The 5 O'Clock Cocktail

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

At Rancho Colibri, 2 hours South of Guayaquil in Ecuador, time is a relative concept. The hours and days blend together.  There are no cellphones.  There are no clocks.  The work is exacting and during the early months of what seemed to be never-ending Solbeso distillation trials with required sampling, the continued imbibing quickly needed an excuse. "It's 5 O'Clock somewhere - Salud!", became our motto and the (sometimes) celebratory culmination of each trial distillation. 

The 5 O’Clock Cocktail - a classic Latin sour topped with red wine is the inspiration from those early days in Latin America .   The refreshing citrus marriage of Solbeso and lemonade is brought balance and sophistication from a red wine float and creates an interesting visual transition suggestive of a sunset - or the change from work to... after-work.  
Best part is - it's super easy to make.

And if you wonder - when is the right time for a Solbeso?
Right about now; - It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

The Birds and the Bees

• 2 parts Solbeso
• .5 part Honey Syrup (2:1)
• .5 part Fresh Lemon Juice

Build all ingredients in a mixing glass or tin. Add ice, shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an optional lemon twist.

Beso Picante No. 2

• 2 parts Solbeso
• .75 part Fresh Lemon Juice
• .75 part Simple Syrup (1:1)
• 2 slices Jalapeño 

Muddle Jalapeño in a mixing tin or glass. Add all other ingredients, shake, and strain into a double rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a Jalapeño slice.

*If you're serving this punch style, make a Jalapeño syrup instead. Add equal parts sugar and water to a pot on the stove and bring to a simmer. Add 2 or 3 Jalapeño sliced lengthwise (for up to a liter of syrup), simmer, and taste every minute or so until desired heat is reached. 

El Conquistador

• 2 parts Solbeso
• 1 part Sweet Vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Orange oil from orange twist for garnish

Build all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, stir and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a cherry and orange oil. Discard the orange twist, or skewer and garnish with cherry.

Solbeso & Iced Tea

• 1.5 parts Solbeso
• 4 parts Sweetened Iced Tea

Build over ice in a Highball or Collins glass. Stir to incorporate ingredients and garnish with a lemon wheel.