Here's How! Cocktails

Last Updated December 07, 2016

Learn what Rhode Island’s cocktail connoisseurs are shaking up using local, seasonal ingredients. Get tips, tricks and creative mixes from Rhody’s best bartenders and bar programs.

Flor Española

Leishla Maldonado, Beverage Director, Courtland Club, Providence Staying mindful about consumption, I love offering low-ABV cocktails that speak to the classic cocktail genres. Whether you’re...

This recipe is for folks who gravitate toward malty, herbal cocktails. It’s perfect as an aperitif before a meal to rouse an appetite. I love adding scented geranium petals and kumquat as a garnish...

Goldilocks Negroni

Fresh marigold adds a complex play of citrusy floral funk reminiscent of the first fresh blossoms of spring. Be prepared for an exhilarating first sip.

White Port ‘N’ Tonic

Leishla Maldonado, Beverage Director, Courtland Club, Providence This cocktail pays homage to the Portuguese heritage and culinary influence here in Southeastern New England. The Portuguese white...

The Spiced Collins

Red beets add gorgeous vibrancy and sweet earthiness to the gin. Swap golden beets for red beets for a milder amber sweetness. Recipe by General Manager Kayleigh Speck, The East End, Providence

Orchard Daiquiri

The are few greater treasures than a ripe, sun-kissed peach. Get the freshest from the farmers market to infuse an exquisite fruitiness into your next daiquiri. Notes of pastry, pineapple and a hint...

The Quintet

When that first cold snap of fall hits, I need a cocktail with a bite and a bit of fire to warm the senses. Brawny, poetic and dignified, The Quintet is an autumnal orchestra of flavors. Rye whiskey...

The Scofflaw

Bar Manager Kayleigh Speck, The East End, Providence As the cool autumn wind chases us indoors, think of this recipe as the perfect prescription for tempering the change of seasons.

The Peachy Two-Step

The Peachy Two-Step: a dance move or a cocktail? A little of both, actually. This bourbon peach smash is a summertime staple when those perfectly ripe and juicy peaches hit the farm stands in August....

The Ellery

If you covet the fresh green flavors of spring all year long and you’re looking for a luscious, lightly floral sour, here’s your recipe!

Strawberry Rhubarb Sour

Shrubs are helpful tools to add the spark and vibrancy of fresh fruit without an overpowering sweetness. They’re great in cocktails but just as delicious when splashed over seltzer.

The Rocket

Winter in Pear-adise

When I’m hosting at home for the holidays, I like to kick off the evening by serving a signature cocktail. There are a few ways to go about this: You can mix drinks individually, or serve a large-...

Winter Whisper

There’s a certain glitz and glamour that come with a sparkling cocktail. Pair this versatile recipe with brunch, lunch or dinner.

Stateside "Irish" Coffee

When the weather is colder and the days are shorter, a foolproof coffee cocktail recipe can work wonders to raise the spirits. Great with brunch or after dinner, Audrey King’s Stateside “Irish”...

Coquito Banana

Holiday drink prep needs to be as speedy as possible so I, too, can enjoy the company of friends and family. Make this batch ahead of time and enjoy the party.

The Anchor

This recipe is miraculous because it has perfectly balanced acidity without the addition or labor of fresh citrus juice.

Fortnight Fizz

Perhaps you’ve tuned into Sam Eilertsen’s Cocktail History podcast on iTunes, a show tracing the history of cocktails and their ingredients through storytelling and interviews with great cocktail...

The Dickens

The Dickens is a modern interpretation of one of 19th century’s most popular cocktails, the Sherry Cobbler (sherry, sugar, ice and muddled orange or fruit of the season), plus my addition of...

Uncouth Spritz

Foraged Fortification Stroll into Fortnight Wine Bar in Providence and be greeted by any one of the founders, each with his or her own taste and expertise. Mike da Cruz will casually drop names...

The Siren

The Porch Swing

The Marigold

This cocktail puts the “island” in Rhode Island, with its perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and spice. Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) leaves and marigolds (Tagetes erecta) grow in...

Spicy Rita

The Art of Garnishing

Blossoms Add Splendor to Summertime Sippers The first taste of a beverage begins when you lay your eyes on the glass. From the iconic...

The Sugar Snap

There’s something utterly captivating about a bright green cocktail made with fresh juice. My favorite time to serve this cocktail is outdoors in the spring while fresh fish is on the grill. The...

A Boy Named Sue

by Jason Kindness, Managing Partner, Kai Bar, East Greenwich. A wink to Johnny Cash’s anthem, don’t be thrown by the sumac syrup. Sumac is available in well-stocked markets and herb stores (and...

The Wolf of Main Street

by Jason Kindness, Managing Partner, Kai Bar, East Greenwich The orgeat syrup in this cocktail is a great one for the home tiki bar, combining three flavors in one easy pour.

Modern Tropical: A Taste of Tiki

The tiki genre is one of the most alluring and misunderstood movements in American cocktail history. Known for its romanticized mash-up of...

Reveler’s Punch

Every host needs a good punch recipe in their cocktail repertoire. Once the punch base is prepared, all you need to do is to fill the bowl with ice, add glassware, spirits and garnish. A great punch...

The Sugar Snap

There’s something utterly captivating about a bright green cocktail made with fresh juice. My favorite time to serve this cocktail is outdoors in the spring while fresh fish is on the grill. The...

The Beat

I love savory fresh cocktails. Make a trip to the farmers’ market and The Beat is at your fingertips.

Joy to the Bartender

The Craft of the American Cocktail Since the early days of cocktail culture, bartenders have been inventing, experimenting and sharing the...

Let’s Play Squash

A Manhattan Redux with Autumnal Hues Rest your elbows on the dark steel bar at The Slow Rhode and your attention shifts from white oak bar...

Edible Landscape

Heliocentric Annuals Perk up Garden Refreshments Deemed “Brosé” by close friends, this light pink sparkling cocktail features vodka, fresh...

A Cocktail Named Daisy

Muddle and pour: the two simple actions involved in building a Daisy, a style of cocktail dating back to the mid-19th century that employs a base spirit, fresh lemon juice, sweetener and a splash of...

Edible Landscape: Remix: The Sazerac Cocktail

Build Your Own Bitters Willa Van Nostrand, Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails, Providence Invented in New Orleans in the mid-...

Classic Redux

Mezcal Props Up the Old-Fashioned With a Whisper of Smoke For a panoramic view of the Newport waterfront in all its summertime glory, take...

Cool as a Cucumber

Bartender Austin Collins, The Loft Restaurant & Lounge, NYLO Hotel, Warwick This cocktail is a welcome remedy with fragrant basil as soon as we can pick it from our garden. A delicious spring teaser...

Pick Your Own: Orchard Fresh Old Fashioned

Perched in the heart of Olneyville Square in Providence, there’s a swingin’ little cocktail joint named Justine’s. Art Deco–inspired...

A Winning Hand with Three Pears: Infused, Poached and Sparkling

Some prefer an hourglass but barman Christopher Bender prefers a pear.

Botanical Bounty: The Dimensions of Gin

There seems to be a dizzying array of gin lining liquor store shelves these days. Labels broadcast mystically spiced infusions, pungent...

Syrups - Not So Simple

They're the best way to up your cocktail game, and we've got ideas that are perfect for the season

Honeybee Mojito

Bartender Austin Collins, The Loft Restaurant & Lounge, NYLO Hotel, Warwick We grow chocolate mint and spearmint here in our garden at NYLO. Every year we add a few new varieties to experiment...

Eggs! They’re Not Just for Breakfast

Even those old enough to have watched Rocky man up by slurping down half a dozen raw eggs get weak in the knees at the thought of hen fruit...

Smoke: It's in the Air

Quick: What do Scotland and Mexico have in common? Why, both feature smoke prominently in their world-class spirits. Most Scotch whiskies...

The Butternut Cocktail

Bartender Emily Costa, The Slow Rhode, Providence The marriage of sweet from the butternut squash with smoke from the bourbon results in a sublime autumn combination.

Sergeant Peppers with Peppered Reposado

Try juicing red, orange, yellow and green bell pepper varieties for psychedelic summertime hues.

Whisper in The Dark

Both caffeinated and creamy, this quintessential coffee cocktail satisfies a sweet tooth.

The King's Cup

Infusions are essential assets for the holiday host. They pull their weight in time otherwise spent prepping and mixing numerous rounds for guests.

The Quintet

Orchard Daiquiri

The Scofflaw

Bar Manager Kayleigh Speck, The East End, Providence As the cool autumn wind chases us indoors, think of this recipe as the perfect prescription for tempering the change of seasons.

Roaring Fire Cider

Willa Van Nostrand, Little Bitte + World’s Fair Gallery, Providence This is one of those everything-but-the-kitchen-sink recipes and I invite you to explore your spice drawer and tailor the...

The Kindling

The Land Before Time

My bartending style in a nutshell: Keep it fresh, classic, clean and fun. Add something healthy if the spirit moves you, but don’t overdo it. Kale, arugula or celery leaves will all do the trick in...

The Butterfly

Whenever I’m in the garden, I love to marvel at the insects: beetles, grasshoppers and especially the butterflies. Sure, there are a fair number of creepy crawlers that send an occasional shiver up...

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