The Happy Hour Menu

Non-Stop Mocktails

Non-Stop Spritz

Refreshing, Long Haul

A tall, effervescent drink that keeps you hydrated and refreshed through the longest spotting session.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz Sparkling Water or Club Soda

• 2 oz Cranberry Juice

• 1 oz Orange Juice

• Garnish: Orange Slices and lime

Instructions:

1. Add Ice: Fill a glass with ice.

2. Combine: Add cranberry and orange juices.

3. Top: Top with sparkling water.

4. Stir: Stir briefly and

5. Garnish: Add fresh orange and lime slices.

Hold Short Iced Tea

Cooling, Classic Spotter Drink

No need for clearance to enjoy this one. A simple, perfectly brewed iced tea with a touch of sweetness and lemon.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz Black Iced Tea

• ½ oz Lemon Juice

• ½ oz Simple Syrup (to taste)

• Garnish: Mint sprig

Instructions:

1. Add Ice: Fill a glass with ice.

2. Combine: Add tea, lemon juice and simple syrup.

3. Stir: Stir well and adjust sweetness or lemon juice to your preference.

4. Garnish: Add a mint sprig for an aromatic finish.

Aviation-Themed Cocktails

Wake Turbulence

Swirling, Fruity Cooler

A layered drink with swirling colors (blue raspberry and grenadine) that mimic the invisible, swirling air left by a large jet.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Lemonade

• ½ oz Grenadine

• 1 oz Blue Raspberry Syrup

Instructions:

1. Add Ice: Fill a glass completely with crushed ice.

2. Combine: Pour lemonade and blue raspberry syrup over the ice.

3. Pour: Slowly pour the grenadine down the side of the glass so it sinks to the bottom, creating a layered, "swirling" effect.

Flight Level Zero

Earthy, Grounded, Clean

A savory and refreshing non-alcoholic option for when you need to stay strictly at ground level. Clean cucumber and mint flavors.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Cucumber Water (infused or pressed)

• 2 oz Club Soda

• ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice

• Garnish: Cucumber ribbon and Mint sprig

Instructions:

1. Add Ice: Fill a with ice.

2. Combine: Pour cucumber water and lime juice over the ice.

3. Top: Top with club soda.

4. Stir: Stir Gently.

5. Garnish: Add a cucumber ribbon and a mint sprig.

Blue Kamikaze

Named after the Japanese word for "divine wind," historically associated with the fierce desperation and speed of the Kamikaze pilots of WWII. The drink is a tart, punchy "shooter" or short drink that can also be served as a full cocktail.

Very tart, citrusy, and strong. The blue version adds a hint of sweet citrus/orange (from the Blue Curaçao) to the mix.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Vodka

• 1 oz Blue Curaçao

• ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice

• Garnish: Lime wedge

Instructions:

1. Chill your glass: Place your shot glass or coupe in the freezer for a few minutes.

2. Combine: Add the vodka, blue curaçao, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

3. Shake: Shake vigorously for about 10–15 seconds until the shaker feels frost-cold.

4. Strain: Double-strain (using a Hawthorne and fine-mesh strainer) into your chilled glass to ensure no ice shards remain.

5. Garnish: Finish with a small lime wedge on the rim.

Pro Tip: If serving this as a full cocktail rather than a shot, double the measurements and serve it in a martini glass with a sugar rim to balance the tartness.

Paper Plane

A relatively modern classic, created in Chicago in 2008 by bartender Sam Ross (creator of the Penicillin). It’s named after the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes" .

A beautifully balanced mix of sour, bitter, and sweet, with a nutty, aromatic bourbon base. It’s an easy-drinking, sophisticated sour.

Ingredients: A perfect equal-parts cocktail:

• ¾ oz Bourbon (a higher proof, like 45% ABV, works best)

• ¾ oz Aperol

• ¾ oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia

• ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Combine: Add all four equal-part ingredients into a cocktail shaker.

2. Add Ice: Fill the shaker with plenty of ice.

3. Shake: Shake hard for about 15 seconds. You want the drink extremely cold, but stop before it becomes too diluted.

4. Strain: Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.

5. Serve: This drink is traditionally served without a garnish to keep the focus on its beautiful terracotta color, but it is fun to add a lemon peel made to look like a paper airplane.

Pro Tip: The Amaro Nonino is the "secret sauce" here. While you can substitute other amari, Nonino has a unique grape-base and alpine herb profile that defines the original recipe.

Air Mail

A pre-Prohibition or early post-Prohibition cocktail from Cuba, likely referencing the glamorous and exotic nature of international air travel and the postal service in the 1930s.

Light, effervescent, and refreshing. A tropical, bubbly classic that feels like a Caribbean vacation in a glass.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz Gold Rum

• ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice

• ¾ oz Honey Syrup (1:1 ratio of honey and warm water)

• 2 oz Brut Champagne or Dry Prosecco

• Garnish: Mint sprig or lime twist

Instructions:

1. Prep the syrup: Mix equal parts honey and warm water until dissolved. Let it cool.

2. Shake the base: Add the rum, lime juice, and honey syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled.

3. Strain: Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice (or a champagne flute without ice for a more formal look).

4. Top with bubbles: Gently pour the sparkling wine over the top.

5. Garnish: Add a mint sprig for an aromatic finish.

Pro Tip: Traditionally, this drink was served with a real postage stamp stuck to the side of the glass to lean into the "Air Mail" theme!

B-52

Named after the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress long-range bomber aircraft. The drink is famous for its three distinct, layered ingredients, which must be carefully poured to represent a visual "bomb."

Rich, sweet, creamy, and dessert-like. It has strong notes of coffee, orange, and Irish cream.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz Coffee Liqueur (e.g., Kahlúa)

• ½ oz Irish Cream (e.g., Baileys)

• ½ oz Orange Liqueur (e.g., Grand Marnier)

Instructions:

1. Base Layer: Pour the coffee liqueur directly into the bottom of a shot glass.

2. Middle Layer: Place a bar spoon (or a regular small spoon) upside down just above the surface of the coffee liqueur. Very slowly pour the Irish cream over the back of the spoon so it "floats" on top.

3. Top Layer: Repeat the spoon technique with the orange liqueur. Pour even more slowly, as this layer is the most likely to break through.

4. Serve: The three distinct bands of dark brown, cream, and amber should be clearly visible.

Pro Tip: Use Grand Marnier for the top layer if possible. It is slightly higher proof and less dense than triple sec, making it much easier to float successfully.