Classic Midori Sour Recipe

The Midori sour stands with other cocktails like the Japanese slipper, the Tokyo tea, and the tipsy mermaid, which are instantly recognizable for their bright, almost neon green color. The color comes from Midori, a Japanese melon-flavored liqueur made by infusing melons into neutral grain alcohol and then mixing in brandy, sugar, and green food coloring. The Midori sour entered the 1970s New York City disco scene and remained popular during the '80s and '90s until sweet cocktails fell out of favor.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a less-sweet recipe for a Midori sour that comes together in just two minutes. This cocktail has only five ingredients — Midori, vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, and club soda. The sour citrus juice is the perfect balance for the sweet and syrupy Midori, tempering it down to a pleasurable sweetness, and the club soda topping adds fizz and lengthens the drink. It's easy to make at home because it doesn't require a special cocktail shaker or strainer. You just pour the ingredients into a glass filled with ice and stir.

The presentation is bright and fun as well. Served in a tall Collins glass and garnished with a lemon wheel, this vibrant green drink is a head-turner. Because of the simple assembly, you can make a pitcher for a crowd by mixing the Midori, vodka, and citrus juices and keeping everything chilled until ready to serve. Then pour the mixture into individual glasses over ice, top with club soda, and enjoy.

The alcohol you will need for this recipe is Midori and vodka. Grab a lemon and a lime, because the recipe calls for freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice. Finally, you'll use club soda to top the drink and a lemon wheel for garnish.

Fill a Collins glass with ice.

Pour the Midori, vodka, lemon juice, and lime juice into the glass and stir well to combine.

Top with club soda.

Garnish with a lemon wheel (or you can choose to garnish it with a lemon or lime twist).

Serve immediately.

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A Collins glass is a tall tumbler that holds 10-14 ounces of liquid. It's similar to a highball glass, which holds 8-12 ounces and is a little shorter and narrower. In general, highballs hold cocktails containing a spirit and a carbonated mixer. Collins glasses hold cocktails with more than 2 ingredients. For example, a vodka tonic contains vodka and tonic water, and it's served in a highball glass with ice (ice doesn't count as one of the two ingredients). The Midori sour, on the other hand, has five ingredients plus ice, and the Collins glass gives them a little more room. Collins glasses, of course, are used to serve the Collins family of cocktails (the John Collins, Ron Collins, etc, and the most famous, the Tom Collins, the drink inspired by a legendary hoax).

That's the technical story behind the glass, but even so — is the shape of your cocktail glass really that important? While you can serve a drink in any glass you want, there are reasons behind the traditional pairings of drinks and glassware. For example, narrow Champagne flutes prevent bubbles from disappearing quickly, and their long stems keep your hand from heating up your drink. The height of Collins glasses allows plenty of room for all the ingredients and works perfectly to show off colorful drinks, which is a good reason to use one for the vibrant green Midori sour.

The Midori sour is a relatively simple cocktail, but there are a few ways to customize it and tweak the flavors. Bright green, melon-flavored liqueur is a must when making a Midori sour, but if Midori is out of your budget, you can substitute other brands of melon liqueur like Bols or De Kuyper, which carry a lighter price tag. You can use gin or tequila in place of the vodka to add a depth of distinctive flavor.

Freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice are also essential ingredients, as they tone down the very sweet and syrupy Midori. In a pinch, use just lemon or lime. Freshly squeezed citrus is recommended for the freshest flavor. If you're a fan of sweet drinks, you can use lemon-lime soda for the club soda to make the drink a little sweeter. Instead of a lemon wheel, feel free to garnish your drink with a lemon or lime wedge or a lemon or lime twist instead. For extra fun and color, add a maraschino cherry or, if you're feeling fancy, several green melon balls on a skewer.

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