Holidays We Love – National Root Beer Float Day!

It seems as though every day this summer has been celebrating another food or beverage, and I for one am okay with this, as it gives me a wonderful excuse to honor these foods and beverages I don’t typically indulge in. Today we celebrate the delicious, carbonated and sweet Root Beer Float!

To make this holiday a little more festive – I’m going to share some adult versions of the Root Beer Float we all know and love:

Mama’s Old Time Pop: This cocktail may seem like a simple spiked root beer, but Mama Walker’s Glazed Donut liqueur adds a sweet new spin, sure to be like no root beer you’ve tried before!

• 1 parts Mama Walker’s Glazed Donut
• 4 parts Root Beer

Build in a glass over ice

Another sweet and boozy spiked Root Beer float:

• 1 part Hiram Walker® Root Beer Schnapps
• 2 parts Milk or Cream
• 4 parts Lemon-lime Soda

Combine ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend until smooth.

Cheers!

-KJ

…Winter’s Not Over Yet

As to be expected for New England weather, the end of February does not mean the end of the cold. Just as we have experienced with the beginning of the previous few months, March is expected to begin with another round of snow. With the pavement finally showing again in my driveway, but the green grass still a distant memory, I have decided to get my fix of green through cocktails (which will also be a great prep for the lovely holiday of St. Paddy’s Day just a couple short weeks away).

Here are a couple green cocktails to chase away my winter blues…

Emerald City Martini

• 1 part Hiram Walker® Melon Liqueur
• 1 part Malibu®
• ½ part Hiram Walker® Black Raspberry

Shake and serve straight up over the Black Raspberry at the bottom of the glass. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Minty Sangria

(can be served as a pitcher)

• 3 parts Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc
• 3 parts peach nectar
• 1 part Absolut Mandrin
• Several mint leaves (for every one serving, use 8-10 mint leaves)

Directions: Slap the mint leaves between your palms to release oils, then drop into glass.  Add ice and remaining ingredients and stir.

Green Delight

• 1½ parts Hiram Walker® Melon Liqueur
• 1 part Beefeater® Gin
• 1 part Hiram Walker® Triple Sec

Shake all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into Martini glass. Garnish with orange wheel.

Enjoy and if you’re in New England, stay warm!

-KJ

Friday Feature Cocktail: Black Raspberry Truffle

While there is still another week before the official start of winter, it sure feels a lot like the dead of winter up in New England. With the snow from our first storm still lingering, the

View I’ll be enjoying as I sip on my Black Raspberry Truffle

forecast calls for another storm tomorrow. I’m not complaining (too much) because I have come to expect snow in New England in December, and it does make the holiday season feel

extra festive! So tonight I’ll be bundled up with a nice hot cocktail to warm me up as I await the second snow storm of many this season.

Hiram Walker Black Raspberry Truffle

Black Raspberry Truffle

• ¾ part Hiram Walker Black Raspberry
• ¾ part Hiram Walker Crème de Cacao
• 4 parts Hot Coffee

Pour into a coffee mug and serve

Enjoy!

-KJ

National Mojito Day!

Today is National Mojito Day and I couldn’t think of a more fitting cocktail for this warm weather! The refreshing flavor of muddled mint, enhanced by sweet flavors of sugar and lime, all combined in one carbonated cocktail creates the ideal summer beverage. By now everyone is familiar with the classic Mojito recipe: rum, sugar, lime, mint leaves and club soda. That’s why today on this wonderful holiday I want to share some fun ways to shake up your Mojitos this holiday.

Melon Mojito

• 3/4 part Hiram Walker Melon Liqueur
• 1 ½ parts Dark Rum
• 12 Mint leaves
• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice
• 2 tbsp. Simple Syrup
• Club Soda

Muddle mint leaves and lime in tall glass. Cover with simple syrup and fill glass with ice. Add rum and top with club soda; stir. Garnish with lime and mint.

Malibu Red Mojito

• 1 part Malibu Red
• ½ lime
• ½ part simple syrup
• 7-10 mint leafs
• Soda water

Stir all the ingredients on rock ice in a highball glass. Top off with soda. Garnish with mint leafs.

Mamasjito

• 2 part Mama Walker Blueberry Pancakes
• 7 blueberries
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 1 part simple syrup
• 1/2 of lime cut into wedges
• Splash Club Soda

Muddle the mint, blueberries, lime wedges and simple syrup in shaker. Add MW Blueberry Pancakes and ice. Strain into a highball glass with fresh ice, top with soda.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

-KJ

Hiram Walker Melon Mojito

4 Great Cocktails for 4th of July!

It’s finally the 4^th of July and I’ve got 4 cocktails that will be a great addition to any Independence Day party menu! These summery cocktails are sweet, refreshing and sure to please!

Sandeman Lemonade

Refreshing Sandeman Lemonade

• 1/2 part Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto
• 1 1/2 parts Absolut® Citron vodka
• 2 parts lemonade
• Ice cubes

Prepare and serve in a long drink glass. Fill the glass with ice. Add the ingredients and stir well. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

 

White Peach Lemon Drop

• 2 parts ABSOLUT® Mandrin Vodka
• 2 parts Hiram Walker® White Peach Schnapps
• 1 part Fresh Lemon Juice
• ½ part Simple Syrup

Combine ingredients in shaker w/ ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a lemon sugar rimmed rocks glass and serve.

Mama’s Barbados Holiday

Mama’s Barbados Holiday

• 1 part Mama Walker’s Maple Bacon
• 1 part Malibu Rum
• 3 parts pineapple Juice
• Splash of grenadine
• Splash of orange juice

Mix in a shaker over ice. Serve in a shot glass.

Malibu Spiced Beach Hero

• 1 ½ parts Malibu® Island Spiced
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 2 parts lemon lime soda

Build ingredients over ice in a collins glass. Top with lemon lime soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Enjoy and have a safe and wonderful holiday!

-KJ

Friday Feature Cocktail: Island Breeze

I’m officially in the swing of summer and ready to enjoy a plethora of fruity and refreshing warm weather cocktails! This summer state of mind I’m in has inspired today’s feature cocktail: The Island Breeze!

The blend of coconut, peach, pineapple and cranberry flavors screams, “summertime in a glass”!

The Island Breeze

• 1½ parts Malibu® Coconut
• 1 part Pineapple Juice
• ½ part Cranberry Juice
• 1 part Hiram Walker® Peach Schnapps

Shake and serve over ice.

For a splash of blueberry flavor added into the mix, I’m going to experiment with the recipe and add in some Mama Walker’s Blueberry Pancake Liqueur!

Enjoy your weekend!

-KJ

Island Breeze: with Hiram Walker and Malibu

July 4th Sparklers!

4^th of July is just around the corner, and when I think of the perfect way to spend the holiday I think of hamburgers, pasta salad, fireworks, sparklers, and of course, cocktails! It’s never too early to start planning your drink menu, and below are some festive “sparkler” cocktails to pair with your July 4^th festivities!

Pink Berry Sparkler

• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 5 raspberries
• 3 oz. Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato Rose

In a mixing glass, muddle the raspberries.  Add the pineapple juice and Moscato Rose, with ice, and stir briefly.  Strain into a chilled champagne flute and top off with extra Moscato Rose. Garnish with a raspberry

Mango Peach Sparkler

• 1.5 oz Absolut Mango
• .5 oz Hiram Walker Peach Schnapps
• Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato Rosé

Build in a rocks glass over ice or frozen mango cubes

And why not throw in a little boozy dessert?

Mama Say Mama Sa Ma-Ma-Ma-Su-Ka
• 3 parts Mama Walker’s Maple Bacon Liqueur
• 3 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• 3 tsp Chocolate Syrup
Put all ingredients in blender and blend with ice. Pour into highball glass for this frozen treat. Add 1 or 2 sticks of bacon for garnish.

As a disclaimer, I am NOT suggesting drinking sparklers while playing with sparklers, that could get dangerous 🙂

Enjoy!

-KJ

 

Picnics and Punch

Today is International Picnic Day! Get your wicker baskets and checkered blankets out and get excited for a nice picnic! Punches are always a great drink choice for outdoor activities because you can make a batch beforehand, pour it in a thermos and leave the ingredients at home. Punches can also serve as a nice way to cool down and satisfy your sweet tooth with just one sip.

White Peach Punch

• 2 cups ABSOLUT Citron® Vodka
• 2 cups Hiram Walker® White Peach Schnapps
• 1¼ cups Cranberry Juice
• 1¼ cups Pineapple Juice
• 2½ cups Fresh Sour Mix
• 2½ cups Lemon-Lime Soda
• 1 Scoop Rainbow Sherbet

Combine ingredients in Punch Bowl ¾ full of ice. Scoop sherbet into balls and float on top or float entire quart of sherbet. Makes multiple servings.

Enjoy and happy picnicking!

-KJ

Perfect for Summer Spiked Iced Teas

Iced Tea and summer go hand in hand. When the weather is warm and the sun is shining down a cool iced tea is a great choice of refreshment, and a spiked iced tea can be an even better choice!  Whether you’re relaxing out by the pool or hosting a BBQ, these simple iced tea cocktails are the perfect addition to your warm weather activities!

Malibu’s new low-cal spiced rum can satisfy your cocktail cravings without leaving you feeling guilty during bathing suit season —Malibu Island Spiced Iced Tea

• 1 part (50 ml) MALIBU ISLAND SPICED
• 1 part (50 ml) Iced tea
• 1 part (50 ml) Lemon juice
• 1 lemon wedge

Pour all the ingredients over cubed ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

If you’re the type of person that loves experimenting with new flavors, you won’t want to miss ABSOLUT CILANTRO this summer, this new spin on iced tea brings a minty addition to an already refreshing drink – ABSOLUT CILANTRO CHILLANTRO

• 1 part ABSOLUT CILANTRO
• 4 parts Mint Iced tea

Build ingredients in a tall glass with ice.

Refreshing Peach Tea-perfect for a summer picnic

This last iced tea recipe is a classic that can’t be left out – Peach Iced Tea

• 2 parts Hiram Walker® Peach Schnapps
• 1 part Fresh Lemon Juice
• 4 parts brewed Iced Tea

Build ingredients over cubed ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Enjoy National Iced Tea Month!

-KJ

Rum Runners for National Running Day!

Yesterday, as you may or may not have known, was National Running Day. While I try to be fit and active (keyword try), I am very aware that running is not enjoyable for everybody. But there is one type of runner that is enjoyable to most, and that’s a Rum Runner!

Rum Runner

• 2 parts Malibu® Tropical Banana
• 1 part Hiram Walker® Blackberry Flavored Brandy
• 2 parts Orange Juice
• 2 parts Pineapple Juice
• 2 parts Cranberry Juice
Serve over ice in a tall glass, garnish with fruit.

Cheers everyone and happy running!

-KJ