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Cocktail History
The Southside is a classic gin cocktail with several possible origin stories, the earliest recorded of which is that it was created at and named for the Long Island’s Southside Sportsmen’s Club in the late 1800s. According to historians, the place was a popular gathering spot for rich men who traveled to Long Island from New York City to hunt, fish, and drink, and it’s believed that minty cocktails, this one made with dry gin, citrus, simple syrup, and mint included, were their most popular at the time.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is the base spirit. We used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin because it’s versatile, high-proof, and a chameleon that adds the distinct flavor of juniper while still allowing the other flavors to shine.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We prefer to use fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes much better.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with sugar and water. You can buy bottled simple syrup in a store, but we made ours at home using Alex’s recipe because it tastes better fresh and is very easy to make.
Orange Bitters: These sweeten the drink and add citrus flavor and complexity. We used Angostura Orange Bitters because they pair well with their aromatic bitters.
Mint Leaves: These are muddled and shaken in the drink to add fresh mint aroma and flavor.
Tasting Notes
The Southside features a refreshing herbal aroma and the taste of citrus from the initial sip all the way through the swallow followed by the lingering coolness of mint.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Not sure which recipe is getting bumped, but this one is definitely in our Top 10 Favorite Cocktails now! Although similar to the Mojito and Gimlet, the Southside calls for a slightly stronger London Dry Gin that helps the cool flavors come forward, as opposed to how the rum in a Mojito makes more of an individual flavor impact. Our mouths are watering just thinking about it again, so at least Kendall will be having a couple of these tonight.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: The Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
AuthorThe Essential Cocktail BookPrep Time5 minsAdd mint leaves and simple syrup to a shaker.
Muddle gently.
Add gin, lime juice, orange bitters, and ice to shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Ingredients
Directions
Add mint leaves and simple syrup to a shaker.
Muddle gently.
Add gin, lime juice, orange bitters, and ice to shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Classic Cocktails
If you like this cocktail recipe, here are a few other classics we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
• Mott & Mulberry: A rye cocktail made with Luxardo Amaro Abano, apple cider, lemon juice, Demerara syrup, and apple slices
• Paper Plane: A bourbon cocktail made with Aperol, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, lemon juice, and a lemon peel
• White Negroni: A gin cocktail made with Lillet Blanc, Suze, and a lemon peel
• Boo Radley: A bourbon cocktail made with Cynar, cherry liqueur, a lemon peel, and an orange peel
