Camp Cocktails

Story by KRISTIN SCHARKEY • Photographs by THOMAS J. STORY

You don’t need more than a few ingredients to make delicious camp cocktails that are as flavorful as they are easy to tote around. So, we asked a trio of our favorite spirit makers for their favorite recipes. Then we headed to an Airstream at the new AutoCamp Joshua Tree to craft them in the great outdoors.

Nova Brewing Co.’s James Jin and Emiko Tanabe are crafting a true California sake at their outpost and brewery in Covina. While the beverage is “normally enjoyed straight, like a fine wine,” the team created a special cocktail recipe with watermelon cubes to “complement the delicate flavor,” says Shinobu Adams, director of sales and marketing (pictured above). MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

2 oz. watermelon, cut into 5–6 1-inch cubes 2 oz. Nova Brewing Co. Gravity sake 2 mint leaves, torn into small pieces, and one sprig for garnish

1. Add watermelon cubes to a rocks glass, then pour the sake over them. 2. Add the torn mint leaves and stir 2-3 times. 3. Add crushed ice and stir 2-3 times again. 4. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

GET THE GEAR Sip some sake while you craft this cocktail with Snow Peak’s titanium Bartender Set, which comes with a sake bottle and cups, plus a measuring spoon and stacking mug.

Dana Rodriguez (above) is not only a chef; she’s also behind Doña Loca mezcals and tequilas. For her new Denver restaurant Cantina Loca, beverage manager Nicole Rezner created this cocktail with simple syrup and bitters, but here added a few more ingredients for a prebatched version. “Our Espadìn mezcal has a smooth, rich mouthfeel,” Rodriguez says, “which makes it excellent to use in unfussy cocktails like this one.” MAKES ABOUT 12 COCKTAILS

1 bottle Doña Loca Espadín

Mezcal Peels of 4 lemons 1 whole piece piloncillo (Mexican brown cane sugar) 4 cinnamon sticks 1 oz. Angostura bitters

1. The night before leaving for a camping trip, pour the bottle of Espadín into a container and add lemon peels, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks, and bitters. Seal, and let sit overnight. The sugar should completely dissolve. 2. The next morning, strain the mezcal into a large bowl or pitcher, and pour back into the bottle or another vessel.

Then you have a ready-made batch to share around a fire!

GET THE GEAR Portion out your batched cocktail for easy storage on a hike thanks to VSSL’s Flask, a compact container also equipped with a flashlight, compass, and built-in shot glasses.

Ryan Lawrence, Clare Byrne, and Thomas Giddings craft Suncliffe gin as an ode to Arizona. They also sell pre-made cocktail kits that are perfect for an overnight camping trip. “Compared to a lot of gins on the market today, Suncliffe does not have a strong citrusy note,” says Lawrence (above). “We did this on purpose for two reasons, which are to really highlight the wild harvested ingredients, and because fresh citrus is always available to add as a juice or garnish.” MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

2 oz. Suncliffe gin 1 oz. Iconic Grapefruit

Fleur de Sel ½ oz. Iconic Prickly Pear Sour Seltzer (optional) Ruby-red grapefruit wedge, salted

1. Add ice to an 8 oz. rocks glass, or a Collins glass if you plan to use seltzer. 2. Pour gin over ice. Add Fleur de

Sel and Prickly Pear Sour, and stir. 3. If using seltzer, top off the cocktail with a small pour. 4. Garnish with a dehydrated ruby red grapefruit wedge.

GET THE GEAR Take your cocktail to go in High Camp’s Firelight 750 Flask; two tumblers screw on the top and bottom of the vacuum-insulated cylinder. $125; HIGHCAMPFLASKS.COM