The Intoxicologist

It’s difficult to beat the heat, but fresh watermelon cocktails, long drinks and non alcoholic mocktails definitely hit the spot when it comes to satisfying summer sippers.  This perennial fruit favorite might consist of 90% water; but it also goes long on flavor and has stood the test of time as outdoor party and picnic fruit of choice.  Even better for cocktails, fresh watermelon muddles easily which means less muss and fuss.  With the wide choice of watermelon rums and liqueurs available on the market, watermelon cocktails and shots may be enjoyed year round for those wanting a taste of summer when winter’s chill bites at the core. 

Summer Scorcher – created by Cheri Loughlin

2 measures Tabasco Tequila

4 measures Naked Watermelon Chill

3 cubes Fresh Watermelon Garnish

Build in tall glass over fresh ice. Garnish with skewered watermelon cubes.

Blanco Watermelon Margarita

1-1/2 ounce Don Julio Blanco

1/2 ounce Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 ounce Agave Syrup

5 Watermelon Cubes

Watermelon slice Garnish

Muddle watermelon cubes and agave syrup in bottom of mixing glass.  Add remaining ingredients with ice (except garnish).  Shake to chill.  Double strain into chilled martini glass.  Garnish with watermelon slice.

NAVAN Watermelon Daiquiri (10 Cane Rum)

Watermelon Smash (Leblon Cachaca)

Mad Melon Bubble Gum Shot (Three Olives Bubble Vodka)

Watermelon Mist (Boca Loca Cachaca)

Blowing Bubbles (Three Olives Bubble Vodka)

Rainforest on the Rocks (VeeV Acai Spirit)

National Watermelon Day Cocktail Recipe post contains the following drinks:

• Red Squeeze (Red Stag)
• Red Punch (Red Stag)
• Bacardi Grand Melon Gimlet
• Bacardi Grand Melon Mellini
• Bacardi Grand Melon Martini
• Bacardi Grand Melon Juice Cocktail
• Watermelon Lemonade (SKYY Infusions)
• X-Rated Summer

Red Melon (Red Stag & Jim Beam Bourbon)

Barefoot Brazilian (Boca Loca Cachaca & Barefoot Bubbly

Rosy Melon (Azul Tequila)

Mocktails for Anytime

Watermelon Slush – Delaware Government for safe party options

6–8 ice cubes

2 cups Seeded Watermelon

Sugar or Honey to taste

Place ice cubes in blender.  Pulse until crushed.  Add watermelon and honey.  Blend until slushy or smooth according to taste preference.  Garnish with watermelon wedge or skewered cubes. 

Pink Melon

Ginger Melon

Find more cocktail and mocktail options for anytime refreshment and entertaining options by following the category links.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

www.discus.org – Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Copyright 2010 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist.

Summer’s heat index places the need for rehydration at essential levels.  While alcoholic beverages top many people’s list as the number one party drink of choice, cocktails aren’t the wisest choice for keeping hydrated in full sun and heat for long periods of time.  A little H20 thirst quencher for the body keeps the heat at bay and you in the party game longer.  Take a hint from savvy restaurants which veer from the ordinary to serve refreshing chilled water with cucumber rather than ordinary lemon wedges or twists.  Hendrick’s Gin hasn’t cornered the market where cucumber garnish or cucumber infused flavor is concerned.  With lemons sometimes in peculiar condition or highly priced it makes sense to opt for various garnishes for different beverages.  Save lemon twists for martinis and create flavorful, visual interest at the water station at your next party or outdoor gathering.

Cucumber Water

Simply layer ice and cucumber slices in a glass pitcher.  Fill with distilled water and cap.  Refrigerate for approximately an hour prior to serving to allow cucumber flavor to settle within the water.  Thin slice cucumbers lengthwise for garnish.  Place on chilled garnish tray for guest easy access.  All that is needed for you and your guests to beat the heat is Cucumber Water pitcher, glasses, ice and cucumber slice garnish on the rehydration station.  To serve: Place thin sliced cucumber garnish along inside of glass. Fill with ice. Fill with cucumber water.  Enjoy.

Various herbs (think rosemary) or fruits (grapefruit slices) can be used in place of cucumber.  Get creative as you stay hydrated this summer.  Enjoy a few more non-alcoholic Mocktail drinks this summer.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

www.discus.org – Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Copyright 2010 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

Best quote of the morning, Tuesday, March 23, 2010, went along the lines of, “Can we use any of the 42Below Vodka flavors?”  That might have seemed like a reasonable question coming from a crowd of 24 bartenders about to embark on the first drink challenge of the 42Below Cocktail World Cup 2010.  However, the first challenge happened to be a Mocktail challenge.  Mocktails are non-alcoholic beverages designed for those who do not consume cocktails, wish to remain designated drivers for the evening or in this ever evolving world of contemporary parties by design, are underage persons wishing for more than the average soda pop, tea or water beverage.

The quote is not mentioned to poke at the room of bartenders, because quite honestly these fine bar personalities competed at high stakes competitions all over the world to get to this extreme cocktail competition in New Zealand.  Cocktail being the key word.  Cocktails contain alcohol.  42Below Vodka threw an extreme challenge into the works by daring these talented bartenders to imagine up flavorful drink recipes on the fly without the use of their usual tools of the trade.  While alcoholic beverages are primarily the most sought after consumable at bars and night clubs, there is definite need for the non-alcoholic variety on cocktail menus at every venue.  Consideration for every consumer who wishes for an evening out with friends should be primary.  Though this particular drink challenge did not include any 42Below Vodka product, this particular challenge shows considerable insight into the conscientious thinking of the 42Below Vodka company for including responsible drinking and drink creation into their extreme bartender competition. 

Another feature of the 42Below Vodka Cocktail World Cup 2010 Mocktail Challenge to highlight the extreme theme; each bartending team had to shake and serve their Mocktail creation while seated upon a Shotover Jet racing through narrow canyons at speeds sometimes reaching 80km per hour.  More photos of the Mocktail Challenge may be found on The Intoxicologist Facebook page in the photo section.

The Mocktail recipes below are the actual recipes from the CWC2010 Mocktail Challenge.  Since these recipes were created within a timed competition of seven minutes (420 seconds) they have not been fine tuned to perfection by the bartenders who created them.  Sample these non-alcoholic Mocktails as they are and then tweak them to your own liking.  Use the creative genius of these competitive bartenders as a starting point for your own Mocktail inspiration.

Team Australia

Noriel Calub – Goldfish, Sydney

Karel Reyes Gonzalez – Laruche, Brisbane

Chris Hysted – Black Pearl, Melbourne

‘Peach Plum, Rock and Pop’

1 ounce Monin Cinnamon syrup

1 ounce cloudy apple juice

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 ounce pomegranate juice

1 peach, finely diced

1 plum, finely diced

Lemon twist to garnish

Muddle fruit, add syrups and juices. Fill with ice, shake well, and strain into a Rocks glass. Give the lemon twist an ‘air guitar slap’ to release the aromatic oils, and garnish.

Team France

Jad Kheirallah – Purple Bar @ Hilton Arc De Triomphe, Paris

Carlos Madriz – Le Bar @ L’Otel, Paris

Yves Vitrant – Hotel Kilimadjaro, Courchevel

‘Shotover Smash’

1 ounce pomegranate juice

1/2 ounce Monin strawberry syrup

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

Half a chilli pepper, sliced

1 cinnamon quill, broken

4 raspberries

Combine all in a shaker, add ice, shake well and pour all into a Rocks glass.

Team Ireland

Andy Ferreira – Long Island, Cork

Max La Rocca – Sheen Falls Hotel, Kerry

Aaron Wall – Noo Bar, Dublin

‘The Irish Apple’

1 ounce cloudy apple juice

2/3 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

2/3 ounce gomme syrup

3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters

1 bell pepper, quartered

1 large peach slice

Ginger slice

Sparkling water to top

Peach slice and pepper slice to garnish

Muddle peach, pepper and ginger, add juices, syrups and ice. Shake and strain over ice, top with sparkling water, garnish with a peach slice and a bell pepper slice.

Team Italy

Elia Cavieri – Arenile, Napoli

Allesandro Catapano – Cosmopolitan Café, Lucca

Mauro Rosada – Terrazzo Tosca, Treviso

‘Bella Giorno’

1 ounce mango juice

1 ounce cranberry juice

1 ounce sugar cane syrup

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 raspberries

2 peach slices

Lemon wedge to garnish

Muddle raspberries and peach, add juice and syrup, fill with ice, and shake well. Pour all into a Rocks glass, garnish with a lemon wedge.

Team London

Stuart Fritz – LAB, London

Danny Winter – LAB, London

James Wynn-Williams - All Star Lanes, London

‘Bobby Beefeater’

3 ounces pear and ginger juice

1-2/3 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

1 knob of ginger, chopped

1 bar spoon of vanilla sugar

4 lavender buds

4 mint leaves

Sparkling water to top

Apple fan to garnish

Shake and strain into an ice-filled Rocks glass. Garnish with the world’s first jet-boat apple fan.

Team New Zealand

Calem Chadwick – Matterhorn, Wellington

Josh Crawford – Hooch, Wellington

James Goggin – Racket, Wellington

‘Not Fallen Far From The Tree’

2 ounces apple juice

1 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce elderflower cordial

1/2 ounce apple and ginger juice

1/3 ounce ginger syrup

Dash of Angostura bitters

4 mint sprigs

6 kiwi berries

Kiwi berry and mint sprig to garnish

Muddle mint and kiwiberries, add juices and syrups, and fill with ice. Shake and strain into a Rocks glass. Garnish with a kiwiberry and a mint sprig.

Team UK

Hayden Lambert – Merchant Hotel, Belfast

Lisa McCarron – Merchant Hotel, Belfast

Joey Medrington – Tiger Lily, Edinburgh

‘The Capsizer’

2-2/3 ounce cloudy apple juice

5/6 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

2/3 ounce Monin apricot syrup

4 pieces of yellow capsicum

4 mint sprigs

Muddle capsicum, add liquids, stir well, add ice and mint, shake and strain into Rocks glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Team USA

Sean Hoard – PDT, New York City

Mark Stoddard – Bitter Bar, Boulder

Todd Thrasher – PX and Restaurant Eve, Washington, D.C.

’42 Fizz’

2 ounces sparkling water

2 ounces apple juice

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 sprigs coriander

Shake and strain over ice, top with sparkling water, and garnish with a sprig of coriander.

42Below Vodka Cocktail World Cup Links of interest

·         Stylizing the Classic Martini with Simplicity

·         Jim Meehan Stresses Teamwork as Important Factor of Bartending & 42Below CWC Competition

·         Simon Difford Discusses What Makes a Bar Great with 42Below CWC Competitors

·         42Below Cocktail World Cup 2010 Jump-starts Extreme Festivities

Find more non-alcoholic drink recipes within the Mocktail category.

Reviews – Classic Cocktails – Cocktails – Bourbon Cocktails

Champagne & Bubbly Cocktails – Mocktails – Spirited

Low Calorie/Low Carb Cocktails – Shots & Shooters – Holiday Cocktails

The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon

www.discus.org – Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

Copyright 2010 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

The fruits of the season are beautiful, abundant and wonderfully sweet.  Springtime is merely the beginning of nature’s bounty.  It would be a shame to allow these fruits to go to waste.  Create an anytime non-alcoholic drink by easily layering the flavors of watermelon and raspberry.  Since it requires little wrist action to muddle in the luscious fresh factor of watermelon’s sweetness and mouth watering flavorful juice, this Mocktail is a breeze to put together.  Pure refreshment is moments away.

Pink Melon – created by Cheri Loughlin

10 Large Chunks Watermelon

10 Fresh Raspberries

1 teaspoon Raspberry Syrup

Sprite or 7-Up

Skewered Watermelon Garnish

Place watermelon, raspberries and raspberry syrup in cocktail shaker.  Muddle. Add ice. Shake thoroughly. Strain into a tall glass over ice. Top with Sprite or 7-Up. Garnish with skewer of watermelon. To lower calories use diet Sprite or diet 7-Up and switch out the regular raspberry syrup for sugar-free syrup.

More Mocktails to enjoy include Mockup Margarita – excellent for Cinco de Mayo, Faux Sex on the Beach – large enough to share or for on the go, Green Tea Granita and African Nectar Arnold Palmer using Mighty Leaf teas, Candied Lemon Drop in regular and lower calorie version, the decadent frozen Chi-Chi a la mode, another watermelon and raspberry drink with ginger ale – Ginger Melon, something for the sweet tooth – Chocolate Fluff, something for Mother’s Day brunch – Sparkling Mango, a take on the classic Brandy Alexander – Lennon’s Milkshake, Italian Es-cape inspired by the Cape Cod, and one of my personal favorites using Boysenberry Syrup – O Boy! Berries & Cream.  There are numerous more non-alcoholic drink recipes under the Mocktail heading.

Reviews – Classic Cocktails – Cocktails – Bourbon Cocktails

Champagne & Bubbly Cocktails – Mocktails – Spirited

Low Calorie/Low Carb Cocktails – Shots & Shooters – Holiday Cocktails

The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon

www.discus.org – Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

Copyright 2010 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

We all have our secret reasons and excuses for why we pick up special treats to place on our tongues to get us through the morning rush or ease into the evening.  ‘Because I’m worth it,’ ‘it’s been such a rough day’ or simply ‘it’s Monday’ seem to be the easiest justifications for treat worthy actions.  It is the simple self-indulgent luxuries we use to lift our spirits and keep us going those few hours more.  Chocolate Marsh is precisely the most decadent offering of the day.  Choose this tasty morsel as sumptuous start or lush ending to the work day. 

Chocolate Marsh – created by Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

1/2 ounce Torani White Chocolate Syrup

1 unit International Delight Hazelnut Coffee Creamer

4 ounces Hot Coffee

Marshmallow Topping

Whipped Cream

Nutmeg

Swirl marshmallow topping in heatproof coffee container.  Add white chocolate syrup, coffee creamer and hot coffee.  Top with whipped cream.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.

A few more Non-Alcoholic Coffee drink recipes to satisfy the sweet tooth and caffeine need: Nilla Frappe – Triple Threat -  The Razz -  Café con Coco – Amaretti Coffee – Hot Buttered Cinnamon Coffee – Hot Coco Bean – Irish Mock-achino – Sugar & Spice – Melting Mocha.  More general Hot Coffee cocktails for casual sipping which include spirits may be found in the Hot Brew Drink Recipe Guide.  Varied fruit based drink recipes without alcohol inclusion can be found in the Mocktails category.

Reviews – Classic Cocktails – Cocktails – Bourbon Cocktails

Champagne & Bubbly Cocktails – Mocktails – Spirited

Low Calorie/Low Carb Cocktails – Shots & Shooters – Holiday Cocktails

The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon

www.discus.org – Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com

Copyright 2010 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved