Cocktail

The Pacific Northwest is the birthplace of America's specialty coffee culture, and beyond the coffee shops that dot every street corner of the region, bars have gotten in on the action, mixing locally roasted coffee into cocktails like this one from Seattle bartender Andrew Friedman, which features espresso from Stumptown Coffee Roasters. "Their Hair Bender espresso is so expressive that I thought it deserved to be in a cocktail," says Friedman. Taking inspiration from the classic froth of a flip cocktail, this velvety concoction harmonizes the rich, chocolaty notes of the espresso with vanilla-flecked Navan liqueur. Mandarine Napoléon adds the perfect splash of orangey sweetness.

In the early 1900s, New York state had more than one thousand stills on local farms. Then Prohibition started in 1920, spelling the legal end for the country's distilleries, both large and small. It took eighty-three years for a New York distillery to pick up the torch, but finally, in 2003, Tuthilltown Spirits launched, becoming New York's first small-batch whiskey distiller since the "Noble Experiment" put everyone out of business. When New York City bartenders Jim Meehan and Karen Fu set out to craft a cocktail that honors their home state, which happens to be the second largest producer of apples in the country, they reached for Tuthilltown's Heart of the Hudson vodka, made from apple cider from local orchards. Muddled Granny Smith apple plus fresh mint and saké give the drink a deliciously fresh, green-apple crispness.

Wassail is a deeply rooted tradition in the Midwest and a popular regional staple throughout the cold-weather season. Every winter as the holidays approach, many Wisconsinites still take part in the age-old "wassailing of apple trees," a ritual dating back to the fifteenth century that involves sprinkling wassail on apple trees to ensure a strong, healthy harvest and to keep the trees safe from evil spirits. Wassail always blends apples and winter holiday spices, but the sweeteners and spirits often change from recipe to recipe. This version comes from the Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, an area that leads apple production in Wisconsin. The cranberry juice is a perfectly tart counterpart to the sweetness of the apple cider and brown sugar, and the bourbon lends a full, rich quality, and the ginger, pepper, and spices offer a final kick of flavor.

Our
Ramos Gin Fizz cocktail video gives you step-by-step instructions for mixing this classic drink

Orgeat, an almond-flavored syrup, gives this bubbly cocktail its trademark fragrance. Find it at better supermarkets or liquor stores.

An excellent cocktail all fall and winter long.

We love the way the gin in this old-school sparkling cocktail pairs with the juniper berry-laced arctic char in our new-school citrus gravlax.

Rye whiskey, oranges, and Sherry mingle in this incomparably smooth drink. Squeezing an orange peel over the top adds an extra boost of flavor.

Sweet flavors, in moderation, balance acidity and tame bitterness. Make sure to have simple syrup on hand since many recipes call for it.

For inspiration, co-owner Eyal Raziel looked to his native Israel, where honey liqueur is popular. "The Bärenjäger balances the kick of the rye," he says.

A spicy salad of pork belly and watermelon pickle at New York City's Fatty Crab restaurant inspired bartender Philip Ward of Mayahuel to invent a liquid riff on the dish. If you're a Margarita fan, you'll love this drink, which is made with mezcal, tequila's smoky cousin. Don't mess around with the cheap stuff; look for bottles in the Del Maguey line of mezcals, including Vida de San Luis del Rio.

This grown-up take on a ballpark staple can also be made without an ice cream maker. To do so, put 1 cup of the wine, covered, in the refrigerator; chill. Purée the remaining wine with all remaining ingredients in a food processor. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. When you’re ready to serve, just purée the ice cubes with the remaining wine in a blender.

Cabell Tomlinson, bar director at Frankies 570 Spuntino in New York City, grew up in the South, where, she says, "the summer air was scented with honeysuckle and lemon balm." Those childhood memories, along with a recipe for the classic Bee's Knees cocktail (rum, lime, and honey), inspired this thirst-quencher. It's equally good with lemon vodka (try Charbay Meyer Lemon Vodka) or white rum (we like Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 Year). Lemon balm is available at many farmers' markets. Better yet, try planting pots of the prolific herb in your backyard.

This ultra-refreshing tomato water makes great use of an abundance of tomatoes and works well as a virgin summer cooler, too.

This puckery, sparkling aperitif is booze-optional.

For this patriotic-themed cooler, Cabell Tomlinson combines two summer favorites: sweet iced tea and sangria. "I started thinking about the Fourth of July," she explains. "I had the red from the rosé and the blue from the blueberries. I still needed the white, but I decided to go with that oh-so-American spirit, bourbon." She uses orange pekoe for the tea and suggests a fruity rosé like a Spanish Rioja.

"Here's a summer cocktail that isn't too herbaceous or vegetably," Kinch says. "Aloe juice goes well with cucumbers, and Hendrick's Gin adds nice rose and cucumber notes."

Damon Boelte was aiming for something simple and accessible when he concocted this extremely refreshing, very British cooler. "Like a traditional Pimm's Cup, this recipe works well with other spirits, including bourbon, rum, and tequila," he says. "You have my permission to experiment." St-Germain liqueur, made from Alpine elderflowers, brings a floral note.

"I created this pitcher drink for people to sip on their front porch, or for city folks to drink at our sidewalk café," says Damon Boelte, bar director at Prime Meats in Brooklyn. If you've never had a beer cocktail or, better yet, a cocktail made with drinking vinegars, let this be your introduction to two growing trends in the bar world. Look for Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, a.k.a. applejack ($23), made by America's oldest family-owned distillery, at better liquor stores.

Red O bartender Steve Calabro was inspired by chef Rick Bayless's fresh, ingredient-driven style to create this bright summer drink. After testing an early version, Bayless grated lime zest into the Margarita, Calabro added a red orchid to the glass, and they pronounced it finished.