Here are 10 of our favorite vodka-based cocktails for any season!

Blood Orange Screwdrivers

Fresh blood orange juice lends to a pretty pink twist on the classic drink. All you need is fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, regular orange juice, Green Hope Vodka, and ice! For the full recipe, check it out here. This drink is fresh, fruity, and totally Instagram-worthy.

Bloody Mary

A classic favorite, this Bloody Mary recipe is the perfect amount of kick and deliciousness. Wonky Wonderful not only shares their comprehensive recipe, but they also provide some ideas for cool garnishes for your homemade treat. The main ingredients include tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and vodka.

Strawberry, Lemon, and Basil Spritzer

This recipe is perfect for warmer months or if you just came back from the farmer’s market with a healthy haul of fresh fruits! The juice itself calls for fresh lemon juice, raw sugar, fresh basil leaves, strawberries, kosher salt, and soda water. Add a dash of Green Hope Vodka and you have yourself a refreshing, cooling drink that is just as fun to look at as it is to drink!

Blue Smoke Bloody Mary

If you are a Bloody Mary lover, you will love this fun and contemporary take on the classic. The special ingredient in this recipe is Zatarain’s powdered crab boil. Let us know what you think!

Hibiscus Punch

Vodka does really well paired with fresh juices and punches like this one! And this cocktail is so easy to make, it’s a win-win. All you need is some vodka, hibiscus flower pods, and sugar!

Hibiscus, Mint, and Jalapeno Cocktail

Okay, one more hibiscus cocktail. This one is a little more funky and even more delicious! The kick of the jalapeno really complements the sweet nature of the hibiscus, and mint is always a refreshing touch on any cocktail. This is a warm weather treat if we have ever seen one!

Parkside Fizz

This cocktail is so fun because it combines two unlikely ingredients, almond syrup and vodka! Using a citrus-flavored vodka, club soda, and almond flavors, it’s sure to delight and surprise.

Tipsy Sweet Tea

Channel your inner Southern Belle with this homemade sweet tea recipe and pair it with vodka for an extra punch. Simple to make, simple to enjoy!

Golden Sunset

This beautiful cocktail is the Bloody Mary’s fun, tropical best friend! Using yellow or sun-gold tomatoes instead of the classic tomato juice, it has the same flair as the classic but adds an extra twist. Garnish with small tomatoes and celery stalks for a picture-perfect treat!

Strawberry, Grapefruit, and Chamomile Brunch Punch

This recipe calls for bourbon, but we tried it with vodka and it was even more delicious! The subtle notes of chamomile are calming and the citrus kick of grapefruit is a wonderful complement. It is light, refreshing, and the perfect brunch BFF.

What vodka cocktails have you tried? We would love to hear all about your favorite recipes!

Fig, Vanilla Bean, and Cardamom Infusion

Figs are totally in season and this infusion is a sweet treat for any cocktail! Plus, it’s so easy to make! All you need is some vodka, fresh organic figs, vanilla beans, dried cardamom pods, and the jars to store your infusion.

Simply add all the ingredients to a jar, let your concoction sit in the fridge for about a week, strain, and serve. Check out Tasty Yummies for some cocktail recipes to try with your new vodka infusion.

Vodka Infused Watermelon

This recipe is quick, easy and perfect for warm weather! All you need is a nice ripe watermelon and some good vodka, (hint hint Green Hope). Plus, add a cute little mason jar or pretty drink dispenser for Instagram-worthy servings.

Gather your watermelon, sugar, and vodka. Slice your watermelon into cubes, add about a tablespoon of sugar, and fill a mason jar or similar jar to the top with vodka. Shake it up and set it in the fridge for a few days and your delicious cocktail will be good to go in no time! Props to Simply Tangerine for this delicious recipe.

Pickle Infused Vodka

This recipe might not be for everyone, but pickle lovers everywhere rejoice!

For this infusion choose both high-quality vodka and high-quality pickles and pickled veggies. Your batch will reflect the quality of ingredients you work with (aka cheap alcohol makes a cheap infusion!). Foodie Crush shares the complete recipe for this unique drink. Plus, in addition to being delicious on the rocks, this pickle infused vodka would make an awesome base for a Bloody Mary.

Blueberry Infused Vodka (and a Frozen Lemonade Recipe!)

Okay, back to the sweeter side of things. This blueberry infused vodka and frozen lemonade is a match made in heaven and makes the perfect complement for backyard barbeques all year long. All you need for the infusion is some fresh, organic blueberries (try your local farmer’s market!) and some Green Hope Wheat Vodka. It will take 24-36 hours to infuse and once it’s ready, you can add it to the lemonade recipe found here. Garnish with some frozen blueberries and you have yourself a party!

Oolong, Mango, and Orange Infusion

This is a funky mix for those that want their drinks with a splash of zen! Using high-quality oolong tea and vodka, simply add tea (either loose leaf or bagged), sliced mango or orange zest, and vodka to a jar and let it infuse for about two days, mixing at least once a day. If you want your mix sweeter, add more fruit.

Our vodka is delicious straight out of the bottle, but is even more special as one of these vodka infusions. Which one was your favorite?

In fact, most of the problems associated with sugar are due to the fact that people are consuming large amounts of the wrong type of sugar. So, you may be wondering: when it comes to sugars and sweeteners, which ones are okay?

Say Hello to Organic Cane Sugar

Organic cane sugar is unrefined sugar that is grown using organic farming practices (aka without the use of synthetic pesticides). Unlike overly-processed, highly-refined white sugar, organic cane sugar retains some nutritional properties.

Not only does organic cane sugar contain sucrose, glucose, and fructose (compared to refined white sugar that only has sucrose and glucose), but it also contains amino acids, minerals such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, and iron, as well as six different vitamins.

Oh yeah and did we mention that organic cane sugar tends to have a warmer, richer flavor profile too? No chemical pesticides, more nutrients, and an amazing taste!? Sign us up please!

Why Should You Go Organic?

One word: pesticides. Farmers that don’t practice organic farming spray chemical pesticides on their sugar crops in order to kill weeds and insects that get in the way. The sugar cane absorbs these pesticides and residues linger on the crop throughout the manufacturing, packaging, and distribution process… all the way to your kitchen.

Synthetic pesticides have harmful effects on the earth, our soil, our food, and our health.

Pesticides & Our Environment

Chemical pesticides are a large contributor to air, soil, and water pollution. Although farmers only intend for the pesticides to last for a short period of time in a specific area, pesticides will linger and spread throughout the air, soil, and water.

Fortunately, there is a way to keep pests and weeds away from your crops that is less harmful to the environment. Organic farmers use organic products (each subjected to rigorous standards set by the USDA) in order to achieve the same effect, without the negative consequences. It’s a win win!

Pesticides & Our Soil & Crops

The pollution from pesticides doesn’t stop at the soil, water, and air. Pesticides also contaminate our food. In fact, researchers have found pesticide residue in one third of our food time and time again. That’s right, the same chemicals used to kill living organisms are being consumed by humans. Something isn’t right here…

Organic farming seeks to reverse this. Organic farmers essentially “start from scratch” with the soil. By actively trying to decrease soil contamination, organic farmers are able to produce more and more clean, natural food and crops.

Pesticides & Our Health

So, we’ve established that when pesticides are used in farming, they contaminate the environment and our food. But, they also contaminate something that hits a little closer to home – our bodies.

Pesticides have been linked to a variety of different diseases, including neurological disorders, Parkinson’s Disease, lymphoma, asthma, and more. By going organic and choosing organic sugar cane, you will decrease your risk for these diseases.

Green Hope Cane Vodka

Wondering how to drink your Hope Cane Vodka?! Our Cane Vodka is pure sweetness and is the perfect alternative to simple syrup. So, next time you’re craving a Vodka Mojito or Cranberry Martini, leave the simple syrup in the cupboard – Hope Cane Vodka provides all the sugary sweet flavor you need!

Cheers!

…But that doesn’t mean that all corn is bad! In fact, organic, non-GMO, whole grain corn contains some pretty impressive nutrients and has been linked to various health benefits. Unfortunately, finding organic, non-GMO, whole grain corn isn’t as easy as it seems. Why is that so? Well first it’s important to understand what GMOs are and their prevalence in society today.

What Are GMOs?

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are any plant, animal, or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified, creating unstable genes that would not otherwise occur in nature.

Currently, most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe and therefore, have extensive restrictions, if not outright bans, on them. However, GMOs are currently approved for production and sale in the U.S.

Why Are GMOs Unsafe for Our Society?

Not only are the long-term effects of GMOs unknown, but they are also having seriously negative consequences on America’s family farmers and the environment in general.

How GMOs Affect Farmers

Technically speaking, GMOs are considered “novel” life forms, which means that large corporations have the power to obtain patents on them and restrict their use. However, now these large corporations are actually suing farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs as a result of wind drift from neighboring fields.

Not only does this impact farmer sovereignty, but it also makes it harder and harder for farmers to actually produce non-GMO crops that more and more consumers are demanding.

How GMOs Affect Our Environment

The majority of GMOs grown worldwide are designed for herbicide tolerance. This may seem like a good idea at first – no more pests destroying crops means more food at a lower cost for society right? Wrong!

Since genetically modified crops were first introduced, the use of toxic herbicides has actually increased dramatically. This is a result of the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs”, which are herbicide-resistant organisms that can only be killed with extremely toxic poisons.

…And so the cycle continues!

So, what does this have to do with corn?

As you can see, finding non-GMO corn is becoming increasingly more challenging, which means that there is less and less of that good whole grain corn we know and love!

This is the corn that contains all of those impressive nutrients we were talking about earlier – such as vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium.

Not to mention the fact that this is the good corn that is helping family farms stay in business and keeping the good ‘ol fashioned American Dream alive!

Non-GMO and Organic Corn

We’ve already talked about how rare it is to find non-GMO corn, but we haven’t even touched on how hard it is to come across corn that is non-GMO and organic. This means that not only is the corn grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and radiation, but it is also not genetically modified to ease production.

Nowadays, it is harder and harder for farmers to grow corn that is organic and non-GMO as GMO seeds from other neighboring properties are contaminating these organic farmers’ land through wind drifts and water runoff.

Basically, the point we are trying to make is that finding corn that is organic and non-GMO is tricky these days.

Green Hope Corn Vodka

At Green Hope, we make our vodkas using non-GMO, organic corn from a family farm who takes pride in growing it. Our Hope Corn Vodka is clean, crisp, and totally pure – perfect for mixing up a martini, vodka soda, or cream-based cocktail.

Sit back, pour some liquid Hope, and rest assured knowing that you are drinking vodka made from the finest grains grown in America.

Cheers!

…And all of this is occurring for good reason. While there will always be skeptics out there, considerable research has shown the value of buying organic foods over non-organic foods. Today, we’re going to dive into the benefits of choosing organic wheat over conventionally-grown wheat.

Organic vs. Non-Organic: What’s the Difference?

Before we get into the specific differences between organic and conventionally-grown wheat, it is important to understand what the term “organic” actually means.

The word “organic” pertains to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products like fruits, veggies, grains, dairy products, and meats. Organic farmers don’t use conventional methods such as spraying pesticides and herbicides to control weeds and fertilize their crops.

They also stray from using antibiotics, growth hormones, and genetically-engineered ingredients. Overall, organic farming practices are designed to preserve our environment and promote sustainability by encouraging soil and water conservation and reducing pollution.

The Difference Between Organic Wheat & Conventionally-Grown Wheat

…So what’s the difference between organic wheat and conventionally-grown wheat? Plenty! Let’s explore a few:

• Contains No Synthetic Pesticides: Organic wheat is free of potentially harmful pesticides that are used on conventionally-produced wheat. Organic wheat farmers use natural methods such as insect traps, predator insects, or beneficial microorganisms, rather than pesticides, to control crop-damaging pests.
• Free of Synthetic Fertilizers: Many conventional farmers use synthetic fertilizers in order to quickly supply essential nutrients to their soil. However, these synthetic fertilizers can damage the natural make-up of the soil and contribute to pollution. Organic wheat is grown using organic fertilizers. Although organic fertilizer takes longer to supply nutrients, it is much more sustainable for the soil and environment as a whole.
• Typically Grown by Smaller Farms: In many cases, organic wheat is grown by small family farms, rather than large industrial farms. Smaller family farms are less likely to use pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and other harmful additives on their crops and generally recognize the importance of protecting the environment and their land.
• GMO-Free: Organic wheat does not contain any genetically modified organisms. According to numerous studies, GMOs cause environmental contamination, are associated with various health problems, and can create dangerous side effects.

Why Should You Go Organic?

People choose to “go organic” for many different reasons. However, when it comes to choosing organic wheat, there are a few primary factors that people take into consideration:

Pesticides

Many people choose to go organic in order to limit their exposure to synthetic pesticides that conventional farmers use to protect their crops from molds, insects, and diseases. Organic wheat farmers protect their crops from pests using more natural methods such as careful crop selection and crop rotation.

Additives

In order for a food to be considered “organic”, it must not contain any food additives, processing aids, and fortifying agents such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colorings, and flavorings.

Environment

Organic farming practices are designed to reduce pollution and conserve water and soil quality.

Organic Wheat in Your Vodka 

With Hope Wheat Vodka, you can drink just as organically as you can eat! Our Wheat Vodka is organic, non-GMO, and gluten free. Flavorful and fragrant, Hope Wheat Vodka is perfect for mixing up a delicious Bloody Mary or creating fruit, veggie, or herbal infusions.

But why should we think about the ingredients in our vodka? We’re so concerned about whether the fruits and veggies we eat at lunch are organic and whether or not the chicken we eat for dinner was raised on a sustainable farm. However, when it comes to drinks, we tend to neglect source of the ingredients entirely.

Maybe it’s because, until recently, there weren’t very many organic alcohol options at the market. However, this has changed and we’re here to tell you why you should be drinking as clean as you eat.

You should care just as much about the ingredients in your cocktails as you do the ingredients in your sandwiches, smoothies, soups, salads, pastas, etc.

Now we realize that alcohol, specifically vodka, is a whole new ballgame. When you look at ingredients in your soup or salad, you know which types of buzzwords to keep an eye out for that signal whether that meal meets your dietary preferences.

But the ingredients label (or lack thereof) on vodka is a little bit different. Most vodkas tell you what ingredient the vodka is made from (wheat, corn, rye, barley, sugar) and whether any natural or artificial flavors were added.

…Not much to work with right? Wrong!

As we now know, most American vodkas are made from corn. Corn is the #1 genetically modified grain in the U.S. all thanks to agricultural giant Monsanto.

But why are genetically modified grains a cause for concern? Not only are the health consequences of eating genetically modified organisms largely unknown, but they contain large amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides – poisons that should never be ingested or allowed to run off into our water supply.

There are a few words in most vodka labels that should have your ears ringing if you want to drink just as organically as you can eat: “natural or artificial flavors.”

Ah yes, those notorious vodka flavors that were oh so fun when the concept first came out, but have evolved to be more and more ridiculous as time has passed. Flavors like apple, cherry, lemon, and vanilla make sense – after all, they are all real things that can be found in nature.

In fact, infusing vodka with fruits, roots, flowers, herbs, and spices dates back centuries. It is a natural way to add your favorite flavors to your favorite spirit.

But recently, we’ve seen an influx in newer more “artificial-sounding” flavors. We’re talking about whipped cream-flavored vodka, buttered popcorn-flavored vodka, even peanut butter and jelly-flavored vodka!

And just like that, a spirit with a rich history and otherwise pure chemical makeup became muddled with artificial chemicals and flavorings made by scientists in a laboratory.

Of course, some commercial-flavored vodkas still start with whole fruits and have a proprietary extraction and infusion process. However, the majority of the time, these flavors are created in a lab and sold to distilleries.

This is where vodka loses its natural quality and becomes artificial and overproduced. It is the flavorings, colorings, and mixers that some vodka distillers include that add calories and turn an otherwise natural spirit into an artificial concoction.

Carolyn O’Neil, a registered dietitian and author of The Dish On Eating Healthy & Being Fabulous notes: “It’s the mixers, syrups, and sodas that really get people into calorie trouble, because most drinks start with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits that only have around 96 calories, but mixologists can easily turn that into a drink with hundreds of calories.”

We Want to Bring Vodka Back to It’s Roots

We created Hope Vodka because we believe that you should be able to drink just as naturally as you can eat. Just because vodka is an alcohol doesn’t mean that you have to ingest artificial ingredients that don’t meet your dietary standards.

Made from sustainably sourced wheat, cane, and corn, Hope Vodka is free of natural and artificial flavorings – providing you with the clean, pure vodka you deserve. After all, who needs flavorings when the vodka is exceptional by itself?