A squeeze of citrus, a splash of soda and a couple of ounces of hard alcohol make for a refreshing summer cocktail.
The combinations are endless. Hundreds of different cocktails have been invented over the years, and if you ask us, there are simply not enough summer days to enjoy them all.
The Gazette spoke with a few of the restaurants and bars in St. Albert that are re-imagining classics or creating their own signature drinks. From mojitos to martinis, we’ve got a list of some of the best summer drinks in St. Albert and where to find them.
Bourbon Sweet Tea
- 1 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
- 0.5 oz. Amaretto
- 0.5 oz. Kahlúa
- Top up with iced tea
- 2 mint leaves, lightly pressed to release the oils
- Top off with a splash of Coca-Cola Ⓡ and garnish with a lemon wheel
Courtesy: The Bourbon Room – 205 Carnegie Drive
The Bourbon Sweet Tea is an upgraded version of the Long Island Iced Tea – but with bourbon of course. This is a Bourbon Room signature cocktail, offered since the business first opened in 2013.
The cocktail can be made with either iced tea flavour or from a bag of steeped tea, chilled to perfection. Notes of almond and coffee from the liqueurs compliment the toffee and caramel flavours of the bourbon. The added mint leaves make the drink all the more suitable for summer.
Bourbon Room owner Paul Ballach said this drink is popular with his female clientele, who often don’t like the harsh taste of bourbon. He said it’s a sweet cocktail that goes down smoothly.
Old Fashioned
- 2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
- 2 drops of bitters
- Splash of simple syrup
- Add orange zest and dark cherry
- Garnish with a rock candy skewer
Courtesy: The Bourbon Room – 205 Carnegie Drive
An oldie but a goodie, the Old Fashioned is becoming a staple on many drink menus. The Bourbon Room’s take on this classic cocktail involves Buffalo Trace bourbon, bitters and orange zest.
“If you came to The Bourbon Room and didn’t get an Old Fashioned, something’s wrong,” owner Paul Ballach said, laughing.
Bartenders can smoke the orange zest upon request; the smoke nicely complements the oak barrel flavour of the bourbon. Stir the rock candy garnish into the drink to add the desired amount of sweetness.
Ballach said this cocktail pairs nicely with anything barbecue-related because bourbon hails from the American state of Kentucky, where the people are all about barbecue.
The Old Fashioned is both bitter and sweet, but undeniably smooth. Forget the burn that accompanies a neat whisky or scotch and try this mellow bourbon cocktail instead.
Sangria
- 3 oz. Santa Cristina Sangiovese red or Orvieto white wine Top up with half juice, half Sprite (cranberry juice for a red wine; orange juice for a white)
- Squeeze in a wedge each of orange, lime and lemon
- Add peach purée on top and garnish with a fruit wedge
Courtesy: Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar – #105, 130 Bellerose Drive
Buco is renowned for its great selection of wines from all over the world. So of course, its version of the classic sangria cocktail incorporates the Santa Cristina wine its well-known for. General manager Emily Laycock said this light-bodied Italian wine is often what customers seek when they come to Buco.
“Adding that to a cocktail and making it our own brings people in here for sure,” Laycock said.
She said the “Buco magic” comes from adding a frozen peach purée on top of the cocktail. The cold temperature and fruity flavour of this drink make it ideal while on the patio. It can be made with either red or white wine, depending on personal preference.
Laycock recommends pairing a red sangria with their mushroom ravioli; a white sangria she said, would go well with their brined chicken.
While this drink is typically enjoyed by the ladies, men might find some allure in the high alcohol content.
“It’s deceiving for sure,” Laycock said.
“It’s very drinkable. It’s not a super strong drink but it sneaks up on you.”
Pearjito
- 4 leaves of fresh mint, muddled
- 1.5 oz. Grey Goose pear vodka
- 0.5 oz. Bacardí Limón
- 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz. lemonade
- All ingredients are shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass
- Add a small scoop of fresh ice and garnish with a sprig of mint
Courtesy: XIX Nineteen – #104, 150 Bellerose Drive
This fusion of martini and Mojito makes for an approachable drink that’s popular all year long. It’s an ideal summer drink, but it’s become such a fan favourite at XIX Nineteen that it’s offered year-round. General manager Molly Flahavan said this signature cocktail has become a backbone item they can always rely on.
The Pearjito is a strong drink, but doesn’t have that alcohol forward taste. Flahavan said the drink was invented by a staff member at the Terwillegar location in Edmonton. The citrus and mint flavours pair well with a light seafood dish.
Grey Goose is a partner of XIX Nineteen; the stores each feature a wall with the premium vodka bottles on display.
“Grey Goose has been wonderful to us, so it’s nice to feature one of their premium flavoured vodkas in a cocktail,” Flahavan said.
Watermelon Serrano Mojito
- 5 mint leaves, muddled
- 2 oz of Havana Club rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 3 watermelon cubes
- 1 slice of serrano pepper
- Gently muddle the mint leaves, serrano pepper and watermelon (mint at the bottom, melon on top) in a shaker
- Add liquids and ice, then shake
- Pour all the ingredients into a tall cocktail glass
- Garnish with a sprig of mint
Courtesy: Central Social Hall – #280, 525 St. Albert Trail
This handcrafted cocktail was conceived by Central Social Hall staff in correspondence with the new direction of their food and drink menu: everything from scratch, made in-house and sourced with local ingredients whenever possible.
Fresh watermelon and serrano peppers are the exotic ingredients in this cocktail. The serrano pepper is a type of chili pepper originally grown in Mexico. It packs a fair amount of heat.
“Sweetness can be a bit overpowering,” Central Social Hall general manager Vance Bosch said.
“We saw the trend in the States going toward balancing that sweetness in unconventional ways. Spicy with sweet was a big balance.”
This Mojito is a sessional drink, meaning you can have a few of them without killing your taste buds. It’s neutral, with a fruity component that people love. People can request the drink without the serrano pepper if they’re looking for something more mellow.
Bosch said this drink is best partnered with a salad. He recommends Central’s own Beautiful Salad, made with ingredients complementary to the sweet and spicy cocktail, such as avocado, hummus and watermelon radish.
