Watermelon Crawl Recipe

1. Prepare watermelon juice

Cube about 1.5 cups (roughly 6–8 oz by volume) of seedless watermelon and place in a blender. Blend on high until smooth (10–15 seconds). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. You should yield about 3 oz of juice for this recipe.

2. Salt the glass (optional)

Rub a lime wheel around the rim of a rocks or coupe glass. Pour the fleur de sel or coarse salt onto a small plate and gently press the rim into the salt to coat. Set the glass aside.

3. Build and shake

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add 2 oz mezcal, 3 oz fresh watermelon juice, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, and 0.5 oz simple syrup. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is well chilled and slightly frosted.

4. Strain and finish

Double-strain the cocktail into the prepared glass filled with fresh ice (or serve neat in a coupe). If you prefer a lighter, spritz-style drink, top with 1 oz chilled soda water and give a gentle stir to combine.

5. Garnish the drink with a small watermelon wedge or spear on the rim, add a lime wheel, and tuck a mint sprig alongside if using. Serve immediately.