Drink Food & Drink Garden Guides How-To Recipes

Fresh Is Best: DIY Herbal Cocktails

July 16, 2019

The best thing about growing your own herbs besides the beautiful colors and aromas is incorporating them in your favorite recipes. Whether it’s food or drinks, fresh herbs elevate anything they are a part of. Bars across the country are starting to infuse cocktails with herbs, but you don’t have to be a master mixologist to try this at home. Start with pairing a couple of classic herbs with your go-to liquor and some ice. You’ll be a master of herbal cocktails in no time.

herbal cocktails

The Live Wall encompassing the Sky Deck on the second floor of The B.O.B. is both beautiful and bountiful. You’ll find a variety of herbs, flowers, and bug-repellent plants. The culinary team at Bobarino’s Pizzeria uses organic herbs from the Live Wall to add flavor and color to daily food features and seasonal craft cocktails. Think fragrant fresh basil on the the Margherita Wood-Fired Pizza or fresh muddled mint in a Mojito Cocktail Pitcher.

Although mixing herbal cocktails may seem like a job for a professional mixologist, creating harmonious combinations of herbs, liquors, and mixers is easy with flavor pairing guides like this Flavor Pairing Guide.

The B.O.B.’s upcoming cocktail and dinner event, Botanical Garden, highlights the three Kettle One Botanical flavors— Cucumber and Mint, Orange and Peach Blossom, and Grapefruit and Rose. Guests will have the chance to create their own cocktail using Live Wall herbs, house-made mixers, and more. For inspiration at home or prior to Botanical Garden, check out these herbal cocktail recipes that will be featured during the event:

Cucumber and Mint: Fresa Roja

herbal cocktails - fresca rosa

Ingredients

  • 1.25 oz. Cucumber and Mint Ketel One Botanical

  • Strawberries, sliced

  • Mint

  • Strawberry puree

  • Lemon, sliced

  • Lemonade

  • Cucumber, sliced

  • Ice

Directions

  1. Decorate the bottom of your glass with sliced fresh strawberries.

  2. In an ice shaker, pour 1.25 oz. of Cucumber and Mint Ketel One Botanical over ice with fresh mint, strawberry puree, juice from a couple lemon slices and a lime slice, and fresh lemonade.

  3. Shake ingredients.

  4. Pour over fresh ice into the decorated glass.

  5. Garnish the glass with more fresh strawberries, cucumbers, and mint leaves.

Orange and Peach Blossom: Fire Blossom

herbal cocktails - fire blossom

Ingredients

  • 1.25 oz. Peach and Orange Blossom Ketel One Botanical

  • Cranberry juice

  • Orange, slices and peel for garnish

  • Nonalcoholic triple sec

  • Basil

  • Lemon-lime soda (e.g. Sprite or Sierra Mist)

  • Ice

Directions

  1. In an ice shaker, add 1.25 oz. of Reach and Orange Blossom Ketel One Botanical, a splash of cranberry juice, a freshly squeezed orange slice, a splash of non-alcoholic triple sec, and a couple of basil leaves over ice.

  2. Shake ingredients.

  3. Pour over fresh ice.

  4. Top the drink with lemon-lime soda.

  5. For a garnish, singe an orange peel with a lighter and rub the oils around the rim of the glass before floating the peel on top of the drink.

  6. Finish with a couple of fresh basil leaves before serving.

Grapefruit and Rose: Desert Rose

herbal cocktails - desert rose

Ingredients

  • 1.25 oz. Grapefruit and Rose Ketel One Botanical

  • Lime, sliced

  • Simple syrup

  • Ginger beer

  • Rosemary sprigs

  • Basil

  • Lemon-lime soda (e.g. Sprite or Sierra Mist)

  • Ice

Directions

  1. In an ice shake, add 1.25 oz. of Grapefruit and Rose Ketel One Botanical, juice from a couple fresh lime slices, a splash of simple syrup, and a sprig of rosemary over ice.

  2. Shake these ingredients well.

  3. Pour over fresh ice.

  4. Top off the drink with ginger beer, squeeze fresh lime on top, and float a dry rosemary sprig for garnish..

Tip: Take this elevated mule to the next level with a rosemary-infused simple syrup. To make this, add sprigs of rosemary to a classic simple syrup recipe while in the boiling process.

With a ton of fresh ingredients and a multitude of flavored liquors, the possibilities of craft herbal cocktails are endless. Come and enjoy these freshly made cocktails at our Botanical Event. For only $30 a ticket, you will get a three-course, tapas-style meal (made fresh and special for this event!), and your choice of two of these three cocktails. There will also be a bar where you can build your own cocktail using a multitude of fresh ingredients. Anything offered in the ticket price can be purchased at an a la carte price as well. We look forward to seeing you!

You Might Also Like