Recipes
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Stormy Weather
In this spirit-free take on the classic Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail, espresso tags in for rum for a deep and spicy brew that’s sure to tickle your tropical itch.
Stormy Weather Recipe:
2 oz freshly brewed espresso or cold brew concentrate
5 oz Top Note Ginger Beer
Garnish: lime wedge
Add Ginger Beer to an ice-filled glass, then slowly pour in the coffee. Garnish.
Aperol & Soda
If you’re anything like us, you love an Aperol Spritz but don’t always have Prosecco on hand. In these instances, when you're craving something bitter and bubbly, Aperol and Club Soda make for a simple and refreshing combo - you won't even miss the Prosecco!
Aperol & Soda Recipe:
2 oz Aperol
Garnish: orange slices
Stir all ingredients together in an ice-filled glass (we like a Copa de Balon or wine glass, but anything will do!) and garnish.
Brunch | Coffee | Ginger Beer | Non-Alcoholic
Espresso Mule
Who says Mule mugs are reserved solely for vodka? Kick back with this simple, caffeinated twist on the classic!
Espresso Mule Recipe:
2 oz freshly-brewed espresso or cold brew concentrate
.5 oz lime juice
3 oz Top Note Ginger Beer
Garnish: lime wheel
Fill a copper Mule mug* with crushed or cubed ice. Add the juice and Ginger Beer, then slowly pour in the espresso or coffee. Garnish.
*If you don’t happen to have Mule mugs on hand, any other glass works just as well!
Matt Hiel’s Featherweight
This low-ABV spritz is an “easy, sessionable, lightly bitter, super refreshing drink,” says Wollersheim Distillery bar manager Matt Hiel.
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Matt and keep up with him on Instagram.
Matt Hiel’s Featherweight Recipe:
3 oz Wollersheim White Vermouth
2 oz Top Note Sparkling Grapefruit Soda
1 dash Rhubarb Bitters
Garnish: grapefruit slice
Add bitters, followed by Club Soda, Vermouth and lastly Grapefruit Soda to an oversized wine glass filled with ice. Briefly stir to combine and garnish.
Annie Beebe-Tron's Jacoulot Highball Recipe
"This highball blends the richness of Jacoulot's Fine de Bourgogne with the earthy complexity of their Le Petit Marc, leading to a dynamic, subtle highball for brandy and whisky drinkers alike." - De Maison Spirits
Be sure to check out our Highballs at High Noon session with De Maison's National Spirits Portfolio Director, Annie Beebe-Tron to watch them build this highball live!
Annie Beebe-Tron's Jacoulot Highball Recipe:
1 oz Jacoulot Fine de Bourgogne
.5 oz Jacoulot Le Petit Marc
Top Note Club Soda No. 1, to top
Garnish: lemon peel (optional)
Build spirits in a chilled highball glass. Add ice, stir briefly to integrate, and then top with Top Note Club Soda No 1. Garnish if desired.
Catalina Gaete-Bentz’s Pisco & Pimm’s Highball
The earthy, fruit-forward notes of Catan Pisco pair perfectly with Pimm’s, while ginger and vanilla lend a welcome backbone of baking spices. For fans of the Wisconsin Old Fashioned and Pimm’s Cup, you’ve gotta try this highball!
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Catalina and keep up with Catan Pisco on Instagram.
Catalina Gaete-Bentz’s Pisco & Pimm’s Highball Recipe:
1.5 oz Catan Pisco
1.5 oz Pimm’s
1 drop vanilla extract
Top Note Ginger Beer, to top
Garnish: fresh mint and lemon wheel
Stir all ingredients together in a highball glass with ice. Garnish.
Nick Kokonas’s Something & Tonic
The drink that launched dozens of Something & Tonic’s that would make their way into Nick Kokonas’s first book. Be sure to check out our Q&A with Nick, keep up with him on Instagram, and order a copy of Something & Tonic!
Nick Kokonas’s Something & Tonic Recipe:
1.5 oz Letherbee Gin
1 oz Ancho Reyes (or 3 dashes mole bitters + 1/2 oz simple syrup)
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz rosemary simple syrup*
Top Note Classic Tonic Water, to top
Garnish: rosemary sprig
Add all ingredients except Tonic Water to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with Tonic Water, lift ice with a bar spoon to incorporate, and garnish.
*Rosemary Simple Syrup
1 cup (250 grams) white sugar
1 cup (250 grams) water
3-4 (5 grams) fresh rosemary sprigs
Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, remove it from the heat and let the rosemary steep for 15 minutes. Remove the rosemary and allow the syrup to come to room temperature before storing it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Syrup can be stored for 2-3 weeks.
Spirit-Free Recipe:
2 slices jalapeno or favorite fresh chili
1 oz lime juice
1 oz rosemary simple syrup*
Top Note Classic Tonic Water, to top
Garnish: rosemary sprig, lime wheel
Add lime, rosemary syrup, and two slices of chili to a shaker with ice. Shake hard and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with tonic water, lift ice with a bar spoon to incorporate, and garnish.
Photo @somethingandtonic
Robby Haynes’s Low-Proof Saffron Mule
With only ½-ounce of liqueur, this low-proof highball is “less of a cocktail and more of a flavor experience,” says Apologue Liqueurs co-founder Robby Haynes. If you’re looking to up the alcohol content, Robby recommends the addition of tequila or gin.
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Robby and keep up with Apologue on Instagram.
Robby Haynes’s Low-Proof Saffron Mule Recipe:
1 lime, cut into 8 chunks
.5 oz Apologue Saffron Liqueur
Top Note Ginger Beer, to top
Garnish: lime wedge, optional
Muddle 3 of the lime chunks in the bottom of a Collins glass. Add Liqueur and fill with ice. Top with Ginger Beer, stir and enjoy.
Julia Momose’s Japanese Whisky Highball
“Yes, it’s two ingredients! But as long as you have high-quality ingredients, it can really be an outstanding drink that’s more than the sum of its parts.” - Julia Momose, in conversation with Top Note about the Japanese Whisky Highball
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Julia and follow her on Instagram for more beautiful and inspiring food & drinks.
Image credit: Kailley Lindman
Julia Momose’s Japanese Whisky Highball Recipe:
1.5 oz Japanese whisky, from the freezer
Top Note Club Soda No. 1, to top
Build over ice and serve bracingly cold.
Bridgit Loeffelholz’s Grapefruit & Aquavit Highball
This highball is earthy, tart and complex: the perfect year-round sipper!
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Bridgit and follow Dampfwerk Distilling on Instagram for the latest distillery news.
Image credit: Bridgit Loeffelholz
Bridgit Loeffelholz’s Grapefruit & Aquavit Highball Recipe:
1.5 oz Dampfwerk Aquavit
.75 oz dry vermouth
.75 oz grapefruit juice
.25 oz grapefruit oleo saccharum or simple syrup
2 drops saline, optional
1 drop lavender bitters, optional
Top Note Sparkling Grapefruit Soda, to top
Garnish: grapefruit slice and fresh thyme
Short shake all ingredients except Soda together with ice and strain into a highball glass. Top with Soda, stir, and garnish.
Ross Salchow’s Barrel Gin Highball
The highball is, in its purest historic iteration: spirit, mixer, and garnish. When you’re working with quality ingredients that complement each other, simple is truly king.
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Ross and follow Great Lakes Distillery on Instagram for the latest distillery news.
Image credit: Ross Salchow
Ross Salchow’s Barrel Gin Highball Recipe:
2 oz Rehorst Barrel Reserve Gin
Garnish: twist of lemon
Stir gin and soda together in an ice-filled old fashioned glass and garnish.
Danny Jahnke's Floracillin Highball
Drawing inspiration from the classic Penicillin cocktail, Danny says, “Ginger and honey pair really well with the complex flavor notes of Flora,” making for a cozy and relaxing non-alcoholic cocktail.
Be sure to check out our Q&A with Danny and follow Flora Hemp Spirits on Instagram for more non-alcoholic cocktail inspiration.
Image credit: Danny Jahnke
Danny Jahnke’s Floracillin Highball Recipe:
2 oz Flora Hemp Spirit
.25 oz honey, warmed
.5 oz lemon juice
Top Note Ginger Beer, to top
Garnish: fresh rosemary, optional
Stir all ingredients together with ice in a highball glass.