Drinks Recipe

Iced Tea Base

Brew a strong black tea (about 4 tea bags to 4 cups just-boiled water) for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool for 10 minutes, then combine with 2 cups cold filtered water in a pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup simple syrup while still slightly warm so syrup disperses. Chill the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Serve Non-Alcoholic Glass

Fill 4 serving glasses with ice cubes. Add 1 cup of the chilled iced tea base to each glass. Top each glass with 1/2 cup club soda (about 2 cups divided across 4). Add 3 fresh mint leaves per glass and a lemon wheel for garnish. Stir gently and serve cold.

Stock & Chill Spirits

Keep vodka, gin, and white rum chilled in the back bar or refrigerator. Measure and decant bottles into 8 oz (per spirit) bottles if preparing for service; maintain proper labeling and temperature.

Build Classic Spritz (Aperol/Campari)

For each spritz serving: in a wine glass filled with ice, combine 1.5 oz Aperol (or Campari) with 3 oz chilled prosecco (not listed — add as needed) and top with 1 oz club soda. Garnish with an orange slice. (From the listed Aperol amount you can make ~8 spritzes at 1.5 oz each.)

V&T (Vodka & Tonic)

For each V&T: fill a highball glass with ice, pour 2 oz vodka, top with 4 oz tonic water, stir once, garnish with a lime wedge. From 8 oz vodka you can make four 2-oz servings.

Rum Mule

For each rum mule: fill a mule mug or highball with ice, pour 2 oz white rum, add 4 oz ginger beer and a squeeze of lime wedge, stir lightly and garnish with a lime wedge. From 8 oz rum you can make four servings.

Negroni-style (using gin, sweet vermouth, Aperol/Campari)

For each Negroni-ish cocktail: in a mixing glass with ice combine 1 oz gin, 1 oz sweet vermouth and 1 oz Aperol/Campari. Stir until chilled (about 20 seconds), strain over a large ice cube in an old-fashioned glass and garnish with an orange twist. From the listed spirits you can make ~8 of these at 1-oz per component.

Manhattan-style (using sweet vermouth & bitters)

For a simple two-ingredient Manhattan variation: in a mixing glass add 2 oz sweet vermouth and 2 dashes bitters (increase proportionally to taste), stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

Prepare Mixers

Keep tonic water and ginger beer chilled. Slice orange into wheels and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Keep cocktail cherries in a small bowl for quick garnish.

Rimming & Presentation

If rimming is desired, run a lime wedge around the glass lip and dip into sugar or salt. Add appropriate garnish per recipe (orange slice for spritz/negroni, lime for mule/V&T, cherry for Manhattan).

Service Prep

Place sugar and salt rimming dishes, lime wedges and extra lemon wheels on the service tray. Replenish ice and ensure bitters bottle and measuring jigger are available. Keep track of quantities: the listed quantities of spirits and mixers will support small-batch service (about 4–8 single drinks per listed spirit quantity).