It’s that time of the year where you have to mow your lawn every week. Winter and the dreary beginning of spring are behind us and warm, sun-filled days are finally here. Welcome to summer. To celebrate the beginning of the greatest (albeit seemingly shortest) season, try your hand at one of these tasty mixed drinks created by bartenders from Chicago, Minnesota, Louisiana, Los Angeles and everywhere in between.
7 Spicy Cocktails For Summer:
From Filini Bar & Restaurant in Chicago
Ingredients:
· 1.5 oz Ypioca cachaca
· .5 oz aperol
· 1 oz spicy pineapple shrub
· .75 oz lime
· .75 oz simple
· pinch Hawaiian salt
Instructions: Shake, fine strain, crushed ice, lime wheel/thai pepper
From Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, California
Ingredients:
· 1.5 oz Espolon Blanco tequila
· 1.5 oz Serrano pepper infused
· Beet juice
· 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
· 0.5 oz agave nectar
· 2.0 oz ginger beer
· Mint for garnish
Instructions: Add all ingredients into a shaker, shake, pour into a Collins glass with ice top with ginger beer, mint for garnish
From Plan Check Kitchen + Bar in Los Angeles, California
Ingredients:
· 2 oz. Jalapeno-Infused Vodka
· ¾ oz. Mango Purée
· ¾ oz. Lemon Juice
· ¾ oz. Simple Syrup
· Club Soda
Instructions: In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka with mango purée, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake, strain, and top with club soda.
From Kachina Southwestern Grill in Westminster, Colorado
Ingredients:
· 1.5 oz. Milagro Silver
· ½ oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
· ½ oz. Pineapple Juice
· ¼ oz. Green Chartreuse
· ¾ oz. simple
· 4 Drops of Scorpion Tincture
· Garnish: Fresno Pepper
Instructions: Add all ingredients into a mixing tin, shake, strain over ice, garnish with a Fresno pepper
From FireLake Grillhouse & Cocktail Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Ingredients:
· 2 oz Patron XO Incendio
· ¾ oz fresh pineapple juice
· 1 ½ oz fresh lemonade
Instructions: Mix all ingredients, add Ghost Pepper salt around the rim
From Urban Farmer in Cleveland, Ohio
Ingredients:
· 5 bottles of Belvenie Double wood Scotch
· 1 Gallon of Ohio Apple Cider
· 1 Bottle of amaretto disaronno
· 10 habanero peppers
· 40 Cinnamon Sticks
Instructions: Remove peppers after three days, let sit for another five days, then pour it off.
From Café Adelaide and Swizzle Stick Bar in New Orleans, Louisiana
Ingredients:
· 1.5 oz Cathead Honeysuckle
· .5 oz Simple Syrup
· .5 oz Lime
· 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
· 5 dashes Jalapeño-Lime Tincture
Instructions: Add all ingredients to an iced cocktail shaker, shake and strain into a collins glass filled with ice.
Tincture Ingredients and Instructions:
Combine 6-8 Jalapeños (split in half, stems removed), the zest of 6 Limes, and 2 cups 151-proof rum to a mason jar and rest in a cool, dark place for 3-5 days. Strain and bottle.
