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WhatDrink

Cocktails

Citronella Cooler

Citronella Cooler is a cocktail made with Citrus-Flavored Vodka, Fresh Lime Juice, Lemonade, and Cranberry Juice. The listed recipe is stirred and served in a Collins Glass.

Reviewed by How we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction
Cocktailalcoholic8% ABV5 ingredients

At a Glance

113 kcalCalories
8%ABV
10gSugar
12gCarbs
0.71Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition. Some ingredient data may be approximate.

These nutrition figures are approximate estimates for this recipe — actual values vary with your exact measures, brands and serving size.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderatestirred drink

Why: 5 ingredients, stirred drink, requires bar spoon

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

How to Make It

  1. Stir in Collins glass.Stirred
  2. Add ice and stir again.Stirred
  3. Squeeze and add lime.Add

How to Serve

Glass
Collins Glass
Temperature
Chilled
Ice
Ice
Method
Stirred
Served Chilled

Serving tips

Serving tips

Serve Citronella Cooler tall or well chilled where appropriate. Good ice and enough dilution help the drink stay refreshing from first sip to last. It is commonly matched with seafood, ceviche, salads style pairings.

Taste

What does Citronella Cooler taste like?

Citronella Cooler is a longer, more refreshing style of drink. Bubbles, citrus, mixer or dilution help make it easier to sip than a short spirit-forward cocktail.

Primary flavours

CitrusTart

Supporting notes

SparklingBerryFruity

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong
BodyLight – Full
SweetnessDry – Sweet
AcidityFlat – Crisp
FruitinessEarthy – Fruity
  • Light and refreshing

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Citronella Cooler is right for you

Citronella Cooler is best when you want brightness and a clean tart edge. Choose it if citrus balance matters more than richness, creaminess or heavy sweetness. The listed serve is about 8.0% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Citronella Cooler if...

Skip Citronella Cooler if tart citrus is not what you want. Sour-style drinks rely on acidity, so they can feel sharp when you are looking for richness or sweetness.

When to serve

  • SummerSuggested from its citrus and sparkling notes.
  • Seafood DinnerSuggested from its citrus notes, pairing with ceviche and seafood.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

SeafoodCevicheSalads

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-FreeVeganVegetarian

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Fresh Lime Juice1.0 oz

Lemon JuiceWorks, with a noticeable change
How much to use
Start with the same amount, then adjust sweetness if needed.
What changes
Lemon juice can usually replace lime juice, but the drink becomes less tropical and more lemon-forward.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Cranberry Juice1.0 oz

Pomegranate JuiceWorks, with a noticeable change
How much to use
Use the same amount; adjust sweetness if the drink becomes too dry.
What changes
Pomegranate juice can replace cranberry juice when a deeper tart red-fruit note is acceptable.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Lime Wedge1 garnish

Lime WheelGood swap
How much to use
Use one wheel for one wedge; use extra juice only if the wedge was meant to be squeezed.
What changes
A lime wheel can replace a lime wedge when the garnish is mostly visual or aromatic.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.

Preference filters use current ingredient, nutrition and diet evidence. They are not medical advice, and this database contract does not store user selections.

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Last updated

Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a Citronella Cooler at home?
Yes. The Citronella Cooler uses 5 ingredients, making it straightforward to prepare at home. You will need a Collins Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.