I have a serious sweet spot for beverage creation, both the adult and non-adult kind.  While it’s only the beginning of the year, I am finding myself already wistful for spring and as such, my palette turning to the exciting flavors that pair with the season.  We’ve rounded up a collection of 8 of our favorite spring cocktails that will wake up your hibernating taste buds, and move you into the promised land of blue skys and warmer breezes.  Its important to note, that we don’t play favorites here,  working with mocktails just as much as their full leaded friends!  The beauty to a great, we crafted mocktail is that in the right hand, its accessible to everyone, while easily being turned up a notch for those seeking full throttle!  As a hostess, I love putting together a mocktail to start, as it allows me to only worry about preparing one drink vs two, that will satisfy the whole crowd in one shot.  Prepare the mocktail batch, get your liquor pairings ready, and when it comes time to serve up the adult version, simply mix the liquor in the glass to order!  For any of our mocktail suggestions below we’ve noted their perfect liquor friends.  Remember these are our suggestions, be bold and play, you never know what your palette will bond with!  Happy sipping!

 

blood orange sangria GRAPEFRUIT SAGE MIMOSA

{Blood Orange Sangria via How Sweet Eats & Grapefruit Sage Mimosa via Shannon Kirsten}

Blood orange and grapefruits are one of my favorite foods to work with when it comes to cocktails.  Their gorgeously colored flesh is an immediately attention grabber that garners reactions from their recipients without really even trying!  The beauty to are two star spring cocktails that feature these lovely citrus fruits is just how brilliantly they allow that vibrant flesh to be the stand out star.  In the Blood Orange Sangria, while the juice itself is mixed within, the sugar rim and orange slice garnish that really say come sip on me!  When it comes to the Grapefruit Sage Mimosa, its hard to argue with the quiet regal elegance that is the mix of bold pink meets organic green set atop the neutral champagne backdrop.  Cocktails & mocktails always need to taste good, however, its their appearance that will really truly sell it!

 

Kumquat Lemongrass Rum Cocktail SOUR APPLE AND GREEN CHILLI MARGARITAS

{Kumquat Lemongrass Rum Cocktail via Kitchen Confidante & Sour Apple and Green Chilli Margarita via What Kate Ate}

Deep into the winter season, emerging with spring is an often unsung hero, the kumquat!  The Kumquat Lemongrass recipe above offers a unique mix of vibrant taste sensation that plays both on the Asian side of things as much as it does easy drinking spring friendly.  The fun to this particular cocktail is the kumquat garish itself.  As an often unsung hero, when your guests so these little beauties floating from within, they will be captivated by how intriguing they really are!  On the other side of the fence is a cocktail with some attitude!  For those willing to walk the line of a cocktail that might sass back, the Sour Apple & Chilli Margarita stays true to its latin heart while the sour apple works to keep your mouth in perfect check!

 

Pear Nectar & Thyme Mimosa STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC BASIL SODA

{Peach Nectar and Thyme Mimosa via The Glitter Guide & Strawberry Balsamic Basil Soda via Scaling Back Blog}

Looking for something simple, straight forward that has all kinds of sophistication written on it??  We cant recommend herb based beverages enough!  Peach Nectar infused Thyme Mimosa’s say girl time like no other!  While they are surely perfect for dinner parties & weddings, let’s be honest, this little beauty has ‘Getting Ready’ written all over it!  Never given quite enough love, mocktails, or as I like to call them ‘special drinks’ can  make or break your tired palette.  Little realized, berries are actually in season through winter months, with hauls of freshness coming via Latin growers.  If your put off by the idea of basil in a drink, you simply have not had the pleasure!  This Strawberry Balsamic Basil Soda is the perfect entry way into a basil beverage, not to mention something that is just downright drinkable!  Love the idea of this one, but looking for its cocktail friend?  The beauty to this polite concoction is how friendly it is, we recommend experimenting with Gin, Vodka (we recommend ones that are strawberry or citrus infused!) & Tequilas to find your perfect cocktail version mate!

 

Peach and Cardamom Lemonade Figgy Maple Bourbon Fizz

{Peach and Cardamom Lemonade via Joy the Baker and Fig Maple Bourbon Fizz via Cheese and Chocolate}

Perhaps our most ‘labor intensive’ recommendation of the lot, this spring/summer gateway mocktail is well worth the effort!  Peaches scream summer, however its the Cardamom that says let’s take thing slow.  This well balanced, delicious dream of a sippin drink has cocktail hour written all over it.  Just like our Strawberry Basil friend, this little sweetie can easily be turned up a notch with the addition of liquors like Bourbons & Whiskey, even Rums! Because a party isn’t a party without dessert, the Fig Maple Bourbon Fizz speaks all kinds of languages!  Sure she’s on the sweeter side, but mixed just right, the bourbon cuts through any potential syrupy side-effects, leaving you with a well balanced beverage in your hand that makes you swear your sitting on a Tennessee porch some place looking out over the mountains!