Drop the Beet cocktail

It looks like red wine. It even tastes a little like red wine. But, actually, this is a gin cocktail called Drop the Beet, on the menu right now at Cardinal Spirits. 

Created by Cardinal bartender Andrew Wind, Drop the Beet has our American Gin, beet shrub and grapefruit juice. Get to know this cocktail, then come in and try it for yourself: 

>> THE SECRET INGREDIENT  A shrub is a sweetened drinking vinegar. Andrew makes a beet shrub for this cocktail by soaking red beets in demerara sugar and balsamic vinegar, then liquifying it all into a flavorful syrup. 

>> IN THREE WORDS Earthy. Bold. Acidic.

>> ANDREW SAYS "Beets have this great inherent sweetness to them. They are robust enough to stand up to a vinegar, and bring sweetness to it."

>> GARNISH IS A NO-GO You won't find a citrus peel, an herb sprig or a booze-soaked cherry accessorizing this drink. It is served unadorned on purpose — the drink is a statement on its own.

TRY THIS AT HOME: CARDINAL SODAS

Photos, story and recipes by Shelly Westerhausen,
of Vegetarian Ventures and Driftless magazine

Summer cocktails don't get any easier than this — a three-ingredient Cardinal soda. One: homemade simple syrup. Two: a Cardinal Spirits clear spirit of your choice. Three: soda water. 

Simple syrup at its most basic is equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves. But you don't have to stop there. Adding fresh, seasonal fruits and herbs yields syrups that are worth building a cocktail around.

Today, we'll show you how to make three flavorful varieties of simple syrup: Cold-Pressed Cherry-Ginger, Pineapple-Turmeric and Roasted Strawberry + Tarragon. Each will elevate your cocktail game and each has its own method of preparation.

We like the idea of setting syrups and spirits out at a summer party and letting guests make their own sodas. These versatile recipes can be made with whatever fruit you have on hand, so experiment and play around with your favorite flavors. 

CARDINAL SODA

Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits Vodka, American Gin, Standard Gin or White Oak Whiskey
1 ounce simple syrup of your choice (recipes below)
Soda water

Add spirit and syrup of your choice to a glass filled with ice. Top with soda water.

Cherry-Ginger Cold-Pressed Simple Syrup

A fruit’s flavor changes when you cook or boil it. To achieve syrup as close to the actual flavor of the fruit as possible, I recommend trying this cold-pressed method, which involves very little hands-on time. The upside of this method is that it results in a vibrant flavor, but the downside is that we are not heating the fruit, so this simple syrup won’t last for more than a week in your fridge. It is so delicious that it doesn’t last long around here anyways. You can strain the syrup, but I usually prefer to just keep the little bits of cherries in the syrup for an extra boost in my cocktails.

½ cup sugar
½ cup cherries, halved and pitted
1 teaspoon grated ginger
¼ cup hot water

1. Combine the sugar, cherries, and ginger in a bowl or large jar and use the back of a heavy spoon or muddler to break apart the cherries and to release their juices.
2. Add the hot water and continue to smash until the sugar dissolves.  
3. Let sit for 30-45 minutes, stirring and smashing occasionally. Strain if desired.

Pineapple-Turmeric Simple Syrup

This is the most common method for creating simple syrup and can be used to make pretty much any flavor imaginable into a syrupy form that is perfect for cocktails. I used pineapple juice in this recipe to avoid having to strain later on and avoid having to add water. However, this method can be easily done with fresh fruit and you’ll just need to add water in a 2 to 1 (2 parts sugar, 1 part water) ratio. Also, since we are heating this syrup, it should last up to three months in an airtight container in the fridge.  

1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup sugar
Peels from half a lemon

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly, or until all of the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Once cooled, remove lemon peels.

Roasted Strawberry + Tarragon Simple Syrup

The last method we have today is roasting the fruit to bring out the natural juices. As mentioned before, cooking fruit alters its flavor and, in this case, we are looking for that roasted flavor in our final syrup. If you’ve ever had a roasted strawberry then you already know that it tastes completely different than its fresh counterpart, but it's still delicious in its own way. Again, since we aren’t heating the whole syrup, I’d recommend only keeping for about a week in the fridge. 

1 quart of strawberries, halved, and green parts removed
1 cup sugar, divided
4-5 sprigs of tarragon (depending how strong you want the flavor to be)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the strawberries with half of the sugar and lay in a single layer on a roasting pan. Add the tarragon sprigs and roast for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add in the rest of the sugar and use a muddler or the back of a spoon to smash the strawberries as much as possible, making sure that the sugar has completely dissolved in the process.
4. Let cool completely and then strain.

JULY 4 GIN PUNCH RECIPE

It's Punch + Pitcher week on The Drop.
Every day, we'll share a recipe for a drink to make for a crowd this July 4 weekend.

This is a no-fail punch — a delicious crowd-pleaser that's incredible easy to make today and all summer long. Happy 4th! And don't forget that all bottles are $17.76 each through the end of the day at Cardinal Spirits. 

JULY 4 GIN PUNCH

1 part Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin
1 part soda water
1 part cranberry-raspberry juice
Raspberries, for garnish

Chill all ingredients before serving. Pour Standard Dry Gin, tonic water and berry juice into a punch bowl or pitcher. Float raspberries in bowl or use as garnish. 

rosé can you see punch recipe

It's Punch + Pitcher week on The Drop.
Every day, we'll share a recipe for a drink to make for a crowd this July 4 weekend.

This little beauty pairs rosé with our American Gin, which has floral and citrus notes. Those two are delicious on their own, but then you add a little blackberry jam, and, whoa. This is the kind of thing you could sip all day long. 

Using jam in cocktails is a sneaky way to mimic simple syrup without any of the work. 

As far as rosé goes, you can use either still or sparkling. Can we make a suggestion? Right now, we're loving Chambourcin Rosé from Olivery Winery in Bloomington. Adjust the soda water depending on the type of rosé — if you're using still, add soda water, and if you're using sparkling, you can go easy on the soda water or omit all together.

rosé, can you see

Serves 6

3 tablespoons blackberry jam
3 ounces Cardinal Spirits American Gin
24 ounces rosé, chilled (3 cups)
Soda water, optional
Blackberries, for garnish

1. Combine jam and gin in a pitcher, and stir until jam dissolves. Strain off seeds if desired.
2. Add chilled rosé; stir.
3. Add soda water, if desired, and garnish with blackberries.
    

BLOOD ORANGE PUNCH RECIPE

It's Punch + Pitcher week on The Drop.
Every day, we'll share a recipe for a drink to make for a crowd this July 4 weekend.

Today's cocktail for a crowd comes from Cardinal bartender Chris Resnick, who combines vodka with blood orange and lemon juices for an immensely refreshing punch that goes a long way. A splash of vanilla extract is a surprising twist that rounds everything out — don't skip it! — and soda water keeps things light and bubbly.

Fresh-squeezed juices are so worth it, but if you can't find blood oranges for this recipe, substitute bottled blood orange juice or soda. Keep in mind that blood orange soda is carbonated and sweetened. If you're using it, omit the simple syrup and go lighter on the soda water. Fresh grapefruit juice would also work in place of the blood oranges.

BLOOD ORANGE PUNCH

Serves 10-20

1 bottle Cardinal Spirits vodka
18 ounces fresh blood orange juice (about 9 oranges)
13.5 ounces fresh lemon juice (about 9 lemons)
9 ounces simple syrup
1/4 ounce vanilla extract
1 bottle soda water, more or less to taste
Citrus wheels, for garnish

1. Combine vodka, citrus juices, simply syrup and vanilla in a punch bowl and stir. 
2. Add ice and soda water to taste.

Summer of Love punch recipe

It's Punch + Pitcher week on The Drop.
Every day, we'll share a recipe for a drink to make for a crowd this July 4 weekend.

Our first recipe for Punch + Pitcher Week comes from Cardinal bartender Andrew Wind, who created an incredible punch around Flora, our newest liqueur. Flora is part of our Songbird series of low-proof spirits that are made with botanicals — Flora has hibiscus, elderflower, jasmine and fresh raspberries.

Andrew's punch combines Flora with fresh citrus juices and a little fizz for the perfect daytime drink. We'll timestamp this one at about 1:15pm Saturday. And, can we talk about how pretty it is? A beautiful blush hue, dressed up with some nasturtiums from the garden.  

SUMMER OF LOVE PUNCH

Serves 4

9 ounces Cardinal Spirits Flora liqueur
6 ounces fresh orange juice (about 2.5 oranges)
3 ounces fresh grapefruit juice (about 1/2 of a grapefruit)
6 dashes Angostura bitters
4 ounces club soda
Leftover citrus, for garnish
Edible flowers like nasturtium or orchids, for garnish

1. Combine Flora, orange juice, grapefruit juice and bitters in a pitcher with ice. Stir for 15 seconds.
2. Strain off ice, then top with 4 ounces club soda.
3. Garnish with citrus and edible flowers.

Basil + Balm Mojito Recipe

Have you ever used lemon balm in a cocktail? This herb is in the mint family, but it's definitely lemon-y and a stellar aromatic addition to drinks.

This week, we're infusing vodka with lemon balm and basil for a Basil + Balm Mojito, which has this fresh-picked, garden vibe. Can't get your hands on lemon balm? Try lemon thyme, lemon basil or lemongrass instead.  

We'll be making the refreshing, fizzy Basil + Balm Mojito at Mother Hubbard's Cupboard's fifth annual Garden Gala this Saturday. The fundraiser benefits the food pantry, an incredible place that provides free, fresh food and education to low-income folks in Bloomington. The pantry is set up like a small grocery store, and is stocked with seasonal produce, often from the pantry's own community gardens, plus dairy, meat and dry goods. Workshops and classes teach people how to cook, can, garden, bake and more, and there's even a library of kitchen tools and equipment that people can borrow.

Tickets for the Garden Gala are still available, and we hope to see you there! 

BASIL + BALM MOJITO

Makes 1 cocktail 

1 1/2 ounces Cardinal Vodka infused with basil and lemon balm (recipe follows)
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Tonic water
Sprig of lemon balm or basil, for garnish
Lime, for garnish

1. Add the infused vodka, lime juice and simple syrup to a glass with ice. 
2. Top with tonic water and garnish with lemon balm or basil, and lime.

BASIL AND LEMON BALM VODKA

1 big sprig of lemon balm
1 big sprig of basil
1 bottle Cardinal Spirits Vodka

Add lemon balm and basil to the vodka. Infuse at room temperature for three to five days.
 

3 things to do for dad on Father's Day

How to celebrate your dad, your kids' dad, your grandpa, your uncle who is like your dad,
or any great dad that you know.

 

1. Make him a proper gin martini.

Proper martinis are made with gin, not vodka, and they're stirred, not shaken. We didn't make the rules, but we do make the gin. Two gins, in fact! American Gin, a modern gin with lavender and citrus — and starting Saturday, we'll also have a Standard Dry Gin, which has that classic juniper character. 

Speaking of which ... (now we're totally commandeering our #1 thing to do for dad with #1.1) ... if you're looking for something cool to do together, bring him to the Cardinal Spirits Standard Dry Gin release, happening this Saturday and Sunday at the distillery. He will love it, you will love it, and there's a special deal on bottles. It's what we like to call a win-win-win. Through this weekend, buy one bottle of any spirit at the distillery, and get 25 percent off any second bottle. One for him, one for you.

OK, back to the real #1. 

Proper Gin Martini

Makes 1 cocktail

3/4 ounce dry vermouth
2 1/4 ounces Cardinal Spirits' American Gin or Standard Dry Gin
Green olive, for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass ahead of time by filling it with ice or sticking it in the fridge.
2. Add dry vermouth and gin to a mixing glass. Fill glass with ice. 
3. Stir for 30 rotations to chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an olive.

2. Cook him an amazing piece of fish. 

The entire Internet is telling you to cook a steak for Father's Day, but we know a lot of dads who are avoiding red meat. Find a fish recipe that has an interesting preparation and intriguing flavor, and the dish will feel just as special.

A few of our favorites:

Salmon en Papillote from A Couple Cooks

Snapper Escabeche with Chiles, Garlic and Oregano from Bon Appetit

Whole Fish Roasted in Salt from the Splendid Table

3. Tell him how you feel. 

Send a text, mail a card, write an email or say it to him in person. Be funny or serious, but either way, be genuine. If you can't find the words, start with "I love you" and "thank you" and maybe "my favorite memory of us is..." and go from there. 

For a little inspiration:

How Do You Thank Your Parents?

New Yorker Father's Day Cartoon collection

Excerpts from kids' entries in a Father of the Year essay contest

24 Wonderful Things to Thank Your Dad For

Mint + Coffee cocktail for the weekend

If you've got a forest of mint growing in your backyard right now, you're probably looking for any excuse to use those sprigs. Cardinal bartender Andrew Wind is here to help. Here's his recipe for a refreshing summer drink that calls for a bunch of mint leaves ... you'll love this tasty, unexpected combo of mint, vanilla, coffee liqueur and coffee this weekend. Bottles of our Songbird Coffee Liqueur are sold at the distillery for $25.
 

Up and Attem
 

Makes 1 cocktail

10-12 mint leaves
 2 oz. Songbird coffee liqueur
1/4 oz. vanilla simple syrup (recipe below)
Espresso/cold brew/coffee, to taste

Add mint, coffee liqueur and vanilla simple syrup to shaker and muddle until mint leaves are slightly crushed.

Add ice and shake.

Strain into glass over ice.

Add cold espresso, cold brew, coffee of your choice!

Garnish with fresh mint

Vanilla Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean

Add sugar and water to a pot.

Split vanilla bean down middle, scrape out seeds, add to pot.

Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar begins to dissolve and mixture comes to boil, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and store in glass jar.

3 important questions for Andrew:

What do you like about mint?
It is so versatile. It can freshen up any meal or drink so easily.

Why should someone make this cocktail at home?
It takes no time at all and it is the perfect morning pick-me-up. It's summertime — who says you can't add a little booze in the morning?

If you could be any superhero...
Can I be a villain? Then I'd be Dr. Mischief... you know exactly what you're getting...

Whiskey-rita with White Oak Whiskey

Our White Oak Whiskey made its debut this weekend, and today we're sharing a recipe that shows just how versatile this spirit is — a tart, refreshing spin on a margarita. It has a very clever name: Whiskey-rita. 

A really tasty triple sec or dry curacao is key here. We make our triple sec from scratch at the distillery — at home, we absolutely love and worship Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao.

Whiskey-Rita

Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces Cardinal Spirits White Oak Whiskey
3/4 ounce triple sec or dry curacao
3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup

Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. 
Shake, then strain into a coupe glass.