Tag: lime juice

rum

Bishop of Bordeaux Cocktail | A Unique White Wine Cocktail with Rum and Lime

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The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I was recently gifted a couple bottles of white wine but here’s the thing– I’m not a big white wine drinker. It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s the fact that it often tastes like straight-up juice to me. Which is a problem for a few reasons. 1) I chug it. Bad idea. 2) It’s expensive compared to actual juice. 3) I actually like the taste of alcohol. That’s three strikes. So although I’m highly unlikely to purchase my own white wine, I’ll happily chug sip it if it’s served to me.

But then I thought I could actually change problem #3 by adding in some alcohol. And that would also solve problem #1, too. And if I’m sipping and savoring the drink, it justifies problem #2. So basically I think I’ll start using it cocktails all the time now.

In fact, with one of the bottles I received, I made some mulled white wine with apple cider. It was so good. It had the classic warm spices of a traditional mulled wine but was much lighter on the palate. A real winner.

But for this second bottle, I wanted to delve deeper into the realm of mixed drinks. I wanted to make a true white wine cocktail. Not a mulled wine, not a sangria, but a cocktail.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Truthfully I would’ve been at a loss for what to make but my Instagram friend Risa had shared the Obispo de Cuba recipe on her page awhile back. This recipe is a lighter rendition of the Obispo de Cuba, also called the Bishop, that’s made with dark or gold rum and red wine. But since I used wine from Bordeaux, it seemed only fitting to call it the Bishop of Bordeaux. I thought about translating it in French to be fancy but Évêque de Bordeaux looks a little intimidating for non-French speakers like myself.

For this Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail recipe, you can use any fruit-forward white wine. If the wine is on the dry side, you can add more simple syrup to the drink if you’d like. This particular white Bordeaux that I used here was very sweet– too sweet for my wine-sipping preference. But it worked so well in this cocktail recipe.

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

You may notice that this recipe is very similar to a classic Daiquiri. If you’re a Daiquiri fan, I think you’ll enjoy the small addition of white wine in this cocktail. It brings another layer of sweet fruitiness that works really well.

I’ve gotta admit that I was hesitant to incorporate wine into a cocktail, especially white wine. But I really enjoyed this Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail and plan on making it again soon. Next up on my list is to start incorporating red wine into some recipes.

Have you ever used wine in a cocktail before? If so, let me know your favorite recipe down below!

The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.

Ingredients for a Bishop of Bordeaux

  • 1 1/2 oz white rum
  • 1/2 oz white Bordeaux or other sweet white wine
  • 1/2 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup

How to Make a Bishop of Bordeaux

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe or a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Bishop of Bordeaux

The Bishop of Bordeaux is a lighter verison of the Obispo de Cuba, or the Bishop. It's made with white wine and white rum. It's a perfect balance between tart, sweet, and fruity.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz white rum
  • ½ oz white wine
  • ½ oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • ½ oz simple syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well for about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe or a Nick & Nora glass.
  • Garnish with a lime twist.

Notes

*If you haven’t made simple syrup, check out the truly simple recipe here.
Keyword Bishop of Bordeaux, lime, lime juice, rum, simple syrup, white rum, white wine, white wine cocktail
The Bishop of Bordeaux cocktail is a white wine cocktail with white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. This recipe is a riff on the classic Bishop cocktail, also known as the Obispo de Cuba.
gin

Ramos Gin Fizz| A Riff on the classic cocktail with Botanical Rum & Cardamom Simple Syrup

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This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

Today’s recipe is a variation of the infamous Ramos Gin Fizz. This version is made with botanical rum instead of gin and cardamom simple syrup for a warm, earthy touch. You can’t go wrong with the traditional recipe though. Both versions are creamy and slightly sweet. Try them both and see what you prefer!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

Here’s an unofficial disclosure: this cocktail recipe may be a little difficult to achieve, but it is well worth the effort. The Ramos Gin Fizz is known for being one of the more complicated cocktails to create. The ingredients are very accessible, which is good. A Ramos Gin Fizz just requires a LOT of shaking, special pouring, and a few extra steps. But if you made any cocktail with egg white before (like a classic Whiskey Sour, Gin Campari Sour, or a New York Sour) then you’re ready to tackle this cocktail recipe.

This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

The Ramos Gin Fizz has been around for more than 100 years. Yup. 132 years, to be exact. It was created by a guy named Henry Ramos in 1888 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In fact, according to the article that Gin Foundry wrote about this classic cocktail, it was originally dubbed The New Orleans Fizz. The drink was so popular that the bar hired “shaker boys” who would form a line, all taking turns to shake the cocktail shaker.

There are a few different techniques to make this drink. I tried the instructions listed on Difford’s Guide and I also tried the ones in the Gin Foundry article I listed above. They both produced good results. No shaker boys needed.

The traditional Ramos Gin Fizz calls for traditional simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio) but I opted to use some cardamom simple syrup. It’s so easy to make– just through a few spoons of cardamom pods into simple syrup. If you’re unfamiliar with cardamom, it is one of the key flavors in chai tea. It’s got a warm, slightly earthy flavor that’s quite distinctive but not too overpowering.

This classic cocktail is served in a Collins glass or a highball glass in order to showcase the beautiful foam the drink is famous for. Usually, I’d say you can serve your cocktail in whatever glass suits your fancy, but I recommend following tradition here.

This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

The Ramos Gin Fizz may be extra work but it’s a classic that every home bartender should try shaking up at least once in their life. If you do try making one of these, tag me on Instagram!

Ingredients for a Ramos Gin Fizz

How to Make a Ramos Gin Fizz

**If you use a metal cocktail shaker** place it in the freezer to chill it or shake some ice cubes in it for a few seconds. This is done to ensure that the metal will contract and form a tight seal for when we do a “dry shake” (shaking without ice) with the ingredients. If you attempt to do a dry shake in a metal cocktail shaker without first chilling it, it’s gonna leak everywhere.

Add all of the ingredients except the club soda to a chilled cocktail shaker. Do not add ice. This is what’s called a “dry shake”. Shake vigorously for as long as you can, 45-60 seconds would be amazing. It still might leak a bit, so you may want to do this over a sink. Add ice and shake again, 45-60 seconds.

Have your empty Collins glass ready. Strain the cocktail shaker into the glass while simultaneously slowly pouring the club soda. Pour from a higher-than-usual distance for optimum foam-age. Stop when the glass is full.

Place the glass into the freezer for 1 minute. The time allows for the foam to start separating from the rest of the drink and the cold temperature helps it stiffen a bit. Take the glass out and slowly pour more club soda into the center of the foam, again from a high distance. The foam should start to rise above the glass. Stop when the foam is about an inch or two above the glass.

Serve with a straw and an optional orange slice or lemon peel.

Ramos Gin Fizz

A classic cocktail made with citrus and cream.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz gin (I used botanical rum for a twist)
  • ½ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ¾ oz simple syrup (I used cardamom simple syrup- here's the easy recipe)
  • ¾ oz half & half or heavy cream
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 3 drops orange blossom water
  • 1 egg white
  • club soda

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients except the club soda to a chilled cocktail shaker*. Do not add ice. This is what's called a "dry shake". Shake vigorously for as long as you can, 60+ seconds would be amazing. It might leak a bit, so you may want to shake over a sink.
  • Add ice and shake again, 60+ seconds. The more you shake, the denser your foam will be.
  • Have your empty Collins glass ready. Strain the cocktail shaker into the glass while simultaneously slowly pouring the club soda. Pour from a higher-than-usual distance for optimum foam-age. Stop when the glass is full.
  • Place the glass into the freezer for 1 minute. The time allows for the foam to start separating from the rest of the drink and the cold temperature helps it stiffen a bit.
  • Take the glass out and slowly pour more club soda into the center of the foam, again from a high distance. The foam should start to rise above the glass. Stop when the foam is about an inch or two above the glass.
  • Serve with a straw and an optional orange slice or lemon peel.

Notes

*If you use a metal cocktail shaker, place it in the freezer to chill it or shake some ice cubes in it for a few seconds. This is done to ensure that the metal will contract and form a tight seal for when we do a “dry shake” (shaking without ice) with the ingredients. If you attempt to do a dry shake in a metal cocktail shaker without first chilling it, it’s gonna leak everywhere.
Keyword botanical rum, club soda, cream, egg white, half and half, lemon, lemon juice, lime, lime juice, orange blossom water, ramos gin fizz, vanilla extract

vodka

Mother Mule | A Healthy Moscow Mule Variation with Ginger Honey Shrub

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The Mother Mule is a healthy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It’s easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Chances are if you like cocktails, you’ve ordered or made a Moscow Mule. It’s a true classic cocktail recipe that’s inspired many other drinks. Moscow Mule variations are common these days and I’m not complaining. Vodka, lime, and ginger beer are a perfect foundation for building more flavors on top of. I’ve posted a few Moscow Mule variations here on Girl & Tonic: the Irish Mule (made with whiskey), a Dark & Stormy (my forever go-to drink), and an Orange Cassidy (my own AEW-inspired riff on a Moscow Mule).

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I’m really excited about today’s Moscow Mule variation for two reasons: 1) it’s good for you, and 2) it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail.

Okay, okay. I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me when I say that this Mother Mule cocktail recipe is good for you. Hear me out. I know vodka isn’t necessarily an elixir of health. BUT one of the main ingredients in this drink is pure health in liquid form. It pretty much counterbalances the whole alcohol & sugar thing.

Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit when I say it’s bottled-up health. But Other Mother Vinegar is really good for you. Allow me to inform you.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Other Mother Vinegar is a “live vinegar”, meaning each bottle contains millions of healthy bacteria that will give the microbiome in your intestines a boost. Live vinegar is packed with other benefits, too: can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, helps with indigestion and acid reflux, and is chock-full of antioxidants. You can read more about the benefits of drinking vinegar here.

I’ve actually made another cocktail and mocktail recipe using the raspberry OMV shrub shot. It’s called the Rowdy Mother (are you sensing a theme in the names yet). If you’re not down for a ginger honey shrub, their raspberry shrub or the turmeric one would also work really well in this recipe!

(If you’re looking for some 100% or 90% healthy cocktail/mocktail options, check out my Mother’s Garden recipe or this Cucumber Basil Refresher.)

I mentioned early that one reason I’m excited about this recipe is that it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail. I love easy, 3-ingredient cocktails like the Moscow Mule. But when 1/3 of those ingredients is alcohol, the drink becomes rather empty if you’re going alcohol-free that night. When you use a vinegar shrub as one of your ingredients, your drink will be anything but bland.

Another perk of using shrubs as a drink ingredient is that you don’t need to use citrus. While you definitely can use a fresh lime (like I did), you don’t need to. After all, shrubs were originally used as a substitute for fresh citrus back in the colonial days.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

I lied earlier when I said I was excited about this recipe for two reasons. I actually have a third. As of yesterday, those of you living in the grand state of Texas can find Other Mother Vinegar at H-E-B!!! *cue the Hallelujah chorus & start thanking Jesus for the gift that is H-E-B* Over 85 locations are stocking their shelves with OMV shrub shots– check your Healthy Living Department to see if you’re one of the lucky several.

Oh… you don’t live in Texas? That sucks- for many reasons- but thankfully you can order Other Mother Vinegar online.

Do you love Moscow Mules? Let me know what your favorite Moscow Mule variation is down below and, as always, tag me if you make this one! (@girlandtonic_).

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Ingredients for a Mother Mule

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka (leave out for mocktail version)
  • 1/2 oz ginger honey shrub (check out OMV’s sample size here)
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 4+ oz ginger beer (Bundaberg is my favorite!)

How to Make a Mother Mule (a Moscow Mule Variation)

Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass. Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug. Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine. Garnish with an extra lime wedge.

Mother Mule

A spicy and healthy Moscow Mule variation made with a ginger honey vinegar shrub.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka (omit for mocktail)
  • ½ oz ginger honey shrub*
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 4+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass.
  • Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug.
  • Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine.
  • Garnish with an extra lime wedge.

Notes

*You can buy a sample size of Other Mother Vinegar’s ginger honey shrub here.
Keyword ginger beer, ginger honey shrub, lime, lime juice, shrub, vodka
mocktail

Mother’s Garden | A Healthy Cocktail or Alcohol-Free Drink Made with Brighter Tonic

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Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink

The Mother’s Garden is a drink chockfull of fresh, healthy ingredients. It can be made into a healthy cocktail with the addition of vodka or gin, or it can be enjoyed as an alcohol-free drink that’s sure to boost your spirits.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

There are a lot of cocktails out there that have fresh, healthy ingredients. Gone are the days of heavily-processed syrups and mixes– the American imbiber’s become wiser. We’ve been enlightened to the dangers of trans fat, artificial sweeteners, and pesticides, and we eschew ingredients like artificial coloring and high-fructose corn syrup in favor of those found in nature. Research done by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2019 shows that Americans are slowly getting better at eating healthy, although this article written by Men’s Health reveals that there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

I think the majority of people do want to eat healthier. So what’s a cocktail-lover to do? Drinking less alcohol is always a good idea. But instead of removing alcohol altogether, there’s another alternative: mix your alcohol with fresh, healthy ingredients.

Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink

This is becoming a lot easier for the American consumer thanks to conscientious companies. There are several that forgo artificial coloring, GMO ingredients, and high-fructose corn syrup like my favorite grenadine company, Bar Smith. Having these kinds of syrup and mixer alternatives is a huge step in the direction of a healthier cocktail. But it doesn’t make a cocktail healthy. You’re spared from consuming fake junk, but you aren’t consuming ingredients with any health benefits.

Enter Brighter Tonic. A beverage that actually delivers the good stuff.

Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink

Brighter Tonic reached out to me a few months ago to see if I’d be interested in trying their product. A quick Google search of the company led me to a speedy reply: YES, PLEASE!

Brighter Tonic is a sparkling apple cider vinegar beverage. Apple cider vinegar is known for its acetic acid which promotes healthy digestion and improves mineral absorption. It’s made with raw organic apple cider vinegar, oils from plants, and maple syrup.

With Brighter Tonic accounting for 50% of the volume in the Mother’s Garden recipe, you can see why I can truthfully call this a healthy cocktail.

Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink

When I took my first sip of Bright (which I captured on an Instagram story), I was really surprised. The word “tonic” in the name made me think it’d taste like tonic water. But it actually tastes similar to kombucha. Ahh. Tonic as in the true definition of the word: a restorative drink that invigorates or strengthens.

I’m a kombucha fanatic and instantly fell in love with this new, healthy elixir.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me posting about this company. I actually posted a recipe quite similar to Mother’s Garden on an Instagram story. But I’ve been waiting for the day that Brighter Tonic launched their online sales because it didn’t feel right to rave about a fantastic recipe when the general populous had no means to buy the star ingredient.

Friends, that day has come! *cue Hallelujah chorus* You can now get Brighter Tonic shipped right to your door! They have three flavors: lemon lime, blood orange, and lemon ginger turmeric. I suggest getting the sampler pack so you can try them all. I can’t decide which one I like the most so it’s a good thing I’ve got another sampler on the way.

Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink

The point of this post has kinda been to talk about making a healthy cocktail, but you can certainly leave the alcohol out and make it a truly healthy beverage. I’ve made several alcohol-free drinks with Brighter. There are many days when I want something fun but I don’t want a cocktail. The bright (no pun intended) taste of Brighter means you won’t be left with a flavorless mocktail. And all of my alcohol-free friends said THANK YOU.

Perhaps the BEST news in this article is that if you use the code GIRL&TONIC20 between Monday 8-3-20 and Friday 8-7-20, you’ll get 20% off your online order of Brighter Tonic. How awesome is that?! Now you really do have to try it. I mean, it’s discounted. Who doesn’t love saving money?

The reason I’m calling this healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink Mother’s Garden is two-fold:

1) I first made this recipe at my mom’s house using ingredients from her garden. (She’s actually got a great garden blog, with helpful articles about two of the ingredients in Mother Garden’s: cucumber & basil)

2) This is an alcohol-free drink that my mom is actually able to enjoy. You see, my mom is on a strict AIP (auto-immune protocol) diet due to some autoimmune health issues. This means that a lot of commercial products are off-limits to her, making it tricky to find mixers that agree with her body. However, since Brighter Tonic uses maple syrup as a sweetener, it falls on her “good list”! Big thank you to Brighter for using real, high-quality ingredients. You really stand out.

If you try the Mother’s Garden, or even just Brighter, let me know what you think in the comments below!

Ingredients for a Mother’s Garden Healthy Cocktail or Alcohol-Free Drink

  • 1 1/2 oz gin or vodka (omit for alcohol-free or to be AIP-compliant*)
  • 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 oz honey simple syrup or pure maple syrup
  • 1-2 slices of cucumber
  • 6-8 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 oz lemon-lime Brighter Tonic

*Read this article if you’re curious to see if and when alcohol can be consumed on an AIP diet. Before imbibing, be sure to check with your physician, too.

How to Make a Mother’s Garden Healthy Cocktail or Alcohol-Free Drink

Add the cucumber slices and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Muddle well, using a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon. Then, add the basil and gently muddle. Add the alcohol (or not), honey simple syrup, and ice. Shake well. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Top the rest of the glass off with the Brighter Tonic. Stir to incorporate. Garnish with a basil spring and a couple slices of lime and cucumber.

Mother’s Garden

A bright, refreshing, & healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with lemon lime Brighter Tonic
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker (or other bottle with lid)

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz gin or vodka (optional – omit to be AIP-friendly*)
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz honey simple syrup** or maple syrup
  • 1-2 slices cucumber
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • ~4 oz lemon-lime Brighter Tonic***

Instructions
 

  • Add the cucumber slices and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Muddle well. Don't be afraid to put some muscle into it.
  • Then, add the basil and gently muddle.
  • Add the alcohol (or not), honey simple syrup, and ice. Shake well.
  • Strain into a glass filled with ice.
  • Top the rest of the glass off with the Brighter Tonic. Stir to incorporate.
  • Garnish with a basil spring and a couple slices of lime and cucumber.

Notes

*To learn about if and when alcohol can be consumed while following an AIP diet, you can talk to your physician and read this article.
**Honey simple syrup takes 1 minute to make. Here’s how to do it.
***Here’s the link to order Brighter Tonic online. You can try subbing a lemon-lime kombucha, too.
Keyword basil, Brighter Tonic, cucumber, gin, honey, honey simple syrup, lime, vodka
Mother's Garden is a healthy cocktail or alcohol-free drink made with sparkling apple cider vinegar tonic water, fresh lime juice, cucumber slices, honey, and basil. This bright & refreshing beverage can be made into a cocktail or kept alcohol-free. Click for the recipe and to read about Brighter Tonic, the star ingredient of this drink. #mocktail #healthydrink #applecidervinegar Brighter tonic cocktail recipe | cocktail recipes made with Brighter tonic | sparkling apple cider vinegar drink
rum

Jungle Bird | The Tiki Cocktail That’s Not Too Sweet

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The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

I’ve been holding out on y’all for too long. The Jungle Bird is my favorite cocktail at the moment and it has been for some time. This recipe has sat on my “To Post” list since late spring and it’s now the middle of summer and I don’t know how that happened and I’m really sorry, okay? I’m gonna make it right.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like

Thinking of a Jungle Bird cocktail actually makes my mouth water. There’s something about the flavor of this drink that is so unique to me. When it first hits your tongue, you taste the pineapple. It’s bright and sweet. But then it becomes warm and rich, thanks to the dark rum and Demerara syrup. The Campari catches up at the end. It leaves a delectable bitter taste on your tongue that makes you want to take another sip.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

The Jungle Bird was supposedly created in the 1970s at the Hilton Hotel’s Aviary Bar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was served as the welcome drink for guests arriving at the hotel and was wildly popular then. However, the recipe disappeared into relative obscurity until Campari started peaking the interests of American imbibers in the 2010s. This article on ThirstMag.com explores more of the history of the Jungle Bird and includes several recipe variations. One day I want to try all of these.

Tiki bars and tiki cocktails are a TREND right now. They have been for the past few years but now they’re piping hot right now. The OG tiki bar was Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood that opened up at the end of 1933, mere days after the ending of Prohibition. Since then, tiki bars and drinks have gone in and out of style but it seems like they’ll be around for a while longer. In case some of you like reading the history articles I post, this article by The Atlantic examines the rise, fall, and resurgence of tiki bars in America. It’s an interesting read. Difford’s Guide has a great article, too, and details the history of tiki culture.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

Tiki cocktails don’t typically call for Campari. Actually, this is the only one I know of that does. Tiki cocktails are known for being fruit-forward and pretty sweet. I feel like people usually fall into two categories: people who enjoy sweet drinks and people who don’t.

That’s what makes the Jungle Bird the perfect drink. The combination of the pineapple juice, rum, & Demerara syrup makes it undeniably tropical and sweet. But the Campari’s bitterness balances it all out. It’s the best of all worlds.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

In addition to being fruity and sweet, tiki cocktails are also known for their complexity, in terms of both flavor and difficulty. They usually have a lot of ingredients that are harder to come by, so the Jungle Bird is a pretty simple tiki drink, in comparison.

A quick note on the ingredients: the original recipe calls for traditional simple syrup, but I chose to use Demerara syrup. The original recipe also calls for dark rum but I’ve used Kraken spiced rum before and it is GOOD! Don’t use white rum, though. It’ll get lost. Save the white rum for your Daiquiris or Easy Coladas.

If you’ve been wanting to jump on the Campari bandwagon or if you’re trying to use up the bottle you bought back in ’18 and haven’t touched since, I implore you to try this recipe. It’s the perfect introduction to Campari. Once you’re able to appreciate the bitterness in the Jungle Bird, try making a Campari To-Kill-Ya or a Gin Campari Sour.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

Ingredients for a Jungle Bird Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz dark rum (can substitute spiced rum)
  • 3/4 oz Campari
  • 1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara syrup (can substitute plain simple syrup)

How to Make a Jungle Bird Cocktail

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. The pineapple juice will create a nice foam. Garnish with a pineapple frond and pineapple wedge.

Jungle Bird Cocktail Recipe

The Jungle Bird is a classic tiki cocktail recipe that's the perfect balance between sweet, tart, and bitter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz dark rum (can sub spiced rum)
  • ¾ oz Campari
  • 1½ oz pineapple juice
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz Demerara syrup* (can sub plain simple syrup)

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Garnish with a pineapple frond and pineapple wedge.

Notes

The longer you shake, the frothier the pineapple juice will get.
*For a Demerara syrup recipe, click here. It’s 2 ingredients and super easy. Promise.
Keyword campari, dark rum, demerara syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice