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Vodka & Soda That Doesn’t Suck

Jennifer Tyldesley
A touch of sweetness from the homemade honey syrup adds balance to the bitters. The rosemary adds an enticing aroma as you take a sip. There are less than 90 calories in this cocktail.
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Equipment

  • FPJ Fireweed Bitters

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz honey syrup see NOTES
  • 4 oz soda water
  • 1/4 tsp FPJ Fireweed Bitters
  • Small sprig of rosemary

Instructions
 

  • Chill all ingredients. Add ice to a double old-fashioned or a Collins glass.
  • Add the liquid ingredients and stir gently to blend.
  • Garnish with a rosemary sprig. If you have a tiny clothespin, it’s fun to attach it to the rim of the glass. That way, you can smell the rosemary, but it does not overwhelm the delicate flavours in the cocktail.

Notes

Honey Syrup

This syrup recipe was also published in my last column. It’s a versatile cocktail ingredient. Use it in a Penicillin (also published in December) or in the Prohibition-era classic, Bee’s Knees cocktail.
Ingredients
1/2 cup local honey (I like Yukon Raw Honey)
1/2 cup water
Instructions
Combine honey and water in a small saucepan and place over medium heat.
Stir until blended.
Pour into a clean jar and let cool. Label before storing in refrigerator. Syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks.