These Fresh Cocktails Will Put a Spring in Your Step

In Confidence’s new menu addition, the Pretty in Pink, sports fresh mint and raspberries, and tastes like a spring afternoon. Photo: In Confidence.

Spending your spring break in Des Moines? The Iowa weather might be unpredictable, but you can count on the city’s craft cocktail mixologists to make your staycation feel a bit more adventurous.

In Confidence: For classics with a twist, slip into this speakeasy-style bar hidden in the Hotel Fort Des Moines. The Henley Highball (Stolichnaya, apple cider, lemon, soda) is fresh and sweet and comes with its own mini spring bouquet as a garnish. Amelia’s Aviation takes gin to new heights, swapping the traditional crème de violette with hibiscus for a tart purple pick-me-up. Find fresh mint and raspberries atop the Pretty in Pink, made with Ketel Citroen, Mum Napa Brut and lime juice.

Mulberry Street Tavern: Complement your meal with anything from the wine list and you can’t go wrong. But for something with a bit more zing, order a Bisou Bisou made with Plymouth gin, ginger lime cordial and orange blossom water. Its nonalcoholic sister, the Zoo Be Zoo Be, is equally tasty with a special house tea blend.

Django: Go ahead and try the Soylent Green despite its unsettling name. Made with Armagnac, Orgeat, lemon, egg white and a healthy dash of matcha powder, this cocktail looks and tastes like a perfectly sour green apple. Or experiment with the smoky, beachy End of the Road, made with Banhez Mezcal, Cynar, Cocchi Americano, rosemary, blueberry, sea salt and orange, to really feel like you’re sipping sunshine.