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Cocktail History
The Southside is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in the 1800s and named for Southside Sportsmen’s Club in Long Island, New York. According to historians, the bar was a popular spot for rich men who traveled to the island from the city to hunt, fish, and drink, and it’s believed that minty cocktails, including this one made with dry gin, citrus, simple syrup, and mint, were the most popular ones at the time.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. I used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Mint Leaves: This is an herb. I used fresh Mojito mint.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Bright green color
• Aroma: Herbs and citrus
• Taste: Tangy lime-forward flavor initially that evolves into juniper and mint
• Finish: More gin botanicals
Kendall’s Take: “The first time I ever tasted this recipe, it became an instant favorite, and I went on to drink essentially nothing but a Southside for a good six months, if I had to guess. I’ve since grown out of its simple mint and citrus template a bit and crave more complexity than it offers me now, but it’s still a damn good classic cocktail that has absolutely earned its place it cocktail lore. I love how refreshing and gin-forward it is and will probably always consider it a favorite gin drink even if I do prefer variations over the original these days.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Southside
Description
The Southside is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in the 1800s and named for Southside Sportsmen’s Club in Long Island, New York. According to historians, the bar was a popular spot for rich men who traveled to the island from the city to hunt, fish, and drink, and it’s believed that minty cocktails, including this one made with dry gin, citrus, simple syrup, and mint, were the most popular ones at the time.
Ingredients
Method
Add mint leaves and simple syrup to a shaker.
Using a muddler, gently muddle mint leaves in simple syrup for 5-7 seconds.
Add gin, lime juice, and orange bitters to shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer, strain into a coupe glass.
