Who doesn’t want to celebrate the birth of America with drinks for a crowd? Thanks to Dan Pettit, who founded Azzurre Spirits, there’s the first American-made blended vodka and gin made from apples, wine grapes, and sugar cane. Everyone can enjoy Azzurre Spirits as the vodka and gin contain no added sugar, and are naturally gluten-free.
Here are some of Downtown’s favorite cocktails that are meant to serve a crowd!
Uncle Sam’s Back Porch Lemonade
Iced tea with mint and orange. Photo c/o Cassandra Rosen, FK Interactive
Makes 10+ servings
• 8 oz Azzurre Vodka
• 16 oz lemonade
• 8 oz black tea, brewed
• Small bunch mint leaves
• 4 oz soda water
• Crushed ice
• Garnish: lemon slice and mint sprig
Muddle mint, 4 ounces of lemonade, and half of the vodka in a shaker. Fill with ice, shake. Strain into a punch bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add the soda water, stir to mix. Garnish with mint and lemon slices.
Summertime Watermelon Punch
Photo c/o Cassandra Rosen, FK Interactive
Makes 8-10 servings
• 12 cups watermelon, seeded and cubed
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 8 tbs simple syrup
• 32 mint leaves
• 8 oz Azzurre Vodka
• Top soda
• Garnish: mint sprigs, lime slices
Add the watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup, and water to a blender, and puree gently. Press through a mesh strainer into a pitcher, cover and refrigerate at least two hours, or overnight.
Add 4 large mint leaves to a glass, muddle. Add ice, pour in the watermelon agua fresca. Add vodka and soda, stir. Garnish as desired.
Betsy’s Berry Cobbler
Photo c/o Cassandra Rosen, RK Interactive
Makes 8 or more servings
• 8 oz Azzurre Vodka
• 8 oz fresh sour mix
• 4 oz cranberry raspberry juice
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
• Soda water
• Garnish: fresh raspberries, mint
In a shaker, muddle raspberries, half of the berries, half of the vodka, and half of the sour mix. Add half of the cranberry juice and ice, shake. Add berries to a punch bowl, strain in cocktail. Top with soda, stir.
Cherry Lime Punch
Photo c/o Cassandra Rosen, RK Interactive
Makes 8 or more servings
• 8 oz Azzurre Gin
• 10 oz cherry juice
• 2 oz lime juice (juice of two limes)
• 4 tbs cherry jam
• Simple Syrup (to taste)
• Club soda or ginger ale
Fill a shaker with ice. Add Azzurre vodka, juices, and jam. Shake well, strain into a pitcher. Stir in simple syrup to taste. If desired, top with soda for a sparkling treat! Garnish with fresh cherries, lime slices, or cranberries.
-by Sunny Tsao
