I Vote for Root Beer Martinis

#1
In case you haven’t heard, tomorrow is election day. And as it turns out,  it’s also my birthday. Yikes.

#2
Root beer is one of my all-time favorite drinks.

#3
Creating a martini with a nostalgic, all-American flavor is my perfect way to celebrate this historic presidential election and my birthday (see #2) From what I have seen on social media this past week, it seems plenty of people will be cocktailing it up tomorrow night. Frankly, we’ve earned it.

No matter what side of the aisle you are on, most of us are fed up and want this over already. The bickering, the bantering, and the booing have all taken a toll on our country’s collective psyche. It’s all been one insane electoral ride this year and these last weeks seem particularly excruciating.

#4
I made a version of these for my July 4th barbecue party this year and they were a big hit, not just with me but with practically the whole dang crowd of 24. I needed a good excuse to break them out again (see #1)

So tomorrow night, to celebrate both my birthday and the fact this election will finally come to an end, I am hunkering down in front of the TV with a Chinese or Indian food take-out feast, root beer martinis, and my German husband (who has gotten endless entertainment out of this insane American election season) to see this political circus to its end.

To add some presentation pizazz to the cocktail, I crushed up some classic root beer barrel candies. Then I dipped the rim of the martini glass in the dust.

Incidentally, root beer dust is magic, people.

So Quality Matters

However, the real key to this root beer martini is the quality of the ingredients. Use good quality vodka. Also, add excellent quality root beer. I got your back on that last one.

Brewed for over three days, Bundaberg Root Beer is simply delicious. It’s made with real sarsaparilla root, licorice root, vanilla beans, and molasses giving it a rich, unique color and flavor. Furthermore, it beautifully amps up the flavor of this cocktail.

Bundaberg is a family-owned, Australian brand which doesn’t seem very patriotic of me. Hear me out. I’ve got a bigger point here. In Australia, you get fined if you do not vote. So think about that and what a privilege it is to cast your ballot. Make sure you get yourselves to the polls tomorrow.

And if you like root beer. Make these. They have my vote.

Print

Root Beer Martini Recipe

Course Cocktails, Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Cocktails, Root Beer Cocktail, Root Beer Martini

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 1

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 3 Root beer barrel candies
• 1+1/2 shots vodka*
• 1 shot root beer liqueur
• 2 shots root beer

Instructions

1. Place the candies in a small zip-lock bag. Use a kitchen mallet to pound them into dust.
2. Pour the root beer candy dust out onto a plate.
3. Coat the rim of a martini glass with water.
4. Flip the glass upside down on the plate.
5. Turn the martini glass back and forth to dust the rim of the glass.
6. Pour the vodka, root beer liqueur, and root beer into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
7. Shake, strain into the glass, and serve.

Recipe Notes

*Root beer flavored vodka if you can find it.

Like these Root Beet Martinis? Also, check out some of these other delicious recipes:

MARASCHINO CHERRY MARTINIS

LEBKUCHEN SPICE MARTINI

CINNAMON ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES