When I was young, every so often, I was allowed a single sip of my dad’s Gin & Tonic with lime and thought it was tasty. So I learned early on to enjoy the juniper infused flavor of gin. Could have been that he did not make them very strong but honestly I think it was because he used smooth gin.   Regardless, that combination of flavors worked for me.  So, when I got to college, my first trip to the liquor store was to purchase gin (settle down, the drinking age was 18 back in the dark ages) and I ended up introducing my friends to gin as well.  Some were not as wild about the traditional juniper (some called it a pine tree) flavor.) but some did.  

One Saturday pregame meet up I mixed gin with lemonade, they changed their tune and G&L’s were born!  Why lemonade?  Well, it didn’t go flat before we went through a bottle, it was cheap (I preferred to spend on good alcohol that would not make me feel bad later), and the juniper flavor became a lot less prominent for the friends who did not care for it.

Fast forward a few years okay a lot of years, Hendricks Gin comes on the scene and they completely rethink gin with a different kind of juniper flavor profile and mix in a bit of rose and cucumber.  Delicious!! I still want to mix lemonade with it but with the lighter flavor in there, lemon with a hint of sweet is perfect.  Add in a bit of bubbles, and a great, easy cocktail comes together!  So, here is my new favorite G&L for you to try; light, flavorful and effervescent!  Cheers!

Please let me know if you liked this recipe in the comments section below.

 For a printable version, click on the DOWNLOADS page on the website menu and then the Gin & Lemonade button.

Ingredients

Gin (Hendrick’s is my choice)

Lemons

Honey or Agave Nectar

Sparkling water or Italian Soda

Recipe

1 Part Gin (I prefer Hendrick’s)

1 Part Fresh Lemon Juice plus a squeeze more to finish

2 ½ tsp of Honey* or Agave Nectar

3 Parts Club Soda or sparkling water

Lemon Twist

Mix Lemon Juice and Honey or Agave Nectar together in a separate mixing cup or glass until well combined. 

Starting with the gin, pour all ingredients over cubed ice in a Collins Glass.  Stir gently to mix and garnish with lemon twist and an extra squeeze of lemon on top and serve.

 *I prefer to use Greek honey if you can find it.  The flavor profile is softer.  If your honey is too thick, place the container in hot water for a few minutes to loosen it up.

Bar Tools

Juicer

Bar spoon

Lemon zester or sharp paring knife

Collins Glass