Big Batch Vodka Cocktails
Vodka Strawberry Cooler
Courtesy Michael Neff, bar director, The Cottonmouth Club, Houston
Strawberries and sparkling wine are a classic combination. Here, vodka and lemon juice provide a bracing, bright background to yield something just right for a casual daytime event, especially one that might linger until the sun goes down.
Femme Fatale
Courtesy Matt Corbin, spirits director, 7908 Aspen, Aspen, CO
Cucumber juice and zingy lemongrass combine in this refreshing vodka sipper. To make cucumber juice with a blender, purée about 2¾ cups cubed cucumber until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- 1⅔ cups fresh lemon juice
- 1⅔ cups simple syrup
- 2 cups strawberries, destemmed
- 750 ml vodka
- 20 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
- 750 ml dry sparkling wine, to top
- Lemon wheels, for garnish
Up to 2 hours prior, combine lemon juice, simple syrup and strawberries in blender, and purée until cohesive. Add vodka and bitters, and store in refrigerator.
To serve, stir well, and pour into punchbowl over large ice cubes. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon wheels. Serves 15–20.
- 6 cups vodka
- 4 cups lime juice
- 3 cups lemongrass-infused simple syrup
- 2 cups cucumber juice (recipe above)
- Cucumber slices, for garnish
- Basil leaves, for garnish
Up to 2 hours prior, combine all ingredients except garnish with 2 cups water. Store in refrigerator.
To serve, stir mixture. Pour into punchbowl over large ice block. Insert basil leaves into cucumber slices, and float atop mixture with leaves upright. Serves 15–20.
Kara Newman reviews spirits and writes about spirits and cocktail trends for Wine Enthusiast. She’s the author of several cocktail books, including Shake.Stir.Sip., NIGHTCAP: More than 40 Cocktails to Close Out Any Evening and Cocktails With a Twist, released August 2019. Email: spirits@wineenthusiast.net
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