Tag: vodka

vodka

Chai White Russian | An Effortless 4 Ingredient Fall Cocktail Recipe

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This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.

This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.

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! 

I love chai tea. The spices… the richness… it’s one of my favorite teas to drink. Chai tea also varies wildly from brand to brand or person to person. The best chai tea I’ve ever had was at an Indian restaurant in Xi’an, China. Yep. They also made the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten.

For years I’ve tried to recreate it, but I never can. The taste will just have to live on in my memory. I haven’t made my own in a while, but after making this Chai White Russian last night, I’m inspired to try again. Finding the right black tea is foundational to a good chai recipe. Go ahead and forget trying to find a good one at your local grocery store and opt to look on Amazon or at an Indian grocery store instead. Once I finish my current not-so-great box of black tea, I’m going to be trying this one. I have high hopes for it.

For this recipe, I used a carton of chai concentrate. It’s pretty decent. It’s not my favorite chai recipe but it satisfies my chai craving when it hits. I also don’t hate the fact that it’s incredibly convenient. Just add an equal amount of milk and concentrate then heat it or add ice.

This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.

If you’ve never had a White Russian before, it’s a delicious coffee and cream cocktail. I’m not a big sweet drink drinker… but I love a White Russian in the evening. I’ve long fantasized about making a Chai White Russian and I finally made those dreams come true last night.

If you have bagged chai tea, you can steep some tea and use that instead. Alternatively, you could steep the tea in the vodka and make a Chai White Russian that way. I think they’d all turn out well.

And when it comes to coffee liqueur, you can certainly buy a bottle of Kahlúa. But you can also make your own. If you make your own, you can use your favorite coffee and adjust the amount of sweetness to your liking. Here’s my super easy recipe.

This *might* be my new favorite fall cocktail recipe. I’m still really digging the Autumn In Tuscany but since that one is citrusy, this Chai White Russian definitely wins the Best Sweet Dessert Cocktail Recipe award. If you try it, be sure to tag me on Instagram or comment down below. I’d love to hear what you think!

This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.

Ingredients for a Chai White Russian

How to Make a Chai White Russian

Add a large ice cube to a lowball glass. Pour in the vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai concentrate. Stir to combine.

Chai White Russian

This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1 oz coffee liqueur (see notes for a homemade recipe)
  • 1 oz cream*
  • 1 oz chai tea concentrate

Instructions
 

  • Add a large ice cube to a lowball glass.
  • Pour in the vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai concentrate.
  • Stir to combine.

Notes

Click here to learn how to make your own easy homemade coffee liqueur.
*you can use half & half, heavy cream, or your favorite milk substitute. 
Keyword chai, chai tea, coffee liqueur, cream, cucumber-infused vodka, half and half, white russian
This Chai White Russian is an easy fall cocktail recipe. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and this cozy and caffeinated delight: vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and chai tea.
wine

Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider | The Perfect Drink for Fall and Winter

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This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

This mulled white wine with apple cider is made with brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount.

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! 

This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It’s light enough to please your friends who don’t like red wine, but it’s also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

I’m one of those people. I usually don’t like white wine. It’s often too sweet and too… juice-like for my liking. Give me alllll the dry red wine any day. But I have a few friends who wouldn’t drink red if their life depended on it. Okay, I’m sure they would if their life depended on it. They’d just really prefer not to. So what’s a fun cool-weather cocktail that would please people on both sides of the spectrum? Mulled white wine with apple cider.

My friend came over the other day and we made this together. It’s still pretty warm outside these days but since this is made with white wine, it feels a lot lighter than traditional mulled wine so were able to enjoy a mug-full while watching our kiddos play outside.

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Before I jump to the recipe, there are few things to note. When making mulled wine, whether red or white mulled wine, it’s best to pick a wine that is on the dry side and isn’t too sweet. However, I had a bottle of sweet white Bordeaux and it actually turned out great. My friend and I chose to embrace the fruity notes and added some fresh apple cider in.

We also played-up the sweetness of the wine by adding vanilla bean-infused vodka and vanilla extract. Many traditional mulled wines are fortified with brandy. However brandy could overwhelm the delicate notes in white wine so vodka seemed like a better choice. You do you though.

One of the great things about mulled wine is that it’s extremely customizable. You can change up the number of spices you put in according to your personal preference. You can also taste as you go to see if you need to pull any spices out or add more in. Many white mulled wine recipes also call for a couple whole pods of star anise. Star anise is not my favorite flavor (it tastes like licorice), so I used it to garnish only.

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Another thing to note: mulled white wine can be made ahead of time. It will typically keep for 1-2 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated on the stovetop before you’re ready to drink it. However, strain out all of the aromatics before storing it. Otherwise, you run the risk of the spices overpowering the whole deal.

Have you ever made mulled white wine with apple cider before? How do you like it compared to traditional mulled red wine? Let me know in a comment below!

A mulled white wine with apple cider and brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka. The spices bring delicious warmth to the drink while the apple cider and brown sugar sweeten it the perfect amount. This mulled white wine recipe will be your new go-to for hosting fall and winter get-togethers. It's light enough to please your friends who don't like red wine, but it's also got enough spice to satisfy those who typically pass on white wine.

Ingredients for Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

  • 1 bottle of white wine (dry or semi-sweet works well)
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • zest* and juice from 1 orange
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3-4 whole cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 oz vanilla bean-infused vodka (caramel vodka could be good, too!)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

*be careful not to remove any of the pith (white part) as it will make the drink bitter

How to Make Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

Add all of the ingredients except for the sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low, allowing the wine to slowly heat up. Be careful not to boil it. When it starts to steam, remove from heat or put it on your stove’s “warm” setting. Add in the brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go to make sure you don’t oversweeten it. Allow the wine to mull for 20-30 minutes. Serve in a mug. You can strain the spices out or ladle them into the mug along with the wine.

Remove any spices before storing leftover mulled wine in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should keep for 1-2 days.

Mulled White Wine with Apple Cider

This mulled white wine is made with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange, and vanilla bean-infused vodka.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 4

Equipment

  • medium-sized saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bottle white wine (dry or semi-sweet works best)
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • zest* and juice from 1 orange
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3-4 whole cloves
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 oz vanilla bean-infused vodka
  • 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients except for the sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low, allowing the wine to slowly heat up. Be careful not to boil it.
  • When it starts to steam, remove from heat or put it on your stove's "warm" setting. Add in the brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go to make sure you don't oversweeten it.
  • Allow the wine to mull for 20-30 minutes.
  • Serve in a mug. You can strain the spices out or ladle them into the mug along with the wine.
  • Remove any spices before storing leftover mulled wine in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should keep for 1-2 days.

Notes

*be careful not to remove any of the pith (white part) when zesting your orange. This will make the mulled wine bitter.
Keyword brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mulled white wine, mulled wine, orange, vanilla extract, vanilla vodka, white wine

Interested in other drinks that are perfect for fall or winter? Check these out:

sake

Aroi Mak Mak | A Delicious Lemongrass & Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

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The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you’re needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

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! 

“Aroi mak mak” means “very, very delicious” in Thai; a fitting name for this lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail if I do say so myself. I worked at a Thai and sushi restaurant throughout high school and picked up a few phrases here and there. “Aroi mak” is one phrase almost guaranteed to be heard in a Thai restaurant.

I really enjoyed my time as a waitress. I’ve found that a lot of other people who’ve spent time in the restaurant industry detested it. But I loved it. I think a lot of the reason I had such a positive experience is that the restaurant was family-owned. And if you were employed there, you were part of the family. We had huge feasts anytime someone had a birthday. And no matter what, I always knew that my manager and the owners had my back.

Another reason I loved my years as a waitress at that restaurant is because of the FOOD. Every night I could order [almost] anything on the menu to eat there or take home. Sometimes the owners would even make special dishes that weren’t on the menu. Those were my favorite nights. I could also drink Thai iced tea whenever I wanted. Ughhh just inject that stuff into my veinnssss because I love it so much. One day I *will* make a boozy Thai tea cocktail. Mark my words.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

Working at the Thai restaurant made me develop a deep love for Southeast Asian cuisine. The flavors are so bright and fresh. Tangy lemongrass… creamy coconut milk, bright lime and cilantro… I could eat Thai food every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. I also love the taste of Thai chilis. Even though the “medium” spicy rating on a Thai dish is enough to melt a hole in the table, the flavor is SO DANG GOOD. Gimme Thai chilis over jalapeños any day. One day I’ll make a cocktail with those, too.

It may be September but here in TX, it’s still pretty hot. I was wanting to make a cocktail with a lower ABV that was bright and fresh. Sake immediately came to mind. Then I realized I’ve yet to post a cocktail recipe made with sake. I typically enjoy sake on its own– it’s got such a subtle complexity and richness that I love to savor. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to challenge myself to mix a drink with this delicate alcohol.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

What is sake, though? Sometimes spelled saké, it’s a fermented alcoholic beverage made from rice. It’s Japan’s signature alcohol and is sometimes referred to as rice wine. That’s a bit misleading, though; it’s more similar to beer than wine, due to the brewing process. It’s been around for centuries (think 8th century & maybe even earlier) and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Typically, the lower quality the sake is, the warmer you want to serve it. However, it comes down to personal preference. If I’m gonna enjoy it with a meal, I love drinking it warm. The heat awakens the aroma and highlights the savory notes. And yes, I do also love the little cup and pitcher they’re served in when you order it warm. Not gonna lie.

Sake’s flavor is pretty light and delicate. I wanted to make sure I didn’t mask it by adding competing flavors. This is what brought me to Southeast Asian cuisine. Those dishes really know how to balance softer flavors with bolder ones.

I’m pleased with how the Aroi Mak Mak recipe turned out. It’s light and bright and refreshing. And drinkable. Super drinkable. But since most of the alcohol in this cocktail recipe is sake, you don’t have to worry about what might happen if you drink it *too* fast.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

While family-owned restaurants are fresh on my mind, be sure to support your local bars & restaurants in these COVID times. In fact, go ahead and order some green curry or pad kee mao from your local Thai restaurant. They’d both pair nicely with this cocktail.

Ingredients for an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz sake
  • 1/2 oz lemongrass-infused vodka*
  • 3/4 oz cucumber juice
  • 1/2 oz ginger-lemongrass simple syrup**
  • 1/2 oz full-fat coconut milk (canned will lend a richer taste but from a carton will work, too)
  • 2 inches of lemongrass, chopped into smaller pieces

*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.

**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.

How to Make an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass. Muddle well with a muddler (I mean really smash the stuff). Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice. Stir well to combine. Strain into a lowball glass that’s been filled with ice. Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.

Aroi Mak Mak

A cocktail inspired by the delicious flavors found in Thai cuisine. The delicate flavor of sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, Japanese, Thai
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail mixing glass & strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz sake
  • ½ oz lemongrass-infused vodka*
  • ¾ oz cucumber juice
  • ½ oz ginger-lemongrass simple syrup**
  • ½ oz full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 inches fresh lemongrass, roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass.
  • Muddle well with a muddler (really smash the stuff).
  • Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice.
  • Stir well to combine.
  • Strain into a lowball glass that's been filled with ice.
  • Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.

Notes

*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.
**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.
Keyword coconut milk, cucumber, ginger, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, lemongrass, lemongrass-infused vodka, sake
The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
vodka

Mother Mule | A Healthy Moscow Mule Variation with Ginger Honey Shrub

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The Mother Mule is a healthy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It’s easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Chances are if you like cocktails, you’ve ordered or made a Moscow Mule. It’s a true classic cocktail recipe that’s inspired many other drinks. Moscow Mule variations are common these days and I’m not complaining. Vodka, lime, and ginger beer are a perfect foundation for building more flavors on top of. I’ve posted a few Moscow Mule variations here on Girl & Tonic: the Irish Mule (made with whiskey), a Dark & Stormy (my forever go-to drink), and an Orange Cassidy (my own AEW-inspired riff on a Moscow Mule).

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! 

I’m really excited about today’s Moscow Mule variation for two reasons: 1) it’s good for you, and 2) it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail.

Okay, okay. I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me when I say that this Mother Mule cocktail recipe is good for you. Hear me out. I know vodka isn’t necessarily an elixir of health. BUT one of the main ingredients in this drink is pure health in liquid form. It pretty much counterbalances the whole alcohol & sugar thing.

Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit when I say it’s bottled-up health. But Other Mother Vinegar is really good for you. Allow me to inform you.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Other Mother Vinegar is a “live vinegar”, meaning each bottle contains millions of healthy bacteria that will give the microbiome in your intestines a boost. Live vinegar is packed with other benefits, too: can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, helps with indigestion and acid reflux, and is chock-full of antioxidants. You can read more about the benefits of drinking vinegar here.

I’ve actually made another cocktail and mocktail recipe using the raspberry OMV shrub shot. It’s called the Rowdy Mother (are you sensing a theme in the names yet). If you’re not down for a ginger honey shrub, their raspberry shrub or the turmeric one would also work really well in this recipe!

(If you’re looking for some 100% or 90% healthy cocktail/mocktail options, check out my Mother’s Garden recipe or this Cucumber Basil Refresher.)

I mentioned early that one reason I’m excited about this recipe is that it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail. I love easy, 3-ingredient cocktails like the Moscow Mule. But when 1/3 of those ingredients is alcohol, the drink becomes rather empty if you’re going alcohol-free that night. When you use a vinegar shrub as one of your ingredients, your drink will be anything but bland.

Another perk of using shrubs as a drink ingredient is that you don’t need to use citrus. While you definitely can use a fresh lime (like I did), you don’t need to. After all, shrubs were originally used as a substitute for fresh citrus back in the colonial days.

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

I lied earlier when I said I was excited about this recipe for two reasons. I actually have a third. As of yesterday, those of you living in the grand state of Texas can find Other Mother Vinegar at H-E-B!!! *cue the Hallelujah chorus & start thanking Jesus for the gift that is H-E-B* Over 85 locations are stocking their shelves with OMV shrub shots– check your Healthy Living Department to see if you’re one of the lucky several.

Oh… you don’t live in Texas? That sucks- for many reasons- but thankfully you can order Other Mother Vinegar online.

Do you love Moscow Mules? Let me know what your favorite Moscow Mule variation is down below and, as always, tag me if you make this one! (@girlandtonic_).

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It's easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Ingredients for a Mother Mule

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka (leave out for mocktail version)
  • 1/2 oz ginger honey shrub (check out OMV’s sample size here)
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 4+ oz ginger beer (Bundaberg is my favorite!)

How to Make a Mother Mule (a Moscow Mule Variation)

Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass. Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug. Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine. Garnish with an extra lime wedge.

Mother Mule

A spicy and healthy Moscow Mule variation made with a ginger honey vinegar shrub.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka (omit for mocktail)
  • ½ oz ginger honey shrub*
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 4+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass.
  • Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug.
  • Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine.
  • Garnish with an extra lime wedge.

Notes

*You can buy a sample size of Other Mother Vinegar’s ginger honey shrub here.
Keyword ginger beer, ginger honey shrub, lime, lime juice, shrub, vodka
vodka

Summer Sipper | A Fresh Green Tea Cocktail with Cucumber-Infused Vodka

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The Summer Sipper is a green tea cocktail with cucumber-infused vodka, mint, lemon, and tonic water. It's bright, refreshing, and not too tart or too sweet-- perfect for warm afternoons.

This Summer Sipper is the perfect cocktail to cap off the summer. It’s got all the refreshing flavors of the season: mint, citrus, cucumber, and iced green tea.

So many people out in this God-blessed country are celebrating FALL and even HALLOWEEN already. My season-honoring, calendar-following heart just can’t take it. The Autumn Equinox is September 21st. That’s three weeks away. I just can’t do it. Despite the fact that #summer2020 has been the longest summer in existence, I wanna relish these next few weeks.

Plus here in Texas, summer weather lasts well into October November sometimes. It’s hard to get in the cozy recipe mood when going to check my mail gives me immediate face sweat.

I was talking with some friends this morning about how crazy the weather can be here in Texas. Sometimes it’s freezing cold and snowing in April and sometimes wait… What am I doing? Have I devolved into talking about the WEATHER on a cocktail blog? Slap me the next time I do that.

I still have soo many summer-y cocktails I want to post though before the season ends so I need to get a move on. But I’m currently limiting myself to 2 recipe posts per week because running a blog is a lot of work. Creating the recipes, testing them, photographing the drink, writing the blog post, promoting it on social media is a lot of work. I don’t know if people realize it, but it is a lot of work. Have I mentioned how much work it is? Okay, I’ll stop. It is though. Fun work that I enjoy doing but it does prevent me from feeling like I can explore evverryyy cocktail idea that enters my mind.

Today though I’m bringing you a cocktail idea that entered into my Insta friend Casey’s mind. You can see Casey’s original Instagram post here. It really is the perfect way to cap off the end of summer. This is actually the second cocktail of Casey’s that I’ve made. I also mixed up her Mezcal in Maui and loved it! Several of you really enjoyed it, too. If you’re into smoky drinks and tropical vibes, I highly recommend it.

I actually made this drink at my friend’s house, as you may notice from the different setup. Our toddlers are becoming little friends & it’s adorable. We both also really enjoy a good cocktail. She suggested we enjoy “a good summer’s last hurrah cocktail” and the Summer Sipper is definitely that.

We ended up tweaking the recipe a bit (Casey’s calls for club soda but we used tonic water) and we also ran out of room for the rest of the green tea so we adjusted the amount. It turned out soo well! Perfectly bright and refreshing. Not too tart either, despite the fact that there is no sweetener in the drink. I think the earthiness of the green tea really grounded the whole drink. Well done, Casey! Thanks for sharing your cocktail with the Instagram and now blog world!

One interesting note. The recipe also calls for cucumber-infused vodka, which we made. But my friend also bought some *real* cucumber vodka so we could do a side-by-side comparison. Y’all. We both preferred the homemade cucumber-infused vodka! It tasted fresher and smoother— can you believe it? I’d say they both had the same level of cucumberiness (made that up). And while the Effen bottle is absolutely gorgeous, you can’t beat a cheapo bottle of Smirnoff.

The Summer Sipper is a green tea cocktail with cucumber-infused vodka, mint, lemon, and tonic water. It's bright, refreshing, and not too tart or too sweet-- perfect for warm afternoons.

In addition to the fact that the homemade cucumber-infused vodka was smooth as silk, using it in the Summer Sipper recipe made it taste like gin. Which I luurrve so wins all around.

If you want to invest in a bottle of cucumber vodka, go for it. Just know that homemade tastes equally as good (if not better) and is cheaper.

Here’s the recipe:

Homemade Cucumber-Infused Vodka

  • 1 bottle of cheap vodka (750mL)
  • 1 large cucumber

Peel the cucumber. If the cucumber is especially seed-y, try removing a lot of them. The seeds and the peel can add bitterness to the vodka that you might not want. Chop the cucumber into smaller pieces. The more surface area of cucumber that comes into contact with the vodka, the faster it’ll infuse.

Add the vodka and chopped cucumber to a large bottle or huge lidded Tupperware container. (You can also divide it into smaller containers or halve the recipe if you want.)

Allow the vodka to steep 24-48 hours. We actually enjoyed ours at 22 hours and it was great.

Strain the cucumber pieces out and pour the vodka back into its original bottle so that you know it’ll have a tight seal. No need to refrigerate and it will keep for several, several months.

Alright, now we can get to the Summer Sipper recipe. If you make this one, be sure to tag both me (@girlandtonic_) and Casey (@citygalcocktails) on Instagram!

If you like the idea of a green tea cocktail, you can check out my Matcha Simple Syrup– it’s the easiest way to add the lovely earthiness of green tea to any cocktail.

The Summer Sipper is a green tea cocktail with cucumber-infused vodka, mint, lemon, and tonic water. It's bright, refreshing, and not too tart or too sweet-- perfect for warm afternoons.

Ingredients for a Summer Sipper

  • 1 1/2 oz cucumber-infused vodka
  • 2 oz cold green tea, unsweetened
  • 1/2 oz freshly-squeezed lemon juice
  • 10 mint leaves
  • tonic water (or club soda)
  • cucumber slice, to garnish

How to Make a Summer Sipper – A Green Tea Cocktail with Cucumber-Infused Vodka

Add the mint leaves and the cucumber-infused vodka to a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle the leaves; don’t smash them to smithereens or they’ll turn bitter. Add ice, green tea, and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with tonic water. Garnish with a cucumber slice and additional mint.

Summer Sipper – A Green Tea Cocktail with Cucumber-Infused Vodka

The Summer Sipper is the perfect drink for warm afternoons. It's bright, refreshing, and not too tart or too sweet.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz cucumber-infused vodka*
  • 2 oz cold green tea, unsweetened
  • ½ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 10 mint leaves
  • 1+ oz tonic**

Instructions
 

  • Add the mint leaves and the cucumber-infused vodka to a cocktail shaker.
  • Gently muddle the leaves with a muddler or a wooden spoon.
  • Add ice, green tea, and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top off the rest of the glass with tonic water.
  • Garnish with a cucumber slice and additional mint.

Notes

*To learn how to make your own cucumber-infused vodka, check out the step-by-step process written in the body of this post.
**Casey’s original recipe calls for club soda, but tonic also works well.
Keyword club soda, cucumber, cucumber-infused vodka, green tea, lemon, lemon juice, mint, tonic, vodka