Memorial Day Alcoholic Drinks: Top 5 Latino Recipes To Spice Up Your Holiday!

Memorial Day is steadily approaching. The holiday not only serves as a celebration of the service and dedication of the United States armed services, but the unofficial start to summer, as well. Hopefully, we will have great weather this year! So instead of having the same old boring cooler of beers at your Memorial Day party, why not change it up and add a little flair to your festivities. The best way to spice up your Memorial Day is by celebrating with some classic Latino drinks, and lucky for you we have five great recipes you have to try.

The Michelada: Our first alcoholic drink recipe is for the tradition, Michelada. Easy to drink, and even easier to make, this beer infused cocktail is perfect to sip at any summer party. To make start by adding salt to a shallow plate, use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a tall glass, next flip over the glass and coat the edge with the salt. Add ice to your now salt-rimmed glasses, then add lime juice, and the beer. Mix and bottoms up! Seriously, how easy is that?

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup of Ice
• 2 cans/bottles of Mexican Beer (Tecate)
• 1/2 cup of fresh Lime juice
• Salt
• Note: This recipe makes two Micheladas, so adjust accordingly!

Watermelon Martini: Light and fresh, a Watermelon Martini is hard to resist no matter what time of year. But when the summer sun starts to heat up on Memorial Day, these simple cocktails will be the perfect thirst quenchers. Combine salt and sugar and pour into shallow plate. Use a watermelon piece to moisten the rim of two glasses, flip over glasses onto plate containing salt and sugar to coat the edge with the mixture. Once done, fill the two glasses with ice and set aside. In a shaker, combine simple syrup with the lime juice, next add vodka and watermelon schnapps, finally add your watermelon juice and stir the entire mixture. After the mixture is completely mixed, pour evenly into your two glasses, drop in one piece of watermelon into each glass.

• Ingredients
• Salt
• White Sugar
• 1 cup of Watermelon Juice
• 1/4 cup of Vodka
• 1/4 cup of Watermelon Schnapps
• 2 tablespoons of Simple Syrup
• 1 Lime Watermelon chunks for garnish
• Note: The easiest way to make fresh watermelon juice is by placing chunks of seedless watermelon into food processor and straining through a cheese cloth.

Sparkling Citrus Margaritas: By creating a fresh twist on a Latino classic, these margaritas are something new and exciting that all your party guests will enjoy. This recipe is perfect to make for a large group, it is just as delicious if you decide to make it ahead of time, keep it cool with a perfectly frosted pitcher. Combine fresh grapefruit juice, Cointreau, tequila and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Add salt to a shallow plate, use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of your glasses and rim each glass with salt until crusted. Pour about 3 ounces of the tequila mixture into each glass; fill the rest of the way with Champagne.

• Ingredients
• 1 bottle Champagne
• 1 cup fresh Grapefruit Juice
• 1 cup Cointreau
• 1 cup Tequila
• ¼ cup Sugar (optional), for added sweetness
• Lime wedges
• Salt

NOLET’S Silver Sangria: This Sangria is unlike anything you’ve ever had before. By including Nolet's Silver Dry Gin is this classic cocktail, the flavor is more lively and tasty. Sangria can be made in large batches which is great for entertaining and even if you are not having a ton of friends over, nobody like to continually have to make complicated drinks. This is a one day recipe that will leave you in Sangria heaven for all of Memorial Day weekend. To make the Sangria, get a large pitcher and dissolve sugar in white wine of your choice, NOLET’S Silver, and grape juice. Add grapes and apple slices and chill overnight. Add ice and top with ginger ale or club soda prior to serving.

• Ingredients
• 8 oz. NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
• 750 ml Dry White Wine
• 4 oz. White Grape Juice
• 4 oz. Sugar
• 4 oz. Sliced Seedless Grapes
• 1 Sliced Apple (Green or Red)
• 16 oz. Ginger Ale or Club Soda

Blood Orange Mojito: This vibrant and beautiful cocktail will wow your friends, and you may even impress yourself! A Blood Orange Mojito is an easy and simple twist that makes traditional Latin mojitos new and exciting. For as pretty as the blood oranges are, my one piece of advice is to handle with care because their deep red color has a tendency to stain! To make these perfect summer treats, Cut blood orange in half, cut off one thin slice to save for garnish, using the rest for juice. In tall glass add mint leaves, sugar, lime juice. Next, add juice from blood orange, rum, club soda, and ice. Garnish with one slice of Blood Orange and a mint leaf.

• Ingredients
• 4 fresh Mint Leaves
• 1 Blood Orange 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 2 ounce White Rum
• 1/2 Club Soda
• 1/2 cup Ice