Strawberry Gin and Tonic Cocktail Recipe

August 31, 2020

Let’s soak up the last bits of summer with a fresh fruit take on a classic! This strawberry gin and tonic is soo tasty, we know you are going to love it.

When local strawberries are in season we just can’t get enough of them. If you don’t have fresh strawberries right now, you can use frozen too! You’ll still get that amazing fruity taste.

For this sweet strawberry G&T, you’ll need:

Gin
Tonic
Strawberries (fresh preferred)
Lime
Sugar
Mint (optional)

To infuse the strawberry flavor, we’re making a simple strawberry syrup. It’s easy and quick to make and really packs a punch when it comes to flavor!

Ready to whip up this delicious summer cocktail? Let’s go!

Strawberry Gin & Tonic

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries sliced (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1.5 oz Gin
4 oz Tonic
½ fresh squeezed lime
Mint (optional garnish)

Directions

Combine the sliced strawberries, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely, and then blend until smooth.
To make the G+T, fill a glass with ice and add gin, lime juice and 0.5 oz simple syrup. Stir.
Top with cold tonic and strawberries and mint to garnish.
Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Let us know! Tag us with your creation on Instagram @partyontherocksseattle.

Sex On The Beach Cocktail Recipe

July 29, 2020

Summer vacations put on hold? We know the feeling. What we wouldn’t give to be sitting on the beach somewhere sipping a tasty cocktail!

Well, we can’t transport you to the beach, but we can bring some summertime vacation vibes to your home with our favorite Sex On The Beach cocktail recipe.

Sex On The Beach is a delightfully fruity drink that screams summer sun and good times. It’s easy to make and oh so beautiful to look at.

To really bring the relaxing vibes into your home, we suggest you put on your swimsuit and set yourself up for a little stay-cation. Head outside, maybe dip your toes in a kiddie pool, and sip on this tasty summer drink and we promise — you will feel like you are on the beach!

We made this recipe earlier this summer during our live cocktail class with Northwest Event Show (see the video here) and we just had to share it with you here! You’ll need vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, cranberry juice, and an orange and lemon to make your drink. Optional: add a cherry for extra garnish!

This recipe is the classic Sex On The Beach cocktail, but there are lots of tasty variations out there. One we love has vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, Chambord, and Midori (melon liqueur). Yummm!

Sex On The Beach is known for its beautiful layered look of orange and red. To get this effect, make sure you follow the order below as the cranberry juice will sink to the bottom of the glass!

We hope you enjoy your trip to the beach, and if you make this drink, make sure to let us know by tagging us at @partyontherocksseattle on Instagram!

Ingredients

1.5 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
Lemon wedge
2 oz Orange juice
2 oz Cranberry juice
Orange round (for garnish)

Directions

Fill a tall glass with ice and set aside
Add vodka, peach schnapps, and the juice of one lemon wedge into another glass with ice. Cover with a shaker or stir for 15 seconds.
Strain into your collins glass.
Pour in orange juice and stir.
Pour in cranberry juice on top (do not stir!). The cranberry will bleed into the orange juice to create the signature Sex On The Beach layered effect!
Garnish with a slice of orange (and maybe a cherry), and enjoy!

The Best Summer Cocktails

April 20, 2020

Warm weather cocktails are some of our absolute favorites! They are light, refreshing, and citrusy and usually have a great dose of fresh herbs.

We’re rounding up some of our best summer cocktail recipes to keep you busy all summer long! These all require minimal ingredients and no specialty tools, most of the items you will likely have on hand.

Is your mouth watering yet? Let’s dive in!

Moscow Mule

What’s better than a cool, refreshing Moscow mule on a warm summer night? The answer is … nothing! This classic vodka cocktail is a crowd-pleaser with freshly squeezed lime juice, slightly spicy ginger beer, and of course – a copper mug.

Get our classic Moscow Mule recipe here, plus ideas to customize your mule and scale it up for a party!

Homemade Margarita

Forget the store-bought, sickly sweet, margarita mix. With our classic margarita recipe of simple tequila, lime juice, and triple sec you’ll be choosing to make your own cocktail well into the future.

We love adding a chili salt rim for a little kick to go along with this classic recipe. Get it here.

Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is the perfect lay on the beach daydreaming kind of cocktail. It’s bubbly, full of flavor, and oh so pretty to look at.

Get the recipe here.

Enjoy! If you make any of these recipes make sure to tag us on Instagram at @partyontherocksseattle!

Aperol Spritz

February 10, 2020

We are in the mood for something light and refreshing, which is why we are sharing our Aperol Spritz recipe with you all!

This classic cocktail reminds us of summertime vacations, relaxing away on a beach somewhere. We know it is still February, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

The Aperol Spritz is easy to make with only four ingredients, but don’t let the simplicity fool you! It is bubbly, full of flavor, and oh so pretty to look at.

For this recipe, you’ll need Aperol, an orange-flavored apéritif, that you can usually find near the liqueurs. Its unique flavor is described as being derived from a “secret and original recipe, that has remained unchanged over time”. We told you this was a classic.

You’ll also need prosecco, club soda, ice, and a slice of fresh orange or lemon.

The Aperol Spritz is traditionally made with equal parts Aperol and Prosecco, and just a splash of club soda. Aperol is slightly bitter, so depending on your preference you may want to tweak the ratios slightly. Adding slightly more Prosecco will result in a sweeter drink.

This Spritz is incredibly easy to make, and is a great choice to serve at weddings or other events. If you make this recipe, tag us on Instagram at @partyontherocksseattle!

Ingredients

Ice
3 ounces Aperol
3 ounces Prosecco
1 ounce club soda
Orange slice, for garnish

Directions

Fill a wine glass with ice
Add Aperol, Prosecco, and Club Soda to the glass
Stir and top with an orange slice for garnish

Bourbon Old Fashioned

November 19, 2019

In our humble opinion, an Old Fashioned is THE classic cocktail that every home bartender should know how to make. We love to make our Bourbon Old Fashioned recipe to sip on throughout the fall and winter season – it’s full-bodied, strong, and oh so tasty!

While it may be a classic, there are a ton of variations you can make that will affect the flavor. As with any classic cocktail, the liquor you choose will have the biggest impact on the final product. We love making our Old Fashioned cocktail with Bourbon, one of our local favorites is Oola’s Waitsburg Bourbon Whiskey!

With only a handful of ingredients, it’s important to measure to ensure the proper balance. Too much or too little simple syrup or bitters can throw off the flavor profile. Ice is the fourth critical ingredient for an Old Fashioned, preferably the large round ice cubes. Often called a Whiskey Ball, the ice will slowly melt into the drink and change the flavor and strength over time. You can find molds online or in most home stores. If you don’t have one, use a few traditional ice cubes instead!

Let us know if you make our classic Bourbon Old Fashioned! Tag us on Instagram at @partyontherocksseattle, and check out some of our other great recipes!

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1 T Simple Syrup

1 Dash Bitters

Ice

Garnishes

Orange rind

Cocktail Cherry

Bourbon Old Fashioned Recipe

Combine simple syrup and a dash of bitters in a glass
Stir in bourbon until simple syrup is dissolved
Add a large ice cube and garnish with an orange twist and a cocktail cherry (optional)

Spiced Cranberry Cocktail

October 9, 2019

Fall has come to the Pacific Northwest! Rain and all, we love the beautiful fall colors, crisp air, and slower pace that comes with the season. On top of that, fall cocktails are simply delicious and we can’t wait to dive into more of them this holiday season!

A few weeks ago we got to test out one of our new favorites at the Sky Valley Celebrates Tour. The tour featured six venues of the newly formed Skykomish River Valley consortium. It was an amazing inaugural event focused on collaboration and sharing to promote venues, vendors, tourism, and lodging in the Skykomish River Valley.

Party on the Rocks was thrilled to be featured at the Gray Bridge Event Venue, which hosted eighteen vendors and over 150 guests. It was a great way for wedding couples and their families to experience a venue and meet with local vendors and community members. As we heard from Gray Bridge Owner Stacy MacGregor, an unexpected “win” of the day was the rainy weather, which allowed everyone to see the rain plan tents in action! It was also the perfect opportunity to feature beautiful fall decor, florals, and of course the Gray Bridge S’MORE station.

We kept the guests warm with our spiced cranberry “mocktail”, adapted from Caroline’s Cooking. This delicious warm drink of cranberry juice, spices, agave, and rum is the perfect fall pairing. We can bet that you’ll be whipping up a batch for each holiday this year!

We suggest making this in a slow cooker ahead of time to have on hand for your next gathering. The slow cook time will infuse the cinnamon, clove, and ginger into something magical.

This is the perfect drink to serve as a mocktail or cocktail, depending on your preference and the occasion. We’re turning up the spice in our recipe below by adding rum or spiced rum for an additional kick!

Make sure to use a high-quality cranberry juice for this recipe, avoiding cranberry cocktails and juice from concentrate. The agave, orange, and cinnamon will give this drink all of the natural sweetness that you need!

Let us know if you make this fall cranberry cocktail! Tag us @partyontherocksseattle on Instagram, and stay tuned for more great recipes!

Spiced Cranberry Cocktail

Ingredients

Makes 5 cocktails

30 oz cranberry juice
15 oz orange juice
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
3 inch piece of fresh ginger
4 T agave
8 oz rum (or spiced rum)
Orange slice for garnish

Instructions

Place the cranberry juice, orange juice, cinnamon, clove, and ginger in a slow cooker on low. Heat for 1-2 hours. If short on time, instead bring to a boil on the stovetop and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Before serving, remove from the heat and stir in the agave and rum.
Strain off the spices to serve. Add an orange slice for a garnish. Enjoy!

Beverages: Party on the Rocks

Venue: Gray Bridge Venue

Photos: Emily Keeney Photography

Floral: Pollen In Love

Rentals: Cort Party Rental; REMEMBER ME Pretty

Remember Me Pretty

The Best At-Home Margarita

June 27, 2019

Don’t get us wrong, we love going out for a drink with friends, and there are countless amazing options to choose from in Seattle. But for the summer nights where you want to stay home and relax on your porch, THIS is the margarita for you.

Margaritas are actually incredibly easy to make with a few key ingredients. Say goodbye to store-bought margarita mix and hello to our go-to recipe that comes together in a snap.

We make this recipe all the time. With only three simple ingredients, we know you are going to love it!

You’ll need:

Your favorite tequila (we LOVE Sparkle Donkey, local to Seattle!)
Fresh lime juice
Triple Sec

This recipe is so simple, you will be wondering where it has been all your life. As with all the recipes we share, we invite you to mix up the ingredients based on your preferences. We’re a fan of silver tequila, but if reposado is your fave, go for it! You can also substitute Mezcal if you like smokey flavors.

For an orange liqueur we suggest Triple Sec or Cointreau, or you can substitute with St. Germaine for what we’ve coined the “St. Germainarita!”

As for fresh lime juice – that one is non-negotiable. Emphasis on the fresh!

To add an optional touch of flavor in each sip, we love a good salt rim or chili salt rim (see directions below). Let us know if you make or modify this recipe! Tag us @partyontherocksseattle on Instagram, and stay tuned for more great recipes!

Best At-Home Margarita

2 oz Tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz Triple Sec

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker (or stir well)
Pour over your salt-rimmed glass with ice
Garnish with a lime

Chili Salt Rim

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
Lime wedge

Instructions

In a small bowl combine salt and chili powder
Rub the rim of a glass with a lime wedge and dredge in the chili salt

Moscow Mule Recipe

April 24, 2019

What’s better than a cool, refreshing Moscow mule on a warm summer night? The answer is … nothing! This classic vodka cocktail is a crowd pleaser with freshly squeezed lime juice, slightly spicy ginger beer, and of course – a copper mug.

Mules are one of our favorite specialty cocktails to serve at events. They only require three simple ingredients, and the combination of fresh citrus paired with spice from the ginger beer leads to a perfectly balanced cocktail.

Today we’re sharing with you the classic Moscow mule recipe, plus ideas to customize your mule and scale it up for a party!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Like all cocktails, the quality of ingredients leads to the quality of the cocktail. For a Moscow mule, that starts with a great vodka. For a standard mule go with an unflavored vodka like Tito’s or our new local favorite, Oola Vodka made from organic wheat.

Next up is ginger beer. People are pretty particular when it comes to their preferred brand of ginger beer. We suggest trying out a few to find the one you like as they will vary in their level of sweetness and spiciness. To get you started, we love: Rachel’s Ginger Beer from Seattle, Gosling’s Ginger Beer, and Reed’s Jamaican Ginger Beer.

Finally, you will need freshly squeezed lime juice (no concentrate please!), ice, and if you have one, a stainless steel lined copper mug. The copper mug keeps your drink super-chilled, and is the quintessential Moscow mule accessory!

Classic Moscow Mule Recipe

Serving size: 1 cocktail

2 oz vodka
5 oz ginger beer (about half of a can or bottle)
Ice
Juice of 1/2 of a lime (plus more to garnish)

Instructions

Fill your copper mug with ice
Combine vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice directly into your mug
Garnish with a lime wedge (voila! It’s as easy as that!)

CUSTOMIZE YOUR MULE

Once you have the classic recipe down, the Moscow mule is the perfect cocktail to customize. When you’re first experimenting, pick one of the customization ideas below to find out what you like! Here are three easy ways to customize your mule:

Flavored Ginger Beer

Easily add a twist to your mule with a flavored ginger beer. Rachel’s Ginger Beer comes in 10+ amazing flavors, we love the blood orange!

Infused Vodka

You can do the same with vodka by swapping for a flavor-infused option. We suggest staying away from overly sweet vodka (like whipped cream), but an infused blueberry or jalapeno vodka makes a killer mule!

Garnishes

Garnish your mule with fresh herbs like mint, rosemary, or basil. You can also add fresh fruit to complement the flavored vodka or ginger beer if you used it. One of our favorite combinations is blueberry-infused vodka with a basil garnish. Go wild!

MAKE IT FOR A GROUP

Moscow mules are one of our go-to signature cocktails to make ahead for events. Make a big batch for your next party using our recipe below.

Batch Moscow Mules
Serving size: 12 cocktails

One bottle vodka (750 ml)72 oz ginger beer (i.e. six 12oz cans)
6 limes (plus 3 more for garnish)
Ice for serving

Instructions

Combine vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice in a pitcher. Stir well and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with a lime slice, herbs, or fresh fruit.

Let us know if you make this cocktail! Post your perfect mule photo and tag us at partyontherocksseattle. Happy cocktail-ing!

Manhattan Recipe

March 6, 2019

Manhattan’s are another one of our favorite classic cocktails. Dark, smooth liquor is both warming and relaxing, perfect for chilly nights.

Manhattans haven’t always been on our go-to drink list, though. In fact, one of our partners, Jan, inspired us to share this recipe! Before finding whiskey, Jan’s favorite drink was a dirty martini with two olives. But, over time, she started to try more and more dark liquors and found herself loving them even more. And whiskey and bourbon drinkers know that once you get hooked, there is no going back.

Now, Jan’s favorite cocktail is a Manhattan, and here’s why:

Making a Manhattan is fairly simple and only requires a few ingredients. You’ll need:

-Rye or bourbon (more on that below)

-Sweet Vermouth

-Bitters

-Cocktail cherry

When it comes to making a Manhattan there are only a few decisions to make, but the details can make all the difference. When you consider that there are only four ingredients, you have to make every ingredient count.

First off is your choice of liquor – you can make a Manhattan with bourbon or rye, but we lean towards the bourbon side! Bourbon will result in a slightly sweeter and smooth drink, while rye provides more spice and a drier finish.

A good option is always Makers Mark, but there are also some great local Seattle labels that we love using. Our favorite has to be the Batch12 Bourbon from Heritage Distillery in Gig Harbor. It’s truly unique and it’s amazing in a Manhattan!

You will also need sweet vermouth and bitters. We like using orange Angostura bitters for this drink, but unflavored bitters will work as well.

The last ingredient is an important one – the cherry. Go for a real cocktail cherry packed in sugared bourbon. We promise you will taste the difference! We like this one. Sweet, pink maraschino cherries from the grocery store just won’t do.

Ingredients

2 oz bourbon

1 oz sweet vermouth

3 dashes Angostura orange bitters

Cocktail cherry, for garnish

Recipe

1.Add bourbon, vermouth, and bitters to a glass with ice. Use a cocktail shaker or stir until chilled

2. Strain into a chilled glass

3. Top with a cherry or two for garnish

Let us know if you make this recipe! Take a picture of your creation and tag us @partyontherocksseattle. Check out some of our other great recipes below!

Champagne Cocktail: The French 75

December 27, 2018

How are you ringing in the holiday season? We have you covered with this classic champagne cocktail that will have you coming back time and again.

The French 75 is a delightfully simple cocktail that is full of class. It is always on our go-to list for engagement parties, weddings, New Years Eve – you name it.

This prohibition-era favorite is smooth, clean, and refreshing. Gin, lemon, and champagne combine for a bubbly concoction that is perfect over brunch, before dinner, or throughout the evening.

We love to make it with brut champagne, but you can also tailor to your liking. If you prefer a sweeter sparkling wine try a Moscato, or go with extra brut for a dryer finish. You can even substitute a Rosé champagne for a splash of color!

The secret to the French 75? Cold ingredients! Make sure the champagne and gin are ice-cold, we suggest you even chill your glasses! This gives it the fresh, crisp taste that will keep you coming back for more.

What You’ll Need

1.5 oz Gin
0.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
4 oz Champagne
Lemon twist (for garnish)

Instructions

For the simple syrup

Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.

For the French 75

Using zester or paring knife, slice peel from lemon in long, thin spiral. Set aside
Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker*. Add ice and shake for 20 seconds
Strain into chilled champagne flute and top with sparkling wine
Curl lemon peel around your finger to create a twist. Garnish drink and serve immediately!

*If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, add gin and simple syrup to a glass first and mix well. Then add ice, stir 20-30 seconds, and strain into your glass.

Let us know if you make the French 75! Take a picture and tag us @partyontherocksseattle. Stay tuned for other great recipes coming soon!