With the unofficial end of summer weekend approaching, there will be plenty of opportunities where a cocktail is needed.
There is no better way to toast to the end of the season than with a refreshing beverage. It’s the time of year when we all want to slow down and savor the last bits of warm weather while enjoying time with friends and family.
The drink options for Labor Day Weekend should be a mix of festive yet delicious and the perfect balance of the season’s favorite flavors. Whether you are hosting some backyard gatherings or need to freshen up your bar menu, one of these 10 cocktails will make an excellent addition to any situation. These recipes were crafted to be crowd-pleasers in presentation and taste and will be perfect for toasting to the weekend ahead. We’ve even added a few non-alcoholic options for those who want to partake in celebrating but don’t fancy alcohol.
Here are 10 cocktails for your Labor Day Weekend celebrations.
Paloma
Ingredients
2 Dash Saline Solution
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 1/2 oz. Blanco Tequila
Top with Badger Sparkling Grapefruit Soda
Glassware: Collins or Pilsner Glass
Ice: Cracked Block Ice
Garnish: Grapefruit half-wheel (manicured)
Preparation
Pour all ingredients into a small shaker tin, excluding the Badger grapefruit.
Whip shake with ten pebble ice nuggets until the ice has completely dissolved.
Pour the drink into a glass of ice, then top with Badger grapefruit.
Give a light stir, garnish, and serve.
Josh Cellars Boozeless Blueberry Smash
Ingredients
3 oz. of Josh Cellars Non-Alcoholic Sparkling
1/4 cup Fresh Blueberries
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Soda Water
Preparation
In rocks glass, muddle blueberries and add ice once finished.
Pour Non-Alcoholic Sparkling, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water into glass and stir.
Garnish: blueberries on skewer.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Jalapeño Cocktail
Ingredients
1 bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
1 fresh Jalapeño Pepper, Frozen
Optional: Fresh lime, Fresh pineapple, Chili-lime seasoning
Preparation
Slice jalapeño into ¼ inch wide slices.
Remove seeds.
Pour a chilled glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc.
Place 3-4 frozen jalapeño slices into the glass.
Dress it up!
Squeeze some lime for a little zest.
Kick up the heat with a chili-lime rim.
Add a sweet pineapple wedge.
Matcha Martini
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. of Bombay Sapphire
1/2 oz. White Creme De Cacao
1/2 oz. Vanilla Syrup
1 oz. Oat Milk
1 tsp Matcha Powder
6 Mint Leaves
Preparation
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and strain into a small tin.
Dry shake to froth the cocktail and then strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Mango Pash
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Coconut-Gochujang-infused Great Jones Four Grain Bourbon
1 1/2 oz. Mango syrup (contains: mango puree, lactic acid, sugar, soy sauce, and water)
Chili Thread Garnish
Glass: Double Rocks Glass
Garnish: Chili Thread
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients, fill with ice, and shake until chilled.
Strain into an ice-filled fancy double rocks glass.
Finish with a chili thread garnish.
Third Street Sour
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Great Jones Straight Bourbon
1 oz. Pear Puree (such as Boiron)
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
1 dash Cardamom Bitters
1 oz. Dry Red Wine for Float (such as a Long Island Cabernet Franc)
1 Bourbon-Poached Maraschino Cherry
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Bourbon-Poached Maraschino Cherry
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients except for the wine, fill with ice, and shake until chilled.
Strain into an ice-filled fancy coupe.
Garnish with a bourbon-poached maraschino cherry.
Casa Refresher Pitcher
Ingredients
15 oz. Casamigos Blanco Tequila
10 oz. Watermelon Juice or 40-50 Watermelon Chunks (1”)
5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
5 oz. Simple Syrup
Heaping Handful Mint Leaves
1 1/4 oz. Peychauds Bitters
Garnish Mint Sprig + Watermelon Cube through Skewer
Preparation
Combine all ingredients into a medium to large pitcher and muddle fruit/herbs.
Then fill to the top with ice and stir well with a bar spoon for 10-12 seconds.
Salute to Summer
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
2 oz. Soda Water
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
Preparation
Pour Teeling Whiskey in a rocks-filled Collins glass.
Add soda water and top with pineapple juice.
Garnish with pineapple slices.
Iced Irish Coffee
Ingredients
2 oz. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
2 oz. Cold Brew
1/2 oz. Demerara Syrup
Bar spoon of heavy cream
Preparation
Shake Teeling Whiskey, syrup, and cold brew over ice.
Strain into a chilled mug filled with ice.
Top with cream and garnish with grated nutmeg.
Tuberose Candy
Ingredients
15 ml Absolut Citron
15 ml Campari
15 ml Yuzu Sake
20 ml Noilly Prat Original Dry
15 ml Martini Rosso
5 ml Muyu Chinotto Nero
1 ml LYS accord
Glassware: Short cocktail glass
Preparation
Stir with ice, serve over large crystal clear ice cubes.
Laelia Mexica Margarita
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Laelia Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Licor de Elote
3/4 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
1/4 oz. Agave Nectar
1 Pinch of Salt
Glassware: Rocks
Garnish: Lime wheel and corn husk
Preparation
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
Strain over fresh ice into rocks glass.
