The Bramble: The Modern British Classic Dick Bradsell Built
A modern British great - a gin sour with blackberry liqueur bled through crushed ice. The recipe, the technique that gives it its look, and how to nail it.
Section
Cocktails
Recipes and technique, from the canonical to the regional. Built around what gin actually does in a glass.
11 articles in this section
The Last Word: The Equal-Parts Classic That Came Back From the Dead
A Prohibition-era gin cocktail reborn - equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino and lime. The recipe, the balance that makes it work, and the technique.
The Bee's Knees: The Golden Prohibition Gin Sour Made for Summer
A Prohibition-era gin sour reborn - gin, fresh lemon and honey shaken into a golden summer classic. The recipe, the honey-syrup trick, and how to get it right.
The Aviation: A Cocktail That Disappeared and Came Back Differently
Gin, maraschino, lemon, and violet. The pre-Prohibition cocktail that vanished and returned with a missing ingredient. Now made two ways.
The Gimlet: A Sailor's Cocktail and the Lime Cordial Argument
Gin, lime cordial, no ice in the original. The Royal Navy cocktail that survived two centuries and now divides modern bartenders over whether to use fresh lime.
How to Make a Strawberry Basil Gin Smash
Fresh strawberries muddled with basil, gin, and lime - a bright summer cocktail that captures the season in one glass. Five ingredients, five minutes.
The Martini: Wet, Dry, and the Reverse That Almost Vanished
The simplest cocktail in the world is the hardest to discuss. Three ratios, what each does to the drink, and which one bartenders argue about most.
How to Make a Frozen Gin and Tonic
The G&T meets the slushy. Three ingredients, one blender, ten minutes - the easiest summer cocktail you'll make all season.
How to Make a Cucumber Elderflower Gin Spritz
Gin, elderflower, cucumber, and prosecco. The Hugo Spritz's gin cousin - four ingredients, five minutes, no special equipment for a perfect summer drink.
The Negroni: One Cocktail, Three Schools of Thought
The Florentine 1:1:1, the bartender's 1:1:0.75, and the contemporary stirred version. How three approaches to the Negroni produce three different drinks.
The French 75: One Cocktail, Three Origin Stories
Gin, lemon, sugar, and champagne - but the recipe and the origin are both contested. Three competing claims for one of the great cocktails.