So you’re at your favorite bar and want to enjoy just one more. But you don’t want to over consume, plus there’s that 5 a.m. cross-fit class to get to. Consider a “session” cocktail.
The term comes from the beer world, referring to lower-alcohol suds that can be “sessioned,” or enjoyed all day long. The same moniker applies to a kind of cocktail that is quickly becoming a trend on menus throughout the nation.
The session cocktail utilizes lower-proof spirits and boutique, multilayered vermouths. The beauty of them is that the imbiber is able to enjoy a number of drinks rather than “just one and done.” This style of cocktail is also a perfect way to start off a meal, since it usually employs a bitter component that leaves the palate dry and wanting.
Session cocktails made with vermouth or Champagne are also natural lead-ins to the vino you plan to enjoy with your meal.
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Lunchtime Spritz
You could actually enjoy one of these at lunch and still be fully functioning afterward. This cocktail is a fun little twist on the Aperol Spritz, incorporating a liqueur called St. Germain from France. It is flavored with elderflowers, which bear a taste reminiscent of lychee.
>> 3 basil leaves
>> 3/4 ounce fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
>> 1 ounce Aperol Aperitivo
>> 1/2 ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur
>> Sparkling wine or prosecco
Muddle basil with juice. Add liquors and ice, shake briefly and strain over ice into large wine glass. Top with wine. Garnish with a thin grapefruit wheel and basil sprig.
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All Pimmed Out
This underrated drink may be one of the most delicious cocktails you will ever have. It hails from England, where it has long been garnished with fruits of the season. Pimms No. 1 is a gin-based liqueur infused with a glorious blend of herbs, botanicals, dried fruit peels and quinine. It has just enough bitterness to be interesting but still acceptable to all. The British version incorporates lemonade, but I prefer fresh lemon and spicy ginger beer for effervescence.
>> 3 cucumber wheels
>> 3 strawberry halves
>> 10 mint leaves
>> 1/2 ounce lemon juice
>> 2 ounces Pimms No. 1
>> Ginger beer
Muddle cucumber, strawberries and mint with lemon in mixing glass. Add Pimms and fill with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a nice tall glass. Fill with ginger beer, stir to combine. Garnish with cucumber ribbon, mint sprig and strawberry fan.
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Little Polka Dot Bikini
This little number uses shochu as its base spirit. Unlike sake, shochu is a distilled beverage, produced in the same vein as vodka. It is typically made from barley, buckwheat or sweet potato, but like vodka, can be made from any fermentable ingredient. The big difference between shochu and its Russian counterpart is the proof. Shochu is lower-proofed, typically about 25 percent in alcohol by volume, in contrast to vodka’s 40 percent. The shochu called for in this recipe is nontraditional in the sense that it is flavored. Locally produced by the Bender family, Kai Young Coconut Shochu offers creamy coconut notes, with a hint of coconut water added for a fresh take on Japan’s national spirit. All of you hardcore GF peeps out there can rest assured, as this shochu is also certified gluten free.
>> 1/2 ounce passion fruit puree (Boiron brand can be found at ChefZone)
>> 1/2 ounce lemon juice
>> 1/2 ounce simple syrup
>> 2 ounces coconut water
>> 2 ounces Kai Young Coconut Shochu
Add juices, puree, syrup, coconut water and shochu to mixing glass. Fill with ice, shake and pour into highball glass. Garnish with thin strawberry slices floating in glass, toasted coconut flakes and two pineapple leaves.
Chandra Lucariello is director of mixology with Southern Wines & Spirits.
