Shake Up, Drink Down: The Rooftop Rosé Spritz From Cocktail Curator Will Benedetto

As we transition from summer into fall, many of us continue to sweat it out in temperatures hot enough to make the suggestion of the smoky brown-liquored drinks popular in cooler weather land too heavy on the tongue. Still, our palates crave a change from the Campari-laced and tropical fruit-ladened libations of July and August—but we can't ignore the need for one that will quench the lingering thirst brought on by the strong September afternoon sun.

Will Benedetto, cocktail curator for New York City-based In Good Company Hospitality, has created one such drink, perfect for toasting the final days of summer and the first cool nights of autumn. His Rooftop Rosé Spritz (served at the Refinery Rooftop in Midtown Manhattan) brings together in one glass refreshing citrus, an herbaceous note nodding to the harvest season, and a spirit that is itself a hybrid of favorite drinking trends from each season: rosé hard cider.

Rooftop Rosé Spritz | Will Benedetto, In Good Company Hospitality
.25 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. grapefruit juice
.5 oz. thyme simple syrup*
1.5 oz. The Botanist Gin
Float of Wölffer No. 139 Dry Rosé Cider
1 lemon peel

Combine lemon juice, grapefruit juice, thyme simple syrup, and gin in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain and pour into a glass over ice and top-off with Wölffer No. 139 Dry Rosé Cider. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and lemon peel.

*Thyme Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
5 large fresh thyme sprigs

In a saucepan, combine sugar, thyme, and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow liquid to cool before using.