Create Your Own Custom Gin Cocktail
This simple sour-style cocktail recipe template makes it easy to shake up a delicious gin cocktail at home - with whatever you've alredy got in your fridge or pantry!
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- ¾ - 1 oz fresh lemon or lime juice
- ¾ - 1 oz simple syrup or sweet ingredient of choice See notes below for ideas
- sparkling water Optional
Instructions
- Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill it 3/4 with ice. Shake until well chilled, then strain the liquid into a chilled cocktail glass.
- If making a long drink, strain the chilled liquid into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with a few ounces of sparkling water.
- Garnish with a fresh botanical that echoes the flavors or aromas present in your drink (lime wheel, lemon slice, a basil leaf, blackberry, edible flower, etc.)
Notes
Sweet Ingredients
Simple syrup or flavored simple syrups are the easiest to work with in cocktail recipes. Make basic simple syrup by combining equal parts water and sugar and stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved. No need to cook the syrup, just use warm/hot water and you'll have syrup in a minute or two. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Flavor your simple syrup by muddling fresh fruit (such as berries) into your simple syrup base, then straining out the solids, or simply muddling some fresh fruit directly into the cocktail shaker as you make your drink. You can also extract flavors into your simple syrup by heating all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool fully before straining out the solids. A good rule of thumb for making your own flavored syrups is: 1 part water, 1 part sugar, 2 parts fruit. Other easy syrups: try honey syrup (just mix equal parts honey and water and stir until the honey has dissolved), maple syrup (you may want to add some water to it to make it easier to incorporate OR use a bit less than the recipe above. I would recommend 1/2 ounce instead of 3/4 or more), or coconut water simple syrup for a luxurious mouthfeel and a slightly tropical flavor. Liqueurs: try the ever-popular elderflower liqueur St. Germain, limoncello, pear liqueur, pomegranate liqueur, amari and aperitifs such as Amaro Montenegro or Aperol, or go far out with potent liqueurs like Chartreuse. Experiment and see what you like best! Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!