Raspberry Press Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/10/21
Charbay Raspberry Press Cocktail
Poppy Barach / Getty Images
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The raspberry press is a delightfully refreshing cocktail that is a wonderful option for happy hour, a late brunch, or a summer cookout. It is simple, fruity, and is a great way to show off your favorite raspberry vodka.

This recipe features raspberry vodka accented rather simply by two lightly flavored sodas. It's a simple variation on the vodka press which typically uses unflavored vodka.

To prepare this drink, you'll use the technique of rolling. Once you get the hang of pouring between glasses, you'll be able to do it with ease and won't spill a drop.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces raspberry vodka

  • 1 splash club soda

  • 1 splash Sprite, or another lemon-lime soda

  • Lime wedge, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the vodka and sodas into an highball glass filled with ice.

  3. Roll the contents into a cocktail shaker or mixing glass to mix.

  4. Pour the drink back into the glass.

  5. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • If you're not comfortable with rolling drinks, feel free to stir the raspberry press in an ice-filled highball glass.
  • You can make the drink as tall or short as you like. Simply pour more or less of the two sodas to suit your taste, making sure to keep the proportions equal. A splash of each creates a short, very flavorful drink that's actually a better fit for an old-fashioned glass (though that make rolling more difficult). Pouring 2 ounces of each soda is about perfect for a nicely balanced tall drink.

How Strong Is a Raspberry Press?

The strength of the raspberry press depends on the bottling proof of the vodka and the amount of soda you choose to pour. For instance, with 80-proof vodka and 1 ounce of soda in total, the drink has an alcohol content in the 23 percent ABV (46 proof) range. With 4 ounces of soda, it will be much milder at 12 percent ABV (24 proof).

What Is the Vodka Press?

The vodka press is a semi-popular mixed drink that remains a little obscure. It certainly isn't ordered as often as a vodka tonic or vodka cranberry, but many people enjoy it because it's a nice, refreshing drink. 

Quite simply, the vodka press is a shot of vodka with both club soda and lemon-lime soda. It's made just like the raspberry press, but with clear vodka. 

The word "press" in the name may seem to indicate that you'll be pressing something with a muddler, but that is not the case. Instead, the vodka press takes its name from the popular whiskey highball known as the Presbyterian. It's also a double soda drink, though it typically uses ginger ale instead of Sprite or 7-Up.

Recipe Variations

  • In keeping with the raspberry press theme, you can certainly pour any flavored vodka into your vodka press. The great variety of fruit vodkas available offer nearly endless possibilities and even non-fruit flavors can produce a tasty drink.
  • Try a vanilla press made with vanilla vodka. The taste is similar to a vanilla cream soda, but with a drier profile.

Why Two Sodas?

Mixed drinks like the Presbyterian and Vodka Press raise the question of why two sodas are poured rather than just one. The answer really comes down to balance. 

Club soda tends to have a dry profile because it's unsweetened. The majority of lemon-lime sodas are sweetened and some have more sugar than others. In general, though, they are certainly not as sugary as many colas or sodas like Mountain Dew.

By combining the two sodas in one drink, you get a nice hint of citrus and a touch of sweetness with double the carbonation. In the end, it's actually brilliant and it is one of the most refreshing soda highballs you can mix up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 20mg 100%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 72mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)