Al’s parents grew up in Saskatchewan, so needless to say the Roughriders were their team! Much to the disappointment of the Weber clan, the Roughriders didn’t make it to the Grey Cup this year. Nonetheless, we decided to make it a party and put together some Switchel cocktails in honour of the teams that did: the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton TigerCats – the top Canadian football teams of the year.
What’s great about the Switchels is that in addition to being considered a natural energy drink, a health drink, and a recovery drink, they are ready-to-go cocktail mixes. Entertain with ease! And as the Irish say, Sláinte, which means to your health!
As with all our cocktails, you can omit the alcohol in the recipes. You may want to tweak one or two ingredients but everything else – the glass, the garnish, the tasty rim(!) – can remain the same.
Learn more about our versatile Switchels here!
The Blueberry Bomber
2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
Low calorie Moss Berry Farm Blueberry Switchel
Fresh Blueberries
Ice
Wedge and slice of lemon
Sugar for rim (Try a mixture of 50/50 sugar and ground ginger)
Glass to use – Highball, Rocks, or Martini
1. Prep the garnish. Alternate lemon slice and blueberries on a cocktail pick. I have used a bamboo pick here.
2. Moisten the rim. Using the lemon wedge, rub it along the glass at a slow steady pace to make it even. Remove any pulp or seeds that get on the rim.
3. Dip the glass in the sugar mixture. Turn it upside down and dip it in firmly, as if the glass rim has ink on it and you’re trying to stamp a perfect circle in your sugar.
3. Add ice to glass. Pour in vodka,vermouth, and lemon juice. Top with as much Switchel as you want. I mix the alcohol in a shaker and then pour it in to minimize any splash that would mess with the rim.
4. Top with your garnish and serve.
The TiCat Smash
3 wedges Lemon
4 Mint Leaves
2 oz Whiskey or Bourbon
2 oz Moss Berry Farm Lemon and Honey Switchel
Ice
Mint Sprig
Glass to use – Rocks
1. Muddle the lemon and mint in a shaker with 1/2 t. of sugar.
2. Add the whiskey or bourbon, Switchel and ice and shake.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube..
4. Slap a mint sprig between your hands and use as garnish.
5. Serve with a straw.
The Canadian Cosmo
1 1/2 oz Vodka
.25 oz Cointreau
2 oz Moss Berry Farm Cranberry Maple Switchel
Ice
Wedge of orange
Orange Zest or Slice, thinly sliced
Maraschino cherry, homemade or a premium cherry
Sugar for rim (Maple sugar is a pretty good option!)
Glass to use – Martini
1. Prep the garnish. Weave the orange slice onto the cocktail pick and secure the cherry on the end of the cocktail pick.
2. Moisten the rim. Using the orange wedge, rub it along the glass at a slow steady pace to make it even. Remove any pulp or seeds that get on the rim.
3. Dip the glass in the sugar mixture. Turn it upside down and dip it in firmly, as if the glass rim has ink on it and you’re trying to stamp a perfect circle in your sugar. (I like to freeze the glass at this point.)
4. Add ice, vodka, Cointreau and Switchel to shaker. Gently mix or not!
5. Strain into a martini glass.
6. Top with the garnish.