“What’s a freezer cocktail? It works like this: Take 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,” suggests an excerpt from Freezer Cocktails: 75 cocktails that are ready when you are.
“Cap the bottle, give it a good shake, then store it in the freezer. Ready for a drink? Just pour,” writes the author J. M. Hirsch, editorial director of Christopher Kimball’s cooking school, Milk Street, in Boston, USA.
“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,” suggests Hirsch. “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 put you on the front foot, he says there is a “bit of science involved”.
Essentially, you need to make sure the ingredients in 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.
“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.”
Ready to whet your whistle? Grab your favourite spirit and get ready to build your cocktail in a bottle…
Gin – Aviation
“The classic Aviation is a floral mix of gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and a whole lot of lemon juice.
“I’ve never been a fan of the original because the lemon and crème de violette overwhelm the other ingredients,” highlights Hirsch.
“My version tames the unruly elements by using lemon zest instead of juice – you keep the bright citrus notes without adding all that acid, and you put it directly in the glass, so there’s no worry about the juice freezing.
“And ditches the perfume-like crème de violette for a lightly sweet, gently spicy blend of Lillet Blanc and Bénédictine. A far more sophisticated way to fly.”
Starting with a full bottle? Pour off 330ml – makes 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, combine the gin, Bénédictine, water, maraschino liqueur, Lillet Blanc and bitters. Cap the bottle securely, then shake well to mix. Store in the freezer. To serve, pour into a rocks glass with 1 large or 2 standard ice cubes. Rub a lemon zest strip around the rim of the glass, then add to the drink.
Vodka – Bitter Blood Martini
“The combination of orange-infused vodka and bittersweet Campari creates a simple and stunning cocktail,” suggests Hirsch.
“If you prefer less bitterness, substitute Aperol for the Campari. I also add a bit of vanilla-spiced Licor 43 because the sweetness tames the vodka and Campari and delivers smooth, creamy notes.”
(
Starting with a full bottle? Pour off 300ml – makes 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 3 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 shake well to mix. Store in the freezer. To serve, pour into a cocktail glass filled halfway with crushed ice.
Rum – Coconut-Lime Daiquiri Colada
“This snappy little number straddles the line between a Lime Daiquiri and a Piña Colada,” writes Hirsch. “We start by speed infusing white rum with lime zest, producing a liquor that is bright and citrusy without being overwhelmingly acidic.
“Next, the infused rum is fat-washed with coconut oil, which adds a pronounced but not heavy richness that is the perfect complement to the sweet rum and tangy lime. You will need two squares of muslin.”
(
Starting with a full bottle? Pour off 120ml – makes 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, to serve.
Method: In a blender, combine the rum and lime zest. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Let sit for 3 minutes. Strain the rum through a muslin-lined mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup with at least a 4-cup (2-pint or 1-litre) capacity. Discard the zest.
Stir the melted coconut oil into the rum. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, stirring often. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Strain again through a muslin-lined mesh sieve into a 75cl bottle; discard the solids. Add the water and syrup. Cap the bottle securely, then shake well to mix. Store in the freezer. To serve, pour into a coupe filled halfway with crushed ice.
Extracted from Freezer Cocktails: 75 cocktails that are ready when you are by J. M. Hirsch, is published by Hamlyn, priced £14.99. Illustrations by Lika Kvirikashvili. Photography by Thor’s Eye Photography. Available now.