This week, my liver and I have been enjoying Integrity Spirits. Well, I've been enjoying it—my liver, not so much.
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While working on a Lush Life column for next weeks Mercury I've had the opportunity to spend some time with Integrity's 12 Bridges gin. While sipping it at my desk here in the news room, I was reminded that gin is a great summertime drink. It's refreshing, crisp, and the good stuff only requires a quick stir in a pitcher of ice before being quaffed from a martini glass. Never the less, there are some fine cocktails featuring gin. Here's one from Darryl "DR Mixologist" Robinson from New York, NY. E-mailed to us with love from the East Coast:

Gin Elixir
3 oz of Gin
1 oz Elderflower Liquor
1 tspn sugar
Few dashes of lemon juice

Shake ingredients together, serve up in a martini glass, top off with champagne

Oooooooo, champagne! DR Mixologist should call himself DR Fancypants! Actually, this sounds great and I just happen to have a bottle of champagne left over from my wedding. Guess Kitty and I should crack that sucker open and go to town.

Next we have a recipe that was posted in the comments of last weeks SBG installment. I'm posting it here for all of those who'd rather not make the foray into comment land. From Green Girl:

Fairy Tarragon
1 1/2 oz Sub Rosa Tarragon Vodka
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz Trillium Absinthe
1/4 oz Galliano
1 dash Peychaud's bitters

Shaken, strained into chilled Martini glass

Green Girl notes this drink, the brainchild of Chris Hannah from Arnaud's French 75 bar in New Orleans, just happens to blend two local favorites: Sub Rosa Vodka and House Spirits Trillium Absinthe. I wonder if there's any way we could get some sort of local spirit trifecta going. Get to work, Blogtownies, I'll buy a round for the first one to e-mail me a cocktail recipe that combines at least three local micro-distilleries. BUT, it has to taste good and it can't be a Long Island!

Finally, I'm going to direct you towards my new favorite booze site—it's a random cocktail generator called the Mixilator. You put in the parameters, it gives you a cocktail. Good stuff if you have a stocked bar and are stumped for ideas.

Enjoy the weekend like a true drunkard!