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Cocktail History
The Kelly Kapowski is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was made as a recreation of a similar drink on the menu in 2017 at LoLo American Kitchen in Stillwater, Minnesota. It pairs cucumber, arugula, ginger, celery, lemon, and paprika with vodka and sparkling water to create a refreshing yet unique drink that’s great for a hot day.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Vodka: This is a spirit made with grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Smirnoff Vodka because it’s high quality and affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, omit the vodka or try STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka.
Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger, white sugar, gum Arabic powder, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Celery Bitters: This is a food product made with celery, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Fee Brothers Celery Bitters.
Cucumber Slices: This is cucumber that has been cut into a wheel shape.
Arugula: This is a type of fresh green with a peppery flavor.
Soda Water: This is a type of water that has been infused with carbon dioxide gas under pressure. We used Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water because it’s light, essentially flavorless, and refreshing.
Paprika: This is a spice. We used Simply Organic Ground Paprika.
Cucumber Ribbon: This is a cucumber slice that has been thinly cut into a strip.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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Tasting Notes
The Kelly Kapowski features light cucumber and citrus aroma and the refreshing taste of cucumber water with hints of paprika, arugula, celery, and ginger.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both really enjoyed this cocktail! According to Kendall, it is exactly as refreshing and delicious as she remembers it being when she tried it back in 2017. Alex decided to add a bit of cucumber vodka to his Kelly Kapowski, and he said it made it even better.
Recipe
Kelly Kapowski
The Kelly Kapowski is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was made as a recreation of a similar drink on the menu in 2017 at LoLo American Kitchen in Stillwater, Minnesota. It pairs cucumber, arugula, ginger, celery, lemon, and paprika with vodka and sparkling water to create a refreshing yet unique drink that’s great for a hot day.
Ingredients
Method
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Pour paprika onto a plate, rub outer rim of a lowball glass with lemon juice, and roll glass in paprika until coated.
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Add cucumber slices and arugula to a shaker.
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Muddle gently.
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Add vodka, ginger syrup, celery bitters, and cubed ice.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into paprika-rimmed glass filled with fresh cubed ice.
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Top with soda water.
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Stir for 3-5 seconds.
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Garnish with cucumber ribbon.
