Purple Passion

I just wanted to begin with a rant against grape juice that is mostly apple juice. When the bottle says 100 percent juice, it doesn't mean grapes. That's why when you mix with it, the drink doesn't become purple like the juice.

This drink is quite nice, whatever the color. I'm sure it would be more purple if the juice was 100 percent grape juice, but I doubt it would be much different with four ounces of grapefruit juice in there as well.

• 2 oz. vodka
• 4 oz. grape juice
• 4 oz. grapefruit juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass full of fresh ice. 

Purple People Eater (Non-Alcoholic)

I'm doing more non-alcoholic drinks as I am producing more syrups and buying more juices to make the complicated tiki drinks. The Purple People Eater is a really nice non-alcoholic drink that tastes so much like grape that it seems like it has alcohol in it. It's also a great color. Get this at a bar if you want to go easy without giving that fact away.

• 1 oz. lime juice
• 4 oz. grape juice
• club soda
• lime slice

Build drink in a highball glass with ice, and juices. Top with soda and stir. Garnish with lime slice.

Mainbrace

Another swashbuckling grape juice cocktail. I don't know what it is about pirates or privateers that makes them a lightning rod for grape juice names, but this one is really not too bad. It follows the same formula as the Grapeshot, except that it is made with gin. Use a mildly flavored gin for this, of course.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. grape juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Grapeshot

Are you a pirate or a highwayman? Do you say, "Stand and deliver!" before pulling your pistol and pilfering a man's purse? Is there some reason why you have grape juice and tequila, but not wine? Because that's pretty much what's going on here. This drink tastes like a cheap port, and if you had actual wine, you'd be better off drinking that.

I guess a swashbuckling pirate doesn't have time to wait for the grape juice to ferment. In that case, make this drink.

I have two versions of this cocktail now. The silver tequila and white grape juice looks just like a Martini but will likely go down much quicker. Purple grape juice and gold tequila is richer and has a totally different look.

The reason for there being two recipes is because the New York Bartender's Guide circa 1997 includes one recipe but it is cross listed with both gold and silver tequila and white and purple grape juice. The printed recipe shows gold tequila and white grape juice. Follow the recipe and do whatever you like with the colors of the liquids.

• 2 oz. gold or silver tequila
• 1 1/2 oz. white grape juice (purple grape juice also ok.)
• 1 oz. white curacao

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Grapevine

This is like one of those drinks that only parents of little kids can enjoy. It's not like you have a lot of liquor in the house, just that bottle of Gilby's gin someone left at the baby shower. Picture this: it's the late 70's  and you're a tired dad looking for a beer, except the fridge is empty. You go to make a cocktail with the old bottle of gin, but that's all you have. You look in the fridge and you don't even see orange juice. Then it hits you...grab a kid's juice box, and you're set.

It doesn't sound like an endorsement, but I say that if you have the stuff for this, you owe it to yourself to try it.

• 2 oz. gin
• 2 oz. grape juice
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. simple syrup
• dash of grenadine

 Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass full of ice.