Here in the South, we LOVE our cocktails. Every Friday we like to share a new Southern Traditional, Southern-Created or Southern-Inspired Cocktail Recipe that we know you will enjoy.
Today’s Southern Cocktail, Big Bay Storm, is made with Cheerwine Soda – a state treasure in North Carolina.
Southern Cocktail #2 is Big Bay Storm
The product was named for its color and taste; the company website states that “it made sense to name a burgundy-red, bubbly, cherry concoction—Cheerwine.” Despite its name, Cheerwine is not really a wine and contains no alcohol.
Cheerwine is seen everywhere in the Carolinas and Virginia but is currently available, if somewhat hard to find, in most of the United States. If you don’t see Cheerwine in your area supermarkets, find it in “specialty soda” stores and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurants. Or order it online from Amazon. It’s worth the effort.
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Click HERE for a list of ALL of our Southern Cocktail Recipes…so far
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Big Bay Storm Recipe
From Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC in The American Cocktail
Materials
- 1 1/4 ounces Gosling’s Black Rum
- 3/4 ounce Campari
- 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 3/4 ounce Pineapple Juice
- Ice Cubes
- 6 - 8 ounces Cheerwine Soda See Note #1 below
- Orange Wheel to garnish (See Note #2 below)
Instructions
- Combine rum, Campari, lemon juice and pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker. (See Note #3 below)
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into an ice-filled glass.
- Top with the Cheerwine. Stir gently to combine.
- Garnish with the orange wheel.
Notes
Today's recipe is courtesy of The American Cocktail book and Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, NC
Note #1 - The original recipe calls for 1 ounce of Cheerwine. Although the drink is perfectly good with 1 ounce, I have found that I prefer it with about 6 - 8 ounces (See the picture above). It turns the cocktail into a delicious, refreshing "porch drink" - something to enjoy on a hot Southern Summer afternoon relaxing on the porch. Try it both ways! Note #2 - Garnish, Schmarnish. Knock yourself out, if you wish. Note #3 - If you love this cocktail/porch drink as much as I do, you will probably want to share it with your friends. To make your life easier, do what busy high-end cocktail bars do - make a "cheater bottle." It is very easy. Just all of the ingredients, except the Cheerwine, before the party. To do this multiply the measurements above for the rum, Campari, lemon juice and pineapple juice by how many drinks you wish to serve (make sure you have enough bottles of Cheerwine!) and combine in a large pitcher. Example - To make 4 drinks combine 5 ounces rum with 3 ounces each of Campari, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator to chill. Do not add ice. During the party, measure out 2 ounces of the rum mixture into a ice-filled Collins glass. Top with desired amount of Cheerwine. Stir gently to combine. Click HERE to Learn More about How to Make Your Party Bartending Easier, Quicker and More Enjoyable with Cheater Bottles - Coming Soon.
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The American Cocktail
France has wine, Germany’s got beer, but America is the land of the cocktail.
And cocktail culture is flourishing with bartenders across America combining local, artisanal, and homemade ingredients to create drinks with complex layers of flavor.
From the editors of Imbibe Magazine comes this unique book filled with 50 favorites from some of the best bartenders coast to coast offering modern twists on classic drinks, plus all-new creations, complete with a look into each recipe’s inception and unique ingredients.
Whether it’s a marionberry bramble from Jeffrey Morgenthaler in Portland, Oregon, or a strawberry julep from Jenni Pittman Louisville, Kentucky, or an apple-based cocktail from Jim Meehan in New York City, the cocktails that define the American landscape are deliciously diverse.
Consider this book your personal cross-country tour of America s most intriguing regional cocktail flavors, traditions and stories.
Click HERE NOW to Get The American Cocktail
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Recipe Courtesy of Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC and The American Cocktail. Additional Information Courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
