Sunset skies, warm nights and one more round before the cooler weather arrives. Photo: Underground Spirits.
If summer had a closing party, bright, refreshing cocktails inspired by nature would surely be at its centre.
The good news is you don’t need a full bar to capture that just-picked, sun-soaked flavour – a handful of basics will have you mixing away in no time.
Essential tools to have on hand include a jigger, citrus squeezer, cocktail shaker and an ice tray. You can substitute a jigger for a shot glass or egg cup in a pinch and mason jars make handy last-minute shakers.
Now that you’re well-equipped, here are a few recipes to try out before the cold winds of autumn take over.
While a Caramel Apple Highball might sound fancy, this cocktail is about as straightforward as it gets.
Start by grabbing a bottle of Underground Spirits’ Vodka with Caramel. This indulgent drop lends itself to a wide range of tastes; it’s warm, rich and silky smooth on the palate.
“Caramel Apple Highball is one of my favourite low-effort crowd pleasers. It takes seconds to make, but the flavour feels anything but simple,” Underground Spirits CEO Claudia Roughley says.
“Pour 1.5 shots of our caramel vodka over plenty of ice in a highball glass, top with fresh-pressed apple juice from the fridge, and you’re done. No shaking, no fuss.
“It tastes like apple pie in a glass.”
Next, try a classic Gin Paloma. Choose between Underground Spirits’ Signature Gin or Shiraz Gin (with Tasmanian pepperberries) as your base for bright, bold flavour.
Simply pour 1.5 shots of your chosen gin into a shaker with a dash of fresh lime juice, a shaving of lime peel and some ice.
Shake hard to release the oils and aromatics – you’ll know it’s ready when the shaker goes cold.
Then strain into a tall glass packed with fresh ice, top with pink grapefruit soda, stir and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
The result? A pleasing blend of zesty and botanical, balanced by just a hint of sweetness.
Right, it’s time for something a little more serious. Claudia calls it Red Caramel Lightning.
Gather your ingredients first: four fresh raspberries, two short lengths of lime peel, a slice of grapefruit, 20 ml red vermouth, and 50 ml Vodka with Caramel. You’ll need a chilled coupe glass for this one.
“Muddle your raspberries and lime peel in a mixer first,” Claudia says.
“Don’t mash them! Apply steady pressure with a muddler or wooden spoon and twist back and forth to release the flavours.
“Then add the vermouth and caramel vodka, stir down for 20 seconds with ice, strain into a coupe glass and garnish with grapefruit.”
Claudia’s last recipe to share is the Canberra Cooler, which starts with 50 ml Sweet Lemon Vodka.
It requires two pieces of fresh pineapple, two orange wedges, some fresh mint, a quarter of a lime, a dash of angostura bitters, 10 ml sugar syrup and your ginger ale of choice.
“Muddle the fresh pineapple, orange and lime in a highball glass. Then add your Sweet Lemon Vodka, sugar syrup and bitters,” Claudia says.
“Throw in ice, top up with ginger ale and garnish with mint.”
Keen to get extra fancy? One of Claudia’s favourite pastimes is hitting local op shops for novelty cocktail vessels like teapots or decorative bowls.
You can also freeze edible flowers into your ice blocks.
Pansies, borage, nasturtiums, rose petals and lavender buds are all great options – just make sure to freeze in two layers if you want the flowers to stay central.
Underground Spirits will host a relaxed cocktail bar at Regatta Point for Skyfire on Saturday 14 March.
Original Article published by Morgan Kenyon on Region Canberra.
Region Media Partner Content