Cocktails
Enjoy a few of these seasonal cocktails with a bottle of our Highside Distilling Gin or Amaro Mele. These simple recipes are easy to build and a great way to showcase our Gin and Amaro for family and friends this winter. All you need is a bottle of our booze and the easy-to-make syrups and juices listed below. We’ll continue to add to this list as our seasonal cocktail menu changes. Cheers!
THe Martinez
The Martinez is a riff on a traditional Manhattan, substituting gin for whiskey. Since we aren’t producing a Vermouth (…yet), our version also uses a homemade cranberry simple syrup in place of the traditional sweet Vermouth.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.25 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup (see below)
1 bar spoon of Luxardo maraschino syrup
4 dashes Angostora Bitters
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters
Garnish: Maraschino cherry and orange twist
Mix all ingredients, add ice, and stir for 10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with one Luxardo maraschino cherry and a thin orange twist.
Cranberry Simple Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Turn down heat to a simmer and add 1 cup of fresh (or frozen, if not in season) cranberries. Let simmer 10mins, strain solution, and let cool. Store in the refrigerator.
Autumn apple
The Autumn Apple is a fall favorite using apple cider, cinnamon, and freshly-grated nutmeg, with a slight citrus kick.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz Fresh Apple Cider
.5 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup (see below)
Garnish: Apple slice and grated nutmeg
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass (or similar stemmed glass) and garnish with a thin apple slice and freshly-grated nutmeg (we use a mandolin to get our apple sliced super thin).
Cinnamon Simple Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer, add 4-6 cinnamon sticks (broken), and cover for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, let cool, then strain solution to remove cinnamon sticks. Store in the refrigerator.
Cranberry Gimlet
The Cranberry Gimlet is a riff on the traditional lime gimlet, using a Cranberry simple syrup in place of plain sugar. The tartness of the cranberry and lime are balanced with the slightly sweet finish of our apple-based gin.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup (see ‘The Martinez’ recipe)
.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 dashes Angostora Bitters
Garnish: Cranberries
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass (or similar stemmed glass) and garnish with fresh cranberries (and rosemary if available!).
Highside negroni
A riff on a classic Negroni with our intensely bitter Amaro Mele filling the role of both Campari and Sweet Vermouth. Since our Amaro is light on sweetness, we finish this with just a dash of simple syrup.
Ingredients:
.75 oz Highside Gin
.75 oz Highside Amaro Mele
.25 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup (see ‘The Martinez’ recipe)
Garnish: Thick-sliced orange peel
Mix all ingredients, add ice, and stir for 10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a thick slice of orange peel.
amaro y cafe
A savory coffee-based drink with our smokey, rabarbaro-style Amaro. The heavy dose of whole bean coffee and cocoa nibs used in our Amaro are a perfect pair for cold brew and heavy cream.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Amaro Mele
.75 oz Cold Brew Coffee
.25 oz Simple Syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio)
.25 oz Heavy Cream
2 dashes Aztec Chocolate Bitters (we used Fee Brothers)
Garnish: Fresh-grated nutmeg
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass (or your favorite coffee mug!) and garnish with freshly-grated nutmeg.
Blueberry-thyme Fizz
A light, refreshing, gin-based cocktail made with fresh blueberries and thyme. The vinegar-based shrub is easy to make and pairs great with soda water and our botanical-forward gin for a clean, crisp taste.
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Blueberry-Thyme Shrub (see below)
.25 oz Lemon Juice
Soda water to top
Garnish: Skewered blueberries
Mix the gin, shrub, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass, top with a splash of soda water, and garnish with a skewer of fresh blueberries.
Blueberry-Thyme Shrub: Bring 1 cup water to boil with 1 cup sugar, 1 cup blueberries, and 1 bunch of fresh thyme. Stir and let simmer for 10-15mins. Once finished, stir in 3/4 cup of red wine vinegar. Strain and let cool before storing in the refrigerator. Tip: If you aren’t a huge fan of vinegar, dial down the addition to 1/2 or 1/3 cup.
bitter soda
Think of this as the best sparkling water flavor ever created - boozy, bitter and just a touch of sweet. Despite it’s rich and savory nature, our Amaro Mele translates well into this light, easy-sipping cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 oz Highside Amaro Mele
.25 oz Demerara Simple Syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio)
.25 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 dashes Rhubarb Bitters (we used Fee Brothers)
Soda water
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Mix all ingredients (less soda water), add ice, and stir for 10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a rocks or highball glass that is over-filled with ice. Top remainder of glass with soda water and lightly stir once. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Rose-pomegranate collins
A crisp, refreshing, and bubbly cocktail, balancing fresh fruit juice with delicate floral notes. The rose water syrup brings out the rose petal used in our gin in this bright Spring cocktail.
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Rose water-ginger-rosemary syrup (see below)
.25 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.25 oz Pomegranate Juice
Soda water
Garnish: Frozen pomegranate seeds, rosemary sprig
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker (less soda water), add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a highball glass that is over-filled with ice. Top remainder of glass with soda water and lightly stir once. Garnish with frozen pomegranate seeds and fresh rosemary.
Rose Water-Ginger-Rosemary Syrup: Add 1/2 cup dried rose bud/petal to 1 cup warm water and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain to separate rose water from bud/petal. Bring rose water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer, add 2-3 rosemary sprigs and 3-4 small slices of ginger root and cover for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, let cool, then strain. Store in the refrigerator.
Highside Hanky Panky
A riff on the traditional Hanky Panky cocktail with Gin, Sweet Vermouth, and Fernet. Our version is a little heavy-handed on the fernet for a bold and bitter kick and a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients:
.75 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Sweet Vermouth (we use a cranberry simple syrup in the tasting room since we don’t make a vermouth)
.5 oz Highside Fernet Lario
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: Citrus Twist
Mix all ingredients, add ice, and stir for 10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a citrus twist.
Bees Knees
A bright, citrus-forward cocktail made with fresh lemon juice and honey. The perfect summertime sipper!
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Honey Simple Syrup (1:1 honey to water ratio)
Garnish: Edible Flower
Mix the gin, lemon juice, and honey simple syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a float of your favorite edible flower.
Sicilian soda
Nick a pick-me-up on a hot summer day? Look no further! The cold brew coffee and soda bring out some of the coffee and dark chocolate notes in our Amaro Mele, while still managing to be a light and refreshing summertime cocktail.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Amaro Mele
.75 oz Cold Brew Concentrate
.5 oz Demerara Simple Syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
2 dashes Aztec Chocolate Bitters
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Soda water
Garnish: Dehydrated Orange Wheel
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker (less soda water), add ice, and shake for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a highball glass that is over-filled with ice. Top remainder of glass with soda water and lightly stir once. Garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel (you can make these super easy at home - put fresh orange slices on a baking sheet in the oven at 200F for 4-6hrs).
Fernet cola
A riff on the popular Argentinian Fernet & Coke, using a Coca-Cola reduction and fresh lemon juice. Don’t knock it till you try it!
Ingredients:
1 oz Highside Fernet Lario
1.5 oz Cola Reduction
.25 oz Fresh Lime Juice
2 dashes Angostora Bitters
Soda water
Garnish: Lemon Twist
Mix all ingredients (less soda water), add ice, and stir for 10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a highball glass that is over-filled with ice. Top remainder of glass with soda water and lightly stir once. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Cola Reduction: Pour a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola (made with real sugar) into a sauce pan and lightly simmer until carbonation has dissolved and volume reduces by 50%. Let cool and store in the refrigerator.
watermelon gin punch
Fresh watermelon puree and mint pair incredibly well with our gin in this refreshing summertime drink. Try scaling this up and serving out of a pitcher at your next BBQ.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
2 oz Watermelon Puree
.5 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Mint Simple Syrup (see below)
1 dash Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: Fresh Mint Sprig
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Pour entire contents of shaker (including ice) into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with fresh mint.
Mint Simple Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Turn off heat and mix in 1 cup of fresh mint leaves. Let stand for 15minutes before straining out solids. Optional: For an extra mint kick (and some pretty specks in your drink), blend simple syrup with additional fresh mint leaves after you’ve let it cool.
GIN Basil Smash
Another summertime sipper that combines our apple-based gin with fresh basil and lemon juice. A simple, herbacious cocktail that goes down dangerously smooth!
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.75 oz Basil Simple Syrup
.75 oz Lemon Juice
Garnish: Fresh Basil
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Pour entire contents of shaker (including ice) into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with fresh basil.
Basil Simple Syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and mix in 1 cup of sugar, stirring until fully dissolved. Turn off heat and mix in 1 cup of fresh basil (not dried!). Let stand for 15minutes before straining out solids. Blend this simple syrup with additional fresh basil leaves after you’ve let it cool to get an added kick of fresh herbs.
Late Harvest
Just in time for fall, this refreshing seasonal cocktail pairs Concord Grape juice with lime and our own apple-based gin. A perfect pairing for that late harvest wine crush!
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Gin
.5 oz Concord Grape Juice
.25 oz Lime Juice
.25 oz Simple Syrup
Soda Water
Garnish: Skewered Grapes
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain and top with a splash of soda water. Garnish with your favorite grapes.
amaro sour
A classic sour cocktail with our smokey rabarbaro-style Amaro Mele. This drink is a classic for a reason - perfect for any occasion! Our version uses Aquafaba (the leftover liquid in Chickpea production) in place of egg whites for a creamy layer of foam and silky mouthfeel.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Highside Amaro Mele
.5 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz Demerara Syrup
.5 oz Aquafaba
Garnish: Orange Slice and Maraschino Cherry
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and dry shake (no ice!) vigorously for 15 seconds. Next, add ice and shake again for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Strain into a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with a fresh orange slice and Maraschino cherry.
menta fresca
Double down on mint with this refreshing and fizzy Fernet-based cocktail. A bitter and boozy breath mint in liquid form!
Ingredients:
1 oz Highside Fernet Lario
.75 oz Mint Simple Syrup
.25 oz Lemon Juice
Soda Water
Garnish: Fresh Mint
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds, or until chilled. Pour entire contents of shaker (including ice) into a chilled rocks glass. Top with soda. Garnish with fresh mint. Repeat!