World Cocktail Day: 6 recipes to try for your at-home happy hour moment

World Cocktail Day 2025: On 13 May, raise a toast, because this day is dedicated to cocktails in all their high-spirited glory. Channel your inner mixologist and create something special for yourself or your loved ones. It perfectly amps up your at-home happy hour moment, sipping on fizzy tropical drinks to bold, boozy types.

We have curated 6 cocktail recipes for you:

1. Helengeli Island Tea

Recipe by Bartender Dulan, OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO

Ingredients

• 60ml Earl Grey-infused gin
• 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice cubes
• Lime peel for garnish

Method

• Fill a martini glass with ice and cold water. Let it sit while you prepare the cocktail, then discard the ice water just before serving.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the Earl Grey-infused gin and freshly squeezed lime juice. Shake well until the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
• Strain into the chilled martini glass. Express the oils from a lime peel over the drink, then drop it in as a garnish.

2. Siripuram Golgappa drink

Recipe by Bartender Divakar, Harbour Vue Bar, Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach

Ingredients:

• 60 ml premium gin
• 4-5 fresh basil Leaves
• 2–3 green chilli (sliced) (adjust to taste)
• 15 ml honey
• Ice cube
• Basil leaf or a thin chilli slice for garnish

Method:

• Muddle fresh basil leaves and green chilli slices in a cocktail shaker to release their flavour.
• Add gin and natural honey.
• Add ice and shake well for about 10 seconds until chilled and slightly frothy.
• Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with a basil leaf or a thin slice of chilli.

3. Hibiscus Flower Lemonade

Recipe by Sonalal Kumar, Bartender, Lantern Bar, Atmosphere,Kanifushi Maldives

Ingredients:

• 2 hibiscus flowers
• 15 ml lemon juice
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• Honey (to taste)

Method:

• In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
• Add the dried hibiscus flowers to the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let it steep for an additional 10 minutes to enhance the flavour.
• Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the hibiscus infusion into a pitcher, discarding the flowers.
• Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and honey while the hibiscus tea is still warm. Mix well until the honey is fully dissolved.
• Add a pinch of cardamom to the mixture. Stir well to combine the flavours.
• Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until completely chilled.
• Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the chilled hibiscus cooler over the ice. Garnish with fresh mint leaves for an extra touch of freshness.

4. Tropical Whisky Sour

Recipe by Shatbhi Basu, Independent Beverage Director, Mount Everest Breweries Ltd.

Ingredients:

• 60ml Single Malt Whisky
• 20ml Monin passion fruit purée
• 15ml lime juice
• 1 sprig rosemary
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Garnish: fresh rosemary

Method:

• Muddle rosemary in a shaker to unlock its perfume.
• DOAAB Limited Edition whisky, passion fruit, lime, bitters, and ice. Shake and then strain over fresh rocks.
• Garnish with rosemary. Best enjoyed with grilled seafood and salt-kissed laughter.

5.Spiced Lichtenhainer

Recipe By Mixologist Rounav Bose, Layla, The Den Hotel

Ingredients

• 3 – 4 jalapeno slices
• 10 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 10 ml simple syrup
• Proost Premium Homegrown Beer
• Jalapeno slice (for garnish)

Method

• In a cocktail mixer, add 3–4 jalapeno slices.
• Pour in 10 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 10 ml of simple syrup.
• Muddle the ingredients well to extract the flavour from the jalapenos.
• Fine-strain the liquid into a beer goblet.
• Gently pour Proost Premium Homegrown Beer into the glass, allowing it to mix naturally with the jalapeno base.
• Garnish with a slice of jalapeno. Pairs perfectly with steak, cheesy burgers, loaded nachos, or spicy wings.

 6. Spicy Watermelon Margarita

Recipe from Daisy Mae Cantina

Ingredient

• Tequila 
• watermelon juice
• lime juice
• Triple Sec
• Jalapeño slices
• Chilli salt for rim 

Method

• Lightly muddle jalapeño in a shaker, add tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice, and triple sec. 
• Shake well with ice and strain into a chilli-rimmed glass.
• Garnish with a small wedge of watermelon or a chilli.

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