Black Russian
50 ml Vodka, 20 ml Coffee liqueur
Photo: Lemon Drop Martini by The Dana Files from Plover, WI, United States · CC BY 2.0 · All credits
Ingredients
Measures below are multiplied for 6 drinks. Unmeasurable amounts such as “a splash” are left as written.
- 300 ml Measuring jug A measuring jug: pour to the 300 ml line. Vodka
- 150 ml Jigger Three large sides (3 x 50 ml) of a standard jigger. Lemon juice
- 90 ml Jigger One large side (50 ml) and one small side (25 ml) of a standard jigger, plus a tablespoon. Simple syrup
- 60 ml Jigger One large side (50 ml) of a standard jigger, plus two teaspoons. Triple sec (optional)
- 30 ml Jigger One small side (25 ml) of a standard jigger, plus a teaspoon. Sugar - For the rim (optional)
- 6 twists Lemon twist (optional)
Measured in Millilitres (UK). Sign in to read these in American measures. Print a kitchen card at this size.
What the jigger, the spoons and the jug hold, in millilitres and in fluid ounces, is on the measures reference.
Quick version
- Shake the liquids with ice and strain into a sugared glass.
Method
Pitcher (6 drinks)Pitcher (6 drinks) - about 630 ml of measured ingredients, before ice and dilution.
Timings and per-glass steps below are written for one drink and are not scaled. A full jug takes longer to chill, so stir or shake until it is properly cold rather than by the clock, and pour over fresh ice one glass at a time.
- Rub the rim of a chilled glass with lemon and dip it in sugar.
- Shake the vodka, lemon juice, syrup and triple sec with ice for 12 seconds.
- Double strain into the prepared glass.
- Add a twist of lemon and drink it while it is still very cold.
Serve it
Volumes in this story are multiplied for the size above, along with the ingredients. Years, ratios and the capacities of glasses and jugs are left as written.
Lemon Drop
The Lemon Drop was invented in San Francisco in the 1970s, and for a long time it existed mainly as a shot with a sugar-coated lemon wedge on the side, which is a fine way to start an evening and a poor way to spend one. The drink version is much better than its reputation: sharp, clean and, made with fresh lemon, genuinely lovely.
Getting it right
Sugar on the rim is the whole point and also the whole risk - it makes the first sip sweet and the rest of the drink sour, but sugar loose on the outside of the glass is unpleasant, so wipe the rim and be tidy about it. Fresh lemon juice is not negotiable; the bottled sort tastes faintly of furniture polish and there is nothing here to cover it. Use a good vodka if you are using vodka at all, or swap it for gin and call it a Bee's Knees without the honey.
Tasting notes
Lemon sherbet, essentially, with a clean alcoholic warmth behind it and a sweet rim. It tastes like a very good school-night treat, which is not a criticism.
More Vodka cocktails
Bloody Mary
50 ml Vodka, 120 ml Tomato juice, 15 ml Lemon juice, 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes Tabasco, 1 pinch Celery salt, 1 pinch Black pepper, 1 Celery stick
Cosmopolitan
40 ml Vodka, 20 ml Triple sec, 30 ml Cranberry juice, 15 ml Lime juice, 1 Orange slice