5 Cocktails and a Mocktail to Make this Weekend Using Fresh Herbs

Summer means BBQs, fireworks and the celebration of the Fourth of July. It also means that herb garden you have been growing is ready to start harvesting (if you haven’t already). We thought it would be fun to create some drink ideas for your Fourth of July party using some of those herbs.

Here’s 5 cocktails and one tasty non-alcoholic lemonade that are super easy to make:

Thai Tom Collins

INGREDIENTS

Lemongrass Simple Syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 piece of lemongrass

Cocktail
2 oz gin of your choice
½ oz of lemongrass simple syrup
½ oz of lime juice
Lime soda water
Fresh Thai basil

DIRECTIONS

Lemongrass Simple Syrup

1. Mix water, sugar and cut pieces of lemongrass in a small pot over medium-high heat
2. Stir gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 mins.
3. Once sugar is dissolved remove from heat and let sit for 15 mins to let lemongrass steep.
4. Strain simple syrup into a mason jar and let cool

Cocktail

1. Add gin, lemongrass syrup and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well
2. Pour into a glass of your choice full of ice and top with lime soda water
3. Slightly crush Thai basil leaves between your finger to release scent and flavor
4. Garnish with crushed Thai basil leaves

VODKA MINT LEMONADE

INGREDIENTS

Drink
2 oz vodka of your choice
6 oz of lemonade
Fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

Cocktail

1. Muddle mint slightly in a mortar to release scent and flavor
2. Add vodka, muddled mint and lemonade to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well
3. Pour into a glass of your choice full of ice
4. Garnish with a sprig of mint

OREGANO PALOMA

INGREDIENTS

Oregano Simple Syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 sprigs of oregano

Cocktail
2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz of oregano simple syrup
4 oz of grapefruit juice
Soda water
Fresh oregano
Salt (for the rim)

DIRECTIONS

Oregano Simple Syrup

1. Mix water, sugar and sprigs of oregano in a small pot over medium-high heat
2. Stir gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 mins
3. Once sugar is dissolved remove from heat and let sit for 15 mins to let oregano steep
4. Strain simple syrup into a mason jar and let cool

Cocktail

1. Salt the rim of a glass
2. Add tequila, oregano simple syrup and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well
3. Pour mixture into the glass you rimmed with salt full of ice and top with soda water
4. Garnish with oregano leaves

BLACKBERRY THYME GIN & TONIC

INGREDIENTS

Thyme Simple Syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
4 sprigs of thyme

Cocktail
2 oz gin
1 oz of thyme simple syrup
Tonic water
1 oz of lime juice
3 fresh blackberries
Fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS

Thyme Simple Syrup

1. Mix water, sugar and sprigs of thyme in a small pot over medium-high heat
2. Stir gently until sugar dissolves, about 5 mins
3. Once sugar is dissolved remove from heat and let sit for 15 mins to let thyme steep
4. Strain simple syrup into a mason jar and let cool

Cocktail

1. Add blackberries and lime juice to a glass and muddle together
2. Add gin and thyme simple syrup to glass with the blackberries and lime juice and stir to combine
3. Top with tonic water
4. Garnish with whole blackberries and a sprig of thyme

SAGE HONEY MANHATTEN

INGREDIENTS

Sage Honey Syrup
1 cup water
½ cup honey
10-15 sage leaves

Cocktail
2 oz bourbon or whiskey
1 oz of sage honey syrup
½ oz of sweet vermouth
Angostura Bitters
Fresh sage

DIRECTIONS

Sage Honey Syrup

1. Mix water, honey and sage leaves in a small pot over medium-high heat
2. Stir gently until honey and water mix, about 5 mins
3. Once honey is mixed remove from heat and let sit for 15 mins to let sage steep
4. Strain honey syrup into a mason jar and let cool

Cocktail

1. Add bourbon or whiskey and sage honey syrup into a glass
2. Add 2-3 dashes of angostura bitters and add an ice ball
3. Stir mixture well
4. Garnish with 2 sage leaves

BONUS: NON-ALCOHOLIC BASIL LEMONADE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh basil leaves
8 cups fresh lemonade

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and let simmer until all sugar is dissolved
3. Remove from heat and stir in the basil leaves
4. Chill in the fridge for up to an hour, strain and discard leftover basil
5. Add the basil/sugar water to lemonade

What kind of herb and cocktail pairings do you like to make? Share with us on Instagram or Facebook and tag @cityfloralgardencenter or in the comments below!