The ladies are here to shake things up.
All cocktail photos in this feature are by Kate Magee. Bartender photos provided by the subject.
This International Women’s Day (March 8), we wanted to pay tribute to all of the female bartenders shaking things up across the country. We here at Belle Isle Moonshine appreciate all your hard work, long hours, and dedication to your craft. Here are just a few recipes from some of those amazing bartenders. Cheers to you, ladies! We see your ‘shine.
Belle of Harrison County
“For a while now I've really enjoyed how Cynar pairs with coffee, so naturally Belle Isle Cold Brew Moonshine and Cynar is a combo I love. This International Women's Day, I'd like to honor my mother, Dianna. A coffee lover herself, she has taught me strength and resilience while working hard and tirelessly being there for her family and friends. This strong cocktail is inspired by the Little Italy cocktail by Audrey Saunders.”
Ingredients:
¾ oz. Dolin Rouge
¼ oz. Cynar
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Brittany Urse // Bartender, Brenner Pass
Richmond, VA
A Toast to Mrs. Holder
“My cocktail is inspired by and dedicated to my mom. She is the beautiful southern woman with nerves of steel and a heart of gold. I am inspired by her daily. Pear is her favorite fruit, she's a southern belle, and orange is her favorite color. This was a match made in heaven.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Blood Orange
1 oz. Looza pear nectar
¼ oz. Merlet Crème de Pêche
¾ oz. lemon juice
¾ oz. simple
1 egg white
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing tin and dry shake vigorously. Add ice to tin and shake for another 15 seconds. Double-strain into a coup glass and garnish with a half slice of blood orange.
Keyatta Mincey-Parker // Bartender, Bon Ton
Atlanta, GA
The Spicy Start
“The Spicy Start is inspired by Sunday brunch with friends. It brings the heat of the night before to the sweetness of the brunch table! It is dedicated to every friend in need of a recovery brunch.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Honey Habanero
1 ½ oz. silver tequila
¼ oz. fresh lime juice
¼ oz. maple syrup
1-2 fresh jalapeño slices without seeds
Tajín Clásico Seasoning
Sugar
Preparation:
Mix equal parts seasoning and sugar together on a plate. Set aside. Add all other ingredients to a mixing tin with ice. Shake vigorously. Rim a rocks glass first with lime juice and then with the Tajín-sugar seasoning. Strain cocktail into rimmed glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and jalapeño slice.
Katherine Buenaflor Dillon // Owner + Operator, Kilo Bravo
Brooklyn, NY
POM Power Martini
“This one goes out to a woman that is a creator, friend, mentor, and powerhouse! She is consistently pushing Dallas creatives and bringing something to this city we love that no one else has. I am lucky enough to also call this woman, Jencey Keeton, my boss. Jencey and Sweet Tooth Hotel have given me an opportunity to really push the limit and create experiences and memories through a cocktail.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Black Label
¼ oz. Chambord
½ oz. white grape juice
½ oz. cranberry juice
½ oz. lemon juice
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing tin with ice. Shake vigorously and double-strain into a martini glass.
For foam garnish: dry shake egg white, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice vigorously until foam is formed. Layer on top and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Becca Hummel // bar manager, Sweet Tooth Hotel
Dallas, TX
Honey Halla
“Belle Isle’s Honey Habanero moonshine is the perfect base for this tangy summer cocktail. It’s all in the name! Natural honey flavor is infused with fresh jalapeños and cilantro to create an ongoing battle between subtle and spicy. Pair it with a hearty meal for some extra flavor. You need this spice in your life!”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Honey Habanero
1 oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. honey
2 slices of jalapeño
5 cilantro leaves
Preparation:
Muddle honey, jalapeño, and cilantro in a mixing tin. Add Belle Isle and lime juice, then shake with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and jalapeño slice.
Victoria Owens // bartender, the Blind Goat food & drink co.
Tampa, FL
Mama Belle
“This cocktail is dedicated to my Mom, Barbara Taylor. She isn’t much of a drinker, so when creating this cocktail I wanted to make something that she would enjoy. That’s why I stayed simple and only added a few ingredients with the Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit. She has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for more than 20 years, and everyday she pushes herself to do things that sometimes seem impossible. But she does them, and it inspires me everyday to push myself further. I’m very thankful that such a strong woman raised me.“
Ingredients:
1 oz. Disaronno
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain and pour into a small coupe glass with no ice. Garnish with a dehydrated grapefruit.
Belle Isle Moonshine is a premium, handcrafted spirit proudly hailing from Richmond, Virginia.
We take the name Belle Isle from a small, 540-acre island located smack dab in the middle of the James River where Civil War soldiers used surplus corn rations to make moonshine in copper kettles.
Belle Isle Moonshine is distilled from 100% organic corn, grown by three family farms and responsibly sourced. Once triple-distilled, we charcoal filter Belle Isle four times over. Then, we cut it with purified water right from the James River. Our infusions are made with 100% real ingredients, never artificial flavors or color. We use real grapefruits sourced from Texas and California, local honey from the Shenandoah Valley, organic habaneros grown an hour away, and freshly roasted coffee beans from the most socially conscious roastery in Richmond, Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Co.
From there, each bottle of Belle Isle Moonshine is filled, corked, labeled, and packed by hand by our Production team, who check each bottle and batch for quality assurance. Since Belle Isle is made in small batches, you can find the batch number handwritten in the bottom right corner of each bottle.
Distilled from good times and 100% organic corn.