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8 Spring Cocktail Recipes to Celebrate the Season in Bend

By March 18, 2026April 2nd, 2026No Comments

Spring in Bend has a way of showing up all at once — one day you’re bundled up on the mountain, and the next you’re squinting into actual sunshine, wondering if you can justify cracking a cold one on the back porch. The answer is yes. You absolutely can.

This is the season for lighter, brighter drinks. Citrus-forward highballs. Herb-infused spritzes. The kind of cocktails that taste like the air feels after the snow finally stops. And the best part? You can find every spirit, mixer, and specialty ingredient on this list right here at 3rd Street Beverage, where our staff — including a Master Cicerone-track beer buyer — can help you source exactly what you need.

Whether you’re hosting a spring gathering, stocking up for a weekend in the high desert, or just upgrading your home bar, these eight recipes are worth adding to your rotation.

1. Bend Breeze Spritz

Light, effervescent, and endlessly easy to make — the Bend Breeze is the perfect porch drink. Aperol’s bittersweet orange character pairs beautifully with a dry, crisp prosecco, and the splash of soda keeps it sessionable through the whole afternoon.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 3 oz prosecco (look for a brut style — we can point you to a great bottle)
  • 1 oz club soda
  • Orange slice and fresh mint sprig, to garnish
  • Ice

Instructions

Fill a large wine glass with ice. Pour in the Aperol, then the prosecco. Top with a splash of soda and give it the gentlest stir — you’re preserving those bubbles. Garnish with an orange slice and a smacked sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

2. Prickly Pear Margarita

Prickly pear is one of the Pacific Northwest’s best-kept cocktail secrets. The magenta syrup turns your margarita into something that looks like the Central Oregon sunset and tastes even better. Use a quality blanco tequila — the unaged agave character plays beautifully against the fruit.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz blanco tequila
  • ¾ oz fresh lime juice
  • ¾ oz prickly pear syrup
  • ½ oz triple sec or Cointreau
  • Tajín or salt, for rimming
  • Lime wheel, to garnish
  • Ice

Instructions

Rim a rocks glass with Tajín or salt by running a lime wedge around the edge and pressing into the seasoning. Add ice to the glass. Combine tequila, lime juice, prickly pear syrup, and triple sec in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 10 seconds. Strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

3. Cucumber Basil Gin & Tonic

The classic G&T gets a spring upgrade here. Cucumber adds a cool freshness, and fresh basil brings an herby depth that makes this feel like something you’d order at a nice restaurant — except you made it yourself, and it cost a fraction of the price. A London Dry gin works well, but a botanical-forward option is even better.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz gin (a botanical or floral style recommended)
  • 4 oz tonic water (high-quality tonic makes a real difference here)
  • 4–5 thin cucumber slices
  • 3–4 fresh basil leaves
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • Ice

Instructions

In a highball glass, gently muddle the cucumber slices and basil leaves — just enough to release the oils and juice, not to shred them. Fill with ice. Pour gin over the ice, then add lime juice. Top slowly with tonic water. Stir once, gently. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and a basil leaf.

4. Strawberry Rhubarb Bourbon Smash

This one leans into Oregon’s spring produce in the best possible way. Strawberry and rhubarb are a classic Pacific Northwest pairing — together they make a tart, slightly jammy syrup that gives bourbon a sweet counterweight without turning the whole thing cloying. Mint brings it home.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz bourbon (a wheated bourbon softens the edges nicely)
  • ¾ oz strawberry-rhubarb simple syrup (see note below)
  • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
  • 8–10 fresh mint leaves
  • Ice
  • Sliced strawberry and mint sprig, to garnish

Instructions

In a shaker, combine mint leaves and lemon juice. Give it a gentle muddle. Add bourbon, strawberry-rhubarb syrup, and a big scoop of ice. Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds. Double-strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a fanned strawberry slice and mint sprig.

To make strawberry-rhubarb syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup sliced strawberries, and ½ cup chopped rhubarb in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 15 minutes, strain, and cool. Keeps refrigerated for two weeks.

5. Lavender Lemon Vodka Collins

If there’s a more approachable spring cocktail than a Collins, we haven’t found it. This version uses lavender simple syrup — easy to make, endlessly versatile — to add a floral note that pairs beautifully with lemon. Light, bubbly, and slightly aromatic. A great cocktail for guests who aren’t sure what they want.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz vodka (a clean, neutral vodka lets the lavender lead)
  • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ oz lavender simple syrup (see note below)
  • 3 oz club soda
  • Lemon wheel and dried lavender sprig, to garnish
  • Ice

Instructions

Combine vodka, lemon juice, and lavender syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda. Stir once. Garnish with a lemon wheel and lavender sprig.

Lavender syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender. Bring to a simmer, stir until sugar dissolves, steep 20 minutes off heat. Strain and refrigerate.

6. Sparkling Elderflower Mezcal Sour

This one is for the adventurous drinker on your guest list — or for you, if you’ve been sleeping on mezcal. The smoky agave character of mezcal against elderflower’s delicate floral sweetness sounds like an odd pairing, but it’s a revelation. The aquafaba (canned chickpea liquid) creates a silky foam without using egg white. Impressive to serve; surprisingly easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 1½ oz mezcal (look for a joven or espadin — approachable smokiness)
  • ¾ oz elderflower liqueur (St-Germain is the standard)
  • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
  • ½ oz aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
  • Dash of Angostura bitters
  • Splash of sparkling water
  • Dehydrated lemon wheel, to garnish

Instructions

Combine mezcal, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and aquafaba in a shaker. Dry shake (no ice) vigorously for 15 seconds to build foam. Add ice and shake again for another 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Add a tiny splash of sparkling water to lift the foam. Finish with a dash of bitters on the foam and a dehydrated lemon wheel.

7. Central Oregon Mule

The Moscow Mule gets a local twist with huckleberry — one of the Pacific Northwest’s best wild ingredients. Huckleberry shrub (a drinking vinegar) adds brightness, tartness, and a gorgeous deep-red color that makes this drink look as good as it tastes. Ginger beer provides the classic mule kick. This one converts mule skeptics.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz vodka
  • ½ oz huckleberry shrub or huckleberry syrup (available at specialty grocers and some local markets)
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • 4 oz ginger beer (use a high-quality, spicier ginger beer for the best result)
  • Fresh mint and lime wedge, to garnish
  • Ice (crushed, if you have it)

Instructions

Fill a copper mule mug (or a highball glass) with crushed ice. Add vodka, huckleberry shrub, and lime juice. Stir briefly to combine. Top with ginger beer — pour slowly down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation. Garnish with a bundle of fresh mint and a lime wedge.

8. Rosé All Day Sangria (Pitcher Recipe)

When you’re hosting, you want something you can make in advance, set out on the table, and let guests serve themselves. This rosé sangria checks every box. It’s gorgeous, crowd-pleasing, and scales beautifully for larger gatherings. Make it the night before — it gets better as it sits. Ask our wine staff for a dry, fruit-forward rosé that won’t break the bank.

Ingredients (serves 6–8)

  • 1 bottle dry rosé wine
  • 2 oz Lillet Blanc
  • 2 oz brandy or Cognac
  • 1 oz elderflower liqueur
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced into wheels
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels
  • ½ cup fresh raspberries
  • 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup sparkling rosé or club soda, added just before serving

Instructions

In a large pitcher, combine the rosé, Lillet Blanc, brandy, and elderflower liqueur. Add the strawberries, orange wheels, lemon wheels, raspberries, and rosemary sprigs. Stir gently, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight is ideal. When ready to serve, top with sparkling rosé or club soda and add a large handful of ice directly to the pitcher. Serve in large wine glasses or stemless glasses. Garnish each pour with a piece of fruit from the pitcher.

Stock Up at 3rd Street Beverage

Every spirit, liqueur, and specialty ingredient in these recipes is either in stock or something our team can help you source. We carry an exceptionally deep selection of gins, tequilas, mezcals, vodkas, bourbons, and everything in between — plus a wide range of mixers, bitters, and specialty liqueurs to round out your home bar. Our staff love talking cocktails, and they’re always happy to make recommendations based on what you’re building.

Stop in at 740 NE 3rd St in Bend’s Midtown/Orchard District, and let us help you put together the perfect spring cocktail spread. You’ll find us open Monday through Wednesday 10am–8pm, Thursday through Saturday 10am–9pm, and Sunday 10am–8pm.

Here’s to sunny afternoons, good company, and drinks worth making.

Cheers from the 3rd Street Beverage team.

 

Some of the easiest spring cocktails to make at home include the Aperol Spritz (Aperol, prosecco, and a splash of soda), a Lavender Lemon Vodka Collins, and the Cucumber Basil Gin & Tonic. These drinks require minimal equipment — just a shaker, a strainer, and good ice — and use ingredients you can find at 3rd Street Beverage in Bend.

For a versatile spring home bar, focus on four base spirits: a clean vodka, a botanical gin, a blanco tequila, and a wheated bourbon. From there, add elderflower liqueur, triple sec or Cointreau, and Aperol for range. A quality mezcal rounds things out nicely for smoky, complex cocktails. The staff at 3rd Street Beverage can help you build a well-rounded bar at any budget — stop in at 740 NE 3rd St in Bend and ask for a recommendation.

Blanco (unaged) tequila is almost always the best choice for a margarita — it has a clean, bright agave flavor that pairs naturally with citrus. Always look for a 100% agave label, which means no added sugars or artificial flavors. If you want more complexity, a reposado (lightly aged) adds a subtle oak character. 3rd Street Beverage carries a wide selection of blanco and reposado tequilas at multiple price points, and our staff are happy to help you choose.

Basic simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar — combine them in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir until the sugar fully dissolves, then remove from heat and cool completely. For flavored syrups like lavender or strawberry-rhubarb, add your botanicals or fruit to the hot syrup, steep for 15–30 minutes off the heat, then strain and refrigerate. Homemade syrups keep for up to two weeks and are far superior to most store-bought alternatives.

Yes — batch cocktails and sangrias are ideal for entertaining because they can be made 12 to 24 hours in advance and actually improve as the flavors meld. The Rosé All Day Sangria in this post is a perfect example: make it the night before, refrigerate overnight, and simply top with sparkling wine just before serving. Avoid adding ice or carbonated elements until the moment of service. For shaken cocktails like sours, pre-mix the base spirits and citrus, but shake individual portions to order for best results.

Both are agave spirits from Mexico, but they differ significantly in production and flavor. Tequila is made exclusively from blue agave and is typically steamed, producing a clean, bright spirit. Mezcal can be made from dozens of agave varieties, and the piñas (hearts) are traditionally roasted in underground pits — which gives mezcal its characteristic smoky, complex flavor. Think of mezcal as the artisanal, terroir-driven sibling of tequila. 3rd Street Beverage carries a strong selection of both, including small-production and limited-release mezcals.

Oregon has a thriving craft spirits scene. Look for Oregon-made gins featuring local botanicals like juniper and Douglas fir, as well as Oregon vodkas distilled from local grain or fruit. Oregon fruit brandies and aquavits are also worth exploring for seasonal drinks. 3rd Street Beverage stocks a strong selection of Pacific Northwest craft spirits alongside national and international labels, and our staff can point you toward local favorites based on the cocktail you want to make.

There are more excellent non-alcoholic options than ever. Many of the spring cocktail recipes in this post can be made alcohol-free by substituting NA spirits — there are now high-quality non-alcoholic gins, tequilas, and aperitifs widely available. You can also build great mocktails using elderflower cordial, flavored sparkling water, fresh citrus, and herb-infused syrups. 3rd Street Beverage has one of the best non-alcoholic sections in Central Oregon, stocking NA beers, wines, spirits, and sparkling options for every kind of guest.

3rd Street Beverage at 740 NE 3rd St in Bend is your best bet for specialty cocktail ingredients in Central Oregon. The store carries a wide range of liqueurs including elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc, Aperol, and Cointreau, as well as bitters and specialty spirits. For ingredients like prickly pear syrup or huckleberry shrub, the staff can point you toward in-store options or nearby specialty grocers. Open Monday–Wednesday 10am–8pm, Thursday–Saturday 10am–9pm, and Sunday 10am–8pm.

The Rosé All Day Sangria in this post is perfect for wine drinkers who prefer something lighter — it uses dry rosé as the base with Lillet Blanc, a small measure of brandy, elderflower liqueur, and plenty of fresh spring fruit. The Aperol Spritz is another excellent wine-adjacent choice, built on prosecco with just enough bitterness from Aperol to keep it interesting. Both drinks are crowd-pleasing, easy to scale for a group, and pair beautifully with spring food. Our wine staff at 3rd Street Beverage can recommend the right rosé or prosecco at your price point.