UV Blue Vodka is a sweet and berry-flavored liquor of 30% ABV produced by UV Vodka. Its best known for its use in bright blue cocktails or as an ingredient in layered shots. It's technically not vodka because it doesn't contain enough alcohol (would need at least 40% ABV) and doesn't taste like one.
Instead, UV Blue has a sweet mixed berry flavor with slight cough syrup notes. There's no alcohol burn and heat, as you would expect from a regular vodka.
That makes the so-called vodka more of a vodka-based liqueur. If you haven't tried it, read on to learn everything there's to know about UV Blue, what it's made of, and how to use it in cocktails, shots, and other drinks.
What is UV Blue Vodka?
In a nutshell, UV Blue Vodka is a bright blue-colored and vodka-based liqueur with an alcohol content of 30%. It gets its flavor from vine-ripened raspberries. -And despite its sweet taste, there's no additional sugar added. Like all flavored UV Vodka, UV Blue clocks in at 30% ABV and is hence considered a liqueur, not a distilled spirit.
As such, UV Blue works perfectly in refreshing low-ABV summer drinks, especially in combination with fresh fruits or a simple mixer like lemon-lime soda or lemonade.
The blue vodka is part of the UV Vodka lineup that includes one natural vodka (40% ABV) and many other flavored vodkas, all containing 30% of alcohol. So let's have a quick look at the brand first.
More About UV Vodka
UV Vodka is an American vodka brand distilled in Princeton, Minnesota, and belongs to Phillips Distilling Company. Currently, they sell one natural vodka of 40% ABV, eight flavored vodkas of 30%, and three ready-to-drink cocktail mixes of 12.5%.Â
All their products are based on vodka made from yellow corn harvested from the Midwest. After a quadruple distillation, the spirit is charcoal filtered and watered down to 40%. Besides this base vodka and natural flavorings, UV Vodka does not use other ingredients like additives or sugar.Â
What Does UV Blue Vodka Taste Like?
UV Blue has a sweet and cough-syrup-like taste with a mixed berry flavor. I know it says raspberry on the bottle but on the palate, it tastes more like a berry mix. It's much sweeter than classic vodka and has no burn or heat at all.
It has little in common with a classic vodka and should be treated like berry-flavored liqueurs such as Chambord or Crème de Mûre. It's not a substitute for regular vodka in a cocktail and is not an ideal base ingredient in cocktails.
What Is It Made From?
UV Blue Vodka is made from corn vodka, flavored with raspberries. The yellow corn harvested from the Midwest is distilled four times before it's filtered and watered down to 40% ABV. Besides this base spirit, a concentrate of vine-ripened raspberries is part of the recipes and creates the distinct taste and aroma of UV Blue.
How to Drink UV Blue Vodka
The best way to drink UV Blue Vodka is as a shot or with a simple mixer like lemon-lime soda. However, it's also great in a layered shot, or as an ingredient in a cocktail.
The best way to use it as a cocktail ingredient is in fruity, tropical, and summery cocktails. Combine it with a high-proof base spirit like vodka, gin, or Tequila, and use lime or lemon juice to counteract the sweetness of UV Blue.
Important: It's not an alternative to Blue Curaçao in classic blue-colored cocktails despite the similar color. -It simply lacks the bitter orange flavor of Curaçao cocktails like the Blue Lagoon, Blue Hawaiian, or Swimming Pool rely on.
How much does it cost?
Compared to other vodka or liqueurs, UV Blue Raspberry Vodka is definitely on the cheaper side. You can usually buy it for around $9 to $10 per 750ml bottle. It's a reasonable price for making some fancy layered shots with it.Â
Shot Recipes
UV Blue is intended for inexperienced drinks and is hence super easy to drink. Simply serve it chilled in a shot glass.
However, it also works great in combination with fruit juices. That reduces the alcohol content even more and makes for some easy low-ABV shots. Try combining it with.
- Pineapple juice
- Passion fruit juice
- Mango juice
It even works great in combination with Yakult. I know this sounds strange, but trust me, it works amazingly well. The result is a sweet and creamy berry-flavored shot.
Drink Recipes
UV Blue is not a classic or traditional liquor. Therefore it's not used in classic cocktail recipes. It works best in simple two or three-ingredient drink recipes.
Here are some recommendations:
FAQs
Other fancy liqueurs
- Safari liqueur - this tropical liqueur from the Netherlands contains heaps of tropical fruit flavors.
- St Germain - The most popular elderflower liqueur there is.
- Italicus - A classic Rosolio flavored with bergamot oranges.
- Parfait Amour - One of the most used ingredients in Valentine's cocktails.
- Ancho Reyes - A spicy Mexican chile liqueur.