Vodka Cranberry

A Vodka Cranberry is one of the most popular, no-fuss cocktails around, dating back to the 1940s. Two ingredients, endlessly drinkable and always a hit – easy to make, easy to love.

The name says it all, really.

Crisp, tart and always on point – the subtle sweetness of cranberry juice balances perfectly against the smooth finish of Absolut Vodka. It’s a drink you can make that tastes exactly like it should, every single time.

That said, the beauty of a Vodka Cranberry is how much the experience can vary. The vodka you choose – its origin, grain or potato base, distillation method – will subtly shift the flavor profile, as will the cranberry juice, which changes character brand to brand and even season to season.

Michael Bergström, Drinks Expert from Bartenders’ Choice Awards, explains:

Just like the Moscow Mule, this simple “just add” cocktail came to life and gained popularity through persistent marketing.

The combination of vodka and cranberry juice can be traced back to as early as the 1940s when the leading producer of cranberry juice marketed their product by mixing it with vodka and controversially named it “The Red Devil.”

However, the classic cocktail recipe didn’t gain traction until two decades later. It wasn’t until the late 1960s, during the rise of Vvdka, that the drink started to take off. Recognizing this trend, the juice producer made a second attempt with a new campaign and renamed the drink as the “Cape Codder”.

In the 1980s, a version of the Vodka Cranberry cocktail emerged in Sweden, using Absolut Kurant (black currant-flavored vodka). It became so popular that people began to believe the vodka itself should be red, even though it’s actually transparent. This misconception became so widespread, that customers started interrupting bartenders and specifically asking for the red vodka instead!

Two ingredients, but a few small things make a real difference. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way when mixing a Vodka Cranberry.

• Accentuate the lime
  Rico likes to drop a lime wedge directly into the glass, but give it a little squeeze first and you’ll add a bright citrus edge that cuts through the cranberry beautifully.
• Find the right ratio
  As Michael Bergström, Drinks Expert at Bartenders’ Choice Awards puts it: “the exact ratio can be adjusted to personal preference, but a 1:2 or 1:3-part ratio is always a good balance between vodka and juice.” Start there and adjust to taste.
• Use store-bought cranberry juice
  Cranberry is one of those rare exceptions to the fresh ingredient rule. Most cocktail recipes calling for cranberry juice mean cranberry juice mix – pre-mixed, store-bought and already sweetened.

  Cranberry is naturally tart, so that touch of sweetness is essential to balance the drink. As Rico puts it, “there are many bartenders who would say they started bartending 5 BC – before cranberry juice was released – because once it arrived, everyone was putting it in everything.”

The Vodka Cranberry is the foundation for any type of Breeze – a cocktail family that gained popularity during the 70s with the most known one calling for Vodka, Cranberry and Grapefruit juice.

As Michael offers, you can turn a Vodka Cranberry into a completely different drink by adding or swapping a few simple ingredients.

“Top up your Vodka Cranberry with a splash of soda water and you’ll have a Rose Kennedy cocktail. Swap grapefruit juice for pineapple juice and you’ll have yourself a Bay Breeze. Use orange juice instead of grapefruit to make it a Madras”.

Here’s a few more of our personal favorites:

• Sea Breeze
  The Sea Breeze is a classic and part of the Cape Cod family of drinks. Using sweetened cranberry juice, zesty, freshly pressed grapefruit juice, and Absolut Vodka, it can be served as a classic cocktail or as a punch, making it ideal for bigger gatherings and parties. Discover our Sea Breeze cocktail recipe.

• Gentle Sea Breeze
  This Sea Breeze mocktail combines equal parts of cranberry juice and grapefruit juice over ice. It delivers a sweet and tangy flavor profile, with the tartness of the cranberry juice complemented by the citrusy notes of the grapefruit juice. Here’s how to make a Gentle Sea Breeze.
• The Greyhound
  If you love the Sea Breeze but want even more grapefruit, this is your drink. Grab yourself bottle of Absolut Grapefruit and discover how to make a Greyhound cocktail.

• Easy Breeze

  Equal parts vodka and cranberry juice, garnished with an orange wedge. An easy to make summer essential.
  See how to make an Easy Breeze.
• Cranberry Vodka Spritzer
  Vodka, sparkling water (seltzer) and a splash of sweetened cranberry juice.

• Rocks glass, highball or wine glass
  “You can basically use any type of glass for this drink, but the most common would be to pour it over ice cubes in a highball glass or a shorter rocks-style glass. A wine glass that is less thick can also work nicely and be enjoyable to drink from on a hot summer day with lots of ice,” says Bergström.
  
  
• Lime is the citrus of choice
  A lime wedge is the most common garnish for a Vodka Cranberry. Even if any citrus would work, as Michael says, “The bright green color of the lime really gives it a beautiful contrast to the deep red of the drink.” So, we suggest sticking with the classic.