A sharp and citrus-flavored sipper, the Chilton cocktail satisfies with a nice bite and some bubbles.
When I looked at the recipe for today’s cocktail, the Chilton, I whipped one up for myself without hesitation. A crisp vodka paired with some citrus and club soda, on a hot, lazy day in Los Angeles? Sign me up, please. And because of this beverage’s name, I sat back on the couch while listening to The Replacements’ classic and melodic track “Alex Chilton”.
But this libation has nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll or Alex Chilton. In fact, as I sipped and bopped my head along to the song, I perused an article from a Texas publication called the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, written by Brandi D. Addison, that was all about the Chilton.
Legend says that a Dr. Chilton walked into the Lubbock Country Club in Lubbock, Texas, many years ago and asked the barkeep to mix him up a specific drink, guiding the bartender through the process the whole way. The result was a salty, fizzy and citrusy vodka-based tipple that was christened the Chilton after the physician from the tale.
The mystery of who this stranger was, and when the cocktail was first crafted and served, remains.
What is the best vodka to use in a Chilton cocktail?
We’ll go the traditional and themed route when choosing the spirit to use as the base in this drink, by sticking with a Texas-produced vodka. Two of the most popular brands worldwide hail from the city of Austin, Tito’s and Deep Eddy, and both make a fine Chilton, being a little sweet, silky and smooth on the finish. Deep Eddy also has a variety of flavored vodkas, so you can experiment with tonight’s drink, as well as others.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon wedge for moistening the rim
- Coarse salt for rimming the glass
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
- 4 ounces chilled soda water
- 1 lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a highball glass. Dip the rim into coarse salt until evenly coated. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- In a shaker, combine the vodka and fresh lemon juice with ice cubes. Shake gently to mix.
- Strain into the prepared glass and top with the chilled soda water. Stir lightly, and garnish with a lemon wheel.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Salt the rim of a highball or collins glass, fill it with ice and gently stir your mixture together. Garnish with a fresh lemon wedge on top.
Can you use lemon-lime soda in this recipe?
Let’s say that you’d like to try adding some Sprite or 7UP to this mixture in place of the fresh lemon juice. Would you still have a Chilton? Well, it turns out that what you’d end up with is closer to a Vodka Press, which combines vodka, lemon-lime soda and club soda to top over ice.
Similar cocktails to the Chilton
After sipping this lazy afternoon away, spending some quality time with a Chilton or two, you must be wondering about other simple vodka tipples that you can also enjoy. The Chilton is pretty close to a number of fizzy concoctions that feature the pairing of club soda and vodka, and Twist & Toast has a few of them on hand for you to try out.
- Vodka Soda – A squeeze of lemon mixed with vodka and sparkling water makes for a refreshing and simple sipper.
- Vodka Water – Water, lemon and some strong spirits will quench your thirst.
- Vodka Tonic – A deliciously cooling cocktail, filled with bubbles and a tart bite.
- Vodka Spritzer – Cool down with this icy and fizzy treat.
Leave a Comment