It wouldn’t be a holiday weekend without a fun cocktail — and Us Weekly is rounding up five drinks to try this Labor Day weekend.
First up is the American Spritzer, a relative of your favorite Italian summer cocktail. The Cool Cat Grapefruit Canned Wine Spritzer adds a refreshing touch to the otherwise simple Aperol spritz. Cool Cat embraces individuality and celebrates free-spirited minds specifically focused on lifting up minorities and the LGBTQIA+ — at just 150 calories per can, it’s a great alternative to many alcoholic beverages.
The Silkie Rua, meanwhile, is a bright and light way to enjoy smoky Silkie Irish whiskey. Inspired by the legendary mermaids that come ashore on the Donegal coast of Ireland, this refreshing cocktail is perfect to enjoy sipping with friends on the beach to keep summer going.
For a traditional drink, try the Campus Cooler, a Bhakta Spirits cocktail that pays homage to one of his classic cocktails, an easy-sipping, elegant crowd-pleaser to while away the summer days. The drink is inspired by the legendary Harry MacElhone of 1920’s Harry’s New York Bar, a defining figure in early 20th-century bartending.
Nothing reclaims summer like a proper tiki cocktail, and Tai ENGINE’s Pretty Fly for a Mai Tai is one you can easily shake up at home. This faux-Polynesian punch, inspired by Trader Vic’s Mai Tai from 1944, shows off ENGINE’s versatility in mixed drinks, proving that the Tiki tradition and exotic drinks are not just for rum. The cocktail was created by ENGINE’s brand ambassador Leonardo Todisco, who just happens to love a great Hawaiian holiday shirt and vintage cars — like the 1969 Chevrolet Impala used in The OffSprings’ “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” video. Elle Fanning has been seen enjoying ENGINE’s cocktails.
Kyma Flatiron and Kyma Hudson Yards has a new cocktail for the summer that was created by GM Joe Ragonese and Bar Manager Konstantinos Chantzis to invoke nostalgia and serve their fashionable crowd with an energetic and sophisticated concoction to keep the night going. The Salted Caramel Espresso Martini is a whiskey-based twist on an Espresso Martini with the addition of Graham Crackers and caramel syrup that are reminiscent of childhood snacks. When combined with today’s most popular ingredients, whiskey, and espresso, each sip delivers bursts of flavor — a great conversation starter and ideal nightcap!
To make the drinks yourself at home, keep scrolling for the recipes:
