3 country music-inspired cocktails to sip during the CMA Awards

As country music stars and fans gear up for the CMA Awards, the 1 Hotel Nashville is serving up three special libations to get everyone in the Music City spirit.

The hotel, located down the street from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, where the 57th annual awards show is taking place Wednesday night, enlisted the expertise of beverage manager Harrison Deakin to swirl, shake and strain some signature cocktails to accompany the evening.

"I grew up in the music industry and hold places like the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman [Auditorium] close to my heart," Deakin told "Good Morning America." "I remember playing backstage there and looking out into the crowd with a sense of awe. They are magical venues that hold a special place in everyone's heart who has visited Nashville."

As such, Deakin created "The Grand Ole Fashioned" to be the hotel's signature drink, which he said "mimics the warm lights that grace the stage, and the wonderful fall flavors that dance across your tongue."

Next up, the Crying Shame, which is "a bright blue cocktail inspired by a country classic, and Nashville's neon lights." The cocktail features "Corsair Gin, blue spirulina, clarified lemon, simple [syrup and] soda water."

Finally, If You Need an Alibi is a riff on an espresso martini, which Deakin said was "inspired by Kelsea Ballerini's song 'If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too),' to keep you up all night long."

"Kelsea celebrated the grand opening of our signature restaurant, 1 Kitchen, in 2022 and the espresso martini became a favorite order for her," he revealed, "so we wanted to create a special version in her honor."

See below for how to make the drinks at home.

The Crying Shame

Ingredients
1.5 ounces Corsair (no dye required for at-home version)
½ tsp blue spirulina
1 ounce clarified lemon
0.75 ounce simple syrup

Directions

Shake and strain over Fever-Tree club soda.

Served in a Collins glass.

If You Need an Alibi

Ingredients
2 ounces Skyy vodka
1 ounce salted espresso syrup
0.5 ounce equal parts Grand Marnier, Mr. Black and Disaronno

Directions

Shake, strain and pour served up.

Grand Ole Fashioned

Ingredients
750 grams bourbon
300 grams dark brown sugar
250 grams pumpkin puree
50 grams cinnamon 10 grams pumpkin spice10 grams clove

Directions

Sous vide all ingredients except bourbon at 125 F for 1.5 hours.

Strain through a 75 micron super bag.

Pour additional 750 grams of bourbon through bag.

Put into iSi Nitro.

Charge two times.

Serve over large ice cube with half rim of ground roasted pepitas and dried orange.

Recipe courtesy of 1 Hotel Nashville beverage manager Harrison Deakin.