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922 South Morton Street
Bloomington, IN, 47403
United States

812-202-6789

Cardinal Spirits is a craft distillery in Bloomington, Indiana that specializes in producing extraordinary spirits from local ingredients.  

The Drop

The Drop is your source for all things craft. 

TRY THIS AT HOME: COCKTAILS WITH GRILLED FRUIT

Jonna Mary Yost

Summer meals are all the about the grill. While you're at it, why not throw some fruit on there to use in cocktails? The heat intensifies the sweetness and adds that tell-tale summertime char that brings new flavors to classic drinks.

Midwestern Aloha

Pineapple is one of the easiest fruits to grill because it stands up to heat well. Long spears rest on the grill with ease, and allow for some sweet burn lines.

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits Tiki Rum
2 tablespoons grilled pineapple
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
5 to 7 mint leaves
Seltzer

  1. Muddle mint leaves and lime juice in a shaker. Add grilled pineapple and muddle until mashed.
  2. Add rum and ice to the shaker. Shake for about 30 seconds, then strain into an ice-filled glass. Top with seltzer, a grilled pineapple spear, and mint.

Fuzzy Julep

Drink No. 2 begged for peaches. I used charcoal rather than open fire for this drink. After about 8 minutes of facedown time on the grill, the peach halves were soft and lightly charred.

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits White Oak Whiskey
1 slice fire-­roasted peach, peeled
1 teaspoon honey
1 fat lemon wedge
5 to 7 mint leaves

  1. In the bottom of a shaker, muddle mint and lemon juice until fragrant.
  2. Add peach and honey, and mash thoroughly.
  3. Add whiskey and shake, shake, shake.
  4. Strain over crushed ice and garnish with a slice of grilled peach and mint.

Ageless Fashioned

With whiskey so young, this riff on an Old Fashioned is anything but old. First, I hollowed out an orange. With the guts out of the way, it's the perfect vessel for a quick simple syrup. I poured about 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar and 1/4 cup water in the orange shell, and placed it on the grill alongside some halved bing cherries. Once again, I utilized the heat of charcoal for this drink, rather than a fire. After 10 minutes, the orange-infused simple syrup will fizzle and steam to let you know it is ready to go. The cherries need about 30 seconds of heat.

1.5 ounces Cardinal Spirits White Oak Whiskey
2 teaspoons orange-­infused simple syrup
2 dashes bitters
1 fire-­roasted cherry for garnish

  1. Measure whiskey, followed by simple syrup and finally bitters into an old-fashioned glass. Stir lightly and add 2-­3 large cubes of ice.
  2. Float 1/2 of a cherry and a swizzle of orange rind from the simple syrup cup on top.


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categories Drink Department
tags recipes, cocktail recipe