Photo: Aperol.
A cocktail makes an outdoor concert, baseball game, or afternoon on the beach more enjoyable. When day drinking, however, the goal is to get a gentle buzz on without ending up blotto. Lower ABV cocktails will ensure you stay lucid but relaxed. Mix up one (or all!) of these simple cocktails and get thee outside!
Prohibition Sicilian Radler
Photo: Intelligent Nutrients.
Minneapolis-based Prohibition Kombucha is made from hand-picked Chinese teas, long-fermented and infused with tropical fruit and botanicals. On its own, it contains less than 0.5% ABV; mixed half-and-half with beer in this cocktail, its ABV is 2 to 3%.
Ingredients:
- 1 part Prohibition Sicilian Kombucha
- 1 part light beer (Weisse, Gose, Blonde Ales, and even Miller Lite are good candidates)
- Lemon peel or stick of rosemary
Preparation:
Take a large glass and fill with ice. Fill halfway with selected beer and top with Prohibition Sicilian Kombucha. Squeeze a lemon peel to release the oils and drop into the glass. Sip. Enjoy. Repeat.
Also: The Perfect Whiskey For Every Occasion
Aperol Spritz
Photo: Aperol.
Aperol is an Italian apertif made from a secret recipe unchanged since the early 1900s. Infused with bitter and sweet oranges, rhubarb, and herbs, it pairs well with an aromatic, fruity prosecco and bubbly soda.
Ingredients:
- 3 parts Cinzano prosecco
- 2 parts Aperol
- 1 dash soda
- Ice and a slice of orange
Preparation:
Add ice and a slice of orange, pour in the prosecco, the Aperol, and add a dash of soda. (This way the Aperol doesn’t settle at the bottom.) Serve in a wine glass.
French Ruby 75
Photo: Schofferhofer.
Schöfferhofer Grapefruit, the first Hefeweizen grapefruit beer, is a versatile cocktail ingredient. The bright orange beer made from all-natural ingredients in Germany is 50% Schofferhofer Hefeweizen blended with 50% carbonated grapefruit juice. Served chilled or on ice, it’s a refreshing take on traditional brewski with only 2.5% ABV.
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce gin
- 1/2 ounce St. Germain
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime
- 1/2 ounce simply syrup
- 3 ounces Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer
Preparation:
In shaker place gin, St. Germain, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and ice. Shake vigorously, strain into champagne flute or coupe, then top off with Schofferhofer Grapefruit.
Paloma Alemán
Photo: Schofferhofer.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 6 ounces Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer
- Salt (for rimming)
- Lime shaving (for garnish)
Preparation:
In glass add tequila, fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and ice. Top off with Schofferhofer Grapefruit, stir and garnish with lime shaving.
Hemingway
Photo: Schofferhofer.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces white rum
- 3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
- 2 ounces Schofferhofer Grapefruit Beer
Preparation:
In shaker, add rum, basil-infused simple syrup, and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Shake, strain into coupe sugar and citrus zest rim, top off with Schofferhofer Grapefruit.
