Cocktails

What would Barbie drink? This strawberry lemonade with vodka

Think of this light pink cocktail as an upsized vodka premix – with extra freshness from the blitzed berries, it’s all you need for summer parties.

Read Time 4 Minutes

By First Choice Liquor Market

The rise and rise of vodka-based premix in Australia shows that we’re still loving the cruisy vibe of refreshing, fruity drinks with a kick of spirit. And the fruitier and more nostalgic the flavours, the better. Not to mention the Barbiecore pink hue that is the colour of the season. That’s where this Hard Strawberry Lemonade comes in. It’s a punch, but not as you know it – instead of multiple liquors and a riot of fruit and soda flavours, there’s the beautiful simplicity of vodka, citrus, soda and a DIY strawberry mix made with fresh strawberries and classic lemon cordial. If you’ve ever enjoyed the delicious taste of traditional pink lemonade on a hot day, you’re going to love having a big jug of this on the table for all of your friends to enjoy.

How to make a big batch Hard Strawberry Lemonade cocktail

Ingredients (Serves 8):

500g fresh strawberries, hulled

250mL lemon cordial

500mL Hoshi Vodka

60mL lemon or lime juice

1L chilled soda water or mineral water

Ice cubes, to serve

Strawberries, extra, to garnish

Method:

Combine strawberries and cordial in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 mins or until strawberries start to break down. Set aside to cool completely. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill.
Place the chilled strawberry mixture in a large serving jug. Stir in the vodka and lime juice. Gradually add the soda water (it will bubble and fizz) and stir gently to combine. Fill serving glasses with ice and pour over the cocktail. Thread extra strawberries onto straws and add to the glasses to serve.

Tips: Make the strawberry mixture up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. You can have a little fun with the cordial flavours. For a change, try using elderflower or berry-flavoured cordial. For an extra kick, try adding a dash of lemon-flavoured liqueur, such as limoncello.

Where it all began: Pink Lemonade

Roll up, roll up! Ladies and gentleman, may we present the joyful, nostalgic taste of strawberry lemonade transformed into a cocktail with the magic of Japanese vodka. Traditional pink lemonade usually gets its colour from a syrup made from berries (or pomegranates, aka grenadine), but legend says it didn’t start out that way. Way back in 1857, a disgruntled clown named Pete Conklin quit the Big Top to start a lemonade stand. One hot day, when the well was running dry, he had to use water from a bucket with bright red circus tights soaking in it, and pink lemonade was born. A similar story claims it was another circus worker, Henry E. Allot, who accidentally dropped red cinnamon candies into a tub of regular lemonade, turning it pink.

One thing is certain though – you’re going to want to have this strawberry lemonade cocktail on rotation while the punnets of fresh berries are plentiful and breezy summer entertaining is the go. We can see a jug of this cocktail sitting pretty beside a fresh watermelon salad and a platter of crispy Southern fried chicken. It also helps that it’s so easy to make the mocktail version for non-drinkers if you hold the vodka. Either way, keep in mind the crisp, smooth flavour of Hoshi vodka isn’t just great in this strawberry lemonade punch, it’s also a key element in Warren Mendes’ must-try peppered bacon Bloody Mary, so you should probably stock up.

More batch cocktails for summer entertaining

Keen to work your way through other heat-busting cocktails that are making a splash this season? We’ve got the punch recipes you need – like a Pimm’s cup to celebrate the summer of cricket. Batch up Fruit tingles, Blue Lagoons and prosecco cocktails made with seasonal fruit, or maybe strawberry frosé is more your vibe. Don’t have time to play bartender? Check out the great range of premixed drinks at First Choice Liquor Market.