Winter Pimm’s Cup

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Winter Pimm’s Cup is a winter cocktail that was created by the editors of PUNCH and was first published in their book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. Just like the classic, it’s also made with Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur and lemon, but it adds in ginger syrup, swaps out the carbonated water for American lager, and tops it all off with a bounty of fragrant, cold-weather garnishes. The result is a drink entirely unique from its predecessor that’s seasonally appropriate but still bright and refreshing enough to lift anyone’s spirits in the deepest depths of winter.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

American Lager: This is a type of beer made with hops, malts, yeast, and water. I used Stevens Point Brewery Point Special Dark Lager.

Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in England with herbs, spices, caramelized oranges, and alcohol.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Ginger Syrup: This is a sweetener made with ginger, white sugar, gum arabic powder, and water. I made mine using this sous vide recipe.

Blood Orange Slices: This is a slice of a blood orange that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Cranberries: This is a small red fruit. I used fresh cranberries.

Rosemary Sprig: This is an evergreen herb.

Oregano Sprig: This is an evergreen herb with olive-green leaves and purple flowers.

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.

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.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Tweezers: This is used to place the garnish on the drink. I used one from the Stainless Steel Food Tweezers Set.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the Prodyne Stainless Steel & Pewter Cocktail Pick Set.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-15.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Golden brown color

• Aroma: Savory herbs and beer

• Taste: Fascinating herbal flavor mixing Pimm’s Liqueur, malty beer, and tart citrus

• Finish: Slight ginger spice and more beer

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “I’ll admit, when I saw beer in place of the ginger ale or soda water that usually tops a Pimm’s Cup, I was skeptical… but wow, does it work well in this winter-inspired variation. I would definitely describe it as having deeper flavors than the classic Pimm’s while still managing to be refreshing. The booziness is also dialed up a notch thanks to the beer, which might be something you want to remember should you plan to serve this midday. Overall, I really liked this flashy drink and would add the Winter Pimm’s Cup to my list of beer cocktails I’d make again. As far as Pimm’s Cups go though, the classic is still my favorite.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-14.