Recipe: Watermelon Cooler

Watermelon is one of our favorite summer cocktail ingredients. Not only is it inherently sweet and completely refreshing, but it's very cost effective—one watermelon yields more than enough juice for a group. Enjoy! 

Watermelon Cooler 
Gin (or vodka), watermelon water, lemon, mint syrup, tonic

Ingredients:
1 1/2 gin (or vodka)
1/2 lemon juice
3/4 mint syrup*
2 oz watermelon water**
Top with tonic                                                                                                                      

Instructions: Combine spirit of choice, watermelon water, lemon juice and mint simple syrup, and shake with ice. Pour into an ice-filled Collins glass (or keg cup!). Top with tonic and garnish with a mint sprig. If you are making a pitcher, multiply the recipe by number of people, pour ingredients into an ice-filled carafe or pitcher and top generously with tonic. Garnish with mint leaves. Stir occasionally, as the watermelon might begin to separate.

*To make mint syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stir occasionally until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1.5 cups of fresh packed mint leaves. Let cool steep for 15 minutes. Strain, bottle and date. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

**To make watermelon water: Quarter and remove the rind from one watermelon. Run it through a juice extractor. Strain juice through a fine mesh strainer.