Spring has finally arrived, and thank goodness for that! My hopes for velvety green leaves, blue sunny skies, and the buzzing of honeybees were almost dashed due to a dreary start of the season. Very fortunately, it is now the perfect time for afternoons on the deck and – once the kids are asleep – a gin and green tea cocktail enjoyed in the warm evening breeze!
Which Gin Should I use in This Gin & Green Tea Sour Recipe?
With that in mind, I went searching for inspiration for a fun new sipper. Having spent the last ten months on a total alcohol ban due to pregnancy (and even now, it’s very limited), I was itching to create something new. Gin is a favorite of mine, even though it gets a bad rap. The thing is, you have to be specific and find a gin that fits your tastes. Mine is the smooth & lightly herbaceous goodness called Hendrick’s Gin. This is the perfect tipple for my gin and green tea cocktail!
After much experimentation, and a very willing tipsy taste tester in the kitchen (my husband gets all the perks!), we found a winner. We went through several iterations to find that certain something that would make this drink different… to try linking it’s past as a Prohibition-Era libation, but also put on a modern twist.
A classic gin sour is a cocktail that screams speakeasies and jazz bars. Typically there are only three ingredients; gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup. It’s simple and classic. After starting there, I wanted to incorporate the refreshing and floral flavors of green tea, along with sweet elderflower liquor. This was more in line of the ‘gentleman’s gin cocktail’; something to drink in your top hat and tails. The one where you sidle up to the countertop and say “I’ll take a G & Tea please, bartender”, with a wink and a nod so they get the pun.
Presenting the Gin & Tea, if you please.
G & Tea (Gin & Green Tea Sour)
makes one 8 oz cocktail
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup, store bought or homemade*
3 ounces green tea, fresh brewed & chilled
2 ounces Hendrick’s Gin
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liquor
ice
Place a handful of ice into a cocktail shaker. Add the above ingredients and shake vigorously until chilled and thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds.
Place a small strainer over a coupe glass or glass of your choice, and strain the cocktail into the glass. Enjoy immediately.
Easy Simple Syrup
To make your own simple syrup, place one cup of granulated sugar and one cup of water into a medium saucepan. Give the mixture a few stirs. Heat on medium-high heat, until boiling. Allow to boil for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature and pour into an airtight jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
G & Tea (Gin & Green Tea Sour)
Equipment
- 1 cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup store bought or homemade
- 3 ounces green tea fresh brewed & chilled
- 2 ounces Hendrick’s Gin
- 1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liquor
- ice
Instructions
- Place a handful of ice into a cocktail shaker. Add the above ingredients and shake vigorously until chilled and thoroughly mixed, about 30 seconds.
- Place a small strainer over a coupe glass or glass of your choice, and strain the cocktail into the glass. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- To make your own simple syrup, place one cup of granulated sugar and one cup of water into a medium saucepan. Give the mixture a few stirs. Heat on medium-high heat, until boiling. Allow to boil for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature and pour into an airtight jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Bagged or loose leaf green tea will work great in this recipe! Just be careful not to overdrew, as the tea will become bitter.
- Fresh lemon juice is best!
This looks gorgeous and you've used my favourite gin! Well done, you've captured these beautifully.
Thank you so much, Angela! Hendrick's totally changed my opinion of gin. This was a fun one to shoot and we finally can get enough natural light, now that it's spring! Cheers!
How beautifully refreshing this looks Jessie! I must admit I am not normally a gin drinker but you might have converted me! x
Thank you Louise! Gin has become one of my unexpected favorite additions to our liquor cabinet. Hendrick's is just so versatile and refreshing for the summer!