Let the whole world know that today, is a day of reckoning! It’s Independence Day! Thank you, Martina. After failing seven times in the last week to get Blue Curacao to float on top of sweetened vodka (unwilling to use lemonade as all the online recipes suggest), I have come up with a new recipe for a Red, White and Blue cocktail. It is unlike anything I can find online, and highlights the taste of each layer as well as a beautiful layered appearance. This is definitely a more grown-up cocktail then a lot of those I found – be careful, this one packs a punch!
Layering is an exercise in patience – make sure to pour really slowly, and practice makes perfect! You can play with layering at home using the principles of density and specific gravity – higher sugar content sinks and higher alcohol content floats. Here is a great site that lists the specific gravity of different alcohols, though adding sugar to your layers for better taste will affect this as well: https://www.thespruceeats.com/layering-drinks-and-shots-gravity-chart-760326
I couldn’t find my refractometer but that would have made things a lot easier in my research!
Gather your ingredients: Bourbon (as American as they come! I used Wild Turkey Rare Breed), Vodka (I used Weldon Mills from North Carolina), Blue Curacao (De Kuyper), Absinthe, simple syrup, grenadine (I admit to using bottled Rose’s for the bright red color), Peychaud’s bitters, juice of ~1/3 lemon. Accessories: cocktail shaker, two highball glasses (one for mixing, one for serving), citrus squeezer, jigger, bar spoon, measuring spoon. Garnish: American flag (you can get a hundred on Amazon for less than 8 bucks), cherry (make sure to rinse off any syrup so it doesn’t contaminate your layers!)
Red, White and Blue Bourbon and Vodka Cocktail
Bottom layer (blue):
1/2 oz blue curacao liqueur
1 tsp simple sugar syrup
Splash of lemon juice
Second layer (white):
1 oz vodka
1 tsp simple sugar syrup
~Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
Top layer (red):
1 oz bourbon
Absinthe rinse
1/2 tsp grenadine
4-5 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
Garnish: American flag, cherry
Pour a splash of absinthe into a mixing glass to coat the bottom, then dump any excess. Add bourbon, grenadine, and bitters into the glass and stir. Place aside.
Pour the blue curacao, 1 tsp simple syrup, and splash of lemon juice into an empty rocks glass and stir. Carefully add ice to fill about 1/3 to 1/2 way up glass. Place vodka, 1 tsp simple syrup, and juice of 1/4 lemon into a cocktail shaker 1/2 full of ice. Shake for 15-20 seconds. Pour slowly over the back of a spoon into glass.
Add additional ice if needed for third layer. Using a long bar spoon, slowly pour the red mixture along the bar spoon handle to slowly float the red layer on top. Add garnish and serve.
You should be able to enjoy the three layers separately without mixing if you are careful handling it. Mixing the ingredients creates a muddy dark purple drink which is not appetizing and I do not recommend it. The flavors also fall apart this way.
Enjoy the festivities of the fourth and remember to drink responsibly! 🙂
Birds, Books and Bourbon 