Chilled 100 Bartenders - NEFT Vodka Cocktails

BRINGING PRIDE TO BARTENDERS

NEFT premium vodka celebrates the addition of its pride barrel

By Mary Kate Patterson

AUSTRIAN-BASED NEFT VODKA CHALLENGED SEVEN BARTENDERS ACROSS FLORIDA AND TEXAS TO CREATE COCKTAILS USING ITS AWARD-WINNING VODKA. THE BRAND PERMANENTLY ADDED A PRIDE BARREL TO ITS COLLECTION AND ASKED BARTENDERS TO CHOOSE A BARREL AND SHARE WHY THEY MADE THEIR CHOICE. NEFT IS MADE FROM WATER DRAWN FROM THE RHAETIAN ALPS AND FOUR ANCIENT GRAINS OF RYE, ALL PACKAGED IN A STURDY AND UNIQUE BARREL FORMAT. THE THREE DESIGNED BARRELS COME IN WHITE, BLACK, AND RAINBOW AND ARE MORE DURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE THAN GLASS.

Fernanda ‘Cubby’ Rossano

NICKEL CITY (FT. WORTH), DALLAS, TEXAS

“Black is stark and classic. It looked sexy. I wanted the cocktail to pop with the barrel. It was very smooth and clean with a bit of bite but a good mouthfeel.

During this pandemic, I played a lot of video games with all my out-of-work friends. Then there were canceled trips, and all I wanted was an escape. I just daydreamed about what an epic time I’d have soon enough. Until then, I’ll crush this cocktail and take myself there.”

Electric Wave

INGREDIENTS

1¼ oz. NEFT Vodka ¼ oz. Blue Curaçao Tbsp. passion fruit syrup* 1 oz. orgeat ¾ oz. lemon juice

PREPARATION

*Passion fruit syrup: mix equal parts passion fruit puree and simple syrup (1:1). Combine all ingredients in a shaker and mix, strain into a glass full of ice and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

Nikki Carter

TIKI ‘ONO, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA “The reason I chose the pride barrel is that each of the colors of the pride flag stood out to me and my life. Red is for life, orange is for healing, yellow is sunlight, green is nature, blue is harmony, and violet is spirit. I am a very spiritual person and one with nature. I take pride in who I am because of situations I have conquered and overcome. Since I was seven, I have overcome abuse, bullying, and addiction. Today, I am confident in my own skin. I have lost a lot of loved ones in the past, and for them, I am strong and will always continue to keep going in life. I chose the pride barrel because one color stood out to me, and that was red. Red symbolizes action, strength, energy, and passion, as well as courage, desire, and confidence.

What I loved about mixing with NEFT was how it’s served from a metal drum. It protects the vodka from heat. While creating drinks, I got a slight hint of sweet vanilla, and it was smooth like no other vodka I have tasted before. Each time I made a cocktail, it mixed so well with other juices, liquors, and purees.”

The Tell-Tale Heart

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. NEFT Vodka ½ oz. Peach Schnapps 1 oz. watermelon juice ½ oz. strawberry puree ¾ oz. lemon juice 1 oz. ginger beer Strawberry and watermelon (for garnish)

PREPARATION

Shake ingredients (except beer) with ice, double strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Top with ginger beer.

Rensel Cabrera

BEAKER AND GRAY, MIAMI, FLORIDA

“What I like about mixing with NEFT is its versatility in cocktails. Most people think vodka is just some odorless spirit with no flavor, but NEFT shows entirely otherwise. The vodka stands out and brings a bold flavor to the cocktail. As for the barrel I chose, I think the white barrel represents the daytime, and the cocktail I made is a daytime-style cocktail. Refreshing and light. Flavors are perceived by color a lot of times.

NEFT Vodka is also a company with a high focus on sustainability, something that I’ve recently considered when creating cocktails. I wanted to build a refreshing cocktail that is all about sustainability. Nothing in this cocktail goes to waste. I’m using the citrus stock recipe from Trash Tiki, using the extra lime husks from limes after juicing them. I made a citrus stock to add more complexity to the cocktail and blended it equal parts with fresh lime juice to make Stuice! As for the garnish aspect, after straining out the raspberries I used to make a syrup, I lay them flat on a sheet and leave them to dehydrate overnight. What’s left is a cool raspberry fruit roll-up candy!”

From Husk Til Dawn

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. NEFT Vodka 1 oz. Stuice (equal parts lime juice and citrus stock)* ¾ raspberry syrup 2 oz. ginger beer

PREPARATION

Shake all ingredients minus ginger beer in a tin and strain over fresh crushed ice in a Collins glass. Top with soda water and garnish with raspberry fruit roll-up. *For full recipe and sub-recipe, please visit chilledmagazine.com/NEFT

Nicki Petry

SOUTH AUSTIN BEER GARDEN, TEXAS

“Heavenly View’s inspiration begins with my mom. When I saw the three different NEFT ultra-premium vodka barrels to choose from, the pride barrel jumped out at me. My mom being my teacher, my support, and my rock, has helped me to develop my love for music. The most noteworthy was our road trip to Dallas to see Coldplay perform back in August 2016. Music has been something we have always bonded over. She just turned 65 years old—it made me extremely happy to be there on a milestone in her life as she has always been there for me and has always shown me so much love. Around this same time, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This hit me hard; so, when I was asked to create a cocktail with NEFT, my mom was my sole inspiration. My cocktail is pink to help promote breast cancer awareness. Our love for Coldplay inspired me, and one of our favorite songs, Sky Full of Stars, popped into my head, followed by the song Up & Up, which is fitting as that’s where we must go from here. Thank you, mom, for inspiring me to bring this cocktail to life for you. Please remember wherever you are, there is a sky full of stars, and you are the Heavenly View.”

Heavenly View

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz. NEFT Vodka ½ oz. Aperol Aperitivo ½ oz. Bénédictine liqueur 3 dashes Angostura Cocoa bitters Strawberry lavender lemon foam (to top)* Toasted lavender spritz (to top)**

PREPARATION

In a chilled coupe, fill about halfway with *strawberry lavender lemon foam: heat 1 cup fresh finely cut strawberries and 4 oz. cup of water with 4 oz. sugar for 6 minutes. Add dried lavender, cook for additional 2 minutes. Fine strain and cool. In whipping siphon add 6 egg whites, 4 oz. strawberry lavender syrup, ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice, ¾ oz. water. Shake, double charge, chill. Combine NEFT, Aperol, Bénédictine, and Cocoa bitters, in a mixing tin then vigorously shake. Double strain into foam filled coupe and watch as the foam rises. Fill any holes left for the pour with additional needed foam. Express the atomizer through an open flame over the cocktail. **Toasted lavender spritz: Fill an atomizer with any high proof spirit of your choice and lavender bitters at 4:1 ration, spirit to bitters.

Trinh Quan Huy-Philip

VIETMIX, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

“When talking about vodka, it made me think about one person; that’s Mia Wasikowska, who gained worldwide recognition in 2010 after starring as Alice. The movie Alice in Wonderland inspired my drink named Lassie Land.

NEFT Vodka is not only incredibly smooth with a creamy texture, but it also has a hint of spicy rye and a touch of almond releasing its aromas and slight nuances. The longevity of the aftertaste is indicative of what I consider the quality of a real vodka. The packaging comes in a miniature oil barrel that keeps the contents inside cold for up to six hours and is truly unique. For me, as a traveling bartender, NEFT will make a new era of happy mixing.”

Lassie Land

INGREDIENTS

1½ oz. NEFT Vodka ¾ oz. Fragola wild strawberry liqueur ½ oz. white peach puree (Ravifruit) ¾ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. orgeat syrup Absinthe (mist to top)

PREPARATION

Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass and shake with ice. Strain into a copper mug and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with slice of lemon and sprig of mint. Mist absinthe on top.

LaShan Arceneaux

THREE LUMPS OF SUGAR, HOUSTON, TEXAS

“This Martini is inspired by walking through a spring garden. Dill is very abundant and grows wild. Young onions are very pungent in the air. The smell is so strong you get the slightest taste of them in your mouth. I love savory Martinis. I think they can be wellbalanced and a perfect pairing with foods.

I chose the black barrel because I do a lot of graffiti-type artwork, and I immediately thought about adding my own artwork to the can to use in Instagram shoots. I also chose it because it reminded me of this tomato growing in my backyard called the Purple Cherokee. It’s a deep purple, almost black color. I enjoyed the sweet spiciness from NEFT Vodka’s rye base. As soon as I tasted it, I knew I was going to make a savory cocktail. Rye adds a hint of spice without having to add any pepper to a cocktail (as some people are allergic to capsaicin), and it lent my cocktail a bit of a kick.”

Lemon Dill Martini

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz. NEFT Vodka ½ oz. dry vermouth ½ oz. onion brine 1 dash lemon dill seasoning

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake until chilled. Double strain into coupe. Garnish with lemon dill rubbed onions and dill.

Rebecca Applebaum

BLUE RIBBON SUSHI, MIAMI, FLORIDA

“I picked the white barrel because it reminded me of Florida—light, bright, and clean. I liked mixing with NEFT as it played nicely with the complex flavors that I used in this cocktail. My inspiration for this cocktail is what I like to drink after work. I live in Miami, and there’s delicious mango and pineapple everywhere. They’re also two of my favorite fruits. I love light, refreshing cocktails, especially if it involves sparkling wine. This cocktail represents where I am physically (Florida) and mentally in life. I like easy-drinking, delicious cocktails chock full of my favorite flavors for some nighttime, after work, relaxation.”

Paradise Love

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. NEFT Vodka ½ oz. Aperol 1 oz. mango, blended 1 oz. grilled pineapple, blended* ½ oz. vanilla cinnamon simple syrup** ½ oz. Meyer lemon juice 2 oz. dry rosé sparkling wine

PREPARATION

Fill cocktail shaker with ingredients (except sparkling wine). Shake with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Fill with sparkling wine. Blend fresh or frozen mango in blender. *Pineapple: cut spears from fresh pineapple. Very lightly brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat 6-8 minutes per side until nicely charred with good color. Blend in blender. **Vanilla cinnamon syrup: 1 cup sugar: 1 cup water. Add 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1 cinnamon stick, the insides of one vanilla bean plus the vanilla pod to mix. Bring to a boil and then slow to a simmer for 8 minutes. Strain with fine strainer. Let cool and use as needed.