The most crucial component of your wedding cocktail hour? The cocktails, of course! DC’s Poste Modern Brasserie recently tapped Justin Hampton to revamp their bar menu, and his freshness-focused “garden-to-glass” approach to mixology makes him the ideal man to turn to for drink ideas. Here are the recipes for the two cocktails featured in the “Crafting Up the Cocktail Hour” story in our Summer/Fall 2015 issue of Washingtonian Bride & Groom—pick up a copy of the mag for the other essential elements of successful pre-wedding dinner drinks!
Le Parc (Right)
In Hampton’s own words, this drink is “the quintessential summer wedding cocktail—light, refreshing, colorful, and delicious.” Our take? The refreshly tart concoction is easy to produce in large batches, and it tastes just as great without the booze—a win for couples looking for a delicious mocktail option for their wedding.
Ingredients: 1 oz. ounce Strawberry shrub (more on shrubs here), 1 oz. Dolin Blanc sweet vermouth, 1.5 oz. vodka (Belvedere preferred), and a soda water topper. Garnish with a half strawberry and thyme sprig. To make a large batch, replace ounce amounts with liters.
Draper’s Delight (Left)
This is a rich drink, so be sure to sip slowly!
Ingredients: 2 ounces Bouron, ¼ ounce Benedictine DOM liquor, ½ ounce Averna, and 2 dashes of Fee Bros Barrel Aged Whiskey Bitters. Combine all liquid ingredients in stirring glass with ice and stir. Pour in rocks glass over fresh ice, and garnish with orange peel.
Related: Reception Venues in Washington
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
