Putting insects in alcohol is not a new trend – Tequila anyone? However, many bars all over the world are now jumping on the entomophagy trend and making cocktails infused with insects, whether as part of the ingredients or just as a garnish.

Just take a look at the Artesian Bar, located in the Langjam Hotel in London. Their insect infused cocktail combines cognac, Japanese tea with roasted tarantulas and scorpions.

Then there is New York City‘s own White & Church. According to this New York Post article from last summer, White & Church now has a host of insect infused cocktails, such as their Blue Velvet, a tobacco-infused brandy garnished with scorpions.

I’ve never been to White & Church myself, so I cannot confirm if these insect infused cocktail rumours are true, but I did take a peek at their online cocktail menu, and sadly, not a bug in sight. Either they weren’t as popular as hoped, or it might also have something to do with their cocktail that included toasted honeybees as a garnish. For those in the know, there has recently been alarming news of honeybees suddenly dying off in large numbers.

If you were hoping to try your own insect infused cocktail, why not mix your own at home. Here is our take on 5 cocktail recipes with a buggy twist:

#1) A Drink Named Irving

1 oz crème de menthe (green)
1 oz crème de cacao (white)
1 oz vodka
6 roasted grasshopper legs for garnish

Shake all liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, strain into chilled martini glass, garnish with grasshopper legs, and serve.

#2) A Mosquito

1.25 oz rum
12 mint leaves
12 mosquitoes
1 tbsp sugar
0.5 oz limejuice
2 oz soda

Place mint leaves and mosquitoes in bottom of glass, add crushed ice, rum, sugar, limejuice, and muddle. Top with soda, garnish with mint leaves, and serve.

#3) Barking Spider

1 1/2 oz tequila
1 1/2 oz Blue Curacao
3/4 oz dark rum
1 dash triple sec
1 dash sweet and sour mix
1 splash orange juice
roasted tarantula legs for garnish

Shake all liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, strain into chilled collins glass, garnish with tarantula legs, and serve.

#4) June Bug

1 oz melon liqueur
1 oz coconut rum
1 oz pineapple juice
maraschino cherry and roasted June Bug for garnish

Add all liquid ingredients to blender filled with ice, blend on low setting, pour into highball glass, garnish with a skewered maraschino cherry and roasted June Bug, and serve.

#5) Glow-Worm

1 1/2 oz melon liqueur
1 1/2 oz peach liqueur
3 oz orange juice
3 oz pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz Blue Curacao
tequila worm for garnish

Fill a highball glass with ice. Layer ingredients in order of list without mixing. Top with Blue Curacao and float tequila worm on top.

Author: Corey Rozon