Good Spirits: 4 Refreshing Gin Cocktails
Light, botanical, and versatile, gin may just be the perfect summertime spirit. Local distilleries seem to agree and are producing some of the best bottles around. Toast to the season with one of the following recipes.
Delta Sunset
1 oz. watermelon, muddled
1 oz. cucumber, muddled
1.5 oz. J.J. Pfister Capitol Gin
1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
3 dashes scorched pear bitters
Cucumber, for garnish
Muddle watermelon and cucumber together in a cocktail shaker. Add ice till 3/4 full, gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Top with bitters and cucumber rose garnish.
Submitted by Dru Black (@drinksbydru), mixologist at J.J. Pfister Distilling Company, 9819 Business Park Drive, Sacramento, 916-672-9662, jjpfister.com
Emerald Bay
2 oz. Botanica
1/2 oz. Engine 49 Light Rum
3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 cup arugula
4 drops Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry bitters, to taste
Lime wheel, for garnish
Combine all ingredients (through simple syrup) in a cocktail shaker. Fill partway with ice, and then top with arugula. Cover and shake vigorously till outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into a coupe glass; garnish with lime wheel.
Submitted by Amador & Dry Diggings Distillery, 5050 Robert J Mathews Parkway, El Dorado Hills, 530-313-4000, drydiggingsdistillery.com
“Gin”ger Berry Freeze
*4 oz. strawberry purée
*1 oz. ginger syrup
1 oz. ice
2 oz. Darjeeling Gin
1 strawberry slice, for garnish
1 ginger slice, for garnish
Ginger Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 lb. fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
For the strawberry purée: Clean, de-stem, and quarter strawberries. Blend thoroughly.
For the ginger syrup: Bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain and cool.
Blend all ingredients together; garnish with strawberry and ginger.
Submitted by California Distilled Spirits, 12205 Locksley Lane, Suite 11, Auburn, 916-599-6541, californiadistilledspirits.com
Mint to Be
8 mint leaves, muddled
1 oz. simple syrup
Crushed ice
2 oz. Wheelhouse Gin
Slice of lime, for garnish
In a shaker, muddle mint leaves. Add simple syrup and crushed ice. Incorporate gin and shake well. Pour into glass and garnish with lime.
Submitted by Gold River Distillery, 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle, Suite C, Rancho Cordova, 916-802-9761, goldriverdistillery.com