This refreshing transfusion cocktail is the perfect way to cool down after a round of golf or to sip on while you watch your favorite golfer play in The Masters Tournament! This vodka-based links drink needs only four ingredients and is easy to make. This golf cocktail is bubbly, fruity, and goes down so easy!!
You might not have heard of a transfusion cocktail before as it is truly a niche cocktail and mostly known by avid followers of golf. Why it’s so popular isn’t exactly known, but I think it’s because the flavor combination is the perfect way to cool down after spending hours on the golf course.
Whether you are just looking for a fun, new cocktail to enjoy or you're planning a Masters Tournament party, you can’t go wrong with this transfusion drink recipe. If you like other golf-themed drinks to sip on, you might also enjoy a non-alcoholic Arnold Palmer drink or an Augusta Azalea Cocktail.
Don’t forget to serve it up with some foods inspired by the Masters tournament and August, Georgia the city where it always takes place. My favorites are this Green Jacket Salad, Masters Pimento Cheese, and The Masters Peach Ice Cream Sandwich. Or get more ideas in this collection of all my Favorite Masters Golf Recipes. They are all perfect recipes to serve when hosting a golf party!
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😊 Why This Recipe Works
- A popular golf drink made with only four ingredients.
- A delightful vodka cocktail to cool down after a round of golf!
- The perfect combination of tart, sweet and bubbly!
If you would like all your Masters inspired recipes bundled in one easy Kindle or printable Ebook just hit purchase below. ⬇️
🛒 Ingredient Notes
The transfusion golf drink is made with simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store and liquor store.
- Vodka: You don’t need to buy the most expensive vodka to make this highball cocktail drink but I do recommend choosing at least a middle of the road option rather than choosing the cheapest.
- Concord grape juice: Make sure you choose Concord grape juice. Concord juice is made using the Concord grape found in America and some areas of Canada. This small fruit has a distinctive flavor and aroma that is different from other purple grapes.
- Fresh lime juice and lime wedges for garnish: Only use fresh lime juice when making a transfusion cocktail.
- Ginger ale: This soda with delicate ginger notes is the perfect sweet, bubbly mixer and it’s what makes this golf drink so refreshing.
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make the perfect transfusion cocktail. For the full instructions, see the recipe card towards the bottom of the page.
- Fill a glass (preferably a highball glass) with ice.
2. Juice lime to get 1 tablespoon
🍋🍋🍋 Hint for juicing: When I was in Bra, Italy I purchased this citrus reamer because I liked the way it looked. To my surprise, this kitchen tool is the best way I have found to juice lemons and limes hands down. You don't need to go to Italy to get one very similar one. This Amazon lemon juice reamer with a seed catcher has a very handy seed catcher.
3. Pour lime juice and grape juice into the glass ice.
4. Add vodka.
5. Top with ginger ale, give it a quick stir and garnish with a lime wedge if desired.
✔️ Substitutions
Here are a few substitutions you can use to try when making this refreshing golf drink:
- Ginger ale: Make a transfusion cocktail with Fresca, the grapefruit flavored soda or Sprite.
- Concord grape juice: While it won’t be the authentic golfer’s drink anymore you can swap out the grape juice with cranberry juice for a more tart flavor.
🔀 Variations
Here are a couple of ways you can personalize the transfusion cocktail.
- Make a low cal Transfusion cocktail with diet grape juice and diet ginger ale.Less sweet version:
- If you enjoy your cocktails with less sweetness but still want the refreshing flavor, swap out the ginger ale with sparkling water.
- Add some fun garnishes. You can keep it simple with just a squeeze of lime wedge but for something special freeze some grapes and then pop them into the glass! They look great but also keep the drink chilled just like ice. Or add a sprig of mint, curly lime peel or crystallized ginger either on its own or in combination with some other garnishes.
- Nonalcoholi or mocktail: Leave out the vodka and add more bubbly ginger ale fresh lime juice.
🍸Cocktail garnish ideas
💭 Tips for Making the Recipe
- Chill your cocktail glass in the freezer before using it.
- Wait to pour your ginger ale just before serving for lots of bubbles.
- Be sure you buy Concord grape juice for its unique flavor.
- Use fresh lime juice.
- Add plenty of ice for a perfectly chilled cocktail.
- Add a slice of fresh ginger to the glass for more effervescence.
❓ FAQ
No, to make a transfusion golfer’s drink you build it in the glass. Start with the vodka, grape juice, and lime juice first. Then finish it off with the ginger ale. Shaking or mixing the cocktail too much will destroy the bubbles and make the drink a bit flat. You can give it a quick gentle stir after all the ingredients are in the glass to mix together the ingredients.
Concord grapes are most commonly used for making the classic grape jelly and a juice rather than sold fresh in most grocery stores. These small grapes are a deep, dark purple color and almost look a little bit like black olives. They aren’t commonly available fresh because they are more delicate and harder to keep from being damaged. Every once in a while you will see them and they make an extra special way to garnish a transfusion cocktail.
More Cocktail Recipes
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Recipe
Transfusion Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 ounces vodka about 2 shots
- 1 ½ ounces Concord grape juice about 1 shot
- 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh squeezed
- ginger ale
- lime wedge frozen grapes for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a glass (preferably a highball glass) with ice.
- Juice the lime to equal 1 tablespoon.
- Pour lime juice and grape juice into the glass ice.
- Add vodka.
- Top with ginger ale, give it a quick stir and garnish with a lime wedge if desired.
Notes
- Chill your cocktail glass in the freezer before using it.
- Wait to pour your ginger ale just before serving for lots of bubbles.
- Be sure you buy Concord grape juice for its unique flavor.
- Use fresh lime juice.
- Add plenty of ice for a perfectly chilled cocktail.
- Add a slice of fresh ginger to the glass for more effervescence.
Nutrition
If you would like all your Masters inspired recipes bundled in one easy Kindle or printable Ebook just hit purchase below. ⬇️
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