Lemon Drop Shot
Vodka, lemon and sugar, shaken and served as a shot with a sugared rim. The 1970s San Francisco original — before it grew into a martini glass.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Rim a shot glass with superfine sugar.
Add the vodka, lemon juice and syrup to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 8 seconds.
Strain into the shot glass and serve, with a lemon wedge alongside if you like.
A thoughtful finish
- Fresh lemon. There are three ingredients and one of them is the lemon.
- Shake it cold and quick; a warm shot of this is sweet and sharp in the wrong way.
- The original 'shot' was a shot of vodka and a sugared lemon wedge to bite afterwards — try it that way once.
Common mistakes
- Sour mix.
- A thick sugar rim that falls into the shot.
- Citrus vodka plus syrup plus rim; it turns into candy. If you use citrus vodka, drop the syrup.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between a Lemon Drop shot and a Lemon Drop Martini?
Size and orange liqueur. The shot is vodka, lemon and sugar; the martini-glass version adds triple sec and is served up as a full cocktail.
Vodka or citrus vodka?
Either. Citrus vodka adds aroma but is usually sweetened; reduce the syrup.
Can I make a batch?
Multiply by six, shake in two rounds, and pour into sugar-rimmed shot glasses. It is a party shot.
How strong is it?
About 25% ABV in a two-ounce shot — an ounce and a half of vodka. A proper shot.
Variations
- Lemon Drop Martini — The cocktail version with triple sec.
- Kamikaze Shot — Vodka, lime and orange liqueur.
- Green Tea Shot — Irish whiskey, peach schnapps and sour.
- Vodka Sour — The long version with egg white.
Where it comes from
c. 1970s · San Francisco · Norman Jay Hobday · Henry Africa's
The Lemon Drop was born as a shot at Henry Africa’s, Norman Jay Hobday’s ‘fern bar’ in San Francisco, in the 1970s: a shot of vodka, a lemon wedge dipped in sugar to bite, or — in its mixed form — vodka shaken with lemon and sugar and served in a shot glass with a sugar rim. The martini-glass cocktail grew out of it in the 1980s and 1990s and is now the better-known version; the shot survives in bars everywhere and is, when made with fresh lemon, a perfectly good small drink.
Sources
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
- San Francisco Chronicle, Norman Hobday obituary, 2011 (article)
- Difford's Guide, Lemon Drop Shot, 2015 (reference)
Strength. About 1 US standard drinks at an estimated 19.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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