October is cranberry harvest season, and the tart little red berry is feted with festivals, bog tours and bonfires, on Cape Cod especially, one of America’s unofficial cranberry capitals. But the cranberry is a year-round rockstar in the Cape Codder, the signature sip of Massachusetts (and your favorite bar back in college, where you probably just called it a “vodka cranberry”). Advertisement
If you’re from outside of New England, you probably didn’t even know the two-ingredient drink had a proper name, but people in Massachusetts’ favorite summertime destination have been ordering what’s locally known as a “Cape Codder” for decades.
The history of the iconic cocktail can be traced to Ocean Spray. “According to our archives, we first marketed cranberry juice, vodka and lime as a cocktail called the Red Devil in the 1940s,” says Kellyanne Dignan, spokeswoman for Ocean Spray Cranberries, an agricultural cooperative based in Lakeville, Massachusetts with more than 700 member growers.” Advertisement Advertisement
Photo courtesy of Photo via Ocean Spray
The Cape Codder is especially popular in Cape bars and taverns, where locals and tourists come to the Cape with a “When in Rome” mentality. Still, it’s rare to find the eponymous cocktail listed on a drink menu on The Cape. Red’s Bar in Falmouth, named for legendary Celtics coach Arnold “Red” Auerbach, is one of the few local bars that actually lists the drink on its menu. “The name is really what drives the order – relaxing at Cape Cod and ordering a Cape Codder,” says bar supervisor Owen Joseph.
Regardless of what you call it, the Cape Codder earned its place as one of America’s most popular well drinks at a time when the country’s collective taste buds were in favor of sweet drinks that lacked any real flavor of booze. But as our taste in drinks has grown up with the craft cocktail movement, so have local mixologists’ takes on the classic drink.
Throughout The Cape, it’s becoming increasingly common to find muddled cranberries and/or whole berries floating as a bog-like garnish. At Ocean Edge, the signature sip is the Cranberry Mojito – made with cranberry vodka, mint, simple syrup, fresh, locally-sourced cranberries and a spritz of soda or Sprite. Advertisement Advertisement
Photo courtesy of Ocean Terrace
Truro Vineyards in Truro is a cool spot for a fresh cranberry cocktail. The vineyard is also home to South Hollow Spirits distillery and The Hollow bar, where you can order a Cranberry Wine Sangria, made with the vineyard’s Cranberry Red Wine, which is blended with fresh Cape Cod cranberries and also features the distillery’s Twenty Boat Spiced Rum.
One of the most popular cocktails at The West End in Hyannis is the Cinnamon Maple Cape Codder, created with locally-sourced ingredients, including Osterville Vodka (Osterville is a local Cape town), cold-pressed fresh cranberry juice from The Local Juice in Hyannis, Vermont maple syrup infused with cinnamon, fresh-squeezed lime juice and a bruleed orange wedge garnish.
In a Manhattan-meets-Mass mashup, Mooncussers Tavern, a “wine, martini, tapas” restaurant and bar in Harwich serves a Cape Cod Cosmo, the “most popular martini on the list,” says bartender and general manager Damien Wiseman. The pour is made with a local Cape Cod Vodka (made in Sandwich on the Cape), as well as Ocean Spray cranberry juice, Triple Sec and Rose’s Lime. Advertisement Advertisement
Of course, if you prefer a Cape Codder of the original two-ingredient variety, there are no shortage of bars happy to fulfill your request. Just don’t call it a vodka cranberry.
The Cape Cod or Cape Codder is a type of cocktail consisting of vodka and cranberry juice. Some recipes also call for squeezing a lime wedge over the glass and dropping it into the drink.
The Cape Codder is especially popular in Cape bars and taverns, where locals and tourists come to the Cape with a “When in Rome” mentality. Still, it’s rare to find the eponymous cocktail listed on a drink menu on The Cape. Red’s Bar in Falmouth, named for legendary Celtics coach Arnold “Red” Auerbach, is one of the few local bars that actually lists the drink on its menu. “The name is really what drives the order – relaxing at Cape Cod and ordering a Cape Codder,” says bar supervisor Owen Joseph.
Of course, if you prefer a Cape Codder of the original two-ingredient variety, there are no shortage of bars happy to fulfill your request. Just don’t call it a vodka cranberry.
October is cranberry harvest season, and the tart little red berry is feted with festivals, bog tours and bonfires, on Cape Cod especially, one of America’s unofficial cranberry capitals. But the cranberry is a year-round rockstar in the Cape Codder, the signature sip of Massachusetts (and your favorite bar back in college, where you probably just called it a “vodka cranberry”). Advertisement
In a Manhattan-meets-Mass mashup, Mooncussers Tavern, a “wine, martini, tapas” restaurant and bar in Harwich serves a Cape Cod Cosmo, the “most popular martini on the list,” says bartender and general manager Damien Wiseman. The pour is made with a local Cape Cod Vodka (made in Sandwich on the Cape), as well as Ocean Spray cranberry juice, Triple Sec and Rose’s Lime. Advertisement Advertisement
Regardless of what you call it, the Cape Codder earned its place as one of America’s most popular well drinks at a time when the country’s collective taste buds were in favor of sweet drinks that lacked any real flavor of booze. But as our taste in drinks has grown up with the craft cocktail movement, so have local mixologists’ takes on the classic drink.
The Cape Codder is one of a series of drinks featuring vodka and cranberry juice and named for nautical or coastal themes. The Sea Breeze, for example, combines vodka, cranberry and grapefruit juice, while the Bay Breeze is vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice. Each of these simple cocktails is tasty and refreshing, whether you’re hanging out with the Kennedys aboard a yacht or drinking with your friends on the patio.
When building the drink, you can use your preferred vodka, but there’s no need to choose one that’s too fancy or expensive. Any good, middle-of-the-road vodka will do, especially when paired with the sweet-tart flavor of cranberry juice. And the lime wedge isn’t just there for looks—it can be squeezed into the cocktail for a welcome dose of fresh citrus.
The Cape Codder (or Cape Cod) is another name for the popular Vodka Cranberry, and it gets its name from the East Coast town in Massachusetts, which is known for growing cranberries. A simple mix of vodka and cranberry juice, poured tall in a glass and garnished with a lime wedge, it’s one of the easier-to-make cocktails you’ll come across. You don’t even have to shake it, strain it or employ any bar tools to make the Cape Codder.
How to Make the BEST Vodka Cranberry Cocktail – Cocktail Recipe
FAQ
What do you call a vodka and cranberry?
What is the difference between a Cape Cod and a sea breeze?
What is another name for the Cape Cod drink?
What is a cranberry cocktail called?
The mix of vodka and cranberry juice is commonly known as a “Vodka Cranberry” or “Cape Codder”. The Cape Codder name originated in the 1960s, when cranberry drinks were becoming increasingly popular. The cocktail is named after Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a region known for its abundant cranberry bogs.
What is vodka and cranberry?
So, read on and find out everything you need to know about the captivating combination of vodka and cranberry. So, what is vodka and cranberry called? The mix of vodka and cranberry juice is commonly known as a “Vodka Cranberry” or “Cape Codder”. The Cape Codder name originated in the 1960s, when cranberry drinks were becoming increasingly popular.
How do you make a cranberry vodka cocktail?
Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour 1.5 ounces (45 ml) of your chosen vodka over the ice. Fill the glass with cranberry juice, leaving about an inch of space at the top (approximately 3-4 ounces / 90-120 ml of juice). Gently stir the drink with a long spoon or swizzle stick to combine the ingredients.
What is a good alternative to vodka cranberry?
A more sophisticated alternative to the classic vodka cranberry is the Crantini. This version is essentially a vodka cranberry served in a martini glass, often with a splash of lime juice and garnished with a lime wedge or twist.