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The essence of this cocktail can be summed up in two words: less is more. Calimocho is one of the simplest drinks that came to us from the Basque Country, located in northern Spain. For its preparation, two simple ingredients are enough: wine and cola.
In this article, I will tell you about the secrets of making Kalimocho, help with choosing the right alcohol and try to explain how cola with wine turned into a full-fledged cocktail.
The history of the Kalimocho cocktail
I have heard several versions about the origin of Kalimocho and I think there is a grain of truth in each of them. The fact is that such drinks just live their own lives before they are called universally recognized cocktails. As an example, think about steaks, people learned how to fry meat long before the word appeared. Sorry, got a little carried away.
The first legend says that Kalimocho appeared in the 1970s due to the ban on drinking alcohol in public places. Resourceful Spaniards began to pour wine into a half-empty glass of cola. The resulting drink in its color did not differ in any way from non-alcoholic soda. Of course, you can’t deceive a breathalyzer with this technique, but purely visually, it is difficult to recognize alcohol in a glass of cola.
Note: in Spain there is a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages from 22-00 to 07-00 hours. For our tourists, this is a strong contrast with round-the-clock beer stalls.
The second version is more like an urban legend, but it explains the name of the cocktail. Two friends from Getxo (a municipality in Spain) Calimero and Mocho came up with an ingenious enrichment plan – selling wine at a city festival in the port of Algorta. Unfortunately, the idea was overshadowed by the poor quality of the purchased alcohol.
Our heroes were not taken aback and decided to experiment by mixing wine with soda. The exact “participants” of the experiment are unknown, but we know its result – Kalimocho. Young people liked the cocktail so much that it became a real hit at the holiday.
The world-famous drink made from wine with cola was promoted by chef Michael Gordon. Back home in New York, he began promoting the cocktail as an energy drink.
Is it possible to mix alcohol with cola
To answer this question, it is enough to recall dozens of cocktails with the addition of cola. I will not list everything, I will go through the most popular:
- Whiskey cola;
- Free book;
- Stake Captain;
- Rum cola;
- Boston tea.
I won’t list further, I think you already understand, there are a lot of cola cocktails. Also, I omitted a whole layer of drinks where cola is used in alternative recipes.
It should be clarified that not only cola, but also other sodas are combined with alcohol. There is a whole section of cocktails, which include various soda drinks. Just think of California Lemonade or Lemon Gin.
Cocktail wine selection
If you are a true connoisseur of elite wines, feel free to skip this section. Calimocho has the cheapest red wine you can find in the Spanish outback.
Only here there is one BUT: Spanish cheap wine is not domestic cheap wine. In other words, making a good Kalimocho from Three Axes wine will not work.
I advise you to take Spanish or Italian for greater authenticity. Choose inexpensive. The price for a bottle starts from $10 in Russia and from €4 in Europe.
For Kalimocho, don’t take sweet wine, otherwise, along with cola, you will get a shock dose of sugar and an upset balance of taste. The best option is dry, although semi-sweet is also suitable.
Necessary equipment for cooking
To prepare Kalimocho, you will need a whole “mountain” of inventory. Just kidding, a bar spoon and a highball will suffice. Nothing else will be needed.
Note: A highball is a tall glass used to make cocktails based on alcohol and soda.
Cocktail preparation time
This process takes me about 2 minutes. An unprepared person may need more time, minutes, say, 3-4. In other words, Kalimocho cooks very quickly.
Recipe Kalimocho
The moment of truth is the recipe for the most complicated Kalimocho cocktail. Keep children and people with a weak heart away from the screen.
Composition and proportions
We need:
- wine;
- cola;
- ice (large cubes).
Wine and cola are taken in equal proportions 1:1. A lot of ice is used for Kalimocho, take it with a margin.
Stages of preparation
- We take a chilled highball (I put it in the freezer for 5 minutes) and pour ice into it. It should fill the glass almost completely. Do not worry about the size of the cubes, the rest of the ingredients will also have a place.
- Pour cola and wine into a glass. You may not stir.
- Add a straw and enjoy the Kalimocho cocktail.
General tips and tricks
- Do not use sweet wine, sugar in cola is enough.
- For stronger cocktails, you can make a port-based Kalimocho (that’s where “three axes” can come in handy!).
- I do not recommend mixing the ingredients in a shaker, you will lose some of the carbon dioxide bubbles.
- To decorate the glass, take a slice of orange or lemon.
Conclusion
Don’t let the general ironic style of the article fool you, I have a warm heart for Kalimocho. The cocktail reminds me of my student years, when cola with wine was valued no less than Dom Perignon champagne. But that’s a completely different story.
Kalimocho is a low-alcohol cocktail slightly stronger than beer. Cheap ingredients and ease of preparation made it a favorite drink of students and young people in general. Do not “choke” on moonshine for future masters and professors.
Summing up, I want to express my own impression of Kalimocho. This drink will obviously not be a discovery for a person experienced in cocktails. A mixture of cola and wine does not give rise to something completely new and amazing, but rather a combination of already known tastes. If you love both of these ingredients, and a bottle of good red wine was lying around in the closet, try making Kalimocho at home. Believe me, you won’t regret it.
And don’t forget to tell your friends about this super simple and cheap cocktail. Just share this article with them on social networks!