contemporary · shaken
Grasshopper recipe
Green crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and cream. Dessert in a glass.
A Grasshopper is 30 ml (33 g) Green Crème de Menthe, 30 ml (33 g) White Crème de Cacao and 30 ml (30 g) Cream, shaken and served in a coupe. It pours to about 90 ml before ice, at roughly 16% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glasscoupe
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume90 ml
- Strength (est.)16% ABV
- Time3 min
Grasshopper 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Crème de Menthe | 30 ml | 33 g | 1.10 | Weighed by the coaster |
| White Crème de Cacao | 30 ml | 33 g | 1.10 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Cream | 30 ml | 30 g | 1.00 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Grasshopper
- Set your coupe 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 Green Crème de Menthe, White Crème de Cacao and Cream to a shaker, weighing each ingredient rather than eyeballing a jigger.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe.
Grasshopper: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Grasshopper?
Roughly 16% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Medium strength. About the same as a fortified wine, poured short.
What glass should a Grasshopper be served in?
A coupe. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Grasshopper 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.
If you like the Grasshopper
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