Astro pop (cocktail)
Layered cocktail resembling the Astro Pop lollipop.
The Astro pop cocktail is a layered drink—served as a cocktail, mixed drink, or shooter—that takes its name from the Astro Pop lollipop candy. Its appearance mimics the candy’s colors, and one common version layers red, white, and blue in a shot glass. Recipes vary, using ingredients like vodka, raspberry vodka, blueberry vodka, Prosecco, blue curaçao, Crème de banane, and melon liqueur. Mixers can include sweet and sour mix, simple syrup, and grenadine, while garnishes may involve sugar, raspberries, lemon juice, or lemon. A cocktail spoon is sometimes used to pour liquids slowly over its back, helping separate the layers by density.
A similar drink called the Skylab Fallout was created at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans in 1979, during the Skylab descent. It used blue curaçao, apricot brandy, grain alcohol, rum, and orange juice, with denser liquids settling at the bottom so the alcohol strength increased as the drink was consumed. In 2013, a version of the astro pop was the most popular cocktail ordered at Burke Street Pub in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Related products include Leaf Brands' Astro Pop soft drink, available in several flavors, alongside the original candy.
Quick Facts
- Ingredients
- Vodka, blue curaçao, grenadine, sweet and sour mix and others
- Served
- Typically layered
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Astro pop cocktail is named for its visual similarity to the Astro Pop lollipop candy brand. It can be served as a cocktail, mixed drink, or shooter, and a version exists that is layered with red, white, and blue colors and served in a shot glass. Alcoholic beverages used in its preparation can include vodka, raspberry vodka, blueberry vodka, Prosecco, blue curaçao liqueur, Crème de banane, and melon liqueur. Drink mixers can include sweet and sour mix, simple syrup, and grenadine. Additional ingredients and garnishes can include sugar, raspberries, lemon juice, and lemon. A cocktail spoon is sometimes used to aid in layer separation, with various beverages slowly poured over the back of the spoon.
Reader's Guide
The Astro pop cocktail is significant as a novelty layered drink that draws its identity from a branded candy, reflecting a broader trend in cocktail culture of referencing popular confections. Its popularity in some drinking establishments, such as the Burke Street Pub in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where in 2013 it was the most popular cocktail drink ordered by patrons, indicates its appeal as a visually striking and sweet shooter. The drink's preparation technique—using a cocktail spoon to achieve distinct layers—is a classic bartending skill. A similar layered drink, the Skylab Fallout, was created at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans in 1979 during the Skylab descent, using blue curaçao liqueur, apricot brandy, grain alcohol, rum, and orange juice, with denser liquids settling at the bottom so that alcohol strength increased as one drank it. The Astro pop's legacy lies in its playful presentation and its place among layered shooters that emphasize color and sweetness over complexity.
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