Vivian Marlowe
The cosmopolitan, or cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and lime juice. The cosmopolitan is usually served in a large cocktail glass, also known as a martini glass. The drink's origin is disputed, with some claiming it originated in the gay community in the 1970s in Provincetown, Massachusetts, while others credit bartender Cheryl Cook of the Strand Restaurant in South Beach, Florida, with the creation in the mid-1980s. The cosmopolitan gained widespread popularity in the 1990s, partly due to its association with Madonna. But how many units of alcohol are in this iconic cocktail?
Cosmopolitan Cocktail Characteristics
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Alcohol | Vodka |
| Other Alcohol | Cointreau, Triple Sec, Gin, Tequila |
| Non-Alcoholic Mixers | Cranberry juice, lime juice, orange curacao, grapefruit juice |
| Glassware | Martini glass |
| Typical Garnish | Orange peel, orange zest |
| ABV | 47 proof |
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What You'll Learn
Cosmopolitan cocktail ingredients
The cosmopolitan, or cosmo, is a classic, elegant cocktail made famous by the ladies of Sex and the City. It is not too sweet, not too tart, and is super quick to make. The key is to get the balance of each component just right.
The drink is typically made with vodka—a mid- to high-range vodka is recommended, and citrus vodka or regular vodka can be used. Cointreau, an orange liqueur, is added for a citrusy depth of flavour. Cranberry juice is added for a tart flavour and a pretty pink colour, and fresh lime juice gives the drink a bright, tangy finish.
Some recipes suggest adding a splash of champagne to the finished cocktail, and it can also be garnished with an orange twist or peel. The orange peel may seem like an unnecessary garnish, but if done right, it adds a little sweetness. As you sip the cocktail, you'll get orange essence, which hides the strength and scent of the vodka.
To make a pitcher that serves four, you will need 1 cup (8 oz) of vodka, 1/4 cup (2 oz) of Cointreau, 6 tablespoons (3 oz) of cranberry juice, and 2 tablespoons (1 oz) of lime juice. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the ingredients, shake until very cold, and then strain into a chilled martini glass.
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Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe
The cosmopolitan, or cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec) and lime juice. It is known for its vibrant pink colour and refreshing, sweet-and-sour taste.
To make a cosmopolitan cocktail, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add two ounces of vodka, two ounces of cranberry juice, a quarter teaspoon of lime juice, and a quarter teaspoon of Cointreau. Shake until the outside of the shaker is frosted, then strain into a chilled glass. The cosmo can be garnished with a twist of lime or orange peel.
For a sparkling cosmo, add a splash of champagne to the finished cocktail and stir gently before serving. You can also substitute blue curaçao for triple sec and Ocean Spray white cranberry juice for the usual red cranberry juice. Some blue curaçaos are quite sweet, so you may want to add more lime juice to balance the flavours.
The cosmopolitan cocktail is perhaps best known for its role in the TV show *Sex and the City*. The drink has been around since the 1930s, but the show's characters, including Carrie, helped to popularise it.
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Cosmopolitan cocktail history
The origin of the cosmopolitan cocktail is disputed, with some histories tracing it back to the gay community in the 1970s in Provincetown, Cleveland, and Minneapolis, before landing in San Francisco. However, one source claims that the story of the 1934 Cosmopolitan actually starts in 2006 with Joerg Meyer, a friend of the channel and the creator of the Gin Basil Smash.
One of the most popular claims is that the cosmopolitan was created by bartender Cheryl Cook of the Strand Restaurant in South Beach, Miami, Florida, in the mid-1980s. Cocktail historian Gary Regan credits Cook with the original creation, which she said was inspired by the number of people who ordered martinis just to be seen drinking from a martini glass. Her original recipe called for "Absolut Citron, a splash of Triple sec, a drop of Rose's lime and just enough cranberry to make it oh so pretty in pink." However, Absolut Citron was not officially introduced until 1988, although it was test-marketed in Miami. Other sources give credit to Toby Cecchini, who claims to have encountered the drink in San Francisco in 1988 and reconstructed it using Absolut's new citrus-flavoured vodka, along with sweetened cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, and Cointreau. Cecchini's version of the cosmopolitan is described as "kind of a brutal sour, it's very very tart", and he is also credited with adding an orange peel to the top of the cocktail.
Another claim is that the cosmopolitan was created in 1989 at The Odeon, a restaurant in Manhattan, by Toby Cecchini and Melissa Huffsmith-Roth, based on a poorly described version of Cheryl Cook's creation. Their recipe includes 2 oz Absolut Citron vodka, 1 oz Cointreau, 1 oz lime juice, and 0.5 oz cranberry juice. Other sources give Cecchini sole credit for the invention of the contemporary drink. Dale DeGroff, author of 'The Craft of the Cocktail', is also often associated with the cosmopolitan, as he is pictured flaming an orange peel over the top of the drink on the cover of his book. He claims to have encountered the drink in San Francisco and started perfecting his own recipe at the Rainbow Room in Manhattan, where a photo of Madonna with a cosmopolitan was taken during a Grammy party, making the cocktail and DeGroff a household name.
The cosmopolitan gained widespread popularity in the 1990s, thanks in part to Madonna and its frequent mentions on the television program 'Sex and the City', where it was Carrie Bradshaw's signature cocktail. The drink's blush-pink, sweet-and-sour formula—a blend of vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime—was a modern classic. The cosmopolitan is usually served in a large cocktail glass, also called a martini glass, although there are variations on the recipe, such as adding a splash of champagne or substituting blue curaçao for triple sec and white cranberry juice for the usual red.
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Alcohol content in a cosmopolitan
The cosmopolitan, or cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, Cointreau or another type of triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice. The cocktail is usually served in a large cocktail glass, also known as a martini glass, and is thus sometimes mistaken for a martini.
The exact alcohol content of a cosmopolitan cocktail depends on the specific ingredients and proportions used. One recipe calls for 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of cranberry juice, 1/4 teaspoon of lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of Cointreau. Another recipe suggests using 1 3/4 oz of vodka, 3/4 oz of lime juice, 1/2 oz of cranberry juice, and 1/2 oz of orange curacao.
The IBA-approved recipe for the cosmopolitan is based on vodka citron, a lemon-flavored vodka. However, many bartenders use standard unflavored vodka, which would have been historically consistent with the drink's supposed predecessors. The use of citrus-flavored vodka as the basis for this cocktail was popularized in the mid-1990s by cocktail expert Dale DeGroff.
The cosmopolitan gained widespread popularity in the 1990s, partly due to its association with Madonna, who was spotted drinking one in 1996. The drink was also frequently mentioned on the television program *Sex and the City*, further contributing to its fame.
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Similar cocktails to the cosmopolitan
A cosmopolitan, or cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and either Cointreau or triple sec. It is known for its vibrant pink colour and sweet-tart taste.
French 75
This cocktail is recommended for those who like champaign.
El Presidente
This cocktail is made with Havana Club rum, vermouth, curacao, and grenadine.
Center of the Galaxy
This cocktail is made with aged rum, Chambord, lime juice, honey syrup, demerara syrup, and cinnamon.
Periodista
This cocktail replaces the rum in the recipe above with vodka and adds apricot liqueur, orange liqueur, and lime.
Old Fashioned
This cocktail typically contains whiskey, sugar, and bitters. A variation on this cocktail replaces the whiskey with Applejack.
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Frequently asked questions
A cosmopolitan cocktail, or "cosmo", is typically made with 1.5-2 oz of vodka, which is equivalent to 1.5-2 units of alcohol. However, some recipes call for the addition of a splash of champagne or tequila, which would increase the overall alcohol content.
In addition to vodka, a cosmopolitan typically includes cranberry juice, lime juice, and an orange-flavoured liqueur such as Cointreau or triple sec.
To make a cosmopolitan, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, and orange-flavoured liqueur. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass. For an extra touch of sweetness and flavour, add an orange peel garnish by peeling an orange twist over the glass so that the orange oils spray into the drink.
