Perfect Summer Vodka Cocktail

This post is going to show you how to make a Summer Vodka Cocktail that will have you feeling connected to the season more than ever!

When the sun is out and you have the day off this is the perfect fresh ingredient cocktail to whip up for yourself and some friends.

This cocktail is easy to make, vibrant, delicious, and will have you feeling the summer vibes inside and out!

This is an original Sweet Recipe by myself that I know you’ll enjoy! Feel free to make it to your hearts content!

I call this :

“Water My Garden” 

What You Will Need

Alcohol:

First things first, we will be needing some Vodka! For this recipe I love to use Ketel One. I find this vodka to be extremely smooth, delicate, and easy to mix with! Ketel One really accentuates floral and citrus notes very well. I got my bottle at Total Wine and More but I know you can find this at almost all grocery stores and liquor stores! Definitely a good bottle of vodka to have around when mixing fun Summer vodka cocktails!

Next up we will be using a liqueur called Crème de Mûre. Mûre in French means blackberry so this is a blackberry liqueur! You may recognize this liqueur from a famous cocktail called the Bramble. (The bramble was actually one of my favorite cocktails when I first started bartending!) Crème de Mûre is very bold and sweet in it’s flavor. Crème de Mûre smells like a blackberry jam on the nose and adds such a wonderful deep berry flavor to cocktails! For this Summer vodka cocktail I will be using the Giffard brand. I got my bottle at Total Wine and More! You may also find this specific brand or others at Bevmo.

Citrus and Other Ingredients:

For the citrus element in this cocktail we will be using Fresh Lemon Juice! There’s nothing better in a Summer vodka cocktail than fresh juice!!! Fresh juices add such an elevation aspect too cocktails. Once you start incorporating fresh juice into your mixes you won’t ever go back!

The tool I am using in the photo above is a hand-pressed stainless steel citrus juicer. Let me tell you it is seriously the greatest addition to my home bar! This tool allows you to fit in as many pieces of fruit as you want, has an ease in the squeeze, and even comes with a pour spout! Such a clean way to gather your juice, I love it!!! If you want to check one out just like mine, check them out on Amazon RIGHT HERE! I was really stoked on how affordable this tool was. I know how pricey it can get creating your own home bar set up. I’m really happy some tools out there aren’t too out of reach!

I love storing my juices and syrups in glass bottles with pour spouts as shown in the photo above! If you plan to make several cocktails, or would like to store your juice I recommend getting yourself some bottles like this to store in your fridge! This Summer vodka cocktail uses fresh lemon juice, so if you have extra lemon juice stored you can make cocktails for another day or even some fresh lemonade!

Remember to always label your bottles with the contents and date! Lemon juice can be stored up to 5 days in the fridge! For all fresh squeezed juices 5 days is usually the limit. Remember to always taste test your juices before creating cocktails! That is a habit all of us bartenders have drilled in our heads and is a good practice to keep up! You always want to make sure you’re serving yourself and friends the best quality! I actually found some awesome bottles with labels and pour spouts on Amazon. If you want to check them out I’ll leave a link RIGHT HERE!

Next we will be using some Pomegranate Juice! I was not able to find fresh pomegranates in the store so I opted for the Pom Juice brand! This is 100% Pomegranate Juice so you are guaranteed a fresh flavor every time! I got my bottle from Whole Foods! I also know they carry this at Vons, Target, and Walmart!  If you have a little extra from this recipe I also have a delicious Gin Cocktail you can try using POM! Make sure to check it out!

We cannot forget the secret ingredient that makes this Summer vodka cocktail so delicious! The BASIL! The basil works WONDERS with the lemon juice, pomegranate juice, and Crème de Mûre! The flavors blend together in such a refreshing and beautiful way. We will also use a sprig of basil to garnish this cocktail! When you lift a cocktail up for a taste, you’re actually tasting with your nose first. The smell of basil invites you in as you take a sip and experience the marriage of all the flavors. Pick up some basil at any local grocery store or if you’re lucky, pluck some from your garden!!

 

Honey Simple Syrup:

To completely balance our cocktail we will be bringing the flavors together with some Honey Simple Syrup! There are several ways to make syrups depending on the level of sweetness you would like to bring. For this cocktail we will be keeping it very simple and using a 1:1 ratio! This means that our syrup will be one part honey, and one part hot water! I start by bringing water to a simmer on the stove top and then adding in the honey. Lower the temperature and stir the contents together until they are well combined. You can store your syrup in mason jars or the glass bottles that I discussed in the citrus section! Your honey syrup should stay good sealed tight in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks! 

*Remember to label and date your containers*

Bar Supplies:

The first piece of bar equipment you will need to have on deck is a shaker of sorts! I choose to use a Boston Shaker! This has always been my shaker of choice and what I have always used in the bars! When you shake a cocktail with ice you are diluting the alcohol and adding more volume to the drink! Please use whatever shaker you have available but if you want to get one just like mine check out this link on Amazon RIGHT HERE!

Next you will want to make sure you have a Bar Jigger! This is the tool you use to measure out precise amounts of ingredients for your cocktails. Balance and consistency is so important when it comes to the art of making drinks and using a jigger helps you achieve that! Definitely a must have bar tool in my opinion. The jigger I have above ranges in measurements from 1/4z oz to 2 oz. If you want to get one identical to mine check it out RIGHT HERE on Amazon!

When I first started bartending I actually used more of a beginner jigger. It has only one side, has easily readable measurement markers, and a pour spout! I will link it RIGHT HERE if you are interested in growing your skills with this tool! It was very helpful for me when I was just starting.

In this Summer vodka cocktail our secret ingredient is basil! We will be muddling about 2 leaves of basil with a Bar Muddler. A muddler is a device that pushes down on ingredients. This breaks the ingredient down and expresses its flavors before even shaking or stirring! For this cocktail in particular we are muddling fresh herbs. When I am muddling fresh herbs I like to press down on them and slightly twist. I never want to pulverize them, but instead just release flavors. You can get muddlers at Total Wine and More, Bevmo, Target, and on Amazon! I will link the exact same muddler that I used in the bars RIGHT HERE!

For this Summer vodka cocktail we will be using two different strainers! In the first photo we have a Hawthorne Strainer. This is a strainer that initially blocks any ice from your tins from entering your cocktail glass. The strainer in the bottom photo is a Fine Cocktail Strainer.

We will be Double Straining this cocktail. That means we will be running it through the hawthorne strainer and the fine cocktail strainer at the same time. Double straining helps capture any loose debris ( in this case basil) that the hawthorne strainers misses along with any extra little shards of ice. We want our presentation to be as clean as possible and double straining helps us attain that goal!

You can find these strainers at Total Wine and More, Bevmo, Target, and on Amazon!

I also must mention that you will need ICE. Lots of people have fridges with an ice dispenser which is perfect for you to use. Alas, if you do not have accessible fridge Ice, AKA ME, you will have to freeze your own! As you see above I use a silicone perfect ice cube tray. I will link an identical one that comes with a LID right HERE! I am lucky enough to have a cocktail store near me as well that  carries perfect ice in every size but that is not always the most affordable option. I would still recommend you check if any such stores exist near your location! Although a little more pricey, definitely worth it in quality!!!

Lastly, I do recommend that if you are starting to create multiple cocktails at home, you should invest in your own personal little Bartending Kit. Most come with everything you will need as a beginner while others provide several items for more complex creations. I will put links to both a beginners set, and a more advanced set on Amazon below!

Beginner Kit: HERE

Advanced Kit: HERE

Let’s Build!