Each month Chilled presents you with five essential cocktails based on our National Drink Day Calendar. Don’t forget to reference it so you can prepare for the upcoming holidays.
If you are lacking in the cocktail inspiration department, you’ve come to the right place. These five essential cocktails for May will help brighten and liven up your bar menu. We are on the cusp of summer, which means people are heading out for happy hours, brunch on the weekends, and sitting on patios for cocktails. There’s no better time to add a drink special to your menu based around one of these National Drink Days.
Get ready for the warm weather and sip on one of these five essential cocktails for May.
Watermelon Basil Margarita
Cinco de Mayo will bring crowds ready to sip on a Mexican spirit. There isn’t anything that screams summer more than watermelon. This watermelon and basil margarita is the perfect balance of herbaceous and sweet. The addition of fresh lime is the cherry on top. This cocktail will definitely be a hit.
Honey-Kissed Cosmopolitan
Instead of serving the classic cocktail on National Cosmopolitan Day (5/7), opt for this riff. While the traditional Cosmopolitan has citron vodka, this version uses grapefruit vodka for an added depth of flavor. Mixed with sweet notes of farm-fresh honey and muddled rosemary, you’re left with a perfectly balanced drink on all fronts.
Spritz Tzu
Treat the mother in your life on Mother’s Day (5/14) with an easy-to-mix spring cocktail. It contains all ingredients that you’ll find behind any bar—a dry white wine, elderflower liqueur, club soda, and a lemon twist. It’s light and refreshing, making it a great Mother’s Day brunch addition.
Mimosa Lopez
Did someone say brunch? Brunch is a must in the spring, so you’ll need a mimosa on your menu for National Mimosa Day (5/16). Instead of offering just the classic champagne and OJ, try this tropical riff. Another option where the ingredients are most likely behind the bar—the
Mimosa Lopez mixes champagne with cream of coconut for a perfect mix of creamy, boozy, and tropical in every sip.
Whiskey Smash
Although dark spirits get often categorized as winter drinks, World Whisk(e)y Day falls on the third Saturday of May every year. This year, celebrate the spirit on May 19 with a Whiskey Smash. It’s sweet enough that non-whiskey drinkers will enjoy it but strong enough that whiskey connoisseurs will love it. The added freshness from the mint takes this to the next level.
