About the Recipe
The vibe of a fresh pilot night is anticipation + comfy clothes. You’re not deep in the lore yet, but you’re ready to commit. The Pilot Episode is smooth, citrusy, and mellow with a little kick — kind of like meeting a new character you’re not sure you’ll like yet, but then they grow on you by episode 3. This one’s easy to make during opening credits, with plenty of time to settle in before the plot thickens.
Ingredients
1 oz vodka (or seedlip or muddled cucumber for mocktail)
1 oz grapefruit juice
½ oz elderflower syrup (or St-Germain)
½ oz lemon juice
Sparkling water to top
Ice
Instructions
Step 1
Add vodka, grapefruit, lemon, and elderflower to a glass with ice.
Step 2
Stir gently.
Step 3
Top with sparkling water and give it one more stir.
Step 4
Garnish with a lemon wheel or cucumber ribbon.
Tips
Zero-proof: Use Seedlip Grove or just skip the booze — it’s bright enough with just juice + fizz.
Flavor swap: Sub in blood orange or yuzu if you want a twist.
Pair with: The first few episodes of something twisty — like Severance or Shōgun.
Batch it: Easy to mix up a few glasses if you're watching with a partner.
Serving Tips
Glass: Stemless wine glass or any glass you can hold in one hand while scrolling IMDB with the other
Garnish: Lemon peel or cucumber slice
Vibe: Blanket fort, subtitles on, snacks fully stocked