Audrey Saunders was one of the most resolute gin advocates of the cocktail revival, putting the botanical spirit in countless original cocktails served at her pioneering Pegu Club, many of which went on to become modern classics, like the Gin-Gin Mule and the French Pearl. But in 2015, 10 years after opening, Saunders debuted the vodka-based Grapefruit Cooler, a combination of grapefruit-flavored vodka, grapefruit syrup, lemon, mint, honey and two types of bitters, signaling a shift in vodka’s standing among the cocktail cognoscenti.
Grapefruit Cooler
Audrey Saunders | New York City
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces grapefruit-flavored vodka, preferably Belvedere
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce honey syrup (1:1, honey:hot water)
- 1/2 ounce ounce grapefruit syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters
- 1 sprig mint
Garnish: grapefruit twist
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and briefly muddle the mint.
- Add ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Editor's Note
Grapefruit Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Peel of 1 small grapefruit
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool. Pour into a sealable container, add the grapefruit peels, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the grapefruit peels. The syrup will keep refrigerated for 1 week.