The hope of a long hot summer is keeping many of us going during these uncertain times and for many gin lovers, it’s the prospect of a mouth-watering al fresco cocktail or a gin and tonic with unusual garnishes. These are some of the best summer cocktail recipes.
Part two of All about Gin looks at some of the stories behind Ireland’s most popular gins, with advice from a mixologist on how to achieve the perfect gin and tonic, summer cocktail recipes, the ultimate gin and cocktail accessories and much more.
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Bramble Cocktail
Invented in 1984 by Dick Bradsell, the Bramble is a gin sour with a drizzle of crème de mûre (a French blackberry liqueur), over the top. This cocktail is served on crushed ice and garnished with a lemon slice and two blackberries.
Ingredients
50ml of Garnish Island Gin
30ml fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of simple syrup (see note below)
1 tablespoon crème de mûre or some crushed blackberries if you prefer
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake together the first three ingredients and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice, mounted high. Drizzle crème de mûre over the top and garnish with a slice of lemon, two blackberries, and a short straw. To make syrup, simply stir together equal measures of hot water and sugar, cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Tip
Crushed ice is important in this drink for the dilution. At home, you can either crush your cubes in a clean dish towel or alternatively, crack your ice with the back of a heavy spoon.
Grace Martini
The Grace O’Malley gin take on a Dirty Martini believed to have originated in 1901, when New York bartender John O’Connor found inspiration in the classic’s famous olive garnish.
Ingredients
60ml Grace O'Malley Heather Infused Irish Gin
20ml sweet white Vermouth (for example Lillet Blanc)
Optional: 4 dashes of Olive Bitters (for example The Bitter Truth)
1 tsp olive brine (from the olive jar )
Decoration: 1 green olive
Method
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes and add the ingredients. Stir on ice, then strain into a coupe or martini glass. Add the olive.
Glass
Cocktail coupe/martini glass
Tip
Chill the glass in the freezer.
Wild Botanical G&T
The garnishes and fragrant botanicals in Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin help infuse summer into this otherwise simply made G&T.
Ingredients
60ml Glendalough Wild Gin
Method
Top with tonic water. Garnish with grapefruit wedge, a basil leaf or sprig of mint.
Tip
Pour the Gin into an ice-filled glass. Add the tonic water, stir and garnish with grapefruit and slapped basil leaf or mint sprig.
Bee’s Knees
The Bee’s Knees was invented by Frank Meier, an Austrian-born bartender who was the first head bartender at the Ritz in Paris in 1921.
Ingredients
60ml Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin
20ml honey syrup (1:1 ratio, hot water to honey)
20ml fresh lemon juice
Lemon twist to garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake, then strain into a chilled glass and garnish.
Flame Lily Cocktail
The flame lily is the national flower of Zimbabwe. The distinctive flavours of this An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin complement the fruity spice of the cocktail perfectly.
Ingredients
50ml An Dúlamán
10ml cassia syrup (two parts sugar syrup, one part cassia or cinnamon, mix well and strain)
10ml Passion fruit liqueur
15ml Crème de Violette
5ml lemon juice
Flamed orange peel to garnish
Method
Place 10ml cassia syrup in the bottom of a chilled martini glass. Add ingredients to shaker with ice, shake well and double strain into glass.
Elderflower Collins
A variation on the classic Tom Collins cocktail, this is a long and refreshing drink. Aiteal is juniper-forward so can hold its own with the elderflower.
Ingredients
50ml Aiteal Irish Gin
15ml elderflower cordial
15ml fresh lemon juice
Quality lemonade to taste
To garnish: sprig of fresh mint
Lemon slice
Method
Pour lemon juice into tall (Collins) glass and fill with ice. Pour in the gin followed by elderflower cordial and top up with lemonade.
Tip
Slap mint against your hand and put it and the lemon slice into the glass to garnish.
Suggested cordial
Richmount Elderflower Cordial, produced in Co Longford.
Southside Cocktail
Said to have got its name from the fact that it was served to Chicago south side mobsters during Prohibition.
Ingredients
7 fresh mint Leaves (two for garnish)
50ml Sling Shot Distilled Irish Gin
25ml fresh lime juice
15ml sugar syrup
Method
Muddle five of the mint leaves in gin and add lime juice and sugar. Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with two mint leaves.
Alternative garnishes: pink grapefruit and rosemary
Variations
Southside Fizz: serve in a tall glass and top up with soda.
Southside Royale: serve in tall glass and top up with champagne.
Suggested mixer: Poachers classic Irish tonic.
