)
Egg White
Garnish: Mint Sprig
Directions: Muddle orange, mint and sugar in a glass. Add egg white, lemon juice, simple syrup, rye whisky and Jägermeister. Dry shake to emulsify. Add ice and wet shake. Add arrogant bastard and strain into a glass. Garnish with mint sprig