Cocktails in the City Masterclass Recipes - Snow Leopard Fizz

During our tailored masterclasses, you may have been tasked to build one of these tall, refreshing numbers. Read on for a bit of info about the history and origins of the drink, some info about Snow Leopard, and a how-to guide to making it at home.

A “fizz” is a mixed drink spin-off of the more venerable “sours” family of cocktail. This family’s defining features are simply an acidic juice (such as lemon or lime) and carbonated water.

The first printed reference to “fizz” is in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas’s Bartender’s Guide, which contained six such recipes. The fizz became widely popular in America between 1900 and the 1940s. It is also known as a hometown specialty of New Orleans, and was so popular that bars would have entire teams of bartenders shaking fizzes on a rota basis.

Although gin is traditionally used in the construction of this libation, we’ve added our own little twist by utilising vodka – courtesy of Snow Leopard – as its base.

Snow Leopard vodka was created with an eye to making a great tasting and versatile vodka, which could simultaneously make a significant contribution to saving the snow leopard from extinction. Each bottle sold goes towards Snow Leopard conservation.

Distilled from luxury spelt grain, the result is a vodka with a distinctive nutty taste, creamy texture, and rare character.

Ingredients:

– 50ml Snow Leopard Vodka.

– 25ml Lemon Juice.

– 12.5ml Sugar Syrup (get creative!).

– Soda top.

Method:

1. First, get yourself a highball glass. Any tall glass with a decent volume will do. Then fill the glass 2/3 of the way with cubed ice.

2. Meanwhile, put all the ingredients – the vodka, lemon juice, and sugar syrup – into a cocktail shaker.

3. Shake well for 10-15 seconds and pour the contents into your highball glass.

4. Top the rest of the way with carbonated water/soda water.

5. Garnish some dehydrated citrus or a garnish of your choice, and pop in a straw. Drink and enjoy.

Sugar Syrup Innovation:

We encourage you to get as creative as possible with the sugar syrup element of this serve, as this truly illustrates the versatility of the fizz as a cocktail as well as honing your techniques as a budding mixologist! Here’s a few examples of what we had on the day to get your creative juices flowing:

Strawberry & cardamom syrup | Grapefruit, sea salt & black pepper syrup | Pineapple & rosemary syrup | Rose hip & raspberry syrup | Shiso & Kumquat syrup | Kaffir lime syrup.