Name: The Brisita
Prep time: 75 min
Yield: 1 cocktail
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1½ oz blanco tequila; ½ oz. Aperol; ½ oz. ginger syrup (recipe follows); ¾ oz. lime juice; 1 bunch mint; Soda water; ½ lb. ginger root; 5 oz. granulated sugar

The Brisita: Margarita, Mule, and Paloma Meet in One Breezy Cocktail

The Ariston in Nashville shakes up a handful of classics for its own tequila and Aperol–laden cooler

July 31, 2025

For Alex Howard, the beverage director and cofounder of Nashville bar the Ariston, classic cocktails offer a mine of inspiration from which to spin entirely new recipes. The punchy lime of a margarita, gingery zip of a Moscow mule, and tart acid of a paloma come together in Howard’s crushable Brisita, a drink that hits all the right mouth-tingling notes with help from citrus, Aperol, and a DIY ginger syrup. “Brisita translates to ‘little breeze’ in Spanish,” he says. “It’s easy-drinking and refreshingly light.”

Preparation

Make the ginger syrup: Peel fresh ginger root and juice using a cold-press juicer, or blend smoothly in a blender with 1½ cups distilled water. Strain the ginger juice, then let it settle for at least an hour so the starch separates off. Blend remaining juice with sugar until sugar is fully dissolved. This will make 1 cup of ginger syrup—save some in the fridge for a cocktail, lemonade, or latte.

Make the cocktail: Combine tequila, Aperol, ginger syrup, lime juice, and mint in a cocktail shaker. Press with a muddler, then add ice. Shake hard and strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a mint bouquet.

The Brisita: Margarita, Mule, and Paloma Meet in One Breezy Cocktail

The Brisita

For the cocktail

For the ginger syrup (Yield: 1 cup)

Preparation