_edited.png)
Move over froséand Aperol, there's some new basic bitches in town.
"I'll have 11, stat." Source: Dailyburn
Is it Tuesday, Wednesday, or 1982? Who knows? But I do know from the one hour I spend outside my cell every day that something is starting to prickle my arms. The sun, because spring has sprung, which means summer is around the corner and it’s time to put away the heavy reds and bring out the spritzes and rosés.
I’ve teamed up with mixologist Mark, (also my baby daddy) and more importantly International Food and Cocktail connoisseur Mia Goreng to bring you this season's lip-smacking delights. Mia gets across Australasia tasting the best food and drinks, so you know she’s legit.
These are drinks you’ll be posting on your Instagram feed this fresh out of lockdown season. This way, you can get in early and post before any of your friends like a true trendsetter. You’ll be blue-tick certified in no time. Whether you’re picking up some ready to go drinks from BWS, refining your cocktail skillzzz at home or looking for something besides an Aperol Spritz to order at your Sunday sesh at College Lawn, we’ve got you covered.
"Ahhhhh" Source: Pedestrian TV
Hard Seltzers
I am so thirsty for this one! We've watched Americans live their best basic selves over their summer and now it's our turn! We are going to be drinking hard Seltzer. What the fuck is hard seltzer, you ask? It’s the drink you never knew you needed but won’t be able to live without. It’s alcoholic soda water. It’s either made from sugar cane or malted barley, then it’s mixed with soda water and flavours. Super light and refreshing, it will make you want to go ‘Aaaah’ after every sip. Most importantly, it’s totally in collaboration with your summer bod. You’ll find most are sugar-free, carb-free and fat-free. It’s not filling, so you can keep sipping all the do-dah-day!
Seltzer is going to be more available than a D-grade celeb is for Melbourne Cup Carnival. It comes as a pre-mix, so you can get it from your local bottle-o or bar, but it’s also good for mixing with other drinks.
It's the basic bitch's idea of heaven. Source: Punch
Who’s making this delicious beverage?
White Claw is a brand of seltzer that is the ultimate basic bitch drink in the US. You would have seen memes about it. That’s dropping in Aus and NZ around October.
Brookvale Union is produced by 4Pines in NSW and I’m a big fan. It comes in lime, orange and bitters or grapefruit.
St. Andrews Beach Brewery, down the coast of Victoria, also has an option called ‘Tidal’ which is lish lish!
Flavours of the Month
So that’s your basic crack it and sip approach, but sometimes we like to get a bit spenny at the bar - or bougie at home. The ingredients you’re going to want for your homebound cocktails are the flavours of the month, elderflower and rosemary. They go together like a burger and fries, and mix well with gin, vodka or seltzer. I would suggest you pop down to your local Bunnings and get yourself some of those plants so you’ve got a permanent source of ingredients. Probably get yourself some mint and a lime tree while you’re there.
But that's not all. Below, I’ve got you some delicious cocktail options, but you know this brand is all about low involvement, so they are SUPER easy to make!
First up from Mixologist Mark, we have the Elderflower Collins, and you can see why we’re together because he described this mix of flavours as a ‘Bunnings sausage and sauce.’ In other words, they just work.
Elderflower Collins
“I’m so cool I use a separate app to create my Instagram stories.”
Source: Craft Gin Club
Ingredients
2 shots gin
20ml lemon juice
10ml elderflower syrup/cordial
10ml sugar syrup soda
Recipe
Shake it together.
Pour over ice in a long glass.
Garnish with Rosemary.
Obvi if you’re not into the D.I.Y. garden, you can also get elderflower syrup from your Coles or Woolies in the bougie cordial aisle. (I don’t think Cottees have it in their range just yet).
Mia said that this season, it’s also about supporting local, so she’s given specific local brands in her recommendations. So obvi you can switch out, but there’s nothing quite like that superior smugness you’ll feel when you make your friends this cocktail and tell them your secret ingredient is a seltzer from a little hidden brewery in Footscray. You’ll look so cool.
Sparkling Peach Vodka Cocktail
“I want to get lit quick, but without doing shots.”
Source: Creative Culinary
Ingredients
Ice
2 shots of 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka
1 can of Hop Nation Ray Peach Hard Seltzer (that’s the one from our mates Footscray)
1/2 peach – sliced
1/2 lime – sliced
Recipe
Add ice to 2 highball cocktail glasses.
Add 1 shot of 666 vodka to each glass.
Pour 1/2 of the can of Peach Hard Seltzer into each glass.
Add peaches and lime slices.
Cucumber & Lime Gin Seltzer
“Because G&T is for basics”
Ingredients
6 slices of cucumber, plus extra for garnish
1 lime, halved
2 shots of Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
Recipe
In a large glass, muddle cucumber slices and juice of 1/2 lime until cucumber is lightly crushed. Add gin and stir until well combined.
Fill two old fashioned glasses with ice and pour the mixture into each glass.
Top with seltzer and garnish with additional cucumber slices & lime wedges.
Raspberry Gin Seltzer
“I want to get lit, but also be healthy with fruit.”
Source: Craft Gin Club
Ingredients
1 cup raspberries
1 can of Wildspirit Royal Raspberry (from Dad and Dave’s Brewing in NSW)
2 shots of Ink Sloe & Berry Gin
2-3 teaspoons honey
2-3 limes
Mint leaves
Recipe
Place a handful (about 10-12) of raspberries in the bottom of each cocktail glass
Add a teaspoon of honey, a few mint leaves, and a squeeze of lime juice to each glass. Add more honey if you prefer a sweeter drink.
Muddle the raspberries.
Add a shot of gin to each cocktail glass.
Add juice of one freshly squeezed lime into each glass.
Add crushed/cubed ice.
Top each cocktail with Wildspirit Royal Raspberry and stir.
Top with mint leaves and lime for garnish.
Passionfruit Mojito
“Even my classic is extra.”
Ingredients
Half a lime
Half a Passionfruit
60ml white rum (2 shots)
Mint leaves
Sugar syrup (to taste)
Ice
Crushed ice
Soda
Method
Cut limes into wedges.
Pick the mint leaves.
Scoop out the passionfruit pulp.
Muddle the limes & sugar syrup in a tumbler.
Clap the mint to break the stems.
Add passionfruit pulp.
Add ice to the brim.
Pour rum .
Stir well so limes are off the bottom.
Add a dash of soda.
Top with crushed ice.
Lime & mint to garnish.
I’m so thirsty talking about these, I cannot wait to be released from jail so I can start drinking these in the sun with people that are not my boyfriend or baby. So enjoy, and make sure you tag us @largealmondlattemedia in your pics of you drinking them, so we can live through you.
Thirsty for more? Listen to a new ep of the Large Almond Latte Pod, every Tuesday.
More from Mia? Head to Miagoreng.com for all the best places to eat, drink and play.
Comments