Virgin Paloma mocktail recipe
Pink grapefruit, lime, agave and soda in a clean, bright highball.
Method: Build · Glass: Highball glass · Time: 3 minutes · Difficulty: Beginner
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz agave syrup
- 3 drops 20% saline solution
- 3 oz chilled sparkling water
How to make it
- Chill a highball glass and the sparkling water.
- Add grapefruit juice, lime juice, agave and saline to the glass.
- Fill with large clear ice cubes or ice spears.
- Pour chilled sparkling water down the inside wall of the glass.
- Give one gentle upward lift with a bar spoon and add the grapefruit wedge.
Garnish
Fresh grapefruit wedge
Why this balance works
Grapefruit needs a little sweetness, but the bigger adjustment is saline. A few drops soften its sharp bitterness, which means less syrup is needed. The finished drink should still feel tart and dry; if it tastes like pink soda, pull back the agave rather than adding more lime.
Technique to keep
Highballs lose their best feature when they get warm or are stirred roughly. Chill the glass and soda, add the sparkling water last, and stir only once. Pouring down the side of the glass and using large ice gives you a livelier drink for longer.
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