Three Cinco de Mayo Cocktails to Help You Celebrate
With Cinco de Mayo here once again, its only natural to enjoy a festive drink or two, while you have fun with friends and eat your body weight in tacos. While I am sure that you will probably be be having a Margarita at some point today, there are plenty of other options out there for you to sip on, so why limit yourself to what you already know.
Down below are a few cocktails that I came up with for you to drink when you are ready to try something new, either for yourself or for guests that sit in front of you at the bar.
Photo by Arlene Ibarra
MICHELADA DE PINA
I have always been a big fan of Micheladas, in fact I just had one a few days ago, and I have always loved how flexible they are in regards to variation. It seems that every flavor from fruit to spice to savory lends itself quite well to a Michelada, so the idea of a Tiki-inspired Michelada hit me one day when I was putting together the list for Polite Provisions latest menu.
For this drink, I decided to take many of the ingredient combinations that are usually associated with tropical cocktails, and gave them a legit Mexican-twist. The result is a festive take on the Michelada that we know so well.
MICHELADA DE PINA
.5oz Lime Juice
1.5oz Pineapple Juice
.75oz Cinnamon Syrup*
1 dash Scrappy's Firewater Bitters**
METHOD: Shake Ingredients & Strain over Ice. Top w Negra Modelo (or other Amber Cerveza)
GLASSWARE: Pint Glass
GARNISH: Tajin Rim & Mint Sprig
*If you don't have Cinnamon Syrup, simply sub regular simple syrup, and add a hefty pinch of grated cinnamon.
**Bitterman's Hellfire Habanero Shrub works just as well.
Photo by Andy Boyd
MANCE RAYDER
This is a really simple cocktail for those who prefer their tequila direct and without any juices to tamper its heat. This is definitely a cocktail for those who enjoy Old-Fashioneds and other drinks consisting of pretty much straight spirits, so this drink is not for everyone, but if you love the taste of tequila, than you will love it.
I named this one after one of my favorite characters from the Game of Thrones series, Mance Rayder aka the King of the North. I thought that a fitting name, since much like its namesake, it is strong and to the point, yet charming & sophisticated.
MANCE RAYDER
1.5oz Reposado Tequila
.5oz Mezcal
.5oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (or another comparable Sweet Vermouth)
.5oz Cointreau
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 dashes Orange bitters
METHOD: Stir & Strain Over Ice
GLASSWARE: Double Old-Fashioned
GARNISH: Lemon Twist
Photo by Arlene Ibarra
THE MOST LEGIT MEXICAN IN BROOKLYN
This cocktail is named after my dear friend and previous guest on the Bartender at Large podcast, Dominic Venegas. Venegas started his bartending career in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to NYC, and has worked at countless seminal bars over the years, such as Bourbon & Branch, NoMad, and Bas'ik.
Since, Venegas was and has continued to be such a strong influence on me and my career, I decided to create a cocktail in his honor, and his new home on the East Coast. You might not has all the ingredients to make this one, but if you do, you are certainly in for a treat.
THE MOST LEGIT MEXICAN IN BROOKLYN
1.5oz Blanco Tequila
.25oz Genepy des Alpes Liqueur*
.25oz Pear Brandy
.75oz Lime Juice
1.5oz Green Apple Juice
METHOD: Shake & Strain over Ice
GLASSWARE: Goblet or Collins
GARNISH: Lime Wedge
*Green Chartreuse works well enough as a substitution here