The freezer cocktail trend is taking off and it’s easy to see why – all you need is your favourite spirit and a few other ingredients and you can make a cocktail in a bottle
We’ve had the best introduction to the summer months, thanks to the scorching heatwave currently taking over the UK. But what goes better with sun? A good cocktail.
I’m sure we’ve all done our usual June ice haul, grabbing as many bags as possible or making trays of our own for our summer beverages, but there’s one way you can elevate your cocktail to make it the most refreshing, ice-cold drink you’ve had this season. Say hello to the frozen cocktail.
You might have had one of these on your last beach holiday and luckily, they’re super easy to make from the comfort of your own home. According to Freezer Cocktails: 75 cocktails that are ready when you are, a book by J. M. Hirsch, a freezer cocktail works by taking “a full bottle of the primary liquor for your favourite cocktail and pour off just enough to leave room to add the other ingredients needed for it.”
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“Cap the bottle, give it a good shake, then store it in the freezer. Ready for a drink? Just pour,” pens author J. M. “Sure, it’s not that difficult to make a cocktail the old-fashioned way: Measure out a few shots of liquor, toss in some bitters and ice, give it all a shake or stir, then strain it into a glass.
“But there are any number of reasons to keep batched bottles of your favourite cocktails on hand,” Hirsch proposes. “Entertaining is among the most compelling. So is ease. Surely, I’m not alone in having plenty of nights when even a little effort feels like too much.”
To get you ahead of the game, he mentions there’s a “bit of science involved”. The key is ensuring the contents of the bottle don’t actually freeze. “I’ve done the trial and error for you – sorting out which ingredients can freeze and which can’t; scaling up classic recipes so they still taste balanced.
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“Accounting for the dilution you’d normally get when shaking and stirring with ice, determining the best way to serve each, and offering single-serve cocktail ideas for using up the extra liquor you pour off.”
Fancy a tipple? Grab your spirit of choice and concoct a tasty freezer cocktail by following one of the recipes below.
Aviation
Starting with a full bottle? Pour off 330ml to make 5 to 7 cocktails.
Ingredients:
- 420ml gin
- 105ml Bénédictine
- 60ml water
- 53ml maraschino liqueur
- 53ml Lillet Blanc
- 2ml Angostura bitters
- Ice cubes, to serve
- Lemon zest strips, to serve
Method: In a 75cl bottle, mix the gin, Bénédictine, water, maraschino liqueur, Lillet Blanc and bitters. Securely cap the bottle, then give it a good shake. Pop it in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve, pour into a rocks glass with one large or two standard ice cubes. Run a strip of lemon zest around the rim of the glass, then pop it into the drink.
Bitter Blood Orange Martini
Starting with a full bottle? Pour off 300ml to make 5 to 7 cocktails.
Ingredients:
- 450ml vodka
- Zest strips from 1 large orange
- 158ml Campari
- 90ml water
- 53ml Licor 43
- 30ml agave or simple syrup
- Crushed ice, to serve
Method: In a blender, combine the vodka and orange zest. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Let sit for three minutes. Strain the vodka through a muslin-lined mesh sieve into a 75cl bottle.
Add the Campari, water, Licor 43 and syrup. Cap the bottle securely, then give it a good shake. Store in the freezer. To serve, pour into a cocktail glass filled halfway with crushed ice.
Coconut-Lime Daiquiri Colada
Starting with a full bottle? Decant 120ml – that’ll set you up for 5 to 7 cocktails.
Ingredients:
- 630ml white rum
- Zest strips from 2 limes
- 60ml coconut oil, melted
- 60ml water
- 60ml agave or simple syrup
- Crushed ice, for serving
Method: Whizz the rum and lime zest together in a blender. Blitz until finely chopped but not turned to puree. Leave to infuse for three minutes. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve into a jug capable of holding at least 2 pints or 1 litre. Chuck the zest away.
Whisk the liquid coconut oil into the zesty rum. Let it meld for 5 minutes at room temp, stirring frequently. Tuck it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Give it another strain through a muslin-bordered sieve into a standard 75cl bottle; toss the leftover bits.
Splash in the water and your choice of syrup. Screw on the lid tightly and shake to your heart’s content. Store it in the freezer. When it’s time to get the party started, serve up in a coupe glass with a generous scoop of crushed ice.