Make a Lemon Drop

A lemon drop is a cocktail that is made with vodka. The drink can be a shooter or be strained into larger glasses. Optional ingredients can be added to the vodka, such as lemon juice, triple sec and lemon-flavored liqueur. A lemon drop may have 151 rum floated on the top of the drink so that it can be ignited, creating a flaming lemon drop; instructions for this are included.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 to 3 oz (15 to 90 mL) vodka (use more if using less or no additional ingredients, depending on glass size or capacity)
  • 1/2 to 3 oz (15 to 90 mL) lemon-flavored vodka (optional, use in the place of regular vodka, and can use with or without additional lemon juice)
  • 1/2 oz (15 mL) lemon juice or lemon-flavored liqueur (optional, can use if not garnishing with a lemon slice or wedge)
  • 1/2 oz (15 mL) triple sec or peach schnapps (optional, will provide some sweetness but will make the drink have less distinct lemon flavor)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 oz (7.5 mL to 15 mL) 151 rum (optional, for making a flaming Lemon Drop)
  • Sugar (for coating lemon pieces, rimming the glass, or as an ingredient for extra sweetness)
  • Garnish (such as lemon wedge, lemon slice, lemon twist, lemon spiral, or a sugar cube)

Steps

  1. Prepare the lemon slice, wedge, twist, or spiral. All lemon drop shooters should be garnished with something such as a lemon slice, wedge, twist, or spiral. Such garnishes are usually coated with sugar or make sure that the garnish contributes sweet as well as sour flavors.
    • A slice is a wedge without the ends cut off. If making a shooter, the slice or wedge will be rested on the top of the glass. If using a larger glass, the slice, wedge, twist or spiral can be set on the rim of the glass.
    • Twists and spirals that have not been coated in sugar can be dropped into the drink. If making a shooter, coat the slice or wedge with sugar. This is done by rolling or pressing the moist citrus piece in a plate or tray of sugar. Superfine sugar may be preferable to regular granulated sugar.
    • When using a cocktail glass, a lemon spiral can be coated in sugar. To coat a spiral in sugar, moisten it with lemon juice and press it into a plate or tray of sugar. For detailed information on making garnishes, see How to garnish a cocktail.
    • A sugar cube can be served with the cocktail if the drink already has a lemon flavor (from lemon juice or similar ingredient).
    • If not using a sugar-coated lemon piece or a sugar cube, coat the rim of the glass with sugar. In this instance, garnish with a plain lemon slice, wedge, twist, or spiral.
    • A sugar-coated lemon slice can also be served separately.
  2. If using a large glass such as a rocks glass or cocktail glass, rim the glass with sugar if desired. Make a cut in the lemon slice or wedge so that it may be placed on the rim of the glass. If using a sugar-coated lemon piece or a sugar cube, the rim of the glass does not need to be coated with sugar. The rim of the glass also does not need to be coated if sweet ingredients are used when mixing the drink.
  3. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
  4. Add the ingredients to the shaker. Use the most appealing combination of ingredients. The types of ingredients that are used will determine how the drink should be garnished. If not using lemon juice or a lemon-flavored ingredient, the drink should be garnished with a lemon slice or wedge that can be sucked on. If the drink is not sweet, a sweet garnish should be used. Sweet garnishes include sugar-coated lemon sliced and wedges, sugar-rimmed glasses, and sugar cubes. Spirals and twists that have been coated in sugar will probably not be sucked on after finishing the drink.
  5. Cap the shaker.
  6. Shake the ingredients vigorously for about five seconds.
  7. Strain into a shot glass, cocktail glass or rocks glass without ice.
  8. If desired, float the 151 rum on the surface of the drink and ignite with a lighter (see How to make layered shots about how to layer or float ingredients). This will require that the lemon slice or wedge be served separately or added after the drink has been extinguished. Extinguish the flaming drink before drinking by covering the drink with a glass. Generally, only shooters or drinks served in small glasses should be ignited. Drinks served in cocktail or martini glasses should not be ignited.
  9. Place the lemon slice, wedge, spiral, or twist on or in the glass. If using a shot glass, merely rest a sugar-coated lemon slice or wedge on the top of the glass with the rind portion pointing down and the meat portion pointing up. If using a very small rocks glass, try to place the lemon slice or wedge on the glass in the same manner. If using a larger glass, set the wedge, slice, spiral, or twist on the rim of the glass or serve a sugar-coated slice or wedge separately. Spirals and twists can be dangled from the rim of the glass or dropped into the drink. However, sugar-coated lemon pieces should not be dropped into the drink, as the sugar will dissolve.
  10. Serve the drink. If the drink is lemon-flavored and is not sweet or garnished with a sugar in some way, serve with a sugar cube. When drinking a lemon drop, first shoot or drink the alcohol, then suck on the lemon slice or sugar cube.



Tips

  • When making a lot of Lemon Drops, mix up a pitcher and have set out a tray of sugar-coated lemon slices.
  • If you are using a large glass but want to use a sugar-coated lemon slice or wedge, just serve the slice or wedge separately.

Warnings

  • Always completely extinguish flaming drinks before drinking.
  • Drink alcoholic beverages responsibly.

Things You'll Need

  • Shot or cocktail glass
  • Cocktail shaker
  • Knife and cutting board for garnish

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