Cocktails That Are As Ready For EDC As You Are

Music festivals have become the hallmark of any great summer experience. Electric Daisy Carnival is a national phenomena, with festivals in New York, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico and beyond. Celebrate the spirit of this landmark event with any of these drinks for your pregame that pay tribute to festival culture:

Purple Haze

• 6 parts Absolut Vodka
• 2 parts lime juice
• 1 part black raspberry liqueur
• 1 part simple syrup

Whether you’re making this drink for one, two, three or more, this is a sweet shot that produces a beautiful purple color when mixed. It is also potent and easy to make. All you need to do is fill a shaker with plenty of ice cubes, add the four ingredients, shake, strain and pour. While you can buy simple syrup at the store, it is actually far more economical to simply make it yourself and store it a squeeze bottle. All you need to do is boil water, add sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. You just need to make sure that the proportions are correct—one part water to one part sugar.

Gin & Pink

• 2 oz gin
• 5 oz tonic water
• 2 dashes bitters
• Twist lemon peel, for garnish

A blacklight is required for the glowing effect of this drink. All you need is some tonic, as the quinine in the tonic is photochemical-reactive. It will appear to emit a pale blue in the presence of blacklights, which can trip out your unsuspecting friends—OMG too funny!

While this drink is similar to a standard gin and tonic, the dash of bitters spruces up this tried-and-true favorite. In order to make it, all you will need to do is fill a highball glass with plenty of ice, add the ingredients, stir well, and then add the lemon peel garnish once you’re done.

The Rave Nation

• 1 ½ oz Bacardi Torched Cherry Rum
• Splash pomegranate juice
• Sprite
• Black cherries, for garnish

A layered drink looks cool and, if done correctly, will generate a layered taste sensation that is irresistible. While drinknation.com recommends using a syringe to slowly push the liquid into your glass, pouring the liquid very slowly over the back of a spoon can work just as well if you have a little practice. Plus, carrying a syringe around might send the wrong message.

To make, start with the rum and Sprite in a glass, and add plenty of ice. As these two ingredients are denser than the pomegranate juice, they will remain on the bottom. Leave enough room between the top of the beverage and the rim of the glass to just add a splash of pomegranate juice. Remember to add it slowly. Garnish with a few black cherries, and you’re done.