The classic “Arnold Palmer,” might as well be the official beverage of golf. Named after famed PGA tour rock star, Arnold Palmer himself in 1960 at the U.S. Open at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver. This mix of iced tea and a generous splash of lemonade started out as a refreshing post-round soft drink but more than five decades later in 2016, we still love the classics, but things have gotten a whole lot more exciting at the club bar. Ask your favorite mixologist (even if that’s you) to whip up one of these ingenious 2016 updates to an old favorite.
1. The Dirty Arnold
In a wickedly delicious ‘Dirty Arnold Palmer,’ the flavor and kick of each base ingredient gets souped up with a 21+ twist. Start with your basic half iced tea and half lemonade mix. Add a healthy pour of sweet tea infused vodka (now available from a number of top-shelf brands) and a splash of classic Italian _limoncello_. Summer perfection that packs a punch.
2. Tamarind Treat
When you’ve left it all on the course and are ready for a well deserved beverage, there’s nothing more refreshing than a cool drink with a unique kick. For an inventive and surprisingly tasty take on the citrus flavor of a traditional Arnold Palmer cocktail, substitute a dose of tamarind nectar for the lemonade. As it has recently become widely available in U.S. markets, the lemon, apricot, and date notes of this global fruit juice has been gaining epicurean attention. Swirl with iced tea and a jigger of vodka to complete your masterpiece.
3. Arnold’s Mint and Berry Mocktail
If you’d like to keep your wits about you out on the course, the fresh flavor of this updated soft beverage will give you a kick without any alcohol. The trick is to take the basic tea, lemon, and sugar flavors of the original drink and pump them up. Basic black tea is brewed with a hefty handful of crushed mint leaves thrown in, while the classic lemon base is replaced with its punchier cousin, strawberry lemonade.
