Summer Spa Highball
A hibiscus-infused gin recipe
a cocktail + garnish recipe
Risa Weaver-Enion is a professional photographer based in Sacramento, California. Through her company
Risa James Photography, she specializes in food and beverage photography, specifically cocktails. She works with small distilleries, wineries, and purveyors of cocktail accessories to create beautiful imagery for them to use in their marketing efforts. Her book,
Cocktails for Everyday Drinking, was published in 2022 and is available at all online booksellers.
When she’s not photographing cocktails, Risa and her husband love to travel, both within the United States and internationally. Many of their trips have been wine-focused, but they’ve visited their fair share of distilleries around the world as well.
Anyone who wants to reach out to Risa to ask questions about photography, cocktails, or anything else, can find her on Instagram
@risajamesphotography, on the web at
risajamesphoto.com, or over email at risajamesphoto [at] gmail.com. She’s always happy to answer questions and give advice.
Summer is Highball season, when everyone wants a crushable, refreshing drink. By infusing gin with dried hibiscus petals, you get a vibrant and flavorful base spirit. The Summer Spa Day herbal garnish makes things even more festive.
TIME (ACTIVE) | 10 M
TIME (INACTIVE) | 3 H
TOTAL | 3 H 10 M
1 SERVING
| 1 drink
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
GLASS JAR WITH LID
CHEESECLOTH
FUNNEL
JIGGER
COCKTAIL SHAKER WITH STRAINER
SMALL PAINTBRUSH
To infuse the gin, combine 4 1/2 oz. gin with 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus petals in a glass jar with a lid. Close the lid, shake, and let sit for up to three hours. Taste the gin periodically to check the flavor. After infusing, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined funnel into a clean bottle. Discard the solids. (Makes enough infused gin for two cocktails.)
To garnish the glass: use a small paintbrush to paint honey onto the exterior of the glass. Sprinkle Summer Spa Day blend over the honey. Press lightly to ensure the herbs stick.
To make the drink: combine 2 oz. infused gin, 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice, 1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur, and 1/2 oz. elderflower liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for about 10 seconds. Add fresh ice to prepared glass and strain contents of shaker into glass. Top with as much ginger beer as will fit in the remaining space in your glass. Serve with a sustainable straw.
The larger the glass, the more ginger beer you can fit in it. You can also top off your cocktail with additional ginger beer as you drink.
Don't let the garnished glass sit for too long. The honey will eventually run down the glass, taking your garnish with it!
petals
Tangy and floral, hibiscus is used in beverages the world over and adds rich red color.
0.09 oz - PORTION$0.75
0.7 oz - JAR$5
0.7 oz - REFILL$4
4 oz - REFILL$10
Herbal Blend
spice blend collab
This blend of hibiscus, lavender, and rosemary brings the flavors of a summer garden right to your pantry. Between the antioxidants in the hibiscus and the calming properties of lavender and rosemary, you’ll feel like you just had a spa day every time you use it.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
• Steep in hot water to make an herbal tisane
• Steep in a 1:1 sugar:water mixture to make a flavored simple syrup you can use in cocktails, mocktails, or even drizzled over ice cream
• Infuse clear spirits such as gin, vodka, or rum for vibrant color and additional flavor
• Simmer in a saucepan of water on low heat for aromatherapy
Cheers!
