Toast To The Changing Of The Seasons With These Spring Inspired Sips

Woodbridge Pinot Grigio Peach Sweet Tea. (Courtesy Photo)

We may be a ways away from April showers bringing May flowers, but spring is finally here. And, after the past few nor’easters that’s certainly worth raising a glass to.

Woodbridge Pinot Grigio Peach Sweet Tea:

3/4 cup (6 oz.) Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio

3 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 oz. extra strong Black Tea, brought to room temperature

1 oz. Peach Simple Syrup*

1/2 oz. freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

Slices of fresh Peaches, for garnish

Directions: Fill a rocks glass with ice, then top with 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters. Add strongly steeped tea (use two teabags for a cup instead of one when brewing), peach simple syrup, Pinot Grigio, and lemon juice. Stir with a cocktail spoon, and add slices of peaches to garnish.

Peach Simple Syrup:

The Chase Elderflower Fizz. (Courtesy Photo)

2 Peaches, sliced

2 cups Sugar

1 cup Water

Directions: Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium/low heat until all sugar is dissolved. Allow mixture to cool, with peaches still inside the pan. Once the syrup has cooled, about 30 minutes, remove the peaches with a slotted spoon. Transfer the syrup to a mason jar or a plastic squeeze bottle. (Note: You can use this mixture for naturally flavored sodas or other cocktails.)

The Chase Elderflower Fizz:

Chase Elderflower Liqueur

Zonin Prosecco 120 ml

Summer Berries, for garnish

Directions: Pour the champagne or prosecco into a champagne flute or wine glass until full and add a dash of elderflower liqueur to taste. Garnish with summer berries.

Eternal Brunch. (Courtesy Photo)

Eternal Brunch: (Created by Josue Romero, Bartender at Odd Birds Bar)

3 oz. Castello del Poggio Rosé

1 oz. Distilled Gin

1/2 oz. Lychee Liqueur

1/8 oz. Velvet Falernum

1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Lychee, for garnish

Directions: Shake all ingredients, except rosé, into a cocktail shaker with ice. Serve in a Champagne Flute and top with Rosé. Garnish with a lychee in a skewer.

Pineapple Punch Para Dos: (Created by Jakob Hostetter of Cantina 1838)

3 parts Sugar Island Spiced Rum

3 parts Sugar Island Coconut Rum

1 1/2 parts Tres Agaves Strawberry Mix

3/4 parts Coco Lopez

Pineapple Punch Para Dos. (Photo: Andrew Kist)

1 whole Pineapple, hollowed out

1 Lime, freshly squeezed

Directions: Blend all ingredients together and pour into hollow pineapple. Garnish with pineapple slice(s) and two straws.

Moët Liber-Tea: (Created by Crystal Chasse of Seamstress, NY)

4 oz. Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial infused with Pomegranate White Tea

1.25 oz. Belvedere Vodka

1.5 oz. Ginger Beer

2d Angostura (Aromatic) Bitters

Pomegranate Ice Cubes (Cubes with Pomegranate Seeds Frozen into them)

Crystallized Ginger, for garnish

Sparkler, for garnish

Moët Liber-Tea. (Courtesy Photo)

Directions: Build in Glass. Take on Pomegranate White Tea Bag and steep it in 4 oz. of Moët Ice Imperial for 2 minutes. Add Belvedere Vodka and Ginger Beer. Add Pomegranate ice cubes. Garnish with skewered crystallized ginger and a sparkler.

The Bourbon Bramble: (Created by Julie Espy of Bread Booze Bacon)

2 1/2 parts Marker’s Mark Whisky

2 parts fresh Blackberry Puree

5 parts Lemonade

1 teaspoon fresh Basil, finely chopped

Blackberries, for garnish

2 small Basil Leaves, for garnish

Directions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the Maker’s Mark Whisky, blackberry puree, lemonade, and add the basil. Cover and shake vigorously for 30 seconds until the shaker to very cold. Remove the cover from the shaker and strain the cocktail into 2 rocks glasses filled with ice. (If needed, pour a little more lemonade on top to fill each glass.) Add a couple blackberries to each cocktail and top with a basil leaf.

>Basil Hayden’s® Spiced Honey Ginger. (Courtesy Photo)

Basil Hayden’s® Spiced Honey Ginger: (Created by TJ Vong of Denver,CO)

1 1/2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon

1/2 part Ginger Liqueur

3/4 part Lemon Juice

1/2 part Honey Simple Syrup*

3-4 dashes Bittercube Jamaican® #2 Bitters

1 Lemon Wheel, for garnish

1 Rosemary Sprig, for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel and sprig of rosemary.

*Honey Simple Syrup:

1 part Honey

1 part Water

Directions: Combine equal parts honey and equal parts water over heat until dissolved.

Salted Plum Margarita. (Courtesy Photo)

Salted Plum Margarita: (Created by Morita Masako from Osaka, Japan)

1.5 oz. Patrón Silver

.5 oz. Patrón Citrónge Orange

.75 oz. Umeshu (Plum wine)

.5 oz. fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Plum Preserves

1 pinch Salt

Lime Wheel, for garnish

Mint Leaf, for garnish

Whole Ume (Pickled plum), for garnish

Directions: Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain into a crushed ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with mint leaves, lime wheel and Ume.

Ginger Pink Grapefruit Fizz. (Courtesy Photo)

Ginger Pink Grapefruit Fizz:

2 tbsp Vodka

1 tsp Ginger Liqueur

1 1/2 tsp fresh Lime Juice

1/2 cup Cascade Ice Pink Grapefruit

Sugar, for garnish

Grapefruit Wedge, for garnish

Directions: Begin by combining 2 tbsp of vodka and 1 tsp of Ginger liqueur in a sugar-rimmed glass. Pour and stir in 1 ½ tsp of fresh lime juice and ½ cup of Cascade Ice Pink Grapefruit. Add in a handful of ice and garnish with a fresh Grapefruit wedge.