The Blaylock (Honey, Grapefruit, Lemon, and Seltzer)

The alcohol-free Blaylock. (Kelly Puleio)

The Blaylock

Have you ever drizzled a really good grapefruit with honey? It’s one of those perfect combinations, so it’s not shocking that the pairing works in a glass, too, as Milwaukee’s Adam James Sarkis demonstrates with this recipe.

It couldn’t be simpler to combine honey, grapefruit, lemon, and seltzer, but the mixture is surprisingly complex in flavor, both tangy and rich. Make sure you have nine or ten grapefruits; yields will depend on whether you’re using an electric juicer or squeezing them by hand. Prep the honey syrup at least an hour—and up to a week—in advance, so it’s properly cooled when you start the batch.

Makes about 16 servings in a 2-quart pitcher

• 4 1/2 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled 2:1 honey syrup (recipe follows)

To serve:

• 16 star anise pods (optional)
• 2 (1-liter) bottles chilled seltzer
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Up to 2 hours before serving, make the batch. Prepare grapefruit and lemon juices and pour into a 2-quart pitcher. Add chilled honey syrup and stir well to mix. If not serving immediately, seal well, covering with plastic wrap if needed, and refrigerate.

To serve, toast star anise pods (if desired) over high heat in a dry skillet, watching carefully, just until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Fill tall glasses with ice, then carefully fill glasses about halfway with chilled seltzer. Top with pitcher mix, give each glass one gentle stir, then garnish with star anise pod and lemon wedge, if desired. 

2:1 Honey Syrup

Makes about 1 1/3 cups

• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water

Combine honey and water in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is uniformly blended. Do not let boil. Pour into a resealable container and let cool. Seal well and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Reprinted with permission from “Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion“ by Maggie Hoffman, copyright 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.