Be a responsible Mixologist at home

As many of you know, I love cocktails. Whether it is a Gin & Tonic with rosemary and red berries or a classic Old-Fashioned, enjoying a delicious cocktail in the company of friends is the perfect prelude to a succulent dinner, generally accompanied by thought-inspiring conversations and lots of laughter.

During these difficult times where our social life has been radically transformed, these gatherings have taken place alfresco and in small groups. Now, instead of cocktails being prepared by a Mixologist in a restaurant or bar, we have become our own barman.

But do we know how much alcohol should we use to prepare them?

Last week I had the opportunity to meet Joyce and Autumn Nethery through Zoom. They are the owners of Jeptha Creed Distillery.

Jeptha Creed is the first distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky founded and operated by women. A family business where a mother who studied chemistry and a daughter with studies in distillate production in Ireland, have managed to produce excellent quality distillates such as Bourbon, Vodka, Brandy, and Moonshine.

Besides sharing with us their story and the recipe for a Bluegrass Belle with their blueberry infused vodka, they also gave us great advice for responsible alcohol consumption, especially now that we are our own Mixologists at home.

Tip #1 - Always measure

Just like we would follow any other recipe, it's very important to correctly measure the ingredients to achieve a good flavor balance, especially the amount of alcohol. The key is to learn how much is the standard pour of alcohol for each type of drink. Here are responsibility.org's recommendations; they’re a national organization that supports responsible alcohol consumption.

Distilled spirit: 1.5 ounces

Beer: 12 ounces

Wine: 5 ounces

When preparing a cocktail always have a jigger or a measure cup handy, that way you'll be able to measure a standard pour correctly and avoid the "free pour" that most of the time exceeds the recommended measure.

Tip #2 - Water, water, and more water

It's very important, especially during these hot months, that we don't forget to drink plenty of water and that our alcoholic beverages are always accompanied by food.

Tip #3 - Don't lose count

We should be mindful of our alcohol consumption during these gatherings. A piece of good advice is that if you’re going to have a second drink, wait until your glass is empty, that way you can track your consumption, rather than “topping off” a drink. Also, consider offering your guests a non-alcoholic version of the cocktail or mocktail in case someone desires not to drink alcohol that evening or is driving back home.

Responsibility.org is a great resource where you can learn more about how alcohol affects men and women differently, plus many other interesting articles on how to enjoy a drink responsibly.

Thanks so much to Joyce and Autumn for sharing with us their wonderful distilled spirits and their delicious recipe. Visit their website and Instagram account to learn where to get their products.

I hope you enjoy this refreshing blueberry cocktail as much as I did, I'm sure your guests will love it. Remember to enjoy it responsibly.

Bluegrass Belle

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Jeptha Creed Blueberry Vodka

1 oz lime juice

1 oz mint syrup

2 mint sprigs

Lemon - Lime Soda

Preparation:

Add all of the ingredients except the soda into a shaker and muddle the mint sprig. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously. Strain shaker contents into a Highball Glass full of ice. Top with lemon - lime soda and garnish with a mint sprig and some blueberries.

Cheers!

*I’m a #teamresponsibility blogging ambassador and I was compensated for my post. All opinions are my own.

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