vodka Archives | FactoryTwoFour

Drinking in the Feeling of Summer with the Volstead

Nick True — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:55:58 +0000

Vodka is used the base of innumerable alcoholic drinks; everything from horrid shooters to some of the classiest and best cocktails around. This week I decided to focus on one of the best warm weather vodka cocktails there is; the Volstead. The Volstead is not a historic classic cocktail but rather a recent creation by modern mixologists that brings the best parts of summer and drinking into one elegant drinking experience.

To make the Volstead you will need:

¾ oz simple syrup
¾ oz vodka
¾ oz Elderflower Liqueur
¾ oz lemon juice
5 strawberries

As you chill the cocktail glass start by muddling 4 of the fresh strawberries in the bottom of your stainless steel shaker, be sure to cut the strawberries in half first and muddle completely. Follow up by the rest your ingredients; I find that for the Elderflower Liqueur St. Germain is the best but Bols is great alternative, for the Vodka use whatever is your favorite. Fill the rest of the shaker with ice and shake extremely well, shaking is better than stirring because it mixes the muddled strawberries much better. Strain in to your chilled cocktail glass and you have yourself the best and most refreshing vodka drink for summer there is.

The Volstead is perfectly refreshing with only a hint of sweetness provided by the simple syrup that creates the perfect stage for the fresh strawberry notes to dance on. The Elderflower Liqueur is uniquely its own adding fresh floral notes that remind me of the fields of wildflowers found in the mountains near my home. Be sure to experience summer to its fullest with a Volstead in hand.

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The Snow Bunny: A Classic Vodka Winter Cocktail

Will Blade — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 17:29:21 +0000

Usually when the winter is upon us most of my articles are on seasonal beers or dark liquor based cocktails, but when I got a bottle of Pinnacle Vodka I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and looked for great ways to experience Vodka in wintertime with warming and substantive cocktails. Enter the Snow Bunny; when you get past its idiotic name you are left with a superb winter cocktail that warms your bones on even the coldest nights, a true wintertime superstar.

Every craft cocktail is only as good as the quality of the liquor at the center, and Pinnacle Vodka fits the bill perfectly for this boozy winter centerpiece. On its own Pinnacle is a great Vodka due to its moderate price and extremely high quality, but as the base of the Snow Bunny it is transcendent. To make the Snow Bunny take 2 oz Vodka, 1 oz Coffee Liqueur, ½ oz Creme de Cacao, 2 oz half and half and mix in an ice-filled shaker. Strain into an ice filled glass and you have an exemplary winter cocktail. For a greater effect and a more attractive-looking drink, why not learn how to make your own clear ice? If you want to impress friends, or that special someone, then clear ice can help you do that. The smooth and inviting Pinnacle vodka core is spiced up and made much more substantive by the Coffee Liqueur, giving the cocktail a more complete and deep flavor profile. On the back end the Creme de Cacao adds a bit of accessible silkiness and sweetness that accents the other flavors perfectly as the half and half blends all the flavors together with a hardy creaminess.

The Snow Bunny with Pinnacle Vodka is the perfect cold weather cocktail that should get you and a loved one through any bone-chilling and snow covered night.

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The perfect time for a Harvey Wallbanger

Richard Melick — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 19:20:39 +0000

It’s hot outside. I don’t really need to tell you this though as we are all experiencing it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Here in Colorado, we have had mid 90 degree temperatures all week, and that lead me to thinking I needed to put down the darker liquors and find a cocktail perfect for a refreshing afternoon on the patio. And while it is national mojito day, I felt it was time for something different than a rum based drink. So after heading out to grab some Crystal Head Vodka and Galliano liqueur, I decided to perfect my Harvey Wallbanger recipe, a drink invented in the 1950’s and at one time gave the Bloody Mary a run for its money at brunch. The mixture of citrus and sweet notes, highlighting the crispness of the vodka, was exactly what I have been in the mood for on the patio. While you could give some of the other vodkas a try, I actually enjoyed Crystal Head the most, which says a lot as the clear liquor and I have a very storied, difficult history from my college days. It really does have a clean finish that I feel is necessary for this drink to work well. Plus, it becomes a piece of art on the shelf next to all the standard bottles. So give it a shot, tell me what you think, and enjoy those hot days with me.

Ingredients

2 ounces Crystal Head Vodka
4 ounces orange juice
1/2 ounce Galliano
1 orange slice for garnish
1 Collins glass

In a mixer milled with ice cubes, combine the vodka and orange juice and shake for about 15 seconds. Pour through a strainer into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Gently float the Galliano on top and garnish with orange slice. Sit back, enjoy, and take in the summer warmth.

Now, if this all seems a bit bland to you, then you might enjoy the Peppered Harvey Wallbanger, which brings a kick of peppercorn into the drink. In this case, we recommend making your own peppered vodka (Alton Brown’s recipe is best) and splitting the vodka into 1 ounce clear vodka, 1 ounce peppered vodka. You could pick up pre-made, but we think the homemade peppered vodka would look perfect in the Crystal Head bottle and you also have the pride in knowing you made that flavor profile.

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Quick Fix: Dirty Sriracha Bloody Mary

Richard Melick — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 18:14:17 +0000

Some days, a little kick is needed to get the day going. We discovered this recipe recently, and it has become our go-to for the perfect brunch wake-up. It might take a little prep the night before, but we promise it’s worth it in the end. Simple and to the point, we want you to enjoy this.

2 ounces horseradish infused vodka
4 ounces tomato juice
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce olive juice
1/4 teaspoon horseradish
2 pinches celery salt
3 dashes sriracha sauce
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

To infuse vodka with horseradish, add 1/4 teaspoon per 2 ounces of vodka to a jar overnight. Rim glass with celery salt. To prepare the drink, mix all liquid ingredients in a tall glass with ice, stirring quickly. Garnish with a lime if needed.

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