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EPISODE 10 · AIRED 10/13/26

COCKTAILS WITH A KICK

We’re in a new Golden Age of cocktails, where world-class ingredients inspire bold innovation, boundary-pushing flavors, and cocktails with a kick!

CHALLENGE 01 · FIRST IMPRESSION CHALLENGE

GETTING SPICY

HOJA BLANCO
GENNA BESTMANN · ROUND WINNER

HOJA BLANCO

INGREDIENTS

· 2 oz Diplomático Planas Rum 
· Cherries
· Handful of Basil
· 8 oz Dry Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Sherry
· 1 Serrano peppers
· 2 Jalapeño peppers
· 6 oz Sugar + 1 oz water
· 1oz fresh squeezed lime juice
· Salt, Sugar, Basil and Lime Rim

METHOD

1. Basil Sherry:
· In an ISI canister, rapid infuse a handful of basil into 8 oz of Dry Tio Pepe Sherry using cream chargers (charge twice). 
· Open and strain out the basil.

2. Pepper Syrup:
· Blend equal parts sugar and water (6 oz sugar to 6 oz water) with 1 serrano pepper and 2 jalapeño peppers. 
· Fine strain to remove pulp and seeds.

3. Glass Rim:
· Using a mortar and pestle, grind basil leaves, sugar, and salt until granulated. 
· Paint half of a coupe glass with the pepper syrup, then coat the syrup with the basil-salt-sugar mixture.

4. Shake below ingredients with ice and fine strain into the prepared coupe glass. 

· 2 oz Diplomático Planas
· .75 oz Serrano/Jalapeno syrup
· 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
· .5 oz Basil-infused sherry
· 1 pinch of salt

DEVIL’S ESPRESSO MARTINI
GRAY MORTIER

DEVIL’S ESPRESSO MARTINI

INGREDIENTS

· 2 ounces Herradura Reposado Tequila
· 1 ounce of Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka
· 1 oz Café Bustelo Unsweetened Espresso Style Iced Coffee Beverage
· Chili Peppers
· 2-3 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
· ¼ oz Simple Syrup
· 2- 3 dashes Fee Brothers Fee Foam
· Chocolate & Chili Peppers Garnish

METHOD

1. Muddled peppers in the shaker.
2. Shake hard with all ingredients.
3. Double strain into a martini glass and top with a couple of peppers for garnish.

OH SHIT
AMANDA CASTRONOVO

OH SHIT

INGREDIENTS

· 1.5 oz Fords Gin
· .5 oz Yuzu flavored sake
· .25 oz Monin Yuzu Purée
· .5 oz lime juice
· .5 oz ginger simple syrup
· 1 egg white

GARNISH: pickled ginger and chili salt garnish

METHOD

1. Dry shake ingredients.
2. Add ice shake again.
3. Double strain over big rock in a rocks glass.
4. Garnish with a pickled piece of ginger & a sprinkle of chili salt.

CHALLENGE 02 · SKILLS CHALLENGE

YERBA MADRE MIXTURE

THE GARDEN PARTY
GENNA BESTMANN · ROUND WINNER

THE GARDEN PARTY

INGREDIENTS

· Yerba Madre Enlighten Mint
· 1 small cucumber 
· Handful radish greens
· 6 oz sugar + 6 oz water
· Salt
· 1 can Q Club Soda
· Two scoops matcha
· lemon juice

GARNISH: Cucumber, Mint & Radish Green for the garnish

METHOD

1. Cucumber/Radish Green Simple Syrup:
· Blend 1 small, chopped cucumber, a handful of radish greens, 6 oz sugar, and 6 oz water. 
· Fine strain.

2. Matcha Club Soda:
· In a mixing glass, stir 1 can of Q Club Soda with two scoops of matcha powder until dissolved.

3. In glass combine: 
· 1.5 oz Yerba Madre Enlighten Mint
· 1 oz Cucumber/Radish Green syrup
· 1 oz Matcha Q Club Soda 
· 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
· 1 pinch of salt

4. Stir ingredients quickly over light ice in a mixing glass.

5. Strain over fresh ice. 

6. Garnish with a cucumber slice, a mint sprig, and a radish green sprig.

THANKSGIVING IN PUERTA VALLARTA
GRAY MORTIER

GLINDA’S GIGGLE JUICE

INGREDIENTS

· 2 oz Yerba Madre Watermelody
· Fresh watermelon
· Fresh basil
· Pinch citric acid
· Q Watermelon Lime Refresher 
· Simple Syrup
· Lime Juice
· 2 oz Fee Brothers Fee Foam
· Chamoy salt

GARNISH: Tamarind powder, pink Himalayan salt, chamoy salt, sugar and basil

METHOD

1. Put fresh watermelon, basil, pinch of citric acid, pinch of chamoy salt, lime juice, and simple syrup in a blender. 
2. Blend until well combined. 
3. Put the Basil Watermelon mixture through a cheese cloth to take out any unwanted chunks.
4. Take two glasses of choice and dunk them in lime juice, coat rim with mixture of tamarind powder, pink Himalayan salt, chamoy salt, sugar.
5. Take two ounces of watermelon Yerba madre, and 2 ounces of the mixture with fee foam in a shaker, shake it hard and double strain over a big ice cube. 
6. Garnish with a basil leaf.

THE SNOWBIRD
AMANDA CASTRONOVO

THE SNOWBIRD

INGREDIENTS

· Splash Yerba Madre Pink Grapefruit
· .5 oz Lime Juice
· .25 oz Giffard Orgeat Syrup 
· Splash Q Mixers Light Ginger Beer

GARNISH: Lime Peel and Burnt Rosemary Sprig

METHOD

1. Burn a rosemary sprig under a Nick & Nora glass to retain the aroma.
2. Add to shaker with ice:
· Lime juice
· Giffard almond orgeat syrup 
· Splash of Yerba Madre pink grapefruit 
· Splash of Q Mixer Light Ginger Beer
3. Garnish with an expressed lime peel, and the burnt rosemary sprig clothes-pinned to the glass. 

CHALLENGE 03 · CREATIVE CHALLENGE

BEYOND ESPRESSO

THE CONTINENTAL RIFT
GENNA BESTMANN · EPISODE WINNER

THE CONTINENTAL RIFT

INGREDIENTS

· .75 oz Lemon Zest Infused Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka 
· 1.5 oz Tequila Herradura Añejo 
· .25 Vecchio Amaro del Capo 
· .25 Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso Sherry 
· 1 barspoon undiluted agave syrup
· Salt
· Lemon Twist Garnish

METHOD

1. Lemon Zest Infused Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka:
· Add 6 oz Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka and the peels of two lemons to an ISI canister.
· Charge twice using cream chargers, then strain out the lemon peels.

2. In a mixing glass, combine ingredients, and stir for 15 seconds.

3. Pour into a double rocks glass over a large cube, express lemon oil for garnish and leave expression in the glass.  

IT’S FIVE O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE
GRAY MORTIER

IT’S FIVE O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE

INGREDIENTS

· 2 oz Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka
· ¾ oz Bols Triple Sec
· 1 oz Café Bustelo Unsweetened Espresso Style Iced Coffee Beverage
· Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
· ½ oz simple syrup
· 2 -3 dashes cinnamon

GARNISH:
· Cinnamon stick
· Orange twist 
· 2-3 dashes of cinnamon 

METHOD

1. Shake all ingredients together hard and strain into a glass of choice.
2. Garnish with an orange peel and cinnamon stick.