Another interpretation of the cocktail’s history connects the gimlet to the similarly named tool for drilling small holes, which was also used on the British navy ships at the time. The gin cocktail reached acclaim in the 1950s when British Novelist, screenwriter, and author of The Long Goodbye, Raymond Chandler, popularized the drink with a recipe of equal parts gin and lime juice. Throughout history, the sipper has also been made with Lauchlin Rose’s lime cordial, but modern interpretations of the drink are now made with a 2:1 ratio of gin to fresh lime juice, resulting in a drink that is refreshing, cool, perfectly sweet, and lightly aromatic. For more gin cocktail recipes, try my French 75 recipe, Gin Fizz, or Aviation cocktail.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Gin – for superior flavor and the best botanical notes, choose your favorite high-quality gin, such as Beefeater, Plymouth Gin, Hayman’s of London, or Bombay Sapphire. Lime Juice – fresh citrus juice really is the best here. Grab a handful of limes while at the store and keep them fresh in the refrigerator by storing them in perforated or mesh bags to have fresh citrus on hand anytime. Simple Syrup – a mixture of equal parts water and granulated sugar. Simple syrup adds sweetness to the drink, cutting the acidity of the lime and enhancing the botanical flavor of the gin. Purchase premade simple syrup or see my pro-tips below to easily make it yourself.citrus juice
How to Make A Gimlet
- Add the gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a large handful of ice to the shaker.
- Cover and shake rapidly for 30 seconds, or until the outside of the container is chilled and frosted.
- Strain the gimlet into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel, and enjoy!
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Use larger ice cubes. Full-sized ice cubes will chill the gin mixture when shaking, melting minimally. Crushed ice cubes or ice pellets risk melting and diluting the flavor of the drink. Use fresh juice. Bottled juice just can’t compete with the bright and citrusy flavored of fresh-squeezed lime juice. Squeeze the limes using a citrus press or reamer. Chill the cocktail glasses ahead of time. Chill the glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving the drink, as the cooled class will help keep the drink cold and refreshing as you enjoy it. Easily make simple syrup. Though most liquor stores sell simple syrup, it’s very easy and more affordable to make it yourself. Here’s how to do it: combine equal parts boiling water and granulated sugar in a heat-safe bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the water is clear, or for about 30 seconds. You can also make it on the stovetop, bringing the water to boil over high heat before whisking in the sugar until clear. Cool the simple syrup to room temperature before making the drink to prevent it from melting the ice and diluting the cocktail. Adjust the sweetness to taste. If you prefer dryer drinks, start by shaking in ¼ ounce of simple syrup and adding more if desired. If sweeter cocktails are more your style, start with ½ ounce of syrup, shaking in additional as needed. Shake in a sealed container. Don’t have a cocktail shaker? No problem. You can shake up this drink in any sealed glass or metal food-safe container, such as a mason jar. Strain before serving. To prevent the gimlet from getting watered down, you will want to strain the ice out of the gin mixture when pouring into the glass. Either strain through the cocktail shaker, a cocktail or Hawthorne strainer, or a fine mesh sieve.
If you’ve tried this Gimlet cocktail recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
