Seasonal fruits and vegetables, bright pastel color schemes and warmer weather are all indications that spring has indeed sprung.
To raise a glass for National Cocktail Day, "Good Morning America" enlisted some experts to share some original handcrafted recipes that they created for the new season ahead.
15-year cocktail industry veteran Chris Bidmead -- the co-founder of Bar Methods that educates bartenders, beverage programs and more about proper cocktail techniques -- created a bourbon-based drink infused with the fresh, sweet fruit and herbaceous notes of spring.
1.5 oz Bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 oz peach liqueur
.25 oz simple syrup
Sage leaves
Instructions
Add your bourbon, lemon, peach liqueur, simple syrup, and sage leaves into a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist and sage leaves. Cheers!
Amy Racine, who was named Esquire's Beverage Director of the Year 2021 at the helm of Azure Bar and Lounge at IRIS, shared this sweet, fresh and herbal concoction.
Spring inspiration: "This cocktail is perfect for the spring because it uses fresh spring ingredients like tarragon and berries," Racine said. "The main focus here is to highlight the importance of bees with a Greek honey liquor for a refreshing spring cocktail."
3 dashes Peychauds bitters
.5 oz raspberry syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz honey liqueur
.25 oz tarragon liqueur
.5 oz brandy
1.5 oz gin
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a tall glass and top off with bottled tonic.
Garnish with fresh tarragon sprig.
Brendan Bartley a master mixologist of New York speakeasy Bathtub Gin, shared three seasonal spins on some classic cocktail flavors. Plus a low ABV option and fun effervescent drink that can
Spring inspiration: "We’ve all had a gin and tonic. But now there are so many new and interesting gins as well as new and innovative tonics," Bartley explained, speaking from experience where he said they have explored a multitude of varieties. "A region known for its Cognac has produced a beautiful aromatic gin we’ve paired with a slightly floral gin to give more depth and softness to the gin. Then finished it with a bright flower and a burst of fresh mandarin. Great for sipping outside and soaking up sunshine."
Instructions
Pour 1.5 oz Generous Gin into large brandy balloon glass.
Add 3.5 oz Fever-tree elderflower tonic.
Fill glass to the top with ice.
Place 3 juniper berries, a mandarin orange segment and flower on top of the drink.
Spring inspiration: "This drink is a perfect midday spring beverage. It contains a low ABV amaro so you can have more than just one," he said. "Adding fresh pineapple and blood orange after shaking it with no ice, gives you a beautiful fluffy texture, it feels and tastes more like wellness juice then a cocktail, not to mention the full flavored pineapple garnish to finish."
1.5 oz Paradiso amaro or 1.5 ounces of a non-alcoholic botanical
3 oz fresh pineapple juice
1.5 oz fresh blood orange juice
Instructions
Pour amaro into tall glass. Top with ice.
Add juice to shaker and hard dry shake for 8-10seconds .
Pour juice on over ice.
Garnish with pineapple.
Spring inspiration: "Instead of the boring mojito, this is a refreshing low waste cocktail," that combines "a bright fresh medley of berries, lime, and rum," he said. "It feels like you’re on a tropical holiday with fresh fruits and effervescence but done it with an elegant clean approach."
Ingredients
1.5 oz white rum
4 oz homemade knickerbocker soda
For the soda:
6 oz mixed berry syrup
2.3 oz lime juice
1.5 oz orange curacao liqueur
3 oz filtered water
Instructions
To make the soda: Add ingredients into a one liter soda siphon or at home soda maker and do as you would regular soda water. Refrigerate before use. Note: If you don't have a soda stream combine soda water with lime, berry syrup and orange curacao liqueur for similar taste.
Add rum to a tall glass. Top with soda. Add ice to top of the glass. Garnish with mint sprig.