The Lemon Drop and the Irish Coffee
(This post is part of a series that I’m using to help write my next book, the new edition of 100 Classic Cocktails, and provide inspiration for home bartenders in these times of social distancing. Some of the recipes are ones I’m trying to workshop, and I’m asking my readers to test the recipes at home if able and send me their thoughts on the questions I have. Others are ones I think I’ve nailed that can be easily made with common household ingredients, and I’m sharing them to help my readers keep their spirits up while spending a lot more time at home than usual. I’ll always specify which is which. For more background on all of this, including the book, you can check out the first post in the series here. All posts will be tagged “(100) Classic Cocktails”.)
EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that neither of these Lemon Drops is, in fact, a Lemon Drop, because a Lemon Drop also includes an orange liqueur. How I went all these years without knowing that, I have no idea. In the interest of spreading clarity rather than misinformation, I’m leaving the original post up as it was and adding this disclaimer - note that the proper name for the drinks described herein is, in fact, the Vodka Sour.
I have very little to say about the Lemon Drop. Uncharacteristic of me, I realize. The drink has no particularly interesting history I’m aware of; it’s simply vodka with sugar and lemon juice, and was in all probability invented independently by dozens of people who chanced to have those three things on hand. It’s often served as a shot or falsely called a ‘Martini’, and probably sometimes both.
Not much else to say. It’s not like it doesn’t taste good - it’s basically lemonade with vodka, in a single-serve format - but my usual sources for recipe…research, haven’t spent a lot of time on this one.
Fortunately, sours tend to follow one of a few standard patterns, and I’ve narrowed our Lemon Drop down to two:
Lemon Drop
1 1/2 oz. Vodka OR 2 oz. Vodka
1 oz. 1:1 Simple Syrup
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Never call this drink a Martini.
Both versions are much improved by a dash of orange bitters, but this is well outside the tradition of the drink and won’t be included in the book.
Today’s Question for Tasters: Having tried either or both of these, what did you think? Was one too weak? Too strong? Too harsh? Not balanced enough? And if you tried both, which did you prefer?
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Our quarantine cocktail today is the Irish Coffee, the recipe for which I am ‘researching’ word-for-word from the Dead Rabbit’s second iteration as documented in Punch.
Irish Coffee
1 1/4 oz. Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz. 2:1 Demerara Simple Syrup
3 1/2 oz. Freshly Brewed Coffee
1 oz. Heavy Cream
Combine whiskey, simple syrup, and coffee in a mug (or, ideally, a 6 oz. heat-safe glass with a handle or stem) and stir. Briefly whisk the cream in a bowl until the bubbles dissipate and its texture is thicker. Float the cream on top of the drink - it should form a layer, not plop in (the latter is aesthetically displeasing, but the drink is delicious either way).
If you don’t have 2:1 Demerara simple syrup, you can substitute 1/2 oz. of 2:1 regular simple syrup, or use 3/4 oz. of 1:1 simple syrup and get to more or less the right level of sweetness. You can also experiment with light cream, whipping cream, half and half, and so on if those are more available to you. The coffee does kind of have to be coffee, and the whiskey Irish. Either way, the drink is a good pick-me-up, and this easy-to-make-at-home version is stolen from the best.