Sparkling Wine

Chardonnay

Ginger

Cutwater Coconut

Old Vodka

Grove

Prosecco

Champagne

Whiskey

Vodka

Ging

Currant

Purple Affair

Lyre’s “Bourbon”, citrus, Fentiman’s Ginger Beer

The Gentle Reins

Cinnamon vanilla custard, vanilla ice cream, seasonal berries.

Churro Crème Brûlée

Lyre’s “Tequila blanco”, agave, citrus, elderflower syrup

The Calm Canter

400 Conejos Mezcal, Brovo Uncharted Rhapsody, Agave, Lime, Serrano

Green Horizon

Kraken Dark Rum, Passion Fruit Liqueur, Lemon, Ginger Beer

Storm Chaser

400 Conejos Mezcal, Curenta Tres Liqueur, Grapefruit Bitters

High Spirits

Cuervo Tradicional Silver, Coconut Liqueur, Pineapple, Agave

Clarified Del Sol

Cuervo Traditional Silver, Blackberry Liqueur, Agave, Lime

Crimson Blush

Benchmark Whiskey, Select Aperitivo, Averna, Lemon

Horse Play

Outfitter’s Vodka, Cassis, Lemon, Ginger Beer

Currant Affair

Seasonal Espresso Martini

Place the bottle of sparkling wine in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours, or in an ice bucket with ice and cold water for 20–30 minutes, until well chilled (around 45°F / 7°C).

Chill bottle

Choose clean, chilled flutes or white wine glasses. Rinse briefly with cold water and drain to remove any lingering glass dust — cold glass helps preserve bubbles.

Prepare glassware

Remove the foil and loosen the wire cage while keeping a thumb over the cork. Hold the bottle at a 45° angle away from people and gently twist the bottle (not the cork) while applying slight upward pressure to ease the cork out slowly. Allow a soft sigh rather than a loud pop to preserve carbonation.

Open bottle safely

If you prefer a slightly sweeter or less intense wine, add up to 1/2 tsp simple syrup to the bottom of each glass. For a lighter, longer pour, add up to 1/4 cup chilled water or a couple of ice cubes to the glass before pouring — note this will dilute and cool the wine.

Optional: adjust sweetness or temperature

Hold the glass at a slight angle and pour the sparkling wine gently down the side to preserve effervescence. Fill each flute about two-thirds full (approximately 4–5 oz / 120–150 ml) to retain bubbles and aroma.

Pour

If desired, add a lemon or orange twist on the rim or drop it into the glass for a subtle citrus note. Serve immediately while effervescence is lively.

Garnish and serve

If you have leftover wine, reseal with a sparkling wine stopper and refrigerate upright. Consume within 1–3 days for best bubbles; use a vacuum or regular wine stopper if needed but expect diminished effervescence after the first day.

Storage of open bottle

Cold Sparkling wine (brut or extra-brut)

Optional: chilled water

Optional: ice cubes

Optional: lemon or orange twist/garnish

Optional: simple syrup (for a touch of sweetness)

Harvest Chardonnay grapes at ideal ripeness (target ~22–24 Brix for a dry white with moderate alcohol). Remove leaves, underripe or rotten berries and stems (whole-cluster pressing is optional; de-stemming recommended for clarity).

Harvest & Sort

Crush grapes gently and press immediately to separate juice from skins (minimal skin contact for classic Chardonnay). Collect free-run and press fractions separately if desired. Aim for about 8–10 liters of juice per kg of grapes (adjust volume expectations accordingly).

Crush & Press

Measure must (juice) specific gravity/Brix and total acidity. If needed, adjust acidity with small additions of tartaric acid or dilute with water (rare) to achieve balanced must. If sugar is low and higher alcohol is desired, add calculated sucrose gradually and dissolve thoroughly.

Juice Preparation

Add potassium metabisulfite at a rate to achieve ~30 ppm free SO2 (typically ~0.5 g per 10 L) to sanitize must and sit for 12–24 hours to protect from oxidation and undesired microbes.

Sanitize & Sulfite

Rehydrate chosen wine yeast per manufacturer instructions (usually sprinkle into 10x its weight in sterile warm water at 35–40°C with a pinch of sugar, wait 15 min). Add yeast nutrient to the rehydrated yeast or into the must as directed.

Rehydrate Yeast

Pitch rehydrated yeast into must once SO2 contact time has elapsed (12–24 hours). Maintain fermentation temperature between 12–18°C for a cool fermentation that preserves varietal aromatics.

Inoculate Must

Allow fermentation to proceed until specific gravity falls to ~0.998–1.000 for a dry wine (may take 10–21 days depending on temperature and yeast). Monitor daily for temperature, Brix/SG, and aroma. Stir lees gently if doing regular lees contact to build mouthfeel.

Primary Fermentation

If a rounder, buttery Chardonnay is desired, inoculate malolactic bacteria after primary fermentation at recommended rate and keep temperature around 18–22°C. Monitor malic acid conversion (paper chromatography or lab test) until complete (1–4 weeks). If a fresher, fruit-driven style is preferred, inhibit MLF by keeping SO2 and low temperatures or sterile filtering.

Optional Malolactic Fermentation (MLF)

If oak character is desired (La Léoube styles often show restrained oak), add neutral oak staves/chips or transfer to oak barrels for aging. Typical oak exposure: 3–6 months in neutral to light-toast oak for subtle vanilla/toast without overpowering fruit.

Oak Treatment

After fermentation and any MLF, cold stabilize the wine at ~0–2°C for 1–2 weeks to precipitate tartrates. Rack the wine off gross lees. Fine with bentonite (re-hydrated and added at recommended dosage) if protein haze is a concern, and then rack again after settling.

Clarification & Cold Stabilization

Measure free SO2 and adjust to target free SO2 ~25–35 ppm for white wine stability. If backsweetening, stabilize with potassium sorbate and add sugar carefully after sterile filtration.

Final Adjustments

Sterile filter the wine (1.0–0.45 micron) if desired for microbiological stability. Fill bottles, top up to minimize headspace, and cork or screw-cap. Age bottles for at least 2–3 months to allow integration; many Chardonnays benefit from 6–12 months.

Filter & Bottle

Chardonnay grapes (or neutral high-acid white grape must)

Water (if needed to adjust must concentration)

Wine yeast (neutral white wine strain, e.g., EC-1118 or Montrachet)

Yeast nutrient

Fermentation complex (optional for mouthfeel/stability)

Tartaric acid (to increase acidity)

Potassium metabisulfite (campden) — for sanitation

Sucrose (table sugar) — to raise potential alcohol if necessary

Oak alternative chips or barrels (optional, for oak character)

Malolactic bacteria (optional, if doing MLF)

Bentonite (for protein stabilization, optional)

Cold-stabilization equipment (not an ingredient)

Potassium sorbate (if sweetening post-stabilization)

Bottles and corks

Add dark rum, rye whiskey, fresh lime juice, ginger syrup, and Angostura bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and well-chilled.

Build and shake

Fill a highball or Collins glass with fresh cubed ice (about 1 cup).

Prepare glass

Double-strain the shaken mixture into the prepared glass over the ice to remove small ice shards and any pulp.

Strain

Carefully top the cocktail with about 2 oz of cold ginger beer to add fizz and extra ginger flavor. Gently stir once with a bar spoon (1–2 slow turns) to integrate.

Top with ginger beer

Express the orange peel over the drink to release oils, then run the peel around the rim and drop it in as a garnish. Serve immediately with a straw if desired.

dark rum

rye whiskey

fresh lime juice

ginger syrup

angostura bitters

orange peel (for garnish)

ginger beer (cold)

ice (cubed)

If using toasted coconut for garnish, lightly toast coconut flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden — about 2–3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Fill a highball or Collins glass with ice (cubed or crushed) and set aside.

In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add 1.5 oz light rum, 1 oz coconut rum (or 1 oz cream of coconut for a richer texture), 0.5 oz peach schnapps, 2 oz pineapple juice, 0.5 oz fresh lime juice, and 0.25 oz simple syrup.

Combine spirits and juices

Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until the shaker is cold to the touch and ingredients are well chilled and combined.

Shake

Strain the shaken mixture into the prepared ice-filled glass. Slowly pour 0.25 oz grenadine down the side or over the back of a spoon so it sinks slightly to create a blush gradient at the bottom of the glass.

Strain & layer grenadine

Gently top the drink with 1 oz club soda to give a light effervescence. Do not stir vigorously — a gentle top preserves the blush effect.

Top with soda

Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim and a pinch of toasted coconut flakes on top of the drink or the lime for aroma (optional).

Garnish

light rum

coconut rum (or cream of coconut if you prefer richer)

peach schnapps

grenadine

simple syrup (1:1)

pineapple juice

club soda (or sparkling water)

lime wheel

toasted coconut flakes (optional)

ice (cubed or crushed)

Place one large ice cube (or fill the old-fashioned glass with large ice) into a chilled old-fashioned or rocks glass to cool it while you mix.

Fill a mixing glass or cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour in 2 oz vodka, 0.5 oz sol (sunflower) liqueur, 0.5 oz sweet vermouth, 0.25 oz dry curaçao, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.

Stir the mixture briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full turns) until well chilled and slightly diluted, about 25% reduction in temperature and a slight frost on the glass.

Stir

Discard the cooling ice from the serving glass if you used a single cube to chill; drop in 1–2 fresh large ice cubes. Strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared glass over the ice.

Strain & Serve

Express the oils of an orange peel over the drink by holding peel skin-side down above the cocktail and give it a firm twist to release the oils, then rub the peel around the glass rim and drop it into the drink as a garnish.

Serve immediately and enjoy. Adjust sweetness by increasing or decreasing the simple syrup by 0.125–0.25 oz if desired.

vodka (good-quality, neutral)

sol (sunflower) liqueur or similar floral-vanilla liqueur

sweet vermouth

dry curaçao or orange liqueur

large ice cubes

If using fresh or frozen currants, place them in a mixing glass or shaker and gently muddle just to break skins — do not pulverize. This releases fruit oils and color for a natural cassis note.

Add the fresh thyme sprig to the muddled currants and clap it once between your palms (to release aromatics) before dropping it into the glass to macerate briefly.

Add the gin, crème de cassis, lemon juice, simple syrup, and angostura bitters to the mixing glass or shaker with the muddled currants and thyme.

Fill the shaker with ice (enough to chill well) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the exterior is frosty and well-chilled. The shaking will further integrate the cassis flavor and balance the sweet-tart components.

Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or rocks glass filled with fresh ice (use a fine mesh strainer in addition to the shaker strainer to remove currant solids). If you prefer a slightly lighter finish, serve up (no ice) in a coupe.

Top gently with the club soda (about 1.5 oz) to add lift and effervescence. Stir once gently with a bar spoon to integrate the soda without flattening it.

Express a lemon twist over the drink to release essential oils, then rub the rim if desired and drop the twist into the glass.

Garnish with the small thyme sprig laid across the glass or gently floated. Serve immediately.

dry gin

crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)

fresh lemon juice

crushed black currants or frozen currants (optional)

fresh thyme sprig

club soda

lemon twist (or thin wheel)

small sprig of thyme (for garnish)

Chill the bottle of Prosecco for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator (ideally 4–6°C / 39–43°F). If you need it quickly, place the bottle in an ice bath (half ice, half water) for 20–30 minutes.

Select a clean, chilled flute or coupe. A flute preserves the bubbles best; a coupe is traditional but will lose effervescence faster.

Pour gently: hold the glass at a slight angle (about 45°) and pour slowly down the side until the glass is about two-thirds full (roughly 4–5 oz). This minimizes foam and preserves carbonation.

If using a lemon twist or orange slice, twist the lemon peel over the glass to express oils, rub the peel briefly around the rim, and drop or perch the twist/slice on the rim as garnish.

Serve immediately while the Prosecco is lively and bubbly.

Fill a wine glass or large rocks glass with 2–3 ice cubes so the drink stays chilled without diluting quickly.

Prepare glass and ice

Pour 1 oz Aperol (or Campari) over the ice, then add 3 oz chilled Prosecco. Top with 1 oz chilled soda water. Pour slowly to retain bubbles.

Build the spritz

Stir gently once with a bar spoon to combine (one or two slow turns). Garnish with an orange slice on the rim. Serve immediately.

Prosecco, chilled

Optional: fresh lemon twist or orange slice

Optional: chilled coupe or flute glass

Aperol or Campari

Soda water, chilled

Ice cubes

Orange slice, for garnish

Place the Champagne bottle in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours, or in an ice bucket filled with ice and water for 20–30 minutes, until it reaches about 45°F (7°C). Proper chilling preserves bubbles and delicate flavors.

Use clean, chilled flutes or tulip glasses. If using a fruit garnish, rinse and pat dry one fresh strawberry or raspberry. For a Champagne cocktail, place one sugar cube in the base of the flute and add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters onto the sugar cube.

Prepare glassware and optional garnish

Remove foil and loosen the wire cage while keeping your thumb firmly on the cork. Tilt the bottle at a 45° angle away from people and fragile items. Hold the cork and slowly twist the bottle (not the cork) to ease the cork out with a quiet 'hiss' rather than a loud pop to preserve bubbles and avoid splashing.

Pour gently down the side of the glass to preserve effervescence, filling each flute about two-thirds full (roughly 4–5 oz / 120–150 ml per serving). If using the sugar cube/bitters variant, pour slowly so the cube remains at the bottom while the Champagne dissolves it.

If using fruit, drop the berry into the glass or perch it on the rim. Taste and, if desired, top with a small splash of chilled water (a tablespoon) only if you want to slightly reduce intensity; avoid adding water if you want maximum bubbles and flavor. Serve immediately while bubbly.

Brut Champagne or sparkling wine (chilled)

Optional: chilled water (to top if using smaller glass or preserve bubbles)

Optional: fresh strawberry or raspberry for garnish

Optional: sugar cube (for a Champagne cocktail)

Optional: Angostura bitters (few dashes for a Champagne cocktail)

Place an Old-Fashioned glass (or short tumbler) on the counter. If using a sugar cube instead of simple syrup, put the sugar cube in the glass and add the bitters directly onto the cube.

If using simple syrup, add 1/2 teaspoon into the glass. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to the syrup (or sugar cube). If you prefer a slightly sweeter or drier drink, adjust the simple syrup amount to taste.

Add sweetener and bitters

If you used a sugar cube, muddle it with the bitters until the cube is mostly dissolved. A short muddle with the back of a spoon is sufficient. If you used simple syrup, no muddling is necessary.

Muddle (if using sugar cube)

Pour 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey into the glass over the bitters and sweetener mixture.

Add whiskey

If you want to slightly mellow the whiskey and reveal more aromatics, add a splash (about 1/4 oz) of still water or soda. This is optional and adjustable to taste.

Optional: open the spirit

Add one large ice cube or several smaller cubes to the glass. Stir gently for about 20–30 seconds (10–15 revolutions) to chill and dilute slightly. Proper stirring brings the temperature down and integrates the ingredients without over-diluting.

Add ice and stir

Hold an orange peel over the glass, skin side down, and give it a firm twist to express the oils over the surface of the drink. Optionally rub the rim of the glass with the peel, then drop the peel into the drink as a garnish.

Express orange oil and garnish

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to appreciate the whiskey's aroma and balance between spirit, bitters, and sweetener.