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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 formerly of 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 in Mexico with wine flavors, sugar, and carbonated water. I used Sangria Senorial Non-Alcoholic Sangria Soda.
Sparkling Lemonade: This is a soda made with lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. I used IZZE Sparkling Original Lemonade.
Cherry Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with cherries, spices, sugar, and alcohol. I used Door County Distillery Cherry Brandy.
Aquavit: This is a spirit made with grains or potatoes, star anise, caraway, spices, and alcohol. I used State Line Distilling Aquavit.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine at home using this stovetop recipe.
Red Food Coloring: This is a dye that adds color to foods or drinks. I used Watkins Assorted Food Coloring.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
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 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “My former partner did the heavy lifting with turning a really simple vodka and soda cocktail into something interesting with a hint of unexpected complexity. He did have to use food coloring to get the red just right for a vampire-inspired recipe, but it turned out both fun and tasty. I really enjoyed the Vampire Bite and think most Halloween fans will too!”
Recipe
Vampire Bite
The Vampire Bite is a popular 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 our version kicks up the complexity by calling for cherry brandy and aquavit in place of the vodka. And it also uses sparkling sangria instead of cherry soda.
Ingredients
Method
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Add cherry brandy, aquavit, simple syrup, red food coloring, and ice to a beaker or lowball glass.
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Top with sangria soda and sparkling lemonade.
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Stir for 3-5 seconds.
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This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-09-19.
More Halloween Cocktails
If you like this cocktail recipe, here are a few others I’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Vampire’s Kiss: A lemon vodka cocktail made with raspberry liqueur, cranberry liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine, cherry, clove, and cinnamon bitters, and red food coloring
Witch’s Brew Lemonade: A gin cocktail made with lemonade, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and a rosemary sprig
Poison Apple: A rye whiskey cocktail made with cinnamon syrup, cranberry juice, apple cider, lemon juice, and apple slices
Empress Corpse Reviver No. 2: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, absinthe, and an orange twist
