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Cocktail History
The Eastside is a modern cocktail that was created by George Delgado at Libation in New York City, New York but ultimately gained popularity after being added to the menu at Milk & Honey. The recipe is a more complex variation of the Southside that muddles refreshing cucumber into the classic’s template of gin, citrus, mint, and simple syrup.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made by redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals to develop a distinctive, aromatic flavor.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water, which are heated into a syrup with a sweet flavor.
Cucumber Slices: This is a piece of cucumber that has been cut into a thin circular shape.
Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.
Brands I Used
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.
Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.
Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.
Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.
Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.
Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.
Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.
Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.
Muddler: This is a handheld bar tool with a thick handle and flat or textured end that’s used for crushing ingredients to release their flavors.
Cocktail Pick: This is a small, slender skewer made from metal, wood, or bamboo that’s used for holding cocktail garnishes in place.
Coupe Glass: This is a stemmed glass with a shallow, wide bowl that’s used for serving shaken cocktails and sparkling drinks without ice.
Tools I Used
- 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
- 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
- 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
- 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
- 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
- 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
- 🔗 OXO Steel Cocktail Muddler
- 🔗 Prodyne Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Pale yellow green color
• Aroma: Mint and cucumber
• Taste: Herbal gin botanicals mingled with zesty mint
• Finish: Noticeable cool cucumber and more mint
Kendall’s Take
“Since the Southside has long been one of my favorite gin cocktails, I had a feeling I would enjoy this variation as well. The addition of cucumber adds a wonderfully cool and refreshing layer that pairs beautifully with the mint and citrus—making it feel especially crisp and perfect for warm weather. If you already love a Southside like I do, the Eastside is a natural next step.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was found in the book Steve The Bartender’s Cocktail Guide by Steve Roennfeldt.
Eastside
Description
The Eastside is a modern twist on the Southside, created by George Delgado at Libation in New York City and popularized at Milk & Honey. It adds muddled cucumber to the classic mix of gin, citrus, mint, and simple syrup for a refreshing complexity.
Ingredients
Method
Add mint leaves and three cucumber slices to a shaker.
Using a muddler, gently muddle mint leaves in cucumber slices for 5-7 seconds.
Add gin, lime juice, and simple syrup to shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer, strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with remaining cucumber slice and mint sprig.
