Survival Update

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Vodka Cannot Be Used as Hand Sanitizer, But It Can Make These Great Quarantine Cocktails!

You may have heard about using booze, like vodka, in a pinch as the “alcohol” component in homemade hand sanitizer. The truth is, only grain alcohol is high enough “proof” for that. A sprit’s “proof” is half of its alcohol content. So 80 proof vodka, which is the proof of most vodkas, is 40% alcohol. The CDC says 60% is the minimum you need to be an effective sanitizer. So you would need a distilled spirt that is at least 120 proof. With the exception of polish made Spirytus Vodka – with a whopping 192 proof, or 95% alcohol – most commercially available vodkas are nowhere near that strong.
However, that doesn’t mean this clear and tasty spirit should be left out of your quarantine plans! Here are some great “quarntinis” and other cocktails made with vodka!
Appletini
• 2 oz. vodka.
• 2 oz. green apple schnapps.
• A dash of sour mix.
• Shaken over ice and poured into the kitschiest martini glass you have.
• Garnish with a cherry

Cape Coder
• Equal parts cranberry juice (Ocean Spray if you can find it!) and vodka.
• Poured over ice.
• Add soda water if you’d like a tall one.
• Garnish with a lime
Tom Collins
• 2 oz. vodka (or gin, brandy, tequila — your call, really, but you know what you stockpiled)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup (or more to taste)
• Poured over ice
• Topped with soda, if you’d like
• Garnish with a lemon

Moscow Mule
• 2 oz. vodka into a copper mug (or rocks glass) filled with ice
• A lime wedge, squeezed for its juice
• Topped off with ginger beer, a spicy and delicious version of ginger ale.
• Garnished with a lime
Bullshot
• 1.5 oz. vodka.
• 3 oz. Campbell’s beef broth.
• 1 dash Worcestershire steak sauce.
• A dash of Tabasco if you prefer (I do not).
• A squeeze of lemon.
• And if you have it, a dash of celery salt.
• All over ice, stirred.
Bloody Mary
• 2 oz. vodka, poured over ice in a pint glass.
• Add your special ingredients, then fill with tomato juice (or fill the glass with the mix and skip the specials).
• Garnish with a lemon, lime, olive, piece of extra-crispy bacon, or whatever else you’ve got stored away for breakfast.
Stay safe, and enjoy this extra time at home with your families!

Do you have any great “shelter-in-place” vodka coctails you would like to add? Please comment using the comments below!