Small Bottles Recipe

Small Bottles (preparation and filling)

1. 1

   Sanitize bottles

   Place the empty small glass bottles and caps in a large pot. Pour enough water to fully cover them and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove bottles and caps, drain upside down on a clean rack or towel. Pour 120 ml neutral vodka into a measuring cup and pour a small amount (about 5–10 ml) into each bottle, swirl to coat the inside, then pour out the excess. This leaves bottles sanitized and slightly flavored if desired.

2. 2

   Prepare simple syrup

   Combine 250 ml simple syrup with 240 ml filtered water in a medium mixing pitcher to slightly dilute and yield a pourable base. Stir until homogeneous.

3. 3

   Make lemon-raspberry concentrate

   In a small bowl, muddle 24 fresh raspberries with 120 ml fresh lemon juice until mostly puréed and aromatic. Press the purée through a fine mesh strainer into the syrup-water mixture, using the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard solids. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding extra simple syrup (up to 30 ml) if it tastes too tart.

4. 4

   Add optional botanical lift

   If using gin for a botanical version, stir 120 ml gin into the lemon-raspberry base. If not using gin, omit this step. Add 12 fresh mint leaves, bruise them slightly between your palms and stir into the mixture for 1 minute to impart light mint aroma; remove and discard the leaves before bottling if you prefer clarity.

5. 5

   Add bitters (optional)

   If using Angostura bitters, add roughly 1 tsp per bottle's worth (12 tsp total) to the combined mixture and stir thoroughly. This will add depth; skip if you want a cleaner fruity profile.

6. 6

   Fill bottles

   Set up the sanitized bottles on a clean surface. Using a small funnel or a pour spout, carefully fill each 2-oz (60 ml) bottle to about 55–58 ml, leaving a small headspace. Cap each bottle tightly. Wipe any drips from the outside with a clean cloth.

7. 7

   Condition and label

   Let the filled bottles rest upright in the refrigerator for at least 2–4 hours to allow flavors to marry and for any small air bubbles to settle. For longer shelf stability (non-sterile home preparation), keep refrigerated and consume within 7–10 days. Attach labels and decorative twine if desired.

8. 8

   Serve or gift

   Serve chilled straight from the bottle as a single-serve cocktail shot, or dilute with soda water (about 1 part concentrate to 2 parts soda) over ice. For gifting, include simple serving instructions on the label and keep refrigerated until opened.