Spicy Ginger Mint Fizz

This complex-flavored beverage balances the warm, spicy notes of adobo and cinnamon against refreshing ginger and mint. Grab your favorite book (or podcast) and a seat in the sunshine; this sparkling mocktail will have you ready for Spring and Summer afternoons. If you’re ready to move into cocktail hour, see the note below regarding incorporation of whiskey.*

Yield: 1 (8 to 10 oz.) beverage

Ingredients

• 6-10 mint leaves (depending on size), plus an extra leaf or two for garnish

• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice

• 1 oz. cinnamon syrup

• 1/2 bar spoon adobo sauce (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, depending on spice preference) from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce**

• Ginger beer, for topping (preferably a fresh, spicy ginger beer, like Fever Tree Ginger Beer)

• Muddler

• Collins Glass

Instructions

In a Collins glass, combine the 6-10 mint leaves with the adobo sauce and gently muddle. Top with the lemon juice and cinnamon syrup. Fill the glass with ice (either cubed or crushed ice) and then top with ginger beer. Gently stir the ingredients together by pulling a spoon from the bottom of the glass up to the top (if you stir vigorously, you’ll lose the carbonation of the ginger beer).

For garnish, give the extra mint leaf a light smack between your hands (this helps to release some of the oils), and place in the top of the glass.

Notes

*To turn this into a cocktail, add 1.5 to 2 oz. of bourbon to the glass along with the lemon juice and cinnamon syrup.

**The extra chipotles and adobo sauce can be stored in an air-tight container for up to at least a month in the fridge, or you can freeze the leftovers for a future use.