Name: Spring Fever
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 fl oz Sparkling Rosé; 0.75 fl oz Elderflower Liqueur; 0.75 fl oz Lemon Juice; 4 dashes Rhubarb Bitters; 5 Strawberries; 1 Lemon Slice

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Cocktail History

The Spring Fever is a spring cocktail that was created by Jamie Steinberg at Motel Morris in New York City, New York. Inspired by the flavors sprouting up in gardens early in the season, the recipe spruces up sparkling pink wine with elderflower, lemon, strawberry, and rhubarb to make a tart and refreshing drink great for sipping in the sun on the patio.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Sparkling Rosé: This is a type of wine made with red grapes and yeast, which are fermented with limited skin contact to produce alcohol and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a light pink color and crisp, fruity flavor.

Elderflower Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with elderflower blossoms, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a light, floral flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Rhubarb Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with rhubarb, herbs, spices, botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop a tart, slightly bitter flavor.

Strawberries: This is a type of berry grown on low plants that has bright red skin speckled with yellow seeds and tart, sweet flavor.

Lemon Slice: This is a slice of lemon that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Brands I Used

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Muddler: This is a handheld bar tool with a thick handle and flat or textured end that’s used for crushing ingredients to release their flavors.

Goblet Glass: This is a large stemmed glass with a wide, rounded bowl that’s used for serving wine and cocktails in larger portions.

Tools I Used

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Vibrant orange-red color

• Aroma: Strong strawberry and light citrus

• Taste: Fairly tart flavor made up of sparkling wine at first following by sweet fruit and florals

• Finish: Sour citrus

Kendall’s Take: “This exhilaratingly fruity cocktail will have you puckering right up! The tangy strawberries and lemon up the ante on the tartness while the bubbly and elderflower dry them both back out, and the mixture altogether makes for a pretty bracing sipping experience. I could see the Spring Fever being a really fun alternative to a Mimosa or Bellini at a springtime brunch with the ladies. Not to mention, the color is lovely too!”