Author: Matthew Arkin

Executive Chef and Owner Jeff Rossman is an old friend and a great chef. He was the first to ask about doing a special dinner menu designed to pair with Batch 22. Creating a signature cocktail for that menu was a lot of fun–it’s an aquavit cocktail with a touch of bitterness, which makes it especially food friendly.

Instructions

• Shake over ice:
  • 2 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
  • .5 oz. Campari
  • .75 oz. Elderflower Liqueur
• Strain into a rocks glass with a muddled orange slice and 2 dashes of orange bitters
• Garnish with orange slice

Serves 1
(Created for Terra American Bistro, San Diego, CA)

URBN Pizza Kitchen in North Park is one of our favorite places in San Diego to grab a great East Coast style pie. Hanging out at the bar one night, we introduced the bartender—a talented mixologist named Ashley—to Batch 22. Impressed and inspired, she created this cocktail right there on the spot.

Instructions

• In a shaker with ice:
  • 1.5 Batch 22
  • 1.5 Lemon Juice
  • 1.5 Amaro Nonino
  • 1.5 Aperol
  • 0.5 St. Germain
• Strain into a coupe or rocks glass. Garnish with fresh dill and lemon or orange.

Almost any drink gets more festive when you add sparkling wine, and this pool party-friendly, brunch-perfect aquavit grapefruit cocktail turns any gathering into a celebration.

Instructions

• 1.5 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
• 2 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar simple syrup
• 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• Prosecco or sparkling wine
• Combine all ingredients (except Prosecco) in a shaker over ice. Strain into a champagne flute and fill to top with Prosecco. [Note: you can substitute .5 oz of Rose’s lime for the simple syrup and lime juice.]

Yes, the founders of Batch 22 love movies. And we love new cocktail names that reference movies. To make this version of the Dude’s favorite drink, a White Russian, we originally used Batch 22 that was infused with espresso beans for 24 hours. That was delicious, but equally yummy was this simpler recipe, which uses Batch 22 Classic Gold and Kahlua mixed with half & half.[For your vegan friends, use coconut almond cream instead—it’s delicious.]

Instructions

• Mix in a rocks glass with ice:
  • 2 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
  • 1 oz. Kahlua
  • 1 oz. Half & Half (or cream)
• Garnish with chocolate covered espresso bean

Serves 1

This delicious mixture is based on the classic Last Word, which is equal parts base spirit, chartreuse, maraschino, and lime.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. Batch 22
• 1 oz. Gin
• 1.5 oz. Maraschino liqueur
• 1.5 oz. Lime juice
• 4 Dashes grapefruit bitters

Instructions

• In a shaker with ice combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain into two Nick & Nora glasses, or two small martini glasses. Garnish with grapefruit twist.

This tantalizing twist on the classic Negroni cocktail was actually created in the dark! We introduced Batch 22 to bartender Chris Williams at his bar in New Orleans in the middle of a huge storm. He tasted it, loved it, and started creating cocktails with it and then a blackout hit. It was this delicious cocktail that kept us happy until the lights came back on.

Instructions

• Shake over ice:
  • 1 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
  • 1 oz. sweet vermouth
  • 1 oz. Campari
• Strain into rocks glass with one large cube.
• Garnish with orange wheel.

Serves 1
(Created by Chris Williams, Bayou Bar, New Orleans, LA)

The Belmont cocktail is one of the first aquavit cocktail recipes we ever created, and it’s named for the street it was created on (one of our founders lives there). The sheer deliciousness of rosemary, grapefruit, and Batch 22 together was a revelation to us.

Instructions

• 2 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
• .25 oz. Rosemary syrup
• 1 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 tbs. brown sugar simple syrup
• 1-3 Dashes Rosemary bitters
• Club soda
• Combine ingredients (except soda) over ice in a highball glass. Top with soda and stir gently.

NOTE: You can substitute Fever Tree Grapefruit Soda for the grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and club soda.

On a visit to Botanica Bar in North Park, San Diego, I challenged the very talented bartender, Bismark, to create a citrusy Batch 22 cocktail for me. He created this recipe on the spot, and it was a revelation to discover how beautiful Batch and tarragon are together.

Instructions

• In a cocktail shaker:
  • Muddle rough tablespoon of fresh tarragon leaves with 2 cucumber slices
• Add:
  • 1.5 oz. Batch 22
  • 1 oz. Hibiscus liqueur (Greenbar)
  • .5 oz. Amaro
  • .5 oz. Passionfruit liqueur
  • 1 oz. fresh lime
• Shake for 5 seconds. Add ice and shake for another 10 seconds.
• Strain into a coupe and garnish with tarragon sprig.

A classic centerpiece of most American brunch menus, our aquavit Bloody Mary was the very first aquavit cocktail recipe we ever created. It proved to us that-when used instead of vodka-Batch 22 makes every drink taste better. There are lots of ingredients in this one, so we crafted the recipe to serve 4 at a time.

Instructions

• 2.5 cups tomato juice
• 1/2 cup clam juice
• 3 tbs lime juice
• 1.5 tbs prepared horseradish
• 1.5 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1.25 tsp hot sauce of choice
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1/2 cup pepperoncini juice
• 1 dash of celery bitters
• 8 oz. Batch 22 Classic Gold aquavit
• Mix all ingredients in a large glass pitcher and serve in your favorite stein. Garnish with celery stalk, pepperoncini, and a strip of bacon.

We developed this special cocktail to honor the Easter/Passover season. The many floral elements in the recipe are meant to evoke the reawakening of plant life in the spring.

Instructions

• Muddle 3-5 sprigs fresh thyme with 2 thick slices of cucumber
• 1.5 oz. Batch 22
• 1.5 oz. Hibiscus liqueur
• .5 oz. St. Germain
• .5 oz. Amaro
• 1 oz. Lime
• 3 dashes celery bitters