It’s still a party! The coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot of things about the 2020 Emmy Awards ceremony, but winners and nominees — and viewers — can still indulge in celebratory cocktails with some assistance from Ketel One Vodka.
The brand, which is the Official Spirits Partner of the 72nd annual awards show, worked up several easy-to-recreate yet upscale drinks for the virtual event.
The seven-minute martini provides surprises as viewers sip. Combine six ounces of Ketel One Family Made Vodka, three ounces of bianco vermouth, four ounces of water and five dashes of orange bitters in a bottle or large mason jar, chilling until ready to serve. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a long, wide piece of grapefruit peel, curl and place into French press (or other infusing vessel) with mint, peach slices and hibiscus tea. Pour the pre-chilled cocktail into the French press when ready to serve. Pour small portions of the infused drink into martini or coupe glasses every 90 seconds to watch the flavor and presentation transform for seven minutes.
For a zesty, crisp and surprisingly fruity Hollywood mule, combine one-and-a-half ounces of Ketel One Family Made Vodka, three-fourths of an ounce of fresh lime and three-fourths of an ounce of Grüner Veltliner syrup in a copper mug and stir. Top with ice and add ginger kombucha. Finish with strawberry and mint as garnishes.
Those who love the taste of coffee will enjoy the double-brewed espresso martini. Combine one-and-a-fourth ounces of Ketel One Family Made Vodka, half an ounce of creme de cacao, two-and-a-half ounces of Guinness cold brew and one dash of Angostura bitters in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain contents into a chilled coupe. Grate coffee bean over cocktail to finish.
Mixologist Charles Joly revealed that “the heart of the process” for creating the cocktail lineup was “the same” as any other year amid the pandemic. “The biggest change was balancing marvelous, award-worthy cocktails that could also be recreated at home easily,” he exclusively told Us Weekly. “I always like to provide home enthusiasts with simpler recipes to modify specialty cocktails. This year we made sure you could source anything from a well-stocked grocery store and get creative with what you have on hand. Ketel One Vodka even had Cocktail Courier put together a kit for the signature seven-minute martini, so folks can order up a turnkey cocktail option.”
Joly noted that a great drink “doesn’t have to have 20 ingredients and a list of items you can’t pronounce,” adding: “Complexity for the sake of complexity has no place.”
The expert suggested viewers experiment with their own creations too. “Up-leveling some of the simplest drinks is a great way to go as well,” he said. “There’s a reason the Ketel soda is one of the most often ordered mixed drinks out there. Take that base and use what you have on hand to take it up a notch. Try different types of citrus, whether a squeeze of the juice or aromatic mist of oils. Add fresh herbs, berries or slice up some peppers or cucumber and drop them in. The possibilities are pretty unlimited when you start with a solid foundation.”
The Emmy Awards air on ABC Sunday, September 20, at 8 p.m. ET.
