Mosmo

Cocktails

Jan 22

Written By Ben McElroy

Why Make It?

If you are a fan of the Cosmopolitan, give Mosmo a try. It is a variation that requires a little more effort that is worth the payoff.

Elderberry liqueur, hibiscus and lime combine to provide all that is great about a Cosmo but with more freshness and complexity.

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Author Thoughts

When thinking about creating a variation of a Cosmopolitan, I kept going back to the cranberry. The cranberry juice that many use for a Cosmo is not that great. Fresh cranberries would make a terrific drink but they are only available during the holidays.

The solution became clear. Swap the cranberry for dried hibiscus. Hibiscus and cranberry have a similar flavor and the same beautiful tartness. Dried hibiscus has the added benefit of always being available. If it's not in your grocery store try online or at your nearest latin grocery.

The final adjustment was the elderflower liqueur which adds some floral notes. Not all elderflower liqueurs are the same. Some have more floral and some are more fruity depending on how much elderflowers or elderberries they use. There is no right or wrong answer, just understand that bottles labeled elderflower liqueur can vary tremendously.

Keys To Success

The most important part of this drink is the hibiscus. I have noticed a big difference in the quality of dried hibiscus. Buy from a source that looks to be selling a good amount of it, like a latin grocery. Check the expiration date on the bag and tightly seal it after opening.

Equipment

jigger - shaker - strainer - channel knife

Mosmo

Makes: 1 Drink | ABV: 17% | Total Time: 10 min | Glassware: coupe

Ingredients

1.5 oz vodka
0.75 oz lime juice
0.5 oz hibiscus simple syrup
0.25 oz elderflower liqueur

Hibiscus Syrup

20 g [~1 cup] dried hibiscus
200 g [1 cup] sugar
250 g [1 ⅛ cup] water

Garnish

lime twist

Instructions

Syrup: Boil water with a kettle or on the stove. Measure 250 g [1 ⅛ cup] of the boiling water and pour over the hibiscus. Let it steep for 10-15 min and strain. Add the sugar and stir occasionally to dissolve. [this may take up to 30 min]
Prep: Prepare the lime by using a channel knife or peeler to make a lime twist. Juice the lime.
Shake: Using a jigger, add all the cocktail ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled.
Serve: Strain into a coupe. Garnish with the lime twist.

Notes

The hibiscus is a simple syrup. The extra water accounts for evaporation and what the dried hibiscus will absorb during steeping. If you want the more precise results. Simply make the hibiscus concentrate–weigh it–and then add an equal weight of sugar.

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