Isn’t the best part of seasonal changes how our food and drinks change along with them? Well, good news, because spring is here again! It’s time to get in that warmer and sunnier mood with some refreshing, spring-inspired beverages that are perfect for parties, weekend-night-ins and just as an after-dinner treat.
They all require very little ingredients and are so easy to mix from start to finish that you’ll wonder how you went so long without making them. So, finish up doing your taxes and spring cleaning so you can pull a chair out to the porch, sit back and enjoy these easy spring cocktails and mocktails that will finish getting those winter blues out of you and put a shine back in your eye. Let’s see what they are!
Mint and Rosemary Lemonade
Let’s start with a refreshing twist on an all-time spring classic while keeping things simple enough that it’ll never feel like a chore to make. The ingredients are:
- 8 cups cold water
- 8 large lemons, halved and washed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 10 sprigs of fresh mint
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Start by boiling the water in a large pot. While that heats up, squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl and throw in the juiced lemon halves in as well; pour in the granulated sugar, then add the mint and fresh rosemary sprigs into the same bowl. The water should be boiling by now, and it’s time to pour that over the lemon-sugar mix, slowly while stirring. Let the concoction sit for about 30 minutes.
Once it’s cooled off, strain your mix and pour the lemonade into a pitcher and place it in the fridge until it’s ready to serve. Garnish with rosemary, lemon slices, and mint leaves. Enjoy!
Mint julep
No other drink screams “spring!” better than a tasty mint julep, and if you’re in any way intimidated by how popular (and expensive at the Kentucky Derby), it is, then you’ll be doubly surprised when you learn just how easy it is to make, since this is the perfect spring cocktail for a crowd. First of all, the ingredients couldn’t be any simpler:
- 2 ½ oz bourbon whiskey
- ½ oz simple syrup or 2 sugar cubes
- 4 to 5 sprigs worth of mint leaves
This drink is traditionally served in a silver or pewter cup, but any tall glass will do just fine. The first step is to place the mint leaves and simple syrup or sugar cubes into the glass, then muddle them well to release the oil and aroma of the mint. Add your bourbon, and fill the cup with crushed ice, stirring well until your glass becomes frosty. Garnish with a mint sprig, and there you have it! Classic mint julep ready to be enjoyed.
Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer (non-alcoholic)
The lovely colors and springtime flavors at play here make this drink a perfect option to serve on a warm day’s brunch. Here’s what you’ll need:
- ½ cup of grapefruit juice
- 5-6 tbsp rosemary syrup
- Crushed ice
- Soda water
For the rosemary syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 spring of chopped rosemary
Prepare the syrup by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and boiling them over medium-high heat. Let it cook for 5 minutes or until all the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve to catch the rosemary. Let it rest to cool off completely.
For the spritzer, pour ¼ cup of grapefruit juice in two glasses, add 2-3 tbsp of rosemary syrup to each and fill them with crushed ice, then top with soda water. Garnish with rosemary and grapefruit slices. You’re done!
As you can see, these delicious drink recipes are the stuff of perfect, warm afternoons sitting in the porch or having brunch with your friends. Sure, there’s spring cleaning to take care of, but enjoying a nice, fresh drink while a cleaning crew takes care of your chores is also an option.
