June 2020 |

Hype Girl Cocktail| A Brilliant Cocktail & Mocktail

by corrie.pennington / June 12, 2020

The Hype Girl Cocktail is a simple fruity drink that's not too sweet. Make it with gin or vodka for a delicious cocktail or leave it out for a mocktail that won't make you miss alcohol. The tart raspberries and bitter grapefruit are balanced by the earthy sweetness of beet simple syrup. Add some grapefruit sparkling water and this drink will get you pumped about life in no time.

Just like a real-life hype girl, this Hype Girl cocktail recipe is sure to get you fired up. It’s bright, bubbly, and unique and is a drink that I think most everyone would enjoy. There’s even a mocktail version that’s bomb.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!

Before we go talking about the drink, though, what is a hype girl? A hype girl is the life of the party, your number one fan & supporter, the friend that can get you pumped about anything.

I think most people have a hype girl in their life. My mom’s definitely my OG hype girl but I’ve got several others, too. I have a handful of friends who constantly cheer me on and root for me, especially in this blogging business.

My inspiration for the name of this cocktail comes from my friend Ashley. Ashley feels like my own personal hype girl, especially when it comes to Girl & Tonic. But really, she’s encouraging and supportive of all women. She even has an account on Instagram called @theneighborhoodhypegirl. It’s a great account to follow if you need some positivity & pep talks dropped in your social media feed. Ashley– thanks for supporting me and my cocktail blog even though you don’t drink. This mocktail’s for you!

My recipe inspiration came in the form of a pint of raspberries that were on the last few days of life and yet were still incredibly tart. I needed to use them up somehow and figured a cocktail would be a great use (naturally). I looked around in my fridge to see what else needed to be used up. Grapefruit juice… a lonely can of grapefruit Bubly.. oh, yeah, I can make this work.

How to make a mocktail with Bubly | This Hype Girl mocktail is made with grapefruit Bubly, fresh raspberries, grapefruit juice, and beet simple syrup.

To tone down the raspberries and the grapefruit, I knew I’d need some kind of sweetener. Simple syrup is the obvious choice but I figured I’d stay on the pink trend and utilize the bag of beet powder hanging out in my pantry. Using beet simple syrup not only makes your drinks a gorgeous magenta color but it also provides a touch of earthiness that keeps your drink from tasting overly sweet. You could definitely make the Hype Girl cocktail or mocktail with traditional simple syrup, but beet simple syrup is way more fun.

This cocktail tastes great with either vodka or gin. Gin lends a more botanical feel while vodka’s clean taste highlights the raspberry and grapefruit. Use whichever you prefer. Or try both versions and tell me which one you like more in the comments!

If you’re needing some pep in your day, mix yourself up a Hype Girl Mocktail. And when you’re ready to unwind at night, mix up the cocktail version.

If you’re interested in other mocktails, these Girl & Tonic recipes can be easily turned into mocktails by skipping the alcohol:

Easy Colada

pineapple juice + coconut water + Demerara syrup

Jam Mocktail

jam + flavored sparkling water + herb + citrus juice

grapefruit juice + beet simple syrup + passionfruit sparkling water

Cero Miedo

guava nectar + lime juice + jalapeño basil syrup + chili powder + club soda

Golden Pothos

tonic water + lemon juice + turmeric + cardamom syrup

Ingredients for a Hype Girl Cocktail and Mocktail

1 1/2 oz gin or vodka (omit for mocktail)
3/4 oz grapefruit juice
4 raspberries
1/2 oz beet simple syrup (here’s the easy recipe)
3-5 oz grapefruit sparkling water (like Bubly or La Croix)

How to Make a Hype Girl Cocktail and Mocktail

Pour the gin or vodka and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker. If you’re making a cocktail, just skip the gin. Add the raspberries and gently muddle them. No need to destroy them–just smoosh them a bit. Add the beet simple syrup and a generous amount of ice. Shake well.

If you don’t want raspberry seeds in your drink, you’ll need to “double strain” it. You’ll need a small strainer like this one.

Hype Girl Cocktail and Mocktail | This delicious and refreshing drink is perfect for getting you pumped up. It's a perfect blend of tart, bitter, sweet, and bubbly.

Fill your cocktail glass with ice. Hold the strainer over your glass while you pour the drink from the cocktail shaker. This should catch the raspberry bits.

Top off the rest of the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water and stir. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Hype Girl Cocktail and Mocktail Recipe

A fruity drink that's not too sweet. Make it with gin or vodka or leave it out for a refreshing mocktail.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 mins

Course Drinks

Servings 1

Equipment

cocktail shaker or lidded mason jar
small strainer

Ingredients

1½ oz vodka or gin (omit for mocktail)
¾ oz grapefruit juice
4 raspberries
½ oz beet simple syrup *see note for recipe
3+ oz unsweetened grapefruit sparkling water (add more for mocktail recipe)

Instructions

Add the liquor (optional), grapefruit juice, and raspberries into a cocktail shaker.
Gently muddle the raspberries, just enough to smoosh them a bit and release the juice.
Add the beet simple syrup and a generous amount of ice.
Shake well.
Double strain** over a cocktail glass that's been filled with ice.
Top off the rest of the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water and stir.
Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Notes

*Don’t be intimidated by the beet simple syrup. It’s actually quite easy and will only take you a few minutes. Check out the recipe here.

**To double-strain, you’ll need a small strainer (like this one). Hold the strainer over your glass while you pour the shaken cocktail. This will catch all the raspberry bits. You can omit this step if you don’t mind the raspberry seeds in your drink.

Keyword beet, beet simple syrup, gin, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, raspberries, sparkling water, vodka

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

by corrie.pennington / June 1, 2020

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

This Easy Colada recipe is something I originally created for Rochelle over at AdventuresFromElle.com. Rochelle writes from a Caribbean experience and is currently in Jamaica as a medical doctor. Her site is chock-full of tips for exploring and Jamaica “like a local on a budget”. You can also follow her adventures on Instagram.

When I asked Rochelle what flavor direction she was wanting to go in for my guest post on her blog, she said a Jamaican cocktail with Caribbean flavors, like rum and coconut. Yep. I’m down for a drink like that.

With summer in full-force here in Texas, tropical drink ideas were swirling around in my head. I debated about creating something uber creative and original but instead decided to take *the* most popular tropical cocktail and make it a little easier and a little healthier.

Most people have had a Piña Colada. It’s probably the most well-known tiki cocktail out there, and for good reason. Pineapple and coconut are two flavors that were meant to be together. I remember making virgin Piña Coladas as a kid with my parents. They were a rare treat that I treasured. Come to think of it, maybe that’s where my love of cocktails truly began… 🧐

Traditional Piña Coladas utilize coconut cream and while it’s delicious, Coco Lopez (the favorite choice for coconut cream) has 130 calories per 1 ounce. Eesh. I’m not usually a calorie-counter but when I was thinking of ways to transform this classic recipe, I knew this was the part that I could easily jazz up.

Enter sparkling coconut water. It’s got a light coconut flavor and is easy on the sugar and calories. In fact, 1 ounce only has about 7 calories. That’s a huge difference! OH, and did I mention it’s bubbly? I’m sure you got that from the “sparkling” part, but I just wanna highlight that. I think it’s my favorite trait of this Easy Colada recipe. If you want more nutritional info, you can check the notes portion of the recipe box at the bottom of the post.

It’s important to note here that I’m talking about coconut water that has been carbonated, not coconut-flavored sparkling water. While this would still probably taste good, it won’t be the same as if you use real coconut water. I can’t seem to find the plain sparkling coconut water online (I got mine at HEB, my local grocery store), but here’s an option that is flavored with pineapple and passionfruit. Sounds even more tropical!

To sweeten the drink, I used Demerara syrup. The first time I made this Easy Colada recipe, I used a makeshift Demerara syrup that I had made with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar. It was good, but I felt that this recipe called for the real deal. Demerara syrup is dark and it turned the once bright yellow elixir into a deep goldenrod. Just look at how gorgeous it is!

I hope this drink helps you take a quick getaway to the tropics while we’re all stuck at home during the pandemic. Cheers!

Ingredients for an Easy Colada

1 1/2 oz white rum
3/4 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz Demerara syrup (click here for easy the recipe or to see what to use as a substitute)
1+ oz sparkling coconut water

How to Make an Easy Colada

Add the rum, pineapple juice, and Demerara syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20-30 seconds. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with sparkling coconut water.