Vampire Bite

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Cocktail History

The Vampire Bite is a Halloween cocktail that was created in 2018 by Kara, the recipe developer behind Kara Creates. The original recipe was meant to be a boozy black cherry lemonade with a bright red hue, but this version by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of the retired Instagram account Sips From Scripts, kicks up the complexity by calling for cherry brandy and aquavit in place of the vodka. It also uses a unique sparkling sangria instead of cherry soda.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Sangria Soda: This is a carbonated beverage made with wine flavors, fruit extracts, sugar, and water, which are blended and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a fizzy, wine-inspired flavor.

Sparkling Lemonade: This is a carbonated beverage made with lemon juice, water, and sugar, which are mixed and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a fizzy, sweet-tart citrus flavor.

Cherry Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with cherries, spices, brandy, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a rich, cherry flavor.

Aquavit: This is a spirit made by distilling a neutral alcohol with a blend of caraway and other herbs to develop an aromatic, herbal flavor.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water, which are heated into a syrup with a sweet flavor.

Red Food Coloring: This is a dye that adds color to foods or drinks.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Sangria Senorial Non-Alcoholic Sangria Soda
• 🔗 Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Lemonade
• 🔗 Heering Cherry Liqueur
• 🔗 State Line Distilling Aquavit
• 🔗 Liber & Co. Classic Pure Cane Gum Syrup
• 🔗 Watkins Assorted Food Coloring

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Bar Spoon: This is a long-handled spoon with a twisted shaft that’s used for stirring cocktails, layering ingredients, and reaching the bottom of tall glasses and mixing vessels.

Lowball Glass: This is a short, wide glass with a thick base that’s used for serving cocktails with ice or spirits neat.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon
• 🔗 Karter Scientific Glass Beaker Set

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Dark red color

• Aroma: Cherry and other fruits

• Taste: Dry cherry flavor with slight wine notes and fizzy lemonade

• Finish: Anise from the aquavit

Kendall’s Take
“This Halloween riff takes a simple vodka-and-soda base and gives it some slightly sophisticated personality. The added spirits bring dimension and just enough intrigue to keep it from feeling one-note, while the dramatic red hue makes it undeniably festive. Overall, the Vampire Bite is playful and eye-catching, while standing as proof that a spooky season-themed cocktail can still be genuinely enjoyable to drink.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the publication Kara Creates.