modern classic · shaken
Cosmopolitan recipe
Vodka, triple sec, cranberry, lime. Bright pink, perfectly balanced.
A Cosmopolitan is 45 ml (42.3 g) Vodka, 15 ml (14.7 g) Triple Sec, 30 ml (31.2 g) Cranberry Juice and 15 ml (15.5 g) Fresh Lime Juice, shaken and served in a martini glass. It pours to about 105 ml before ice, at roughly 21.4% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glassmartini glass
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume105 ml
- Strength (est.)21.4% ABV
- Time4 min
Cosmopolitan ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodka | 45 ml | 42.3 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Triple Sec | 15 ml | 14.7 g | 0.98 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Cranberry Juice | 30 ml | 31.2 g | 1.04 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 15 ml | 15.5 g | 1.03 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Cosmopolitan
- Set your martini glass on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Add Vodka, Triple Sec, Cranberry Juice and Fresh Lime Juice to a shaker, weighing each ingredient rather than eyeballing a jigger.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled martini glass.
Cosmopolitan: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Cosmopolitan?
Roughly 21.4% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Spirit-forward. Sip it, do not sink it.
What glass should a Cosmopolitan be served in?
A martini glass. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Cosmopolitan without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
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