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By in Cocktails, RUM 44 Comments Off on Mad Limoncello Mojito

Mad Limoncello Mojito

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Mad Limoncello Mojito


  • Author: Mad River Distillers
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Description

This simple mojito recipe combines mint with our silver Rum 44, Limoncello, lime juice, simple syrup and soda water.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 oz. of Rum 44
  • 1 oz. of Limoncello
  • 1 oz. of fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 oz. of simple syrup
  • soda water
  • 3 mint leaves
  • 1 sprig of mint

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle 3 mint leaves with lime juice and simple syrup.
  2. Add the Rum 44 and Limoncello to the shaker with ice.
  3. Shake well, then strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.
  4. Top with soda water, then garnish with a mint sprig.

Featured Spirit

By in Cocktails, RUM 44 Comments Off on Watermelon 44 Mojito

Watermelon 44 Mojito

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Watermelon 44 Mojito


  • Author: Mad River Distillers
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Description

A super refreshing mojito made with muddled watermelon and our Rum 44.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 oz. of Rum 44
  • 1 oz. of fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz. of simple syrup
  • 2 oz. of soda water
  • 6 mint leaves
  • 1 sprig of mint
  • 1/2 cup chopped watermelon
  • 2-3 watermelon wedges for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, add 6 mint leaves and muddle them.
  2. Chop ½ cup of watermelon into squares and add them to the shaker, then muddle again until it is juiced.
  3. Add the rum, lime juice and simple syrup to the shaker with ice.
  4. Shake well, then double strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.
  5. Top with soda water, then garnish with 2-3 wedges of watermelon and a fresh sprig of mint.

Featured Spirit

By in Blog Comments Off on July 4th Celebration Cocktails

July 4th Celebration Cocktails

If you’re planning a gathering to celebrate all things red, white and blue for July 4th, don’t forget your party cocktails! We have a variety of cocktail recipes on our website organized by spirit, but we’re going to save you some time by highlighting our top recommendations for Independence Day cocktails (organized by red, white and blue) that you can enjoy either independently or with a group of family and friends. To start off, we’ll share the three cocktail recipes featured on the tasting board here—a Strawberry Rhubarb Daiquiri, a Painkiller, and a Blue Raspberry Daiquiri. Read on for even more red, white and blue cocktail ideas!

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB DAIQUIRI
Strawberry dominates this simple daiquiri recipe, so you can quickly shake up a reddish-pink hued cocktail and get back to celebrating.

Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1 oz. of Cocktail & Sons Fassionola Syrup
-4 dashes of Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard, then strain into a coupe glass over ice. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.

PAINKILLER
The coco lopez in this cocktail gives it a mostly white color that works great with a red, white and blue party theme. Combined with the juices and First Run Rum, the tropical Painkiller is a great choice for summertime gatherings.

Ingredients:
-2 oz. of First Run Rum
-4 oz. of pineapple juice
-1 oz. of orange juice
-1 oz. of Coco Lopez

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard, then strain over fresh ice. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

BLUE RASPBERRY DAIQUIRI
If you’re familiar with blue curacao, then it won’t surprise you that most of the color in this bright blue cocktail is thanks to that ingredient. However, you can attribute a lot of the flavor to the raspberry-infused Rum 44. Be sure to give yourself a little extra prep time to make the infused rum.

Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Rum 44 infused with local Raspberries
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1 oz. of simple syrup
-a couple dashes of Fee Brothers Blue Curacao 

Instructions:
To make this cocktail, add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard, then strain into a coupe glass over ice. 

To make the raspberry-infused Rum 44, start with a bottle of Rum 44 and a pint of washed raspberries. Combine both in a mason jar, and shake once a day for a week. Then strain through a cheesecloth.

OTHER RED, WHITE & BLUE COCKTAIL IDEAS:

STRAWBERRY HIBISCUS DAIQUIRI
The color of this cocktail will capture everyone’s attention, but the flavor is what will bring your guests back for seconds. This popular cocktail requires a little bit of preparation as you will need hibiscus flowers to make a rum infusion, but it is otherwise incredibly simple to make. 

Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Hibiscus-infused Rum 44
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1 oz. of El Guapo Cajun Grenadine

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for about 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled coupe glass over ice.

To make the hibiscus-infused rum, add one gram of hibiscus flowers per ounce of Rum 44 (a full bottle of Rum 44 would need about 25 grams of hibiscus flowers). Let the rum infuse for about one hour before using. 

Cranberry Bog cocktail on a bar

CRANBERRY BOG
While we usually recommend this drink around the holiday season given the cranberry garnish, this effervescent cocktail is a great option given the bright red color and the fact that it can easily be batched for a party!

Ingredients for 1 cocktail:
-1.5 oz. Rum 44
-1 oz. Unsweetened cranberry juice
-3/4 oz. simple syrup
-1/2 oz. lime juice
-3 dashes of Floyd Wild Plum Bitters
-Fever Tree Tonic

Ingredients for 12 cocktails:
-18 oz. Rum 44
-12 oz. unsweetened cranberry
-9 oz. simple syrup
-6 oz. lime juice
-36 dashes of Floyd Wild Plum Bitters 
-Fever Tree Tonic

Instructions:
To make a single cocktail, shake all ingredients (except the tonic) with ice. Strain into a stemless wine glass over fresh ice. Top with Fever Tree Tonic, and garnish with a candied cranberry (cranberry rolled in sugar), a dried orange wheel and fresh mint. To make a party punch serving 12, add all ingredients (except the tonic) in a punch bowl and stir well to combine. When serving individual glasses, serve over ice, then top each glass with tonic to allow for full effervescence.

COCONUT FIZZ
This cocktail has a white cream color, a delicious tropical flavor, and with a foamy top, it has a great texture that’s fun to sip on.

Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Vanilla Rum
-2 oz. of unsweetened coconut puree cream
-1 oz. of simple syrup
-½ oz. of fresh lime juice
-½ oz. of fresh pineapple juice
-4 drops of Fee Brothers Orange Blossom Water

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, and dry shake. Next, shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Grate fresh lime zest over the top, and enjoy!

EL PRESIDENTE
Technically, this cocktail is clear, but it’s also crisp, clean and tasty. And, it looks great in a lineup with red and blue cocktails. 

Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Vanilla Rum 
-¾ oz. of Dry Vermouth
-¼ oz. of dry curaçao
-1 bar spoon of El Guapo Cajun Grenadine

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 30 seconds. Strain and serve up in a coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

Blueberry Smash Highball on a table

BLUEBERRY HIGHBALL SMASH
This cocktail requires a little preparation, as you’ll first need to infuse a bottle of Rum 44 with freshly rinsed blueberries, but the color and flavor make it totally worth the wait.

Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Blueberry infused Rum 44
-½ oz. of fresh lemon juice
-½ oz. of simple syrup
-¼ oz. of Fernet Vexia (or other Fernet)
-Guinep Flavored Sparkling Water
-mint

Instructions:
In a shaker, add all ingredients except for the Guinep Sparkling Water. Shake ingredients, then double strain into a highball glass over ice. Top with Guinep flavored sparkling mineral water. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

To make blueberry-infused Rum 44, start with a bottle of Rum 44 and a pint of washed blueberries. Combine both in a mason jar, and shake once a day for a week. Then strain through a cheesecloth.

VIOLETTE DAIQUIRI
Blue is an admittedly tricky color to make using natural ingredients. While the cocktail recipe above takes on a reddish-blue hue, this cocktail leans more purple-blue thanks to the Creme Violette. It’s an easy daiquiri with a distinctive color that leaves a lasting impression.

Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of Creme Violette
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-½ oz. of simple syrup

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard, then strain into a coupe glass over ice.

Another cocktail to consider is our Vanilla Rum Shrub Highball. This cocktail has a layered color to it, thanks to the shrub. The fruit shrub will sit on the bottom of the glass, while the top of the glass takes a more clear color thanks to the club soda topper. Just be sure to select a fruit or berry shrub that has a red or blue color to it, and don’t stir the cocktail once in the highball glass if you want to keep the lovely layered look. 

Remember to visit our Burlington Tasting Room to pick up a bottle of rum (or whiskey, if you prefer) and other cocktail supplies, including Rhubarb Bitters, Fassionola Syrup, Grenadine, Orange Blossom Water, and even simple syrup. We wish you an incredible and colorful independence day. As always, please drink responsibly.


Written and published by Brianne Lucas on June 25, 2024.

By in Cocktails, RUM 44 Comments Off on Violette Daiquiri

Violette Daiquiri

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Violette Daiquiri


  • Author: Mad River Distillers
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Description

Creme Violette and Rum 44 combine to give this easy daiquiri both a distinctive flavor and color that will easily impress.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 oz. of Rum 44
  • 1 oz. of Creme Violette
  • 1 oz. of fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz. of simple syrup

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake hard, then strain into a coupe glass over ice. 

Featured Spirit

By in Cocktails, First Run Rum Comments Off on Painkiller

Painkiller

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Painkiller


  • Author: Mad River Distillers
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Description

Coco Lopez combined with pineapple juice, orange juice and First Run Rum makes a tropical cocktail that's perfect for summertime gatherings.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 oz. of First Run Rum
  • 4 oz. of pineapple juice
  • 1 oz. of orange juice
  • 1 oz. of Coco Lopez

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake hard, then strain over fresh ice.
  3. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Featured Spirit

Friday Night Artisan Market at Spruce Peak in Stowe

Join Mad River Distillers on July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2, August 16, and August 30, at the Spruce Peak Friday Artisan Markets in Stowe, VT from 4pm-7pm.
Find the perfect souvenir while you browse the wares of some of Vermont's best artists, artisans, and local producers. Live music sets the stage while interactive demonstrations, complimentary kids' activities, and more keep the lively atmosphere going all evening long. We'll be there showcasing our spirits, and offering tastings and bottle sales. We hope to see you there!

Friday Night Artisan Market at Spruce Peak in Stowe

Join Mad River Distillers on July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2, August 16, and August 30, at the Spruce Peak Friday Artisan Markets in Stowe, VT from 4pm-7pm.
Find the perfect souvenir while you browse the wares of some of Vermont's best artists, artisans, and local producers. Live music sets the stage while interactive demonstrations, complimentary kids' activities, and more keep the lively atmosphere going all evening long. We'll be there showcasing our spirits, and offering tastings and bottle sales. We hope to see you there!

Taste of New England at Spruce Peak - VT Food and Beverage Showcase

Find us at A Taste of New England at Spruce Peak in Stowe on Sunday, August 25th from 12:00-4:00 PM (EDT) for the Food & Beverage Showcase. This great event brings together the region’s best chefs for a weekend of amazing food, world-class wines & spirits, and more. We’ll be there, showcasing our spirits (which will be available for purchase) and offering tastings. More information can be found at https://www.sprucepeak.com/tone/sunday.

MRD Tasting at Eddie's Liquors in Springfield, MA

Join Mad River Distillers on Saturday, June 29th at the Eddie's Liquors and Fine Wine in Springfield, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 3:00pm-5:00pm. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

 

National Mojito Day at Table & Vine Flagship

Join Mad River Distillers on Thursday, July 11th at the Table & Vine Flagship location in West Springfield, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 6:00PM - 7:30PM to celebrate National Mojito Day. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

MRD Tasting at Nejaime's Wine Cellars in Stockbridge, MA

Join Mad River Distillers on Wednesday, July 3rd at the Nejaime's Wine Cellars in Stockbridge, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 1:00PM - 4:00PM. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

Better Bennington Harvest Fest 2024

Find us in downtown Bennington, VT on Saturday, October 19th from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EDT) for the Better Bennington Harvest Festival. This free and all-ages event features over 75 vendors including artisans, craftspeople, specialty foods, distilled spirits, and more! There will be 4 stages with live music, activities, and a variety of food and beverage vendors. We’ll be there, showcasing our spirits (which will be available for purchase) and offering tastings. Be sure to stop by!

By in Blog Comments Off on Strawberry Season Cocktails

Strawberry Season Cocktails

During strawberry season, it’s hard to pass up on the opportunity to pick your very own farm-fresh strawberries. When you live in the Northeast, this is really the best time of year to enjoy them. Strawberry shortcake, strawberry cobbler, strawberry bars, strawberry mousse… There are so many delicious desserts that have strawberry as the shining ingredient. So, why shouldn’t that be true in the cocktail world, as well! They add great flavor to cocktails, and impart a beautiful color.

Here are ten cocktail recipes—daiquiris, highballs and more—that utilize strawberries as a key ingredient:

Strawberry Rhubarb Daiquiri

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB DAIQUIRI
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1 oz. of Cocktail & Sons Fassionola Syrup
-4 dashes of Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a coupe glass. Add a dehydrated (or fresh) lime wheel as garnish.

STRAWBERRY HIBISCUS DAIQUIRI
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Hibiscus-infused Rum 44
-1 oz. of fresh lime juice
-1 oz. of El Guapo Cajun Grenadine

Directions: 
To make the Hibiscus-infused Rum 44, add one gram of hibiscus flowers per ounce of Rum 44 (a full bottle of Rum 44 would need about 25 grams of hibiscus flowers). Let the rum infuse for about one hour before using.

To make the cocktail, add the hibiscus-infused Rum 44, lime juice and El Guapo Cajun Grenadine to a shaker with ice. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

STRAWBERRY MINT JULEP
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Bourbon Whiskey
-1 tsp. of Vermont Maple Syrup
-2 lemon wedges
-6 mint leaves
-2 strawberries
-soda water

Directions: 
Muddle mint leaves, maple syrup, a strawberry, and lemon wedges. Shake muddled ingredients with bourbon and ice. Pour into a highball glass, and top off with a splash of club soda. Garnish with mint and a strawberry.

BITTER HEART
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Vanilla Rum
-3/4 oz. of Galliano Aperitivo
-3/4 oz. of fresh lime juice
-3/4 oz. of simple syrup
-2 strawberries

Directions: 
Muddle strawberries with sugar in a shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients, and shake with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a fresh strawberry.

SPRING FLING
Ingredients:
-1 oz. of First Run Rum
-1 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-1 oz. of cinnamon and strawberry infused Aperol
-1 oz. of Amaro Nonino
-3-4 dashes of El Guapo Summer Berries Bitters
-Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit
-lemon twist

Directions:
To make the cinnamon and strawberry infused Aperol, add a cinnamon stick to one bottle of Aperol. Give it a shake, then let it sit for one day. After one day, remove the cinnamon. In a Mason jar, combine the cinnamon infused Aperol with a handful of rinsed strawberries. Shake once daily for one week. Strain out the strawberries using a cheesecloth, then store the cinnamon and strawberry infused Aperol until ready to use. 

To make the cocktail, in a shaker, combine one ounce each of the infused Aperol, First Run Rum, fresh lemon juice and Amaro Nonino. Add 4-6 dashes of El Guapo Summer Berries Bitters. Add ice to the shaker, then shake for 15-30 seconds. Double strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top the cocktail with Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Add a twist of lemon as garnish.

PERSEPHONE
Ingredients:

-1 oz. of RUM 44
-1 oz. of First Run Rum
-1 oz. of lemon juice
-1 oz. of simple syrup
-1 egg white
-3 dashes Lavender Bitters 
-3 strawberries

Directions: 
Muddle 2 strawberries in a shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients to the shaker (without ice). Shake for about 15-20 seconds vigorously. Add ice to the shaker, and shake for another 10 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with sliced strawberries.

STRAWBERRY SMASH
Ingredients:

-5 ripe and rinsed strawberries, leafy ends removed, chopped
-4 fresh basil leaves
-1.5 oz. of Rum 44
-1 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-1/4 oz. or a barspoon of Runamok Maple Grenadine
-Club soda

Directions:
In a shaker, combine all ingredients except for the club soda. Muddle the ingredients together. Add fresh ice to a shaker, and shake well. Double strain into a stemless glass over fresh ice. Top with club soda, and garnish with a fresh strawberry and basil.

BOURBON STREET
Ingredients:
-1.5 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-1/4 oz. of strawberry simple syrup or 1 sliced strawberry muddled with simple syrup
-3/4 oz. of lemon juice
-2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
-Fever Tree Ginger Beer

Directions:
Shake all ingredients. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a sliced strawberry.

LA LA LOVE YOU
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Vanilla Rum
-1.5 oz. of ChocoLat Delux
-1/2 oz. of cane sugar syrup
-2 strawberries

Directions:
Add strawberries to a shaker, and muddle them with sugar syrup. Add remaining ingredients to the shaker with ice. Fine strain contents into a large coupe glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

RUMBERRY DAIQUIRI
Ingredients:
-2 oz. of Rum 44
-3/4 oz. of fresh lime juice
-3/4 oz. of Three Berry Syrup

Directions:
To make the Three Berry Syrup, combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a pan. Place it over high heat, stirring occasionally until all of the sugar has dissolved.

Once you have a uniform syrup, reduce to medium-low heat and add 10 blueberries, 5 raspberries and 2 large strawberries. Muddle the berries against the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes. To remove all of the fruit seeds and skins, pour the syrup through a cheesecloth into a container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. 

To make the cocktail, combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 20-30 seconds and strain, straight up, into a coup. Garnish with a slice of strawberry.

Now that you have a list of ten cocktails you can make utilizing strawberries, the only question is, which one will you make first? A good tip when making cocktails with fresh fruit, especially fruit with seeds or pulp, is to double strain when pouring into your glass. Another way to strain out unwanted seeds or pulp is by using a cheesecloth, as noted in the Rumberry Daiquiri recipe above.

While you won’t be able to source farm-fresh strawberries from our Burlington Tasting Room, we do carry a lot of other ingredients noted above, in addition to our spirits. You can stock up on simple syrups, bitters, Grenadine, Fassionola syrup, ginger beer, and even an egg-free foamer option. If you mix up a fresh strawberry cocktail, we’d love to see it, so be sure to tag us on social!


Written and published by Brianne Lucas on June 11, 2024.

MRD Pre-Father's Day Tasting at Liquor Town in Hadley, MA

Join Mad River Distillers on Saturday, June 15th at the Liquor Town in Hadley, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 1:30pm - 3:30pm. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

MRD Tasting at CBC Liquors in Westford, MA

Join Mad River Distillers on Friday, June 21st at the CBC Liquors in Westford, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 4:00pm-6:00pm. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

MRD Tasting at Porter Square Wine & Spirits in Cambridge, MA

Join Mad River Distillers on Thursday, June 13th at the Porter Square Wine & Spirits in Cambridge, MA. There will be complimentary tastings from our line of spirits between 4:00pm-6:00pm. Feel free to ask questions! Bottles will be available for purchase.

By in Cocktails, RUM 44 Comments Off on Elderflower 75

Elderflower 75

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Elderflower 75


  • Author: Mad River Distillers
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Description

A riff between a French 75 and a St. Germain, this Rum 44 cocktail is perfect for any celebration or brunch. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 oz. of Rum 44
  • 3/4 oz. of elderflower liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. of fresh lemon juice
  • Prosecco
  • Luxardo cherry

Instructions

  1. Add a Luxardo cherry to the bottom of a flute glass.
  2. Fill the glass halfway with Prosecco.
  3. In a shaker, combine Rum 44, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.
  4. Add ice, then shake well.
  5. Double strain into the flute glass over the Prosecco, and enjoy!

Featured Spirit

The Taste of Woodstock

Join Mad River Distillers on Saturday, August, 10th from 10am – 6:00pm at The Taste of Woodstock in beautiful Woodstock, VT. Join over 2,000 attendees as they take over elm Street for a day of food, drink, music, and fun in the sun. There, instead of cars you’ll find the road lined with over 45 vendor tents offering local specialty foods, wine, beer, and spirit tastings, fun activities for kids and families, and live music throughout the day! We will be offering bottle sales and complimentary tastings from our line of spirits. Admission is free. We hope to see you there!