Chill out with this uncomplicated Grateful Dead Drink recipe! This strong yet refreshing cocktail is perfect for welcoming the spring season, combining vodka, Gin, light rum, Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, raspberry liqueur and a dash of soda water.
Prep time: 1 minute minute
Mixing time: 1 minute minute
- ½ oz Vodka
- ½ oz Gin
- ½ oz Light Rum
- ½ oz Tequila
- ½ oz Triple Sec
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ¾ oz raspberry liqueur
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 2 oz soda water - to top up
- Ice cubes
- Lime wedge & fresh raspberries - for garnish, optional
Highball or Sling Glass
Measuring Jigger
Stirrer or Bar Spoon
Shaker
Cocktail Strainer
Prep Glass: Fill a Highball or Sling glass with ice. Give it a quick stir to chill it and set it aside.
Add Sugar & Lime Juice: Pour 1 oz fresh lime juice and ½ oz simple syrup into the shaker.
Add Liqueurs: Add ½ oz Triple Sec and ¾ oz raspberry liqueur.
Add Spirits: Finally, measure and pour ½ oz Vodka, ½ oz Gin, ½ oz Tequila and ½ oz Light Rum.
Shake Well: Fill the shaker with ice, close it, and give it a good shake (10-15 seconds).
Strain: Remove the ice in the Hurricane or Sling glass and refill it with fresh, new ice cubes. Then, use the cocktail strainer to strain the drink into the ice-filled glass.
Top-up with Soda Water: Top-up with approx. 2 oz soda water (adjust to taste and to the size of the glass). Stir gently to combine.
Garnish: Garnish with a lime wedge and fresh raspberries (you can use a cocktail skewer to hold them together). Serve immediately.
Substitutes:
- Vodka: If you're out of vodka, use more white rum for a tropical twist.
- Gin: No gin? Try using extra vodka (or light rum, depending on your taste)
- Light Rum: Dark or spiced rum can be used as a substitute for light rum if you prefer a more robust flavor.
- Tequila: If you do not like Tequila's distinct taste, you can replace it with more vodka, rum, or gin.
- Triple Sec: Any kind of orange liqueur can be used to prepare this cocktail (you can use any brand of triple sec or curaçao).
- Simple Syrup: If you don't have any simple syrup, you can easily make some at home by mixing together equal parts of sugar (any kind you like) and hot water. Stir well to dissolve and let it cool down before using it. In the refrigerator, this homemade simple syrup will last for about a month.
- Fresh Lime Juice: You can use bottled lime juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be less bright and fresh. Another option is to use fresh lemon juice for a slightly different citrus kick.
- Raspberry Liqueur: Chambord is our go-to, but any raspberry-flavored liqueur will do. A raspberry syrup or grenadine can work in a pinch if you can't find any.
- Soda Water: For a sweeter and fruitier drink, you can use lemonade or lemon soda as a substitute for soda water. Ginger ale also works great in this drink.
Making a Pitcher of Grateful Dead Drink:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 4 oz of each spirit (vodka, gin, light rum, tequila), 4 oz of triple sec, 4 oz of simple syrup, 6 oz of raspberry liqueur, 8 oz of freshly squeezed lime juice and roughly 16 oz of soda water.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine all of the ingredients except the soda water. Add ice and stir well.
- Serve: Strain to remove the ice, serve immediately into ice-filled highball or sling glasses. Top up each glass with soda water (approx. 2 oz per drink) and garnish each glass with a lime wedge and/or fresh raspberries. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container.
Making it Vegan:
The Grateful Dead cocktail is naturally vegan as it doesn't contain any animal products. However, some brands may use animal products in their production process, especially if a filtration process is involved. If you have a doubt, always check the brand's website or contact them directly to ensure their products are vegan.