Restless rum-and-Coke drinkers may have heard of a “Cuba Libre” cocktail, which adds a squeeze of fresh lime to the house-party classic. This update goes a few steps farther by including a simple syrup from beet juice (use a juicer if you have one, or juice from canned beets if you don’t), bitters, and Far North Spirits’ fantastic spiced rum. The result is an elevated, vegetal improvement on the original.

— Robb Jones & Mike Augustyniak

DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
TIME: 3 MIN + 10 MIN FOR SYRUP
GLASSWARE: COLLINS

RECIPE:

• 2 oz Far North Spirits Alander Spiced Rum

• ½ oz Beet Syrup *

• ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice

• 1 Dash Aromatic Bitters (such as Angostura)

• 1 Sprig Fresh Mint

• Coke (or another Cola)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake for 5 to 10 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice, top with cola, and garnish with a mint sprig.

BEET SYRUP:

Combine equal parts of granulated white sugar and beet juice, and agitate by shaking or stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Use, or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Weekly Good Acre CSA cocktail recipes brought to you by Far North Spirits and the bartenders of Meteor: “Old Ass Bar, Good Ass Drinks.”