The Memorial Day holiday weekend is nearly here, and people are thinking about parties, picnics and parades. Whether it’s with a patriotic red white or blue concoction, a local wine, American beer or refreshing spritz, consumers are ready to gather and welcome the summer season and raise a glass to honor the men and women who died serving in the U.S. military.
Here are eight recipes we like for 2023, and for more, check out our Memorial Day drinks roundup from 2022.
Watermelon Wave
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Cazadores reposado tequila
- 1 oz. Monin watermelon syrup
- ½ oz. Key West lime juice
- ½ oz. Meyer lemon juice
- ¼ oz. Green Tabasco
- Fresh basi
Instructions
- Muddle basil in shaker tin.
- Add remaining contents into shaker with ice and shake until mixed.
- Rim rocks glass with Tajin salt.
- Strain contents onto fresh ice.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Notes
Mixologist Margi Georgopulos at Quarterdeck in Hilton Head Island, SC, created this recipe.
Big Aura
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Próspero Reposado tequila
- ¼ oz. Blue Curaçao
- ¾ oz. Pineapple juice
- ¼ oz. Lime juice
- ¼ oz. Agave simple syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing tin and shake.
- Pour contents into a highball or rocks glass.
- Garnish with a big pineapple slice and sprig of mint.
Notes
The mixologists at Próspero created this recipe.
Summer Thyme
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
- ¾ oz. Aperol
- ¾ oz. Lemon juice
- ¼ oz. Honey syrup
- 2 dashes Jerry Thomas Decanter bitters
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to shaker with ice.
- Add a couple sprigs of thyme or rosemary and shake.
- Double strain into a rocks glass over ice.
- Garnish with a lemon and a sprig of your chosen herb for aromatics.
Notes
The mixologists at Four Roses created this recipe.
Red Desert Gin & Tonic
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Grapefruit juice
- ¾ oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
- 1 ½ oz. Holystone Cerulean gin
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass filled with ice cubes.
- Pour fresh grapefruit juice.
- Pour Luxardo until ¾ full.
- Float gin on top.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Notes
The mixologists at Wood.ash.rye restaurant at the The Advenire Hotel in Greater Zion, UT, created this recipe.
Aguacero
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ oz. Tapatio Reposado tequila
- ¾ oz. Juerte Destilado De Pulque agave
- ½ oz. Crème de Cassis
- ½ oz. Macadamia orgeat
- ¾ oz. Lime juice
- 2 dash Hopped grapefruit bitters
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a mixing tin and shake.
- Strain into a tulip glass over crushed ice.
- Garnish with mint bouquet and grapefruit slice.
Notes
Mixologist Javelle Taft of Death & Co. in New York created this recipe.
Take It Easy
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Smoke Lab Aniseed vodka
- 1 oz. Aperol
- 3 oz. Celestial Seasonings raspberry zinger tea brewed and cooled
- ¼ oz. Lime juice
- 3 Strawberries one for garnish
- ½ cup blueberries 5 to 6 for garnish
Instructions
- Brew raspberry zinger tea and let cool.
- Combine liquid ingredients with ice and shake.
- Fine strain over fresh ice into a large rocks glass.
- Garnish with a skewer of blueberries and sliced strawberries.
Notes
The mixologists at Smoke Lab created this recipe.
Anywhere Is Paradise
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Novo Fogo Silver cachaça
- 1 oz. Ginger beer
- ½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz. Honey syrup 3:2
- 5 Raspberries
Instructions
- Muddle berries in mixing tin.
- Add cachaça, lemon, syrup and shake with ice.
- Strain over fresh ice.
- Top with ginger beer.
- Garnish with orchid.
Notes
The mixologists at Novo Fogo created this recipe.
Blueberry Mojito
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Iichiko Saiten shochu
- 1 oz. Lime juice
- ¾ oz. Simple syrup
- Club soda
- Blueberries
Instructions
- Muddle berries in mixing tin.
- Add shochu, lime and syrup and shake with ice.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top with soda.
- Garnish with mint and blueberries.
Notes
The mixologists at Iichiko Saiten created this recipe.
