You know how I’m always harping on infusing your own booze at home, because doing so leads to a much better-tasting drink? Well, a cocktail kit purveyor out of Jacksonville called Camp has made ditching those artificially flavored spirits at the liquor store even easier.
Priced at $15 each, Camp’s kits are built upon a wide array of ingredients — including whole black peppercorns, pineapple, rosemary and citrus-infused, non-GMO vegan cane sugar. Owners Rhonda Stringfellow and Suzanah Raffield then package the ingredients in simple glass jars, providing cocktail geeks with everything they need to make eight tasty, one-of-a-kind cocktails at home.
Well, OK. Almost. You have to add 12 ounces of your favorite spirit to whichever cocktail-in-a-jar you select and stick the kit in the fridge, where it hangs out for three days during the infusion process. But remember: Camp has done the flavor combination legwork for you, so pulling off a dreamy drink is as simple as pouring a shot of the well-marinated mixture (you should consume the jar within 30 days post-infusion) into a rocks glass and topping it with a splash of tonic.
That said, we’re getting a bit more creative than that for this week’s cocktail.
I discovered Camp last month at the Indie Flea market in Tampa, where they had a few different kits to choose from, among them a Bloody Mary option that sounded really good. Since I’m a sucker for anything with hibiscus, I went with the Hibiscus Ginger Lemon offering, which can be purchased online if you can’t find Camp around town IRL.
Just about any liquor works with my jar of choice, but I opted for vodka, a pick that pairs well with any of the kits. Luckily, according to the woman I talked to at the Camp booth during the Indie Flea, you can use the jars up to two times (three is pushing it). I fully intend to finish mine off with some gin as soon as I get through round one.
I mixed the Hibiscus Ginger Lemon-infused vodka with lemonade and a little bubbly for celebratory — and effervescence — purposes. Yet the kit packs so much flavor that there’s no need to go overboard with your additions. Seriously, don’t complicate things for yourself. Camp’s cocktails-in-a-jar, after all, are meant to simplify our sipping routines.
Grab a glass of ice, the following recipe for Leave No Trace (get it?) and maybe a cocktail umbrella and you’re well on your way to enjoying an effortless, super-refreshing summer drink.
Leave No Trace
Makes 1
2 ounces Camp Hibiscus Ginger Lemon-infused vodka (according to package instructions)
4 ounces lemonade
Prosecco, to top
In a Mason jar filled with ice, add Camp Hibiscus Ginger Lemon-infused vodka and lemonade, then top with prosecco. Gently stir with a straw and garnish with a lemon wheel.
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