About The Grateful Dead
As Empire Mixology’s resident Master Mixologist and a self-claimed “Long Island-style Cocktail Expert,” I’d love to tell you that Grateful Deads are a fun recipe that’s packed with flavor, but its not. Unlike the Long Island Iced Tea that attempts to hide alcohol content, the Grateful Dead does very little to mask its intense alcohol profile. The Raspberry Liqueur does little to nothing in the vein of dulling the bite of the spirits.
Popular in most college bars and dives throughout the country, the Grateful Dead is a great night starter cocktail since they are typically cheaply made and can be thrown together quickly. Add Lemon Lime Soda to make the cocktail more palatable if desired. The fun part of this recipe is that the Grateful Dead is typically garnished with fun concepts such as gummy bears, candy, sprinkles, fruit.
Ingredients:
½ oz. Tequila
½ oz. Rum
½ oz. Gin
½ oz. Vodka
½ oz. Triple Sec
Splash of Lemon Juice
Splash of Simple Syrup
Splash. Raspberry Liqueur
Splash Blue Curacao
FIll Lemon Lime Soda
Cocktail Profile
Rating: 4 Stars
Served: On the Rocks
Strength: Strong
Difficulty: Simple
Flavor: Spirit Forward
Method:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes to chill the ingredients. Measure and pour 1/2 ounce each of vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and triple sec into the shaker. This combination of spirits forms the base of the Grateful Dead. Pour 3/4 ounce of simple syrup into the shaker for sweetness. Pour 3/4 ounce of fresh lemon juice into the shaker for a citrusy kick. Shake the ingredients vigorously for about 10-15 seconds to ensure proper mixing and chilling. Pour raspberry liqueur and gummy bears into bottom of a highball glass. Strain the mixture from the shaker into the highball glass and fill with ice. Top up the glass with a splash of lemon lime soda for effervescence. Gently add a splash to give it the signature effect. Optionally, give the ingredients a gentle stir to combine the flavors.
