The Grapefruit Pisco Collins falls in line with the many other new variations of the Collins cocktail Family, like the Pepito Collins (made with Tequila) or the Sandy Collins (made with Scotch).

It is a refreshing, citrusy concoction, perfect for a hot summer day and similar to a Pisco Punch. The addition of grapefruit juice brings in extra freshness and some bitter notes. Let's see how to make a Grapefruit Collins with Pisco:

Grapefruit Pisco Collins cocktail

Grapefruit Pisco Collins Cocktail

A South American twist on the classic Collins cocktail with a refreshing bittersweet touch from fresh grapefruit.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Latin American
Keyword: grapefruit, lemon juice, Pisco, soda water
Servings: 1
Calories: 223kcal
Cost: $2.60

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Pisco
  • 0.75 oz Lemon juice - freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup
  • 2 slices Fresh grapefruit
  • 1.5 oz Soda water
  • Grapefruit twist orslices and mint sprig - for garnish

Instructions

  • Put two grapefruit slices into your shaker and muddle them gently.
  • Put ice cubes and grapefruit slices into your cocktail glass and set it aside for a minute.
  • Add ice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Pisco, and simple syrup to your cocktail shaker and shake until the tins feel cool.
  • Strain your drink into the prepared glass and top it up with soda water.
  • Garnish your Pisco Collins with another grapefruit slice and a mint sprig. Cheers.

Nutrition

Serving: 4.9ozCalories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 0.13gFat: 0.11gSaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 69mgSugar: 11.8gVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.05mg
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What are Collins Cocktails?

Grapefruit Collins cocktail

Collins Cocktails all follow the same template of ingredients: 

The first Collins cocktail documented was the John Collins in the early 1800s, followed by the Tom Collins. Both drinks were gin cocktails made with different types of gin.

The general approach is quite similar to a Gin Fizz, and the ingredients are, in fact, the same. But Collins cocktails are served and prepared differently. Over the past two centuries, more and more Collins drinks developed, all following the same formula.

If you want to know more about this type of classic cocktail, there's a whole article about the Collins cocktail category.

Ingredients of the Grapefruit Pisco Collins

Ingredients for Grapefruit Pisco Collins cocktail

It goes without saying that this variation of the Pisco Collins also follows the template mentioned above: spirit base, syrup, lemon, and soda. Instead of the classic gin base, we use Pisco and the grapefruit component adds a nice twist to the template.

Steps to Make a Grapefruit Pisco Collins

A Collins cocktail has its own signature glass called Collins glass. This slim and tall glass is ideal to keep the carbonation of the soda water for a longer time. Here's how you make the cocktail recipe:

  1. Fill a cocktail glass with fresh ice (Collins glass preferred).
  2. Add pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, and grapefruit slices in a cocktail shaker and muddle the grapefruit slices to release juice.
  3. Add ice and shake for 8-12 seconds.
  4. Strain into the ice-filled glass and top with chilled club soda or regular soda water.

A Quick Primer on Pisco

Pisco is a grape spirit hailing from Peru and Chile and is a sub-type of brandy. It usually tastes fruity and relatively smooth. -Especially when compared to grape spirits like Grappa, which has a strong alcoholic bite.

Generally, the alcohol content of most Piscos ranges between 38 and 48%, quite similar to other popular spirit bases for Collins Cocktails.

If you want to try Peruvian Pisco, Cuatro Gallos is a brand I can recommend. Alto de Carmen is a great choice for the Pisco Collins when you look for a Chilean Pisco.

Other Cocktails with Grapefruit

Grapefruit cocktails

If you have some spare grapefruits after mixing the Pisco Collins, here are some other drinks you can mix with the bittersweet, pink fruit:

There are plenty of evergreens on the list of popular Whiskey cocktails like the Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned, and the Manhattan cocktail. But none of these excellent sips is as refreshing as the Whiskey Smash.

Smash cocktails and Juleps are closely related. To be precise, the Smash is a subtype of a common Julep. And like his cousin, a proper Whiskey Smash contains a good amount of mint and lots of ice.

What is in the drink?

In a nutshell, a Smash cocktail requires base spirit, ice, one herbal, and one fruity element. The base of a Smash can vary. In the past, Brandy and Whiskey have been most common.

For our Smash, you need Bourbon Whiskey, a lemon, simple syrup, and fresh mint. You can also opt for another type of Whiskey, however, Bourbon is the standard and works extremely well with mint and lemon.

Additionally, you need a cocktail shaker, a muddler, a strainer, and lots of ice for a perfect Whiskey Smash. - For mixing you will need ice cubes. For serving, it's up to you if you prefer crushed ice or cubes. - If you're a slower drinker, we recommend cubes, though.

Whiskey Smash with mint sprig

The renaissance of the Whiskey Smash

Today, the crowd-favorite representative might be the Gin Basil Smash, however, that wasn't always he case:

The template of Smash cocktails dates back to the middle of the 19th century. Most likely, the drink was invented in the 1840s and reached its peak in popularity a decade later.

These drinks were super popular in the 19th century. However, at some point, the tangy cocktail became forgotten. At least until Dale DeGroff brought back the traditional Smash template with Whiskey in New York City.

When DeGroff worked at Rainbow Room in NYC, he began serving his take on the classic Whiskey Smash to reintroduce this classic cocktail to his guests.

Apparently, the reason was that he became tired of serving Mint Juleps (a close relative to Smashes) and searched for something similar but more refreshing. That led to his Whiskey Smash recipe, which includes Bourbon, mint, muddled lemon, and lots of ice.

DeGroff himself states that the Whiskey Smash is a perfect cocktail for people that are non-Whiskey drinkers.

The rather sweet taste of Bourbon in combination with lemon and mint makes this cocktail so easygoing that even the strongest Whiskey sceptics might enjoy it.

Refreshing Whiskey Smash cocktail

Variations on the recipe

Smash cocktails, in general, are a quite loosely defined category of drinks. So, for a Whiskey Smash, there's room for experimenting.

Bourbon is the traditional base for this cocktail. But you can also try Irish Whiskey, Canadian Whisky, Scotch, or Rye if you like a spicy kick in your drinks.

Furthermore, you could also replace the lemons in the recipe with another fruit. Smashes are known to incorporate seasonal fruit. So depending on the time of the year, you can, for instance, use strawberries, raspberries, or cranberries in the recipe.

Another elegant twist is replacing the sweetener. In the standard recipe, simple syrup brings a bit of sweetness to the cocktail. Instead, you can go with Maple syrup or a seasonal sweetener like cranberry syrup.

More Whiskey cocktails

Whiskey Smash cocktails

Whiskey Smash Recipe

A tangy and refreshing Whiskey cocktail made with Bourbon, mint, lemon, and simple syrup.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bourbon, lemon, mint, simple syrup
Servings: 1
Calories: 205kcal
Cost: $2.10

Equipment

  • 1 Jigger
  • 1 Muddler
  • 1 Cocktail Shaker
  • 1 Hawthorne Strainer

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 3 Lemon wedges - (or approx. 0.75oz lemon juice)
  • 0.75 oz Simple syrup
  • 1 splash Lemon juice
  • 8-10 Mint leaves
  • 1 Sprig of mint - (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Put lemon wedges into a cocktail shaker and muddle them to release juice and oils.
    3 Lemon wedges
  • Add Bourbon, syrup, and mint leaves together with ice. Add an additional splash of fresh lemon juice for an extra kick of acidity.
    2 oz Bourbon, 0.75 oz Simple syrup, 1 splash Lemon juice, 8-10 Mint leaves
  • Shake for 15 seconds or until the drink is well-chilled.
  • Now, double strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.
  • Garnish with a sprig of mint.
    1 Sprig of mint

Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 6.34gSodium: 1.17mgPotassium: 27.54mgSugar: 5.8gVitamin C: 11.23mgCalcium: 26.21mgIron: 0.18mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Limoncello is one of the best-known lemon products from Italy and a symbol of the Amalfi coast. The zesty, fresh, and fragrant liqueur is famous all over the world, and there's almost no way around it when one is in Italy.

Even though Limoncello is a regional delicacy, it's served everywhere in the country. Also, many Italian families have their own, more or less secret, recipe to make the best Limoncello liqueur.

In Italian restaurants, the liqueur is often served as a digestif or used in desserts and other sweet treats. And also, in cocktails, the lemon liqueur does deliver.

Time to have a look at one of the most consumed liqueurs and learn how you can make a delicious Limoncello at home.

What is limoncello? Limoncello in glass with lemon

What is Limoncello?

Limoncello is a famous Italian digestif, mainly produced in the southern part of the country.

In northern Italy, Limoncello is sometimes also called Limoncino. But don't be confused; they are both the exact same thing.

Limoncello is made of lemon zest macerated in alcohol to extract flavor and essential oils. Authentic Limoncello always uses a specific type of lemons that typically grow on the Amalfi coast or on the island of Capri.

The amount of alcohol in Limoncello varies widely. You can find bottles between 20% and 35% ABV.

The taste of Limoncello

Limoncello is a relatively sweet liqueur with an intense aroma and flavor of lemon. There's only a little tartness to the liqueur, just enough to give it the required kick.

The taste is best described as deliciously sweet (not overly sugary, though) and spiked lemon syrup. That characteristic also makes it dangerously easy to drink.

How to make Limoncello

Limoncello is made from the peel of lemons, not its juice. Therefore it's important that the lemons used to produce the tart yet sweet liqueur are untreated.

The lemon peel -also called zest- should be cleaned before the maceration process begins. That includes removing the bitter white pith from the peels.

Lemon tree at Amalfi coast, Italy

In the next step, the fragrant cleaned peels are macerated in alcohol for about one week. During this procedure, the lemon peels release their flavor and essential oils.

After all the oils are extracted the alcohol gets mixed with syrup. Note that the sugar-to-water ratio in the syrup and the temperature affect the clarity and viscosity of the resulting Limoncello.

Finally, the Limoncello is ready to be bottled. The sealed bottles should sit in a cold and dark place for about one month before the Limoncello is ready to be consumed.

Lemons from the Amalfi coast

Original Limoncello recipes only use lemons harvested in the region between Vico Equense and Massa Lubrense or on the island of Capri.

Those lemons not only look different, but they also only grow in a singular climate. So close to the sea and carefully protected from cold winds, the lemons develop a distinct flavor and taste.

Lemons from Amalfi coast

It's also noteworthy that the peel of these lemons is way thicker than what we are used to.

The Amalfi lemon as a whole is massive, but only due to enormously thick lemon peels. Plus, these lemons have an intense aroma from their essential oils.

How to use Limoncello

raditionally, Limoncello is served as a digestif after a good meal. In Italy, it's not uncommon that a restaurant even serves a little jug of Limoncello (250ml) and some shot glasses - free of charge.

But there are many more ways to drink and use Limoncello. You can serve it on the rocks, in cocktails, drizzle it over dessert, and even soak sponge cakes to infuse them with lemon flavors.

In cocktail recipes, it appears rarely. But you can find some great recipes using Limoncello as an alternative way to sweeten a cocktail; - As a replacement for simple syrup, so to say.

How to keep it fresh

Like most liqueurs, Limoncello is best kept in cold and dark places. Ideally, you store it in the fridge.

That will also guarantee that the liqueur is properly chilled and ready to be served. Adding ice would only dilute the drink unnecessarily.

History of the Limoncello

The history of Limoncello is foggy and heavily disputed. It's unclear who, where, and when the famous lemon liqueur was invented.

But still, the different stories are worth a mention.

Capri, Sorrento, and also Amalfi have different narratives about the history of Limoncello.

Capri

Although some claim that Limoncello is way older, the first written reference dates back to the 20th century. That also matches one of the most popular and realistic stories.

In the early 1900s, Maria Antonia Farace owned and cultivated a large garden with lemons and oranges on Capri.

Amalfi lemons

When her nephew opened a bar, the bar menu featured a lemon liqueur made with nonna's old recipe.

The lemon liqueur quickly became a specialty of the bar. Ultimately his son, Massimo Canale, also a native Capresan, decided to produce the liqueur in larger quantities and registered a trademark for it in 1988.

Sorrento

The story from the Sorrentine coast is less detailed. It's said that most families of Sorrento always made sure to offer some Limoncello to special guests.

The Limoncello recipe there is a "traditional family recipe", but no further information is known.

Amalfi

The stories of the Amalfi region are even vaguer and indicate that the original recipe is way older.

That might as well be true. However, as there's absolutely no (written) evidence of this, it's likely that Limoncello, as we know it today, was invented in the early 1900s.

Making Limoncello at home

Producing your own Limoncello isn't as difficult as you might think. Technically, everyone can make a great Limoncello in their home kitchen.

The only problem you might face is getting the right lemons. Italy is starting to export Amalfi lemons, but it's still hard to get your hands on them.

If you can't get them, though, you can use regular lemons, as well. The resulting liqueur will still taste amazing.

However, the macerating process can take a little longer when making the liqueur at home compared to industrial production.

Therefore, I recommend macerating the lemon peels for an extended time. In our recipe, it's 30 days instead of only seven days.

Homemade Limoncello

Homemade Limoncello

An iconic Italian liqueur with bold lemon flavors.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Shaking time15 minutes
Resting time: 30 days
Total Time: 30 days 30 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: lemon
Calories: 54kcal

Ingredients

  • 10 Lemons
  • 750 ml Grain alcohol
  • 4 cups Water
  • 3 cups Sugar

Instructions

  • Wash the lemons in warm water and gently clean them with a brush. Since Limoncello is made from lemon peel, you want to clean it from all possible insecticides.
  • Pour the grain alcohol into a water jug and add the lemon peel of 10 lemons. Cover it and let the mix macerate for about one month.
  • After one month, cook the water with the sugar and add it to the mix once the sugar has dissolved. Cover the jug and leave it for another month.
  • Strain your Limoncello Liqueur into bottles and store them in the freezer (not in the fridge) before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5ozCalories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSodium: 70mgSugar: 44gVitamin A: 90IUVitamin C: 9.6mgCalcium: 60mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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