Pisco-Grapefruit Brunch Pitcher Recipe

Updated November 29, 2018

20150224-piscograpefruitcocktail-cocktails2-elana-lepkowski.jpg — Photograph: Elana Lepkowski

Bottle up this bright and tangy pisco cocktail today for brunch tomorrow. This drink is especially delicious in winter, when grapefruits are at their peak flavor. Batching the drink in advance means you're all ready for lazy weekend day-drinking.

Note: Use a vegetable peeler to remove zest for the syrup; trim off as much white pith as much as possible. A mix of Ruby Red and Oro Blanco grapefruits yields especially fragrant juice, but you can also use all Ruby Reds with good results. Encanto Pisco from Peru has a wonderful herbaceous quality, but you can substitute whatever pisco is available to you.

Recipe Details

Pisco-Grapefruit Brunch Pitcher Recipe

Active 10 mins

Total 60 mins

Makes 6 drinks

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Ingredients

For the Grapefruit Syrup:
Zest from one medium grapefruit (see note)
1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice from 2 to 3 grapefruits (see note)
1 cup granulated sugar
For the Bottled Cocktails:
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice from 3 limes
9 ounces pisco, such as Encanto
4 1/2 ounces Grapefruit Syrup
6 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish

Directions

For the Grapefruit Syrup: Combine grapefruit zest, juice, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Strain into an air-tight container. Refrigerate until ready to use or up to 1 week.
For the Bottled Cocktails: In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle together thyme and salt. Add lime juice and stir. Fine-strain into a 24-ounce carafe or swing-top bottle and then pour in grapefruit syrup and pisco. Cap and gently shake to combine. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
For each cocktail, add one large ice cube to a double rocks glass. Pour in 2 3/4 ounces of the bottled cocktail. Gently stir and garnish with a sprig of thyme.