I’ll never forget the first time I tried a Grape Ape cocktail. It was one of those humid backyard BBQs, and my friend Josh suddenly appeared with a bright purple drink in hand and that trademark smirk on his face. “You’ve got to try this,” he said, refusing to let me say no. I hesitated – grape soda in a cocktail sounded like something dreamed up by a prankster, not a bartender. But after one sip, I was grinning like a kid at a candy store. It tasted nostalgic, like a grown-up twist on those childhood grape sodas I used to guzzle during summers, cut through with a sharp kick from the vodka.
The Grape Ape will never pretend it’s a sophisticated, “mixologist-approved” craft creation. Instead, it embraces its identity as a goofy, crowd-pleasing, and entirely unapologetic fun drink. Sweet, vividly purple, with a bright tang from sour mix – it shouldn’t work as well as it does, but somehow it just does.
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As far as I know, the Grape Ape started popping up in the ‘80s when colorful, over-the-top drinks were having their heyday. You won’t find it on fancy cocktail menus, but it’s a mainstay at college parties and backyard get-togethers – anywhere people want something easy, colorful, and a little bit ridiculous to get the evening started.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz vodka (Tito’s works, but use your favorite)
- 4 oz grape soda (Welch’s or Fanta are both solid choices)
- 1 oz sour mix (store-bought or make your own)
- Ice cubes
- Lime wedge for garnish
How to Make It
- Fill a highball glass with fresh ice.
- Add the vodka (I’ll confess, I sometimes sneak in a little extra on rough days).
- Pour in the grape soda gently so you keep some fizz.
- Add the sour mix on top.
- Give everything a couple gentle stirs – just enough to mix it, not enough to kill the bubbles.
- Squeeze in a wedge of lime and toss it in for good measure.
You’ll end up with a neon purple drink that might look a little silly – but that’s part of the whole experience.
If you’re hosting, this is the ultimate laid-back party drink. My friend Sarah has this trick for big gatherings: mix all the ingredients except the soda in a pitcher ahead of time, and let guests top off their glasses with grape soda right before sipping. Simple, fast, and everyone gets their drink freshly fizzy.
For the non-drinkers (or the under-21 crowd), you can easily leave out the vodka. Just add a little extra grape soda and sour mix. My nephew gets a huge kick out of drinking his “grown-up” purple mocktail at family parties.
The Grape Ape is surprisingly good with spicy snacks – something about the sweetness takes the edge off wings or spicy nachos. It’s also right at home next to a bowl of potato chips or pretzels, which probably explains why it’s become a staple at game day hangouts.
Want to experiment? Here are a few tweaks I’ve picked up along the way:
- Try white rum instead of vodka for a slightly sweeter, rounder flavor.
- Add a splash of blue curaçao for an electric purple color (plus a bonus boozy kick).
- Substitute fresh lemon juice and simple syrup for the sour mix for a brighter taste.
- Freeze grape juice into ice cubes and use those for an even fruitier punch.
And in true spirit of these silly, customizable cocktails, my friend Mike once made a “Blueberry Ape” by swapping in blueberry soda. Not bad, but I’ll stick to the original. There’s also a “Raspberry Ape” floating around the internet, but to me, the classic grape is what makes this drink special.
At the end of the day, the Grape Ape isn’t trying to impress bartenders or win awards. But if you’re looking for a sweet, lively, totally unpretentious drink that invites a little silliness, this purple concoction delivers. You might get a few side-eyes from snobby cocktail snobs, but pour one for your friends, and I promise – a good time isn’t far behind.
