Bright, Refreshing & Made for Patio Season at Reid’s Distillery

By 2024, after a full year of running our Cocktail Classes, we learned something important from guest feedback — people loved returning for classes, but they also wanted fresh new recipes, seasonal flavours, and opportunities to learn different bartending techniques throughout the year.

That feedback helped shape the future of our cocktail program. Beginning in 2024, we started rotating our Cocktail Class menus seasonally to keep guests’ taste buds refreshed while introducing new skills, flavour profiles, garnishes, and cocktail styles each season.

Summer 2024 brought some of our most playful cocktail class creations yet — inspired by nostalgic candy flavours, tropical escapes, and easy-drinking summer classics. This season’s cocktail lineup focused on approachable techniques, vibrant ingredients, and refreshing serves perfect for warm weather entertaining.

From watermelon-inspired gin cocktails to a tropical skinny colada and a peach iced tea twist, these recipes captured everything we love about summer cocktail season at Reid’s Distillery.

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Rosemary Melon Splash

aka “Watermelon Jolly Rancher”

A fruity and refreshing cocktail with bright melon notes, cranberry, and a subtle almond finish from amaretto.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Reid’s Signature Gin
• 0.5 oz Melon Liqueur
• 0.5 oz Amaretto
• 2 oz Cranberry Juice
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters

Method

1. Fill a rocks glass with ice.
2. Add all ingredients directly into the glass.
3. Stir gently to combine.

Glassware

Rocks Glass

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Skinny Colado

A lighter take on a tropical classic featuring coconut water, pineapple, and our Spiced Gin.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Reid’s Spiced Gin
• 1.5 oz Coconut Liqueur
• 2 oz Coconut Water
• 2 oz Pineapple Juice
• Fresh Nutmeg

Garnish

Fresh mint

Rim

Honey & toasted coconut

Method

1. Rim a wine glass with honey and toasted coconut.
2. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice.
3. Shake briefly and dirty pour into the prepared wine glass.
4. Garnish with fresh mint and fresh nutmeg.

Glassware

Wine Glass

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Sweet Peach Iced Tea

A refreshing summer cocktail combining citrus, peach, and cola for a nostalgic iced tea-inspired finish.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Reid’s Citrus Gin
• 1 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 oz Simple Syrup
• 0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
• Coca-Cola (to top)

Method

1. Add all ingredients except Coca-Cola into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Dirty pour into a Collins glass.
4. Top with Coca-Cola.

Glassware

Collins Glass

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Our Summer 2024 Cocktail Classes were designed to celebrate the fun and creativity of summer cocktails while giving guests practical techniques they could recreate at home. From dirty pours and flavoured rims to balancing sweet and citrus-forward flavours, each cocktail offered something unique to learn behind the bar.