The perfect summer beverage should capture the essence of the season—fun, colorful, refreshing—and the internet has officially decided that, for 2022, that drink is the Dirty Shirley. (If you ask Alexa what the drink of the summer is, she agrees. Seriously.) An alcoholic spin on the classic Shirley Temple, the Dirty Shirley is a co*cktail traditionally made with vodka, lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, grenadine (which gives it that show stopping color), and a maraschino cherry.
The New York Times published an article raising the question in May, and the hashtag #dirtyshirley now has 10.6 million views on TikTok. Start scrolling, and you'll find a flood of videos showing people making the drink, making jokes about it, or sipping on it. Search for the Dirty Shirley, and you'll see a slew of articles arguing for and against the drink (and even a few teaching you how to make it). Like it or not, the Dirty Shirley is everywhere, and we're breaking down the build-up to its viral status, how to make the drink, and a tasty variation on the traditional version.
Dirty Shirley's Climb to Popularity
Before the Dirty Shirley became something you had to be 21 to order, it was a drink for kids known as the Shirley Temple. Named after the acclaimed 1930s child actor (who denied any association with the beverage), the Shirley Temple's bright pink-red color and super sweet flavor make it no surprise that kids have been happily ordering it for decades now.
Some theorize that childhood throwback is one of the reasons the adult version has risen in popularity lately: Gen Z and Millennials who enjoyed the mocktail when they were younger are exploring alcoholic options and getting nostalgic. The Dirty Shirley craze follows the popularity of the 2021 summer drink, the espresso martini—a complete 180 in taste and appearance. After a year of sipping those, it makes sense that we want something different.
The Dirty Shirley's popularity could also be a result of the longing for comfort and enjoyment we're feeling in response to the hardships of the last few years. The popularity of decor with a focus on fun (re: maximalism, retro mirrors, pastel accents) and over-the-top dining out experiences in 2022 reflect a desire for joy and playfulness, and there's nothing more playful than a Dirty Shirley.
How to Make a Dirty Shirley
According to Juli Hale, senior culinary specialist in the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen, the traditional Shirley Temple recipe includes lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, grenadine, and a maraschino cherry. The Dirty Shirley just adds a shot of booze. Often it's vodka, but you can opt for tequila, rum, or gin. "Choose your white spirit," Hale advises. Another plus to adding alcohol (on top of the obvious): It helps tone down the excessive sweetness.
For Dirty Shirley skeptics, Hale's variation on the Dirty Shirley, the Ambassador (the name refers to Shirley Temple's work as a U.S. ambassador), might be just the drink to change your mind. There are a few key differences: tequila instead of vodka, a homemade chile-infused grenadine, ginger beer, and Italian Luxardo maraschino cherries. Using ginger beer is "more bitey" than ginger ale, Hale says, which gives it more flavor, and Luxardo cherries add a sense of elevation.
"Making grenadine from scratch is both very easy and much fresher and more delicious than the bottled stuff," Hale says. "Adding some chile spice is what sets this one apart, and it's a good match for the tequila."
Give the Dirty Shirley and the Ambassador a try—you may soon agree that twists on the classic Shirley Temple will be everywhere this summer.
After a year of sipping those, it makes sense that we want something different. The Dirty Shirley's popularity could also be a result of the longing for comfort and enjoyment we're feeling in response to the hardships of the last few years.
The mocktail is thought to have been created in the 1930s and is named after Shirley Temple, who was a child actor during that time. However, Temple claimed that she had nothing to do with its inception — and even reportedly hated the drink, despite the fact that restaurants everywhere tried to serve it to her.
What made the Shirley Temple so popular? Well, the answer lies in its unique appeal. This drink was not only visually appealing with its bright red cherry and foamy top but also deliciously sweet, making it a hit with young ones.
Aperol spritzes were the runaway favorite for drink of the summer in 2020. Espresso martinis dominated restaurant menus in 2021, then ushered in the Dirty Shirley a year later. We predicted that the Hugo spritz, a refreshing, low-alcohol co*cktail, would be 2023's drink of the summer.
A Dirty Shirley is simply a Shirley Temple with vodka. And the Shirley Temple is the most famous non-alcoholic co*cktail we have. It's a simple mixture of lemon-lime soda, grenadine and ice, topped off with a neon-red co*cktail cherry.
As the drink is still gaining popularity, it might be wise to order it just by its ingredients since some bartenders are not familiar with the name Dirty Shirley.
What are common well drinks? Vodka soda, vodka cranberry screwdriver, Moscow mule, dirty Shirley, madras, kamikaze, gin and tonic, gin buck, gimlet, Cuba libre, daiquiri, mojito, dark and stormy, margarita, tequila sunrise, whiskey sour, whiskey and co*ke, and Long Island iced tea.
A Dirty Shirley co*cktail is the grown-up version of your favorite mocktail, the Shirley Temple. Made with grenadine and lemon-lime soda, it has the same fruity taste you love along with a kick from vodka.
I'm a bartender, and customers will often ask me what they should order if they want a sweet drink. For tropical flavors, you can't go wrong with a piña colada, daiquiri, or sex on the beach. Dirty Shirleys, amaretto sours, and chocolate martinis are classic co*cktails that'll fit the bill.
The co*cktail may have been invented by a bartender at Chasen's, a restaurant in West Hollywood, California, to serve then-child actress Shirley Temple.
While this non-alcoholic drink is associated with the famous child actress, it was created in a Hollywood bar completely independent from her. It's been said that she wasn't a fan of the sweet drink, but kids (and adults alike!) around the country sure have been guzzling it ever since it was created!
The cause of death, according to her death certificate released on March 3, 2014, was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Temple was a lifelong cigarette smoker but avoided displaying her habit in public because she did not want to set a bad example for her fans. She is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park.
Reportedly, Temple was “whining” over her parents sipping old-fashioneds, which also come with their offshoot's signature maraschino cherry, and so the waitstaff mixed up a teetotal version for her.
In an interview with Bustle, Lauren spilled the tea wine on what brands were the cast's favorite. Apparently, the brands of choice that are frequently present on Summer House are Whispering Angel, VieVite, and Chateau d'Esclans, each ranging around $20 a bottle.
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:strip_icc()/dirty-shirley-temple-co*cktail-2000-f116cb3f9f3e43bba797468ceafa3bca.jpg "Why the Dirty Shirley Is Decidedly the Drink of the Summer (1)")
