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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cocktails ยป Glow-in-the-Dark Infected Brain Cocktail

    LAST UPDATED: May 22, 2020 โ€ข FIRST PUBLISHED: October 17, 2015 By Toni Dash 34 Comments

    Glow-in-the-Dark Infected Brain Cocktail

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    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Infected Brain Cocktail title image
    Halloween cocktail collage

    Halloween Cocktails make the party and Glow-In-The-Dark Infected Brain Cocktail takes the prize! A few props and a few insider tips will make your party the best ever.

    Infected Brain Cocktail title image
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    Infected Brain Cocktail title image

     

    I really love thinking up fun food and drink options for Halloween each year.

    I have favorites from past years too.

    Glowing Infected Brain Cocktails (glow in the dark) -

    The genesis of the recipe I’m sharing today all began with an ice cube form found at a museum.

    We breezed through the gift shop after seeing some exhibits, my son picked up a brain ice cube tray and convinced me I needed to buy it.

    To some it might seem a weird suggestion but being the son of a food blogger, his vision extends to the possibilities such an oddity might provide.

    Glow in the Dark Brain Ice cubes

    Like buying a new pair of shoes you love then figuring out the perfect outfit to go with them, my mental wheels began churning over ideas of what to pair with brain ice.

    With Halloween coming and The Walking Dead on the brain (no pun intended) I decided on a party-fun cocktail: Infected Brain Cocktail.

    Appropriately creepy but with a twist; it glows under a black light!

    Who doesn’t love a black light party?!

    Glowing Infected Brain Cocktails (glow in the dark)

    What Makes this Halloween Cocktail Glow in the Dark

    The best part is that the glow comes from natural sources.

    There are a few edible substances that glow in under a black light but Tonic Water is the best due to the quinine.

    ’ll spare you a science course on ultraviolet rays but will say I used tonic water in a prior Halloween recipe for Frog shaped Jello Shots (using homemade Candy Corn Vodka) and after seeing their eerie glow under a black light bulb, I was hooked.

    Glowing Infected Brain Cocktails

    Coloring the Brain Ice Cube

    When using tonic water in this way the glow is dimmed by adding food coloring.

    I wanted the brain ice to look cool both in the light and the dark so added only 1 drop of red food coloring to 1 cup of tonic water which gave it the fleshy pink color but did not dim the glow as you can see in the photos.

    Infected Brain Cocktail under Black Light

    Freezing Tonic Water

    The other consideration is freezing fresh tonic water will have some small bubbles due to the carbonation.

    I liked the effect in this case as they look like brain lesions (gross, I know).

    I also made some of the brain cubes with tonic water left out to go flat and those cubes had no bubbles.

    Brain Ice Cube (that glows in the dark)

    Infected Brain Halloween Cocktail Ingredients

    This ghoulish cocktail is a simple mix of Mountain Dew and Midori melon liqueur for a fresh flavor, some fizz and of course the unearthly color.

    If you’d prefer an alternative to Midori I’d suggest Lemon Flavored Vodka (store bought or homemade).

    How to Make it a Mocktail

    This is easily made into a mocktail by omitting the liquor and just serving Mountain Dew.

    Glowing Infected Brain Cocktails (glow in the dark)

    Where to Buy Supplies

    Science Beakers (glasses)

    I used these Science Beakers for glasses (shown in the photos).

    (NEW) I just found glassware maker Libbey has a set of beaker glasses too.

    Brain Ice Mold

    The brain ice mold is the star of this cocktail!

    Halloween Party Game Idea

    This cocktail could easily weave into some fun games for Halloween or a Zombie party too.

    You could make a mix of brain cubes, some with regular water and some with flattened tonic water.

    When the black light is turned on party guests will learn if their brain is infected or not.

    Or plop only one regular water brain ice (not glowing) in a guest’s drink.

    Make them the winner of the infection epidemic when the black light reveals them as the sole survivor.

    Infected Brain Cocktails (that glow in black light) from above

    Halloween Recipes to Serve with this Cocktail

    • Graveyard Cupcakes 
    • Great Pumpkin Pinata Cake 
    • Cinnamon Witch Bits
    • ‘Candy Corn’ Chicken Quesadillas 
    • Turkey Meatball Eyeballs with Black Bean Pasta 
    • Freaky Halloween Salad 
     
    Glowing Infected Brain Cocktail close upDid you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Recipe

    Glow in the dark Infected Brain Cocktail

    Glow-in-the-Dark Infected Brain Cocktail

    Ghoulishly eerie in full daylight and transformed under black light to a glowing brain swimming in murky green liquid. What fun for a Halloween or Zombie party. Holiday party with the medical staff? The possibilities stretch the imagination. Light, fresh melon liqueur Midori adds a green hue to the yellow Mountain Dew. As the tonic water brain melts it adds another flavor dimension to the cocktail as well. Simply leave out the liquor for a mocktail with the same effect.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Cocktail
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours
    Servings: 4 cocktails
    Calories: 238kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Tonic water (flattened for no bubbles in the ice)
    • Red Food Coloring
    • Brain ice mold
    • 24 ounces Mountain Dew , chilled
    • 8 ounces Midori (or 6 ounces Lemon Vodka)

    Instructions

    • Pour 1 cup tonic water into a liquid measuring cup and add 1 drop red food coloring. Stir to mix fully. 
    • Fill the 4 ice cube cavities almost to the top (ice expands so do not fill completely to the top). Place in the freezer until fully frozen. Makes 4 brain cubes.
    • Pour 6 ounces of Mountain Dew and 2 ounces of Midori (or 1 ½ ounces Lemon Vodka) into 4 Old Fashioned glasses and place a brain cube in the top of each. Note: the ice cubes are weighted to once they are placed in ‘brain-side up’ they stay that way without rolling over.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 23mg | Sugar: 43g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samantha Wilson says

      October 29, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      The recipe looks great and would be fun at a party!

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        October 29, 2020 at 5:54 pm

        Definitely. Even if itโ€™s a party of 1!

        Reply
    2. Sandra says

      September 08, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      5 stars
      These make me so excited for Halloween!

      Reply
    3. Kristin says

      November 12, 2015 at 7:37 pm

      Very Cool. Perfect for an adult party. Thank you for awesome share.

      Reply
    4. Melinda@LookWhatMomFound...andDadtoo says

      October 22, 2015 at 5:59 pm

      that is awesome! I love how fun you made it with the beaker. These would be great for a party

      Reply
    5. Candy O says

      October 21, 2015 at 5:46 pm

      This is awesome!!! I love that it really glows in the dark!! This is getting pinned! Woo!

      Reply
    6. Marina John says

      October 21, 2015 at 4:43 pm

      Wow, this is very creative! I can’t believe it really glows in the dark! I’ve never had a glow in the dark drink before.

      Reply
    7. Jeanine says

      October 21, 2015 at 3:08 pm

      Wow how neat is this! My kids would go nuts for this for sure! I think this is really cool. I would love to try it out!

      Reply
    8. Shell says

      October 21, 2015 at 2:24 pm

      This is such a great idea! I pinned it to try it soon.

      Reply
    9. Christie says

      October 21, 2015 at 12:47 pm

      How fun that this drink glows in the dark! Sounds like a great way to spruce up a festive party

      Reply
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    Welcome! Iโ€™m Toni Dash. Iโ€™m a Certified Nutrition Coach and the professional writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavoreยฎ. Iโ€™m so glad you are here!

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