Sweet Hot Mezz Cocktail

My dad is one of my favorite people to go to happy hour with. Not only is he an awesome conversationalist who shares amazing stories from his 40+ years as a barber but he’s also always down to try just about any cocktail. He took me to Los Angeles a few years ago to try his new favorite concoction the Spicy 50 at Mixology 101. I was a bit hesitant since it had a Thai chili in it and spicy and my stomach aren’t always the best of friends BUT the Spicy 50 was so well-balanced that I had a few with no repercussions. I really wanted to incorporate that awesome combination of spice and flowers in a cocktail but also use tequila and my new favorite cocktail addition mescal. I love the smoky flavor of mescal but I also like a little sweetness and sour notes. This cocktail has a bit of everything… The smokiness from the mescal, the tartness from the grapefruit, the floral notes of elderflower, the sweetness of the strawberry simple syrup and a little spiciness from the jalapeno. If you’re not into spicy stuff just eliminate the jalapenos or if you like it extra spicy add more!

*To make the strawberry simple syrup follow the directions for peach simple syrup here but replace the peaches with strawberries. The ratio is 4 parts fruit, 2 parts water, 1 part sugar. I like my simple syrup to be deeply infused with the flavor of the fruit and not too sweet which is why my recipe varies from the classic simple syrup recipe.