classic · built
White Russian recipe
The Dude abides. Vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream over ice.
A White Russian is 45 ml (42.3 g) Vodka, 22 ml (24.2 g) Kahlúa and 30 ml (30 g) Heavy Cream, built and served in a rocks (old fashioned) glass. It pours to about 97 ml before ice, at roughly 23.1% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glassrocks (old fashioned) glass
- Methodbuilt
- Pour volume97 ml
- Strength (est.)23.1% ABV
- Time2 min
White Russian 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 |
| Kahlúa | 22 ml | 24.2 g | 1.10 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Heavy Cream | 30 ml | 30 g | 1.00 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a White Russian
- Set your rocks (old fashioned) 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.
- Fill the rocks (old fashioned) glass with fresh ice.
- Build Vodka, Kahlúa and Heavy Cream straight into the glass, weighing each pour.
- Stir once, briefly, to combine.
White Russian: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a White Russian?
Roughly 23.1% 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 White Russian be served in?
A rocks (old fashioned) glass. One large, clear cube melts slower than four small ones and keeps the drink from watering out.
Can I make a White Russian 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 White Russian
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A township twist on the sunrise — vodka and orange juice over a slow-sinking grenadine dawn.