Peach-inspired cocktails don’t have to end when the season does.

With a little creativity — and a splash of liquor — you can savor that sweet summer flavor all year long.

Chef Zac Hackney has created a collection of infusions and shrubs that take full advantage of fresh peaches, enhancing your favorite spirits with juicy, complex notes. Whether you want to sip something fruity and boozy or shake up a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, these simple recipes let you preserve the best of peach season long after the trucks have rolled out.

Here’s a note from Chef Zac to kick things off:

“Peach inspired cocktails don't have to end along with the fresh peach season. By adding peaches to your favorite liquor, you can preserve that flavor while enhancing your favorite boozy beverage. Adding fresh peaches is a quick way to preserve that flavor but you can also try roasting, drying, or even grilling the peaches before adding them to create even more nuanced flavors.

 

The addition of an extra element beyond peaches can take your infusion to the next level. Extra spices, herbs, citrus, or complementing fruit flavors make these infusions extra special. Beyond adding peaches, limit yourself to one or two complementing flavors so your infusions keep clean distinct flavors. Finally, don’t forget that you can later remove the peaches from your infusion to use in baking or for an adult themed fruit cup.

 

Our drunken peach infusions will inspire you to drink and enjoy peach season all year long!”

 

🍑 Sour Peach Razz Infused Vodka

A vibrant, flavor-packed infusion that turns a brilliant pink in your fridge. Tart raspberries, fresh peaches, and bright lime create a spirit that’s as refreshing as it is eye-catching.

Ingredients:

• 2 peaches, halved and pitted

• ½ cup raspberries

• 1 cup Western Son Vodka

• 1 cup Western Son Raspberry Vodka

• 2 oz lime juice

• Zest of 1 lime (use a peeler for larger pieces)

Instructions:

1. Place peaches and raspberries in a mason jar.

2. Add lime juice and lime zest.

3. Cover with both vodkas. Add more vodka if needed to fully submerge.

4. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 3 days (up to 2 weeks).

5. Strain out liquid. Discard zest. Save the infused vodka — and the boozy fruit — for future use!

Try it in: A simple Peach Razz Limeade with soda water.

🍋🍑 Drunken Diced Peaches

Simple. Sweet. Snackable. This infusion brings together just a few ingredients — peach, lemon, sugar, and vodka — for a deliciously versatile flavor. Bonus: the leftover peaches make the ultimate adult fruit cocktail or ice cube substitute.

Ingredients:

• 4 peaches, halved, pitted, and diced

• ½ cup Vodka (we suggest our friend's at Western Son Vodka!)

• ½ cup Lemon Vodka

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 oz lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Add diced peaches, sugar, and lemon juice to a quart jar.

2. Cover with vodkas.

3. Refrigerate 3 days to 2 weeks.

4. Strain and store both vodka and peaches for cocktails and treats.

Try it in: A boozy "fruit cocktail" cup — or freeze the fruit for cocktail ice cubes.

🍑🍨 Peach Vanilla Vodka

Think peaches ‘n cream… in a bottle. This one’s as good in a cocktail as it is splashed into a dessert. Simple and elegant, with flavors of juicy peach and fresh churned vanilla.

Ingredients:

• 4 peaches, halved and pitted

• 2 cups Vodka

• 2 vanilla beans (or 2 tsp vanilla paste)

Instructions:

1. Add peaches and vanilla to a mason jar.

2. Cover with vodka.

3. Refrigerate for 3–14 days.

4. Strain and reserve both liquid and peaches.

Try it in: A Peaches & Cream cocktail (like the The Velvet Orchard sipper with our friends at Western Son Vodka), or use the fruit in baked goods for a grown-up twist.

🌿🍑 Mint Hibiscus Peach Shrub (Non-Alcoholic Friendly!)

A tart, herbal syrup that captures peak summer in a glass. This shrub is bright and fruity, balanced with cool mint and floral hibiscus. Perfect with soda water, or as a mixer with your favorite spirit.

Ingredients:

• 3 peaches, medium dice

• 150g water

• 150g white balsamic vinegar

• 50g sugar

• 8 sprigs mountain mint (or 12 sprigs standard mint)

• 15g dried hibiscus

Instructions:

1. Combine peaches, hibiscus, mint, and sugar in a mason jar. Let sit 30 minutes until juicy.

2. Add warm water and vinegar.

3. Infuse in fridge for 2–7 days.

4. Strain and store refrigerated for up to 6 months.

Serving Ideas:

• Non-alcoholic: 1 oz shrub + 1 cup soda water, over ice. Garnish with grilled peach and mint.

• With booze: 1 oz shrub + 1.5 oz scotch + soda water. Garnish with peach wedge and mint sprig.

Meet Chef Zac

When The Peach Truck set out to create a collection of bright, fruit-forward cocktails, they knew they needed more than just great ingredients — they needed the right chef. Enter Zac Hackney: an award-winning Southern chef with a passion for simple, seasonal flavors and a deep respect for local ingredients.

With Zac’s culinary creativity leading the way, the team developed cocktails that strike the perfect balance — light, refreshing, and crafted to highlight the natural sweetness of Peach Truck peaches.

Before this collaboration, Zac served as Executive Sous Chef at The Fearrington House Inn, a Five Star, Five Diamond resort known for its elevated take on Southern cuisine. He later helped lead the kitchen at Pizzeria Mercato, a three-time James Beard–nominated pizzeria in Carrboro, NC.