The Serpentine
This drink captures the spirit of the chaotic Central American climax and Vince’s wild, unpredictable nature. It uses a traditional split-base to mirror the buddy-comedy dynamic, packing a tropical punch that twists and turns on the palate. The vibe is bold, smoky, and slightly unhinged.
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail Shaker Even a lidded jar works!
- 1 Jigger, Mini Measure, or measuring spoons You want to be able to measure ounces or tablespoons
- 1 Cocktail Strainer A small hand-held strainer works too
- 1 Rocks Glass These are the short, wide glasses but use what you've got
- 1 Paring knife and/or a peeler or other cutting tool You need to cut the lime if using a fresh one
- 1 juicing tool Makes it easier to get maximum juice from any fruit
- 1 Cutting Board I use either wood or bamboo to avoid microplastics
- 1 Small air-tight container To store the leftover fruit in
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Mezcal For Vince's smoky, unpredictable energy
- 1 ounce Blanco Tequila
- 3/4 ounce Lime Juice Fresh preferably but bottled is ok
- 3/4 ounce Hot Honey Syrup Make your own with equal parts hot honey and warm water or buy it. See Notes 3 & 4.
- 2 ounces Pineapple Juice Fresh preferably but packaged is ok
- 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters Such as Angostura
- 1 cup of ice cubes I like my cold drinks super cold so add more ice AND chill the glass if you do too.
- 1 round/coin of jalapeno (totally optional for the garnish)
- 1 round slice of lime for the garnish (also totally optional)
Instructions
- Chill your glass while you get ready to prep your drink. See Note 1 below.
- Wash your lime. Then cut it in half so you have two pieces. Juice on half and cut a round slice from the other half. Set both aside. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
- Make the hot honey syrup if needed. See Note 2 below and see Notes 3 and 4 for substitutions.
- Prepare your shaker by adding a large handful (about a cup) of ice.
- Add the ingredients: measure and pour into the shaker the mezcal, tequila, lime juice, hot honey syrup, and pineapple juice. (DON'T ADD THE BITTERS YET!!)
- Put the lid on the shaker (make sure it's tight and hold on to it), and shake vigorously. You want the drink to get cold as it's being shaken.
- Prep your serving glass by removing it from the freezer or dumping out the ice water (depends on how you chilled it) and fill it with fresh ice up to the amount you want.
- Remove the top of the shaker, attach/hold the strainer on the top, and pour out the mixture into your serving glass.
- Now, add the bitters. Hold the bottle close to the surface of the drink and add 2 dashes. You want them to be visible on top. And if you're feeling fancy and brave, try using a toothpick or a knife to drag them and create a snaky, serpentine sort of effect (you'll get the point when you see a particular scene in the movie).
- Sit down and enjoy the show! You can clean up later :-)
Notes
- Place a rocks glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the drink.
- Stir equal parts hot honey and warm water until fully blended. Let it cool for 1–2 minutes.
- Recommended hot honey brands Mike's, Bushwick Kitchen, Trader Joes.
- Substitutions if you don't like hot honey or don't have it - regular honey syrup (equal parts honey + warm water), agave syrup (equal parts agave + water), Simple Syrup + a tiny pinch of cayenne - if you want a little heat but not honey (simple syrup is regular cane sugar melted in equal amount of hot/warm water). You can also use Ginger syrup for warmth without spice (but this is a big production and I don't recommend it because I'm too lazy :-) ). You can also just skip the heat and use the same amount of simple syrup.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!