Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Nevada

Grapefruit does the work here. Two parts white rum to one part grapefruit juice, with just enough lime and sugar to sharpen the edges, and what comes out is drier and more bitter than a Daiquiri without being difficult about it.

Preparation~3 minEasyStrengthStrongabout 23% ABVMethodShaken9 guided stepsIngredients5Coupe or martini glass

Sour

In the glassWhite rum · Grapefruit juice · Fresh lime juice · Simple syrup · Angostura bitters

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear coupe glass with a shallow rounded bowl and slender stem. — Serving glassCoupe glass

Set up before you pour

Use a coupe glass.

The stem keeps your hand away from a cold drink, while the rounded bowl makes an up serve easy to sip.

Standard size: 200 ml6¾ oz
Ice & serve: Chill it first; serve without ice.
If you don’t own one: Use a small martini glass or stemmed dessert glass.

Tools to set out

cocktail shaker
strainer (or a small sieve)
jigger or measuring spoon

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Scale to your coupe or martini glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

White rum60 ml
Grapefruit juice30 ml
Fresh lime juice8 ml
Simple syrup8 ml
Angostura bitters1 dash

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Measure into the shaker
Pour 60 ml white rum into your shaker
- White rum
02
Measure into the shaker
Add 30 ml grapefruit juice
- Grapefruit juice
03
Measure into the shaker
Add 8 ml fresh lime juice
- Fresh lime juice
04
Measure into the shaker
Add 8 ml simple syrup
- Simple syrup
05
Measure into the shaker
Add 1 dash Angostura
- Angostura bitters
06
Ice the shaker
Fill the shaker with ice
Why it mattersFill it right up — more ice chills faster with less watering down.
07
Seal and shake
Seal and shake hard
Why it mattersCold hands mean it’s working. Shake until the tin frosts over.
08
Strain cleanly
Strain into a chilled glass — no ice
Why it mattersPour through the strainer so the spent shaker ice stays behind.
09
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a grapefruit wedge

Know your drink

About the Nevada

A Daiquiri, minty rum highball and dark rum rocks drink at a sunset terrace bar.

A dry rum sour

Nobody can say with confidence where the name came from, and the Nevada turns up in mid-century books with no story attached to it. What it does carry is a useful idea. Grapefruit is soft enough to pour at 30 ml where lime at that volume would be punishing, so you get a full-sized citrus drink that still finishes dry. Keep the sugar low and it works before dinner.

Common questions

Nevada FAQ

Why does a grapefruit drink still need lime in it?

Grapefruit is soft — its acid is low and its bitterness sits in the pith rather than the juice. Eight milliliters of lime supplies the sharp edge grapefruit can't, which is what stops the drink going round and dull. Leave it out and you'll notice within two sips.

Four ingredients and one of them is sugar. Which do I pull first?

The syrup, all the way to zero if your grapefruit is a sweet red one. That's the whole reason it's only 8 ml to begin with. After that, take the grapefruit down to 22 ml and let the rum come forward. Touching the lime is the last resort, since it's the only sharpness in the glass.

Can I make it long instead?

Yes. Build the same proportions over ice in a highball and add 60 ml of soda for something in Paloma territory with rum instead of tequila. Add a little more lime than the recipe calls for, or the grapefruit goes flabby once it's diluted.

Would a funky Jamaican rum be too much for it?

It's the most interesting way to make it. Ester-heavy Jamaican rum brings overripe banana and a little varnish, which grapefruit's bitterness handles better than lime ever does. Keep the syrup at 8 ml so the fruit stays in front. A clean Cuban-style white is the quieter version.

How strong is a Nevada?

A standard Nevada is roughly 23% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it spirit-forward — closer to a Martini than to a beer, so sip it slowly.

Is a Nevada shaken or stirred?

A Nevada is shaken — the rule of thumb is to shake anything with citrus juice. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.

What glass do you serve a Nevada in?

Serve a Nevada in a chilled coupe glass, well chilled — this drink is served without ice, so a cold glass keeps it cold.

Sharpen the technique