Spirit.Ed: Memorial Day Weekend 2025 Drinks Roundup

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! We’re getting this roundup posted later than we intended, so our apologies. Keep reading and scrolling for all the recipes and selections.   I’m getting a later-than-normal start for Memorial Day Weekend due to some unforeseen circumstances, but we’re back on track. In this roundup, I’m focusing on cocktails, which is the primary focus of Spirit.Ed, but also some brews and some ready-to-drink (RTD) options. As I’m writing this particular piece, I’m having a neat pour of Foursquare Distillery‘s Doorly’s 14, a fantastic aged rum out of Barbados that doesn’t fuss with any additional dosing, aka added sugar. I’m trying it out neat to figure out what kind of rum-based cocktail I’ll be making. It does make a mean Old Fashioned, especially with chocolate and orange bitters, along with rich demerara simple syrup.

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Lately, I’ve been wanting a crisp, cold beer, especially as the days grow longer and the temperatures warm ever so slightly. It’s been a bit cool in the mid-Atlantic for this time of year, but that won’t stop the festivities for many, including me. For now, enjoy this selection of cocktails, beers, and more. We thank all of our armed forces veterans for their service. Have a happy Memorial Day Weekend. — Photo: DekiArt / Getty

1. Botanical 75

2. Cristalino Martini

Ingredients:
2 parts Milagro Cristalino Añejo
1 part dry vermouth
Bar spoon of Cointreau
Grapefruit peel to garnish

Method: Combine ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir. Strain into martini glass and garnish with grapefruit peel.

3. Elysian Brewing Lemon Daydream Blonde Ale

Elysian Brewing is one of my favorite beer brands, and when I reach for a cold one, it’s usually one of their delightfully hoppy pale ales. For the summer, Elysian is rolling out an easy-drinking blonde ale under the name Lemon Daydream that we’ll be trying out soon.

Learn more here.

4. Espresso Martini (Lavazza)

Ingredients:

1 fl oz Lavazza coffee
1 fl oz vodka
1 fl oz coffee liquor
6 ice cubes
1 teaspoon sugar

Method:
STEP 1 – Make the sugar syrup by placing the caster sugar in a small pan over a medium heat and pouring in 50ml water, stir and bring to the boil.

STEP 2 (Optional) – Place a few ice cubes in the glass for a few minutes while you prepare the drink and then discard before pouring the drink.

STEP 3 – Once the sugar syrup is cool, pour 1 tbsp. into the shaker along with the ice, vodka, coffee liqueur and coffee.Shake until the outside of the shaker feels icy cold.

STEP 4 – Strain into the chilled glasses and garnish.

5. Grapefruit Refresher

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Martini Riserva (aperol)
½ oz Simple Syrup
1 dash of Orange Bitters

Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake until chilled and fine strain in a Rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

6. Green Tea Jubilee

Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Hendrick’s Oasium
2 parts chilled green tea
¾ part lemon juice
¾ part simple syrup
2 dashes cardamom bitters
1 ½ parts / top sparkling water
Cucumber slice and lemon wheel for garnish

Method: Build in a teapot over ice and garnish with a slice of cucumber and a lemon wheel.

7. Honey Lemonade (Tullamore D.E.W.)

Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Tullamore D.E.W. Honey
3 parts lemonade
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Top with club soda

Method: Combine all ingredients. Stir and pour.

8. Joe Rickey

2 oz ANGEL’S ENVY Bourbon finished in port wine barrels
0.5 oz lime
4 oz chilled club soda

Method: Squeeze the lime half into a tall highball glass and drop into the glass. Add ANGEL’S ENVY and chilled soda. Top with ice, stir well, and enjoy.

9. Lone River Variety Pack

Hard seltzers are a winner when it’s warm out, and Lone River has a variety of flavors for the occasion. The Lemonade Splash variety pack is a good place to start for those curious to try out these crushable and low-calorie sips.

Learn more here.

10. Mary Queen of Spritz

1 oz ABERFELDY 12
1 oz Noilly Prat Dry
.25 oz St-Germain
2 dashes Peychaud’s
2 dashes Absinthe
Top M&R Prosecco

Method: Build ingredients (with exception of prosecco) in chilled highball glass over ice. Top with prosecco and stir. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.

11. Pear-adise Found

2 oz Grey Goose La Poire Flavored Vodka
1 oz Lime Juice
0.5 oz Light Agave
French Sea Salt
Tarragon or Thyme

Method: Rim half of a rocks glass with sea salt. Combine the liquid ingredients, shake, then strain over fresh ice in the glass. Garnish with your herb of choice — tarragon and thyme both work well.

12. Pineapple Margarita

1.5oz 1800 Blanco
1oz Pineapple Juice
.75oz Lime Juice
.75oz Jalapeño Simple Syrup
Dashes Angostura Bitters
Garnish with Pineapple Frond

Shake all ingredients and strain over fresh ice into rocks glass. Garnish with 2 manicured pineapple fronds.

13. Playa Vibe Colada (Mocktail)

(Created in partnership with Ninja Kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 can CELSIUS Playa Vibe
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup coconut cream

Blend for a frozen treat or serve over ice. Garnish with a cherry and pineapple slice—and enjoy!

14. Pomegranate Lemonade

1.5 oz D’USSÉ VSOP Cognac
3 oz Lemonade
1 oz Pomegranate Juice

Method: Build a high ball with ice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig.

15. Salted Honey Old Fashioned

Ingredients:
2 parts Monkey Shoulder
½ part honey syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 strip orange peel

Method: Combine ice and ingredients in mixing glass. Stir for 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice in DOF/Rocks glass. Garnish with orange peel.

16. Solera Negroni

Ingredients:
2 Parts Glenfiddich Solera 15 Year Old
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth

Method: Add a 2-inch ice cube to a rocks glass and set aside. In a mixing glass, combine Glenfiddich Solera 15 Year Old, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Stir over ice until well chilled, to enhance the whisky’s silky smooth taste. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with an orange twist.

17. Smirnoff ICE Sunny Days Variety Pack

Smirnoff ICE got into the ready-to-drink (RTD) game a bit ago, and now they’re back with their Sunny Days variety pack. This is another one we’ll be trying out soon.

Learn more here.

18. Sparkling Lemon

1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire
3 oz Lemonade
3 oz Club Soda
Fresh Lemon

Method: Build in balloon glass full of ice then garnish with a lemon twist from a fresh lemon.

19. Spicy Lime Margarita

Ingredients:

1 can Cutwater Lime Margarita
3-4 slices of red pepper, muddled
Tajín for the rim
Dehydrated lime wheel

To Make: Rim a glass with lime juice and dip it in Tajín. Muddle the red pepper slices in the glass, add ice, and pour in the Lime Margarita. Garnish with a pepper slice and a dehydrated lime wheel.

20. Spicy Palmer

Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Reyka Vodka
1 part Ancho Reyes
¾ part Fresh Lemon Juice
6 parts Unsweetened Iced Tea

Method: Combine all ingredients into cocktail shaker. Shake and serve in Collins or Footed Pilsner glass and garnish with a lemon wheel.

21. Strawberry Smash

1.5 oz Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
0.75 oz  Simple Syrup
0.75 oz  Lemon Juice
Soda Water
2 Strawberries, Quartered

Method: Muddle strawberries in bottom of shaker. Add scotch whisky, simple syrup, And Lemon Juice. Shake And Strain Over Fresh Ice In Glass. Top With Soda Water.

22. Summer Splash

1.5 oz BACARDÍ Lime Flavored Rum
1.5 oz Lemonade
1.5 oz Lemon-Lime Soda or Club Soda

Method: Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour and gently stir in all ingredients. Garnish with a lime wedge.

23. Sunbeam Fizz

Ingredients:

1.5oz Astral Tequila Reposado
3oz Lemonade
1oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
Top with Club Soda
Glassware: Highball Glass

Garnish: Chili Lime Seasoning + Grapefruit Wedge

Preparation: Add Astral Tequila Reposado, lemonade, and ruby red grapefruit juice to an ice-filled highball glass. Stir, top with club soda, and garnish with a grapefruit wedge topped with chili lime seasoning.

24. Super Citrus Margarita

Ingredients:

3 oz Marcado 28 Blanco Tequila
2 oz Triple Sec
2 oz fresh orange juice
2 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Dash of citrus bitters
Agave syrup (for rim)
Ground dried hibiscus flower (for rim)
Black lava salt (for rim)
Garnish: Orange, lemon, and lime “Volt” decorative slices
 
Instructions:
Rim a cocktail glass with agave syrup, then dip into a blend of ground hibiscus flower and black lava salt. Fill the glass with ice. In a shaker filled with ice, combine tequila, triple sec, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, and a dash of citrus bitters. Shake vigorously. Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice. Garnish with orange, lemon, and lime “Volt” slice for a vibrant finish.

25. Vesper Martini

3 parts Fords Gin
1 part Vodka
0.5 parts Lillet Blanc
Lemon Peel
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
Garnish: Lemon Peel

Method: Stir all ingredients over ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel.