New York Sour Cocktail Recipe Inspired by Bad Santa

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For a festive cocktail with a unique twist, our Bad Santa-inspired New York sour is the perfect drink to spice up your holiday get-togethers. This appealing and unusual drink puts a twist on the classic New York Sour by drawing inspiration from the irreverent 2003 comedy “Bad Santa” and its title character played by Billy Bob Thornton.

In this early hit, Thornton plays a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking con man who poses as a mall Santa in order to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But like all feel-good movies, our hero unexpectedly forms a bond with a troubled child, leading him to abandon his cunning ways and discover personal growth and redemption.

Well, redemption aside, we took inspiration from Thornton’s unconventional character study: for one famous scene in particular, he reportedly started his day with three glasses of red wine, then continued with vodka with cranberries and finished with some Bud Lights. Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant’s Table has reinvented this ungodly combination—sans beer—into a fancier cocktail that everyone would be happy to drink at Christmas. The result is a visually striking layered cocktail that captures the spirit of the film while elevating it to cocktail bar standards.

Read more: The 40 Absolute Best Cocktails With Just 2 Ingredients

Gather the Ingredients for That Bad Santa Cocktail

To create this festive cocktail, you will first need to make a sweet and sour lemon syrup. To do this, gather sugar, water and a fresh lemon for its zest and juice. You can also use a store-bought premium lemon syrup to save time. The cocktail itself calls for vodka as the base alcohol, supplemented with white cranberry juice for a tart twist that keeps the color light. You’ll also need red wine for the signature float, creating a layered ombre look. Don’t forget to pick up some fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs for garnish, as they add a festive touch to the presentation. Finally, make sure you have enough ice to properly chill the drink.

Step 1: Combine Syrup Ingredients

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, lemon zest and juice.

Step 2: bring to a boil

Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool.

Step 3: Mix the ingredients in a shaker

In a cocktail shaker, add 3 ounces each of lemon syrup, vodka, and white cranberry juice.

Step 4: Stir the Cocktail

Stir.

Step 5: Add Ice to Glasses

Fill each glass with ice.

Step 6: Pour Vodka Mixture Over Ice

Pour the vodka mixture over the ice in each glass.

Step 7: Float the Red Wine

Slowly pour the red wine over the back of a spoon into each glass to create a layered effect.

Step 8: Garnish the Cocktail

Add fresh cranberries on a cocktail stick and a sprig of rosemary for a festive touch.

Step 9: Serve the Cocktail

Serve immediately.

New York Sour Cocktail Recipe Inspired by Bad Santa

What type of vodka and red wine goes best with this cocktail?

The choice of vodka and red wine you use in this recipe makes a big difference in this Bad Santa-inspired New York Sour. For vodka, a mild, high-quality brand works best because it provides a clean base for the other flavors. Standard unflavored vodka is a good choice, and of course Martha has a thing or two to teach us about choosing premium spirits. But you can also play around with the cocktail by using lemon vodka or even homemade cranberry-infused vodka. Although it will change the color of the drink, cranberry-infused vodka will intensify the cranberry notes, creating a more robust berry flavor throughout the drink. Lemon vodka, on the other hand, will bring out the citrus notes in the lemon syrup, resulting in a brighter, more refreshing cocktail.

For the red wine float, a light to medium-bodied red with good acidity works well. Pinot noir is a great choice because of its lighter body and fruity notes that complement the cranberry juice. Other great options include Gamay or a light Grenache. These wines will not overpower the other ingredients but will still provide the necessary color and flavor contrast. Avoid heavy, tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec, as they can overpower the drink’s flavor profile.

What changes can you make to this bad Santa cocktail?

This Bad Santa-inspired New York Sour offers plenty of opportunities for creative variations. A simple change is to experiment with different types of vodka. While standard vodka works well, flavored options like vanilla or citrus vodka can add depth to the cocktail. You can also replace the vodka entirely with gin for a more herbaceous profile, or the whiskey with something more in line with the original New York Sour.

The cranberry component can also be modified. Instead of white cranberry juice, try using regular cranberry juice for a darker color and more intense flavor. Alternatively, a good cranberry syrup will give the drink a more concentrated taste, or you can try natural unsweetened cranberry juice, but you will need to add more lemon syrup with the latter.

For a unique twist on the wine float, try using a sparkling red wine or even a rosé for a lighter touch. Finally, consider playing with ingredient proportions to find your perfect balance of sweet, sour, and hot. You may prefer a boozier version with more vodka or a fruitier version with extra cranberry juice. The most fun is playing, so don’t hold back!

Read the original article on the tasting table.