Raspberry Snakebite Recipe

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/29/21
Raspberry Snakebite - Vanilla Porter, Hard Cider, and Fresh Raspberry Beertail
ekash / Getty Images
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
163 Calories
0g Fat
12g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 163
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 14mg 72%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 121mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

 A fun twist on a favorite beer and cider mixed drink, the raspberry snakebite is a refreshing way to enjoy a dark porter. This beertail recipe is easy and an unusual way to enjoy the fruits of summer.

In the bar, we have two common drinks that take on the snakebite name: a shooter with Yukon Jack and a 2:1 mix of beer and cider. The beer drink is what we're playing with in this recipe. While lager is the most common style used for snakebites, we're going to go a little darker and mix with a vanilla porter.

Porters are rich, dark beers with notes of chocolate and coffee. Admittedly, they're so dark that not everyone enjoys them. Yet, you can take advantage of the unique flavors of one like Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter and lighten it up to create a drink that anyone will enjoy. This is done by adding a little hard cider, giving us the base for our snakebite. 

To make it a little more interesting, the raspberry snakebite adds the sweet flavor of raspberry juice. This transforms the drink into a summer-worthy sipper and it may just surprise you at how well it works.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce raspberry juice

  • 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon wedge

  • 6 ounces vanilla porter

  • 3 ounces hard apple cider

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the raspberry juice into a chilled pint glass.

  3. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedge into the glass.

  4. Slowly pour in the beer and cider.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • You can pour this drink as tall or short as you like and adjust each of the ingredients to your personal taste. Most drinkers who tested the recipe prefer the 2:1 ratio of vanilla porter to hard cider, though you may enjoy it with a little more or less of either ingredient.
  • The quickest way to pour the two main ingredients is to hold one bottle in each hand. Pour simultaneously and slowly to minimize the foamy head. Stop pouring the cider about half way through and continue filling the glass with the vanilla porter. The beer and cider will mix the drink, so no stirring is needed.
  • This recipe can be made in a pitcher for quick service when you have a small group. It's also an easy one to pour when you're not in your bar or kitchen. Simply cut up some lemons and put your beer, cider, and raspberry juice in the cooler. It's a great drink for tailgating, camping, and picnics.

The Quickest Fresh Raspberry Juice

You can buy raspberry juice, though it can be difficult to find at times. If you have no luck at your local store, turn to fresh raspberries.

The easiest way to get fresh raspberry juice is to muddle about 10 to 15 berries in the bottom of each glass. This will add the pulp as well as the juice to your raspberry snakebite, but you'll also get the seeds. Some drinkers found they actually liked the fresh fruit because it leaves you with a little treat at the bottom of the beer. You can choose to drink the berry leftovers or just toss the last few sips.

Seedless Raspberry Juice

Raspberry seeds are very tiny and they are difficult to strain out of the juice. If you prefer a seedless raspberry juice, you have options. 

First of these is to turn to your electric juicer. It will make quick work of as many raspberries as you wish to juice. Most models do a fair job of eliminating or (at least) reducing the number of seeds. You can always strain it further through a couple layers of cheesecloth.

If you don't have a juicer, there is a manual solution. It takes a bit more work, so consider making a large batch of raspberry juice with at least 1 pound of berries to make it worth the effort.

Raspberry juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in a tightly sealed bottle. To make it last longer, freeze the juice in ice cube trays and bag them up once frozen. To make a drink, just pull out a cube or two.

Raspberry Juice Without the Juicer

This method for making raspberry juice can work for both fresh and frozen berries. If frozen, you'll have to gauge how much water to add, though it shouldn't be enough to cover the entire chunk of berries. Start small and add more if necessary.

  1. In a saucepan, cover rinsed raspberries with just enough water until the fruits just begin to float.

  2. Slowly bring the liquid to a boil and mash the berries with a large spoon, muddler, or (for maximum efficiency) a potato masher.

  3. Allow the mix to reach a boil once again, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

  4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly for a few minutes.

  5. Place a fine mesh strainer over top of a bowl and line it with cheesecloth.

  6. Slowly pour the raspberry liquid into the strainer, catching the juice in the bowl underneath.

  7. Pick up the sides of the cheesecloth to form a small pouch and squeeze out as much juice as you can from the pulp.

Your seedless raspberry juice is ready to drink. If you like, you can sweeten it slightly with simple syrup or sugar. It's also nice to add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice as well.

How Strong Is the Raspberry Snakebite?

First of all, any drink with the name snakebite should be a warning that it may get you a little tipsy. Even though the beer-cider snakebites don't use liquor, the combination of the two 5 percent ABV beverages is a potent one. 


The raspberry snakebite weighs in at around 4.5 percent ABV, which in theory is a pretty light drink. Yet, there's something about the mix that is surprisingly more intoxicating than drinking either the beer or cider alone. Take a little more caution and you should be good to go.