A Buzz-Worthy Buzz

3 Simple Honey Cocktails

Get a pleasant buzz from these three honey cocktail recipes, courtesy of Cedarbrook Lodge in SeaTac. Though each of them incorporate honey, their flavor profiles couldn't be more different, illustrating how versatile this natural ingredient is. A honey cocktail can be spicy, sweet, or sweet n' sour, depending on what it's mixed with, so you have options for every mood. Honey also varies in flavor depending on where it's made, picking up hints of local flowers from the bees who produce it. (Cedarbrook's bees favor lavender, for example).

PS. While we're on the topic of honey, Seattle Southside is a hub of honey enthusiasts, with one of the region's premier places to sip local, hand-crafted mead, and 20 beehives tended right at SEA airport. Learn more about honey in Seattle Southside.

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Spicy Honey Margarita
Honey Crusta
Gold Rush

A Hint of Spice

Spicy Honey Margarita at Cedarbrook

Spicy Honey Margarita

If you prefer your drinks with a bit of a kick, this spicy-sweet margarita is for you. The honey provides just the right amount of contrast to the jalapeño and will warm you up from the inside out. While you might think the honey makes it sweeter than your average margarita, it is actually the spice that stands out more. Note that if you'd like to serve it to guests, this is a make-ahead recipe you'll want to start a day or two in advance.

Cedarbrook's House-Made Jalapeño-Infused Tequila

You can replicate the lodge's jalapeño-infused tequila in any quantity you'd like. Simply use 3 slices of jalapeño per liter of tequila, drop it into the spirit and let it sit for 24 hours. Then, strain the tequila back into a bottle to use for cocktails.

In a shaker, measure out the following:

  • 1.5 oz. house-infused jalapeño tequila
  • 0.5 oz. dry curaçao
  • 0.75 oz. honey simple syrup
  • 0.75 oz. lime juice

To serve:

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with salt rim over ice.

Add a jalapeño slice as a garnish.

A Crowd-Pleasing Crusta

Honey Crusta Cocktail at Cedarbrook


Honey Crusta

This fresh take on a Brandy Crusta, a traditional drink of New Orleans, is as refreshing as it is lovely. The drink has been a cult favorite since the 19th century, when it appeared in a popular cocktail book. This version swaps the simple syrup for honey syrup, and the liqueur for honey mead.

In a shaker, measure out the following:

  • 1.5 oz. brandy or cognac
  • 0.25 oz. triple sec
  • 0.25 oz. honey mead
  • 0.5 oz. lemon juice
  • 0.25 oz. honey simple syrup
  • 2 dashes orange bitters

To serve:

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. We suggest a Nick and Nora glass (a small, egg-cup shaped glass that holds 5 to 6 ounces, making it ideal for strong, stirred drinks), but any stemmed glass will do just fine!

The finishing touches:

A honey crusted sugar rim, a lemon twist and a small flower if you have one make for attractive garnishes.

Sweet n' Simple

Gold Rush Cocktail at Cedarbrook


Gold Rush

Just three good ingredients make up this classic cocktail. Consider it a Hot Toddy's cooler cousin. Cedarbrook's bartenders love using Lewis & Clark Northwest Bourbon, but if there's another bourbon you prefer that'll work, too. Though a fresh lemon garnish is always nice, a preserved lemon slice, which you can buy pre-dried to keep on hand, gives it an elevated vibe.

Measure out the following:

  • 2 oz. bourbon
  • 0.75 oz. lemon juice
  • 0.75 oz. honey simple syrup

To serve:

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass over ice.

The finishing touches:

A slice of lemon is all you need to finish it off.

You can find all three of the below drinks during September (National Honey Month) at Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar, located inside the lodge. In keeping with the culinary team's farm-to-table philosophy, the honey in all three cocktails is sourced from the lodge's very own on-site beehives.

Annie Atherton

Author

Annie Atherton

Senior Content Writer

Annie Atherton is the Senior Content Writer at Explore Seattle Southside. As a (mostly) lifelong resident of the Seattle area, she is very proud to call the region home and to talk it up to all who will listen.

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