Celebrate Your Constitutional Rights with Ketel One Vodka

By Adam Rains

History has not always allowed Americans to gather round with family and friends to enjoy the taste and comfort of a specialty cocktail.

On December 5th, 1933, Americans raised their glasses in celebration of the 21st Amendment and the return of fine spirits. This Repeal Day, enjoy a delicious crafted cocktail from Ketel One Vodka, and exercise your constitutional rights. Though Ketel One Vodka did not arrive in the United States until 1983, we invite you to try these Prohibition inspired recipes that will bring you back to the roaring 20’s in a fresh new way.

Ketel One Old-Fashioned

The Old-Fashioned was around before Prohibition and it was around after Prohibition, but never was it more needed than during Prohibition – there being no better way invented to improve the taste of indifferent liquor. And if you actually have good liquor…

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Ketel One Vodka
1 Sugar cube
2 dashes orange bitters

Preparation: In the bottom of a rocks glass, soak the sugar cube in the orange bitters and lightly muddle. Add Ketel One and ice and slowly stir so the dilution happens slowly. Once the sugar has been dissolved, squeeze the oils from a wide strip of orange peel across the surface of the drink, and garnish the drink with the peel.

Ketel One Dutch 75

Named after a hard-hitting World War I artillery piece, the French 75 is, as far as can be determined, the only cocktail invented in the United States during Prohibition to become a classic.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Ketel One Citroen
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
Champagne

Preparation: Combine first three ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Top with Champagne. Squeeze the oils from a wide strip of lemon peel across the surface of the drink, and garnish the drink with the peel.

Ketel One Colony Cocktail

New York’s Colony was no ordinary speakeasy. It was where Vanderbilts and Windsors went to dine in a civilized manner, and if that included a drink or two, then bartender Marco Hattem would provide one, no questions asked.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Ketel One Oranje
3/4 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
2 tsp. maraschino liqueur

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Squeeze the oils from a wide strip of grapefruit peel across the surface of the drink, and garnish the drink with the peel.