Summer is finally here! Long days, short nights, warm weather and summer vacations are what we look forward to every summer. Beach vacations and pool time are at the horizon, and it’s time to spice things up with some hot bikinis, ice cream, iced water and delicious cocktails. While there’re a lot of ways to give boring water a flavour boost, you can do the same with your favourite alcoholic drink.
When it comes to alcohol, there’re new trends you can try to feel the true taste of summer. Wine lovers can enjoy the freshness of the organic wines, while the sworn gin fans can experiment with cocktails and pink gin. Of course, you can always drink your gin straight. Some people will even tell you it’s the best way to enjoy gin. Others make mix and match exercises to find the combination that best suits their taste. And with the abundance of gin cocktail recipes, it might be a shame not to try at least a few.
Gin Tonic Recipe
Gin & Tonic. There’s probably no person in the world (adult world, of course) who haven’t tried this iconic combination (or at least heard of it). And if you can say it, you can make it. Making a perfect gin and tonic isn’t that hard. You just need good quality ingredients, a perfect ratio, and some garnish that can make your cocktail look and taste even better. With hundreds of gins available on the market and dozens of tonics, there’s endless room for experimentation.
London dry gins, for example, are characterised by their juniper-forward flavour, while modern-style gins often ramp up the citrus and florals. Some tonics are dry and straightforward, and others are sweet and syrupy. When looking for a festive and delicious gin tonic recipe, you need to find the perfect balance between the two ingredients and find the perfect garnish. To make a quick and easy cocktail next time you’re having guests, you need:
50 ml gin
Tonic
Lime
One whole pomegranate.
For this simple gin tonic recipe, dry tonic works pretty well. The preparation method itself is pretty simple. The perfect gin tonica is served in a tall glass. You need to fill a glass with iced and pour over the gin. Then, cut the pomegranate in half. To give the drink a pink colour, you can beat the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon to remove the seeds. Garnish with some fresh lime wheels and enjoy the vibrant aromas that jump out of the glass to meet your senses.
How Do You Make a Gin and Tonic Better?
To reduce the sweetness of any gin and tonic, you can replace some of the tonic with club soda or seltzer. Always smell your cocktail first and think about what can complement it best. You can also feel free to use multiple garnishes, instead of sticking to the old-fashioned lime.
Experiment with Fruits
You can use a plethora of fruits to infuse your gin recipes. Sweet berries, for example, can balance the kick of the jumper of the gin. Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries—you name it, and that berry will pair well with the ingredients in your gin cocktail. Lemon and grapefruit are highly recommended since they give your drink an aromatic bitter. Thyme, basil and pickled carrots, or pink peppercorn and grapefruit make great garnishes.
If you want to make a delicious gin mix recipe with strawberries, you need:
50 ml of gin,
30 ml of sugar syrup
half lemon (juiced)
4 strawberries
3 leaves fresh basil
club soda.
Start by muddling 3 strawberries and 2 basil leaves in a shaker. Then, add the gin, syrup, lemon juice, and ice. Shake all the ingredients well, and top with club soda. Decorate the cocktails with the sliced strawberry and remaining basil leaf. This cocktail might be your next favourite drink to enjoy at your birthday parties, anniversaries, holidays, or during a relaxing day by the pool.
Pink Gin is Also a Good Idea
Rose wine is a popular trend nowadays, but have you heard of rose gin? Thanks to its lovely, diverse flavours and Instagram, pink gin has become a global favourite. Commonly infused with any pink fruit, plant or spice such as pink grapefruit, rhubarb, strawberry, rose and raspberry, this spirit can be served in a wide range of cocktails, including a beautiful, blush coloured classic gin martini recipe. If you haven’t tried the rich taste pink gin provides in cocktails, it might be the right to try it. For this amazing cocktail, you need:
50ml pink gin
Vermouth to taste
A dash Orange Bitters
Fresh cherries
Candied ginger
Before you start, make sure the glass is ice-cold. Stir your pink gin with the amount of dry vermouth you prefer. Make sure to taste as you go, but be careful not to drink it all while getting your measurements just right (chuckles). Once you acheive your goal, add a few drops of orange bitter to add some fresh note to the delicious mix. Make sure the glass is ice-cold. Stir your gin with the amount of dry vermouth you prefer, taste as you go, making sure there is at least some left when you get the measurements just right. Add a few drops of Orange Bitters to taste. You can garnish with candied ginger for a sweet, spicy taste.
With this and other popular gin drinks recipes you can find online, you can always have a loyal companion to help you enjoy the endless summer.
