In 1997, Dale DeGroff, a mixologist who’s been called “the King of Cocktails,” debuted the Belmont Breeze, which has become the widely accepted official drink of the Belmont Stakes…at least when the race was run at Belmont Park. Now that the Belmont will be held at Saratoga Race Course for the second year in a row (due to renovations at the downstate Belmont Park), Hamlet & Ghost bartender Sonia Castellani decided it was time for an upgrade to DeGroff’s fruity whiskey/sherry concoction. 

“Like so many iconic sporting event cocktails, from the Pimms Cup and Mint Julep to the Belmont Breeze, our Saratoga Spritz highlights the flavors of the spirit rather than hiding them,” Castellani says. The spirits in question? The herbaceous DeGroff Bitter Aperitivo and comparatively delicate Beefeater Gin, which are combined with sous vide cinnamon syrup and bright citrus to create a layered but light sipper that you can drink all Belmont Stakes Day long.

Will the Saratoga Spritz become as iconic as its inspiration? Find out for yourself at Hamlet & Ghost and sister restaurant Familiar Creature, which will be serving it all summer long. And if you want to smuggle a few homemade cocktails into this year’s Belmont, we won’t tell.

Saratoga Spritz

INGREDIENTS

.75 oz DeGroff Bitter Aperitivo 

.75 oz Beefeater Gin

.25 oz Aperol

1 oz fresh pineapple juice

.25 oz cinnamon syrup

.25 fresh lemon juice

Splash of grapefruit juice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Shake with ice, strain over ice into wine glass, and top with sparkling water.

• Garnish with an express lemon twist and a mint bundle.