The secret to a refreshing cocktail or mocktail might be out in the garden

Apnews - Apr 29th, 2025
Open on Apnews

The article encourages readers to grow their own ingredients for cocktails and mocktails, focusing on herbs and fruits that can enhance the flavors of these refreshing drinks. It highlights the ease of cultivating mint, basil, lemon verbena, and other herbs, along with strawberries and cucumbers, which are perfect for summer beverages. Practical advice is provided for planting and maintaining these plants, such as keeping mint in pots to prevent it from overtaking a garden and ensuring proper sunlight and watering for basil and lemon verbena.

Contextually, this trend of growing cocktail ingredients reflects a broader movement towards sustainability and self-sufficiency. By cultivating these plants, individuals can enjoy fresh, home-grown flavors in their drinks, reducing reliance on store-bought produce and potentially cutting down on waste. The story underscores the culinary creativity and satisfaction that comes from using home-grown herbs and fruits, contributing to the growing popularity of DIY gardening and farm-to-table practices.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article offers practical and engaging advice on growing herbs for use in summer cocktails, appealing to readers interested in gardening and mixology. Its strengths lie in its clarity, engaging tone, and timely relevance to current DIY and sustainable living trends. However, the article would benefit from greater accuracy through the inclusion of specific growing conditions and expert citations. Additionally, transparency about the author's expertise and potential conflicts of interest could enhance credibility. While the article is unlikely to have a significant societal impact or provoke controversy, it serves as an informative and enjoyable piece for hobbyists seeking to enhance their gardening and cocktail-making skills.

RATING DETAILS

8
Accuracy

The story is generally accurate in its claims about the ease of growing certain herbs and their use in cocktails. For example, the article correctly states that mint is an easy herb to grow and can become invasive, which aligns with common gardening knowledge. However, the article lacks specific details on growing conditions, such as soil pH or optimal temperature ranges, which would enhance its precision. Additionally, while the article mentions specific varieties of herbs like spearmint and peppermint, it does not provide scientific names or more detailed botanical information that could support these claims further. Overall, the factual claims about the herbs and their uses in cocktails are truthful, but the article could benefit from more precise details and expert citations.

7
Balance

The article is balanced in its presentation of different herbs and their uses in cocktails. It does not exhibit favoritism towards any particular type of herb or cocktail, providing a range of options for the reader. However, it primarily focuses on the positive aspects of growing these herbs and does not discuss potential challenges in detail, such as pest issues or climate limitations. The article could be more balanced by including these potential downsides, which would provide a more comprehensive view of home herb gardening for cocktail use.

8
Clarity

The article is clear and easy to follow, with a logical structure that guides the reader through different herbs and their uses in cocktails. The language is straightforward and accessible, making it suitable for a general audience. The tone is friendly and engaging, which helps to maintain reader interest. However, the inclusion of unrelated technical code snippets within the text detracts from the overall clarity and should be removed to improve readability.

5
Source quality

The article does not cite any sources or experts to support its claims about herb growing and cocktail making, which affects its credibility. While the information provided is generally accurate and aligns with common gardening practices, the lack of attributed sources or expert opinions diminishes the article's authority. Including references to gardening experts or studies on herb cultivation would enhance the reliability and depth of the content.

6
Transparency

The article lacks transparency in its methodology and does not disclose any potential conflicts of interest. It provides practical advice but does not explain the basis for its recommendations or the expertise of the author. The article would benefit from a clearer explanation of how the information was gathered and any affiliations the author might have with gardening or beverage industries. This would help readers assess the impartiality of the advice given.

Sources

  1. https://www.thespruceeats.com/bartenders-garden-ideas-760725
  2. https://alifeunfolding.com/create-a-cocktail-garden-for-the-freshest-drinks/
  3. https://westlakehardware.com/resources/tips-tricks/how-to-create-cocktail-garden/
  4. https://www.seedlipdrinks.com/en-aunz/journal/how-to-grow-your-own-herbs-for-a-natural-cocktail-garnish/
  5. https://gardenuity.com/products/gardenkit_cocktail