Food & Cooking Recipes Drink Recipes Cocktail Recipes Vodka Gibson Cocktail Shake up your drinks routine with this martini variation. Close Credit: Jacob Fox Servings: 1 Jump to recipe Our Gibson cocktail recipe replaces the more typical gin with vodka for a crisp, clean twist on the classic beverage. In addition to vodka, you'll need some dry vermouth and a pickled onion (or two) to garnish the cocktail before serving—after all, it's the pickled onion that sets the Gibson apart from other martini variations. We prefer to stir this cocktail together for the best flavor, but you can certainly shake it for more dilution. Either way, be sure to mix it long enough for the vodka and vermouth to become extremely cold and serve it up in a chilled martini glass. All the Essentials You Need for a Well-Stocked Home Bar The 3 Ingredients Needed for a Vodka Gibson Cocktail Vodka: You can use a grain, grape, or potato-derived vodka with equally good results. Just be sure you're using a high-quality option in this cocktail. With so few ingredients, the vodka's flavor is sure to shine through. Vermouth: Vermouth is made from wine (typically white), fortified with another spirit, and flavored with botanicals which can include herbs, spices, roots, barks, and more. Use a dry, not sweet, vermouth here—with its tart, herbaceous, and, well, dry, taste, it's the key to a classic martini. Pickled onion: While martinis are typically garnished with an olive or lemon twist, a Gibson is all about the pickled cocktail onion. Find them in the grocery store in either the pickle aisle or with the other cocktail garnishes. You can also try making your own with our flavorful, vermouth-spiked recipe. Should You Stir or Shake a Martini? James Bond may have preferred his martinis shaken, but we're pretty adamant about stirring. That's because with stirring, you have more control over dilution as you aren't agitating the ice as much, which can leave you with shards of it in your glass and a cloudy martini. That said, if you prefer more dilution—which can mellow out a martini's boozy punch—by all means, shake it. The point of enjoying a cocktail is just that—enjoyment—so mix it however you like. If you'll be stirring your drink, aim for 15 to 30 seconds before straining into a chilled glass. If you're shaking it, opt for about 10 seconds, or until the shaker feels frosty. Directions Credit: Jacob Fox Mix vodka and vermouth: Combine vodka and vermouth in a mixing glass over ice and stir until well chilled. Credit: Jacob Foc Aternatively, this cocktail can be shaken over ice. Strain: Strain into a chilled martini glass. Credit: Jacob Fox Credit: Jacob Fox Garnish and serve: Garnish with cocktail onions. Credit: Jacob Fox Chilling the Glass for a Gibson Serving it in a very cold glass is nearly as important as stirring or shaking a martini to chill it. There are two ways to do this, depending on how much space you have in your freezer: In the freezer: If you have the space, the easiest way to chill a martini glass is to simply set it in the freezer for a few minutes while you build the cocktail. Just be sure your glassware is freezer-safe before popping it in there. Using ice water: If you're short on freezer space or are making several cocktails at once, you can fill the glass(es) with ice water while you make the drinks and discard it just before straining in your cocktail mixture. How to Batch Gibson Cocktails If you're planning to serve Gibson cocktails to a crowd, save yourself the arm workout and make a big batch of martinis ahead of time. That way, when the party starts all you have to do is chill down your glasses, pour, and garnish. To batch this recipe, multiply the amounts of vodka and vermouth above by the number of servings you're aiming for and combine them in a large glass or bowl. Add one ounce of water per serving—this creates the right amount of dilution since you won't be shaking or stirring to serve—and stir well. Transfer the batched cocktail to a clean, freezer-safe container (like an empty vodka bottle) and chill it in the freezer for at least six hours and up to one day before serving. (For four servings, you'll need 16 ounces of vodka, four ounces of vermouth, and four ounces of water.) 5 More Martini Recipes to Try Extra-Dirty Martini Classic Martinis Pink Gin Martinis Chartreuse Martini Lychee Martini