This fruity and refreshing cocktail, created by Beefeater London Dry Gin, is a great way to celebrate the season. Cheers!

Summer Gin Punch

2 parts gin
1/2 part maraschino liqueur
1/2 part water
1/4 part Gomme syrup
1/4 part fresh lemon juice
1/2 part fresh orange juice
1 lemon twist
1 orange twist
2 fresh raspberries
2 chunks of diced pineapple
1 part soda

Build all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice, then transfer contents into a punch cup.

More gin cocktails
Photo courtesy of Beefeater Gin

Tales of the Cocktail kicked off today on Royal Street in New Orleans. Ann and Paul Tuennerman, Founder and Executive Director of the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society and Tales of the Cocktail, opened the festivities with Herbsaint Frappés and Creole Juleps, the official cocktail of TOTC 2009. Joining the Tuennerman’s was Robert Hess of Herbsaint which is celebrating their 75th Anniversary. To honor this unique flavor of New Orleans, the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society will unveil a plaque that will be placed at 124 Baronne Street, the site of J.M. Legendre’s Pharmacy where Herbsaint was born.

Lots more to come from New Orleans!

What makes this different from the ordinary spirit brand website is the way they have brought in content from some of the blogoshpere’s top voices. They include, Urbandaddy, Thrillist.com, Daily Candy, and going.com and cover a wide range of topics. My favorite is uncrate’s guide to grill gear.

Chere it out: Patron Social Club

No 4th of July barbecue is complete without watermelon. I’d like to amend that statement to include watermelon cocktails!

This refreshing summer cocktail is the perfect accompaniment to whatever you’ll be throwing on the grill this Independence Day. Martha Stewart inspired this recipe, which I adapted from her watermelon and basil margaritas.

The watermelon is cool and refreshing, while the mint and basil balance the sweetness and give it a fresh, crisp herbal note. You can use all mint or all basil, if you prefer.

4th of July Watermelon Cocktail

7 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit cut into 1-inch cubes
4 teaspoons superfine sugar
8 ounces silver tequila
12 basil leaves
12 mint leaves
2.5 ounces Cointreau
6 cups ice

Make watermelon ice cubes by putting 24 pieces of cubed watermelon on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for one hour, covered.
Take the rest of the watermelon plus the sugar and puree until smooth. Strain into a bowl. Put the tequila, basil and mint in a pitcher and muddle. Then stir in Cointreau and watermelon puree. Pour mixture into cocktail shaker with ice and mix for each cocktail. Put watermelon ice cubes in a glass and pour cocktail in. Garnish with herb sprigs and enjoy!

Red, White and Blue Cocktail
More 4th of July Cocktails
More Summer Cocktails

Red, White, & Blue Cocktail

2 oz Oval Vodka
3/4 oz Cointreau
3 Table Spoon of Macerated Strawberries (See Recipe)
A Splash of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
A Splash of Blue Curacao

Sugar the rim of a chilled martini glass. Combine all ingredients except the blue curacao in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into the martini glass. Drop in a splash of blue curacao.

Macerated Strawberries

1 Pint of Strawberries, washed and sliced
1 tablespoon of sugar
dash of balsamic vinegar

more Independence Day Cocktails

courtesy Oval Vodka

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• Red, White and Blue Drinks for 4th of July (drinkoftheweek.com)

If the answer to either of these questions is “yes,” then Trek’n Eat has the product for you: powdered wine.

This red wine can be easily toted in its lightweight dry form. Add water and you have wine with 8.2% alcohol content.

You adventurous types out there will have to let me know how it is. I’m sticking with the non-dehydrated stuff.

Trek’nEat Red Wine (via Liqurious)

Serve these cocktails (at least one from each “color”) and show your patriotic side!

Red

Americano — Refreshing, sparkling cocktail that include Campari and sweet vermouth

Strawberry Ginger Martini — Fruity vodka cocktail with a bit of spice from ginger liqueur

Raspberry Margarita — Fresh raspberries add a summer touch to the margarita

White

Snowball — Gin and anise liqueur cocktail with great herbal flavor

Pina Colada — Rum, pineapple and coconut cocktail to beat the heat

Funky Monkey – Refreshing rum shot with a tropical flair

Blue

Blue Hawaii –  Vodka, blue curacao and creme de coconut cocktail honoring our 50th state

Electric Martini — Vodka martini, with a touch of blue

Blueberry Mojito — Rum, mint, blueberries … yum

More 4th of July Independence Day cocktails

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• Set a Patriotic Table for Independence Day (thekitchn.com)

I think it accentuates the spirit’s flavor and is a good match for its smooth and rich nuanced character.

Using frozen fruit and berries as ice cubes is a new thing I’ve been doing lately.

Not only is it pretty, but it cuts down on the water that will be added to your drink if you’re not a fast drinker. Also it slowly imparts a bit of the fruit flavor for a subtle twist.

Top it off with a splash or two of club soda if you want to add a little bit of effervescence to your day.

The Bee’s Teas

1.5 oz Beefeater 24 Gin (actually a wee bit more than this)
1 oz. warm water
1 oz. honey
Juice from 1 lemon
1 Earl Grey tea bag
Frozen cranberries

Steep the tea bag in the gin for about 10-15 minutes (I overpoured a little bit, since some liquid will get lost in the process).  The resulting liquid should be the color of a dark cup of tea. Mix the honey into the warm water so it dissolves. Pour the gin-tea, honey-water and lemon juice over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake very gently. Pour into a rocks glass and add frozen cranberries. (Optional: top off with splash of club soda)

Beefeater 24 review
More gin cocktail recipes

more drink of the week cocktails

• Three Rivers (drinkoftheweek.com)
• Acai Grapefruit Cooler (drinkoftheweek.com)
• Ginger Rogers (drinkoftheweek.com)

It has a thin mouthfeel and an approachable taste. Though it is 100% agave it lacks the grassy flavor often found in such tequilas.

This is a clean-tasting tequila for sipping or mixing. I found that adding a tiny splash of Midori to a classic margarita made with Corzo brought out the saltier notes and balanced it quite nicely.

On its own, what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in smoothness.

Here’s a good cocktail to try for summer:

Collinsisimo

2 oz. tequila
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. Grand Marnier
Club soda

Pour the tequila, lime juice and Grand Marnier into a collins glass filled with ice. Top off with club soda and a lime wedge.

Corzo Tequila
Margarita recipes

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• How to speak Tequila (martini-lounge.blogspot.com)
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These picks are unique liquors that stand out among other spirits of the same type. What better way to show Dad that you think he’s one of a kind.

I’ve included multiple price ranges, but these were chosen for their taste and not their price tag.

Here are a few liquor picks for the discerning Dad on your gift-shopping list:

Single-Malt Scotch: Aberlour A’Bunadh

This scotch combines warmth with spiced honey flavors and a citrus finish. It’s an unusual scotch aged in Sherry casks, which the distillery says is how it was done in the old days. Price seems to vary, depending on where you buy it. Expect a $60-$70 price tag.

Gin: TRU2 Organic Gin 

Boasting more than just an “organic” moniker, this gin goes through only one distillation to hang on to the flavor of the 14 botanicals used in its making. But it’s not a flavored gin. The botanicals impart a strong character without losing the smoothness that marks a high-quality gin. If Dad likes a gin martini, this will make him smile. And at about $25, it tastes more expensive than it is.

Bourbon: Red Stag

If Pops is a Jim Beam loyalist, he’ll enjoy the distiller’s latest offering called Red Stag. It has all the flavors he’s come to love in his bourbon, but with a black cherry twist. It’s something different mixed with something traditional and familiar. It’ll run you about $19.

Wine: Etude Merlot

This wine is impressive. Any red wine lover can appreciate the rich plum and berry flavors and delicate mouthfeel of this luxurious wine. At $30, it’s a steal. This is a special-occasion wine that will make Dad proud.

Tequila: Dos Lunas

This isn’t Spring Break tequila. It’s a smooth, gentleman’s tequila. The silver and reposado both exhibit the silky quality that separates fine 100% agave tequila from the stuff you need to drink as fast as you can. So sit and sip some with your father for some bonding time. Depending on which you buy, expect to pay $45-$65.

More Father’s Day ideas:

Cocktails for Dad
The Happy Dad cocktail