Refreshing grapefruit summer drinks

When the temperature seems to rise above 90 degrees for days. When the swamp that runs slowly down your spine heads straight for your forehead on the way down, you know it’s time for a refreshing little cocktail. One that tastes of sour and slightly tart taste – a touch of smoke – a touch of sweetness – the zest of citrus fruits, the oil of grapefruit. Here are refreshing grapefruit summer drinks that are a twist on the classic Hemingway daiquiri. We have a beautiful cocktail mix, two of which contain medicinal cannabis.

Decarbing is an essential method of making cocktails that contain THC. THC. I don’t work with CBD so please don’t ask. Hemp is rope, building material, cosmetics – not carefully crafted cocktails of non-commercial spirits. All you will get is a headache.

The Amos Bacon Hemingway

Amos wasn’t Denver’s first mayor. This is a variant of the Hemingway, made with cannabis-infused absinthe and rhum agricole from Martinique.

Decarb your cannabis in the Nova decarboxylation chamber – it’s a self-contained, microprocessor-controlled chamber that looks like a thermos. It decarbs cannabis to 100% bioavailability, making for perfect infusions.

Inject the decarbonated cannabis deep into the alcohol of your choice with two cylinders of nitrous oxide – vent and shake the ISI between each use.

Strain through cheesecloth and let sit in the freezer for about an hour, then strain and use in craft cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce. (100mg of decarbed cannabis) infused in Rhum Agricole
• ½ ounce. White Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ ounce. Maraschino Liqueur (like Luxardo, dry not sweet!)
• 3 ounces. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• grapefruit peel
• fresh ice cream
• cannabis smoke

Preparation:

Fill a jar of frozen stones with cannabis smoke. Add a large ice cube and cover with a lid. Combine rhum agricole, balsamic vinegar, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice and lots of fresh ice in a Boston shaker. Cap and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain over the tall ice in the Rocks glass filled with cannabis smoke. Garnish with a grapefruit zest. Surcharge.

The next small cannabis-infused drink is named after another mayor. In this case, he was from Seattle. The Corliss Stone Hemingway has echoes of another of my favorite cocktails – the absinthe frappe. In this case we force THC into the absinthe and then add a dollop of grapefruit and lemon juice, a touch of maraschino, fresh mint, a touch of rose syrup and a dash of seltzer.

The Corliss Stone Hemingway

• 1.5 ounces. Absinthe infused with cannabis – like Lucid or Jade
• ½ ounce. agricultural rum
• 3 ounces. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• ½ ounce. Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce. Maraschino Liqueur
• Bunch of perfectly washed fresh mint
• 1 ounce. Rose Simple Syrup – as made by Royal Rose in Maine
• fresh ice cream
• Collins glass filled with cannabis smoke with large ice cubes

Preparation:

Place the mint in a Boston shaker and crush lightly to release its fragrance. Add some fresh ice. Fill up with the juices. Add the absinthe. Add the rhum agricole. Add the maraschino. Add the rose syrup. Cap and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Fill a frozen Collins jar with cannabis smoke. Add a stick of hand-cut ice and a grapefruit zest. Double strain the cocktail over the ice cream and serve.

AC Bonnell was one of the first mayors of Portland, Oregon. I honor him with this little grapefruit lemonade that has more than just a hint of rum in the mix.

AC Bonnell Fizz

• 2 ounces. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 ounce. agricultural rum
• 4 oz. Grapefruit Seltzer
• 3-5 drops of Bitter Sling Rhubarb Bitters

Preparation:

In a Collins glass with some large ice cubes: add Rhum Agricole. Top with the grapefruit seltzer. Float the grapefruit juice over it. Sprinkle with the rhubarb bitters and serve. Definitely not cute!

Eliphalet Greeley Cocktail

Mr. Greeley was one of the first mayors of Portland, Maine

• 2 ounces. Agrirum VSOP
• 6 ounces. Freshly crushed sugar cane juice
• coconut water ice cream
• 1 ounce. cane sugar syrup
• Splash of lime juice

Preparation:

Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ full with bar ice. Add the VSOP. Add the cane juice. Add the cane sugar syrup. Add the lime juice. stir. Strain over coconut water ice cubes into a double old fashioned glass. The last drink in this series is another take on the acidic drinks we call Shrubs – Hemingway style – full of flavor and bite!

Henry Lang was one of the first mayors of Newark, New Jersey. What he has to do with Hemingway is not known, they did not even live in the same period.

Henry Lang Hemingway

• 2 ounces. agricultural rum
• 2 ounces. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 ounce. Maraschino Liqueur
• ½ ounce. White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 ounce. Champagne (add at the end)
• 1 ounce. Hendrick’s gin
• 1 ounce. Dark simple syrup

Preparation:

In a Boston shaker ¾ filled with ice cubes. Add the juice. Add the rhum agricole. Add the maraschino. Add the gin. Add the vinegar. Add the simple syrup. Seal and shake vigorously. Strain into a Double Old Fashioned glass with a grilled grapefruit slice (grill or grill the grapefruit slices and let cool before using – grill marks are a huge plus!)