Minty Fresh

To keep tummies content, mint is a safe and satisfying choice. When picturing mint’s usage in cocktails, people typically think of either heavily sweetened schnapps or Irish Spring soap–colored Grasshopper drinks that taste like something between toothpaste and cheap ice cream. There’s no need to head in that direction!

Fresh mint, peppermint extract, and mint teas are all featured in this chapter to bring you refreshing brightness, not cloying sweetness or reminders of your dental cleaning. Mint is already a common ingredient in drinks, being a staple in juleps, mojitos, and more, but it is generally only used muddled fresh. By making mint tea, the flavors become concentrated, and become even more so by using extract.