Believe it or not, summer is coming to an end. It really is, and there’s absolutely nothing you or I can do about it except prepare for the inevitable. It’s going to happen faster than you can say “pumpkin spice is being added to what?” The leaves will start changing colors (and eventually fall to the ground), and Halloween candy will once again draw you to its orange-hued aisle like a peanut butter-and-chocolate-covered siren song. Autumn will strike soon with its Saturdays and Sundays (and almost every other night) filled with football and tailgating. But fear not. There’s still time to grab hold of the last remaining bits of summer before it slips through your fingers like the orange gunk found inside your autumnal jack-o’-lantern. And, if you ask me, the best way to grab hold of summer while you still can is by sipping gin-based cocktails.
Why choose gin for the end of summer?
You might be wondering why you should spend your remaining summer days (and nights) sipping gin-centric cocktails. Well, the answer is fairly obvious. There’s almost no debate that there’s any spirit better suited for summer mixed drinks than gin. Sure, vodka, tequila, and even rum argue. But it’s difficult to beat the appeal of the multi-layered, juniper-based spirit, especially when it’s paired with the right, fresh, summery ingredients.
Gin is by far my favorite spirit to mix with during the summer months, and there are myriad reasons why. Well-made gin features a balance of botanical, citrus, and piney flavors. These pair perfectly with summer flavors like citrus fruits, cucumbers, ripe fruits (peaches, strawberries, and blackberries to name a few), and herbs (like basil, mint, and even rosemary) that you can literally pick straight from your backyard garden if you’re so inclined. Honestly, give me some herbs, citrus fruits, and a nice, fizzy sparkling water, and I’ll be happy until the snow begins to fall.
How I pick my summer gin cocktails
But while I enjoy the simplicity of pairing gin with seltzer, tonic, or soda water and calling it a day, I also love to imbibe slightly more elaborate and flavorful drinks during the summer months. Since it’s summer and I’m trying to relax as much as possible, none of my gin-based cocktails really require a ton of ingredients or advanced bartending technique.
Simple elegance and well-rounded flavor are what I’m after. Below, you’ll see my favorite gin-based cocktails (beyond the Gin & Tonic) to drink this summer. Keep scrolling to see them all, learn a little about them, and see the ingredients and step-by-step recipe for each.
Tom Collins
The Tom Collins didn’t start with that name. It was created in London in the 1800s and was named after John Collins at a hotel called Limmer’s Old House. Its name was changed to the Tom Collins in 1874, when a strange prank spread throughout US cities such as New York and Chicago. A man would enter a bar, walk up to someone, and tell them that a man named Tom Collins was at another bar, saying rude things about them. They would leave to find this so-called “Tom Collins,” only to be sent to yet another bar. Bartenders enjoyed the joke so much they renamed the drink featuring gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda in its honor.
Ingredients:
2 ounces London dry gin
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
.75 ounces simple syrup
Soda water topper
Preparation: In an ice-filled Tom Collins (or pint) glass, add the gin, freshly squeezed lime juice, and simple syrup. Top with soda water. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cocktail cherry.
Gin Rickey
One of the most popular cocktails of the 1920s and beyond, the Gin Rickey’s origins can be traced back to 1883. This was when, in Washington, DC, a Democratic Lobbyist named Colonel Joe Rickey asked a bartender at Shoomaker’s Salon to make him a Whiskey Highball with fresh lime juice. Later, the whiskey was swapped for gin, and the popular Gin Rickey was born. This simple drink featuring gin, freshly squeezed lime juice, and club soda is perfect for a summer day.
Ingredients:
2 ounces London dry gin
.5 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
Club soda topper
Preparation: In an ice-filled highball glass, add London dry gin and freshly squeezed lime juice. After squeezing more lime juice from a lime wedge, drop the wedge into the glass. Top with club soda. Stir gently to chill and combine.
Southside
Like many cocktails, the Southside’s true origin isn’t totally known. It is assumed that it must have originated in the late 1800s at Long Island’s Southside Sportsmen’s Club. But, like many drinks of the time, it was popularized at New York’s 21 Club. Regardless of when and where it was created, this drink of gin, citrus juice, sugar, and fresh mint has stood the test of time and is still popular today.
Ingredients:
2 ounces London dry gin
.5 ounces fresh lime juice
.5 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
5-7 fresh mint leaves
Preparation: Add the simple syrup and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle to combine. Add the gin, lemon juice, and lime juice. Add ice. Shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with another mint leaf.
Gin Gimlet
It’s believed that this drink of gin, lime juice, and simple syrup originated in the late 1800s and has its genesis with the British Royal Navy. To prevent scurvy, sailors were given a ration of lime juice. As the legend goes, officer Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette added gin to his daily dose to make it more palatable, and the earliest form of the now popular Gin Gimlet was born.
Ingredients:
2 ounces London dry gin
.75 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
.75 ounces simple syrup
Preparation: In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, add gin, freshly squeezed lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously to chill and combine. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
