Grapefruit and Sage Gimlet
Kick off the weekend with this inventive gimlet variation, in which tangy grapefruit juice replaces the traditional lemon juice, and sage is added to impart an herbaceous flavor. The recipe makes enough sage simple syrup for about 20 drinks, so save the leftovers in a clean container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks—or invite some friends over and show off your cocktail-making skills.
Ingredients
For the sage simple syrup:
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) water
- 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sugar
- 10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 oz. (75 ml) gin- 1 oz. (30 ml) fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 grapefruit slice
- 1 fresh sage leaf
Directions
To make the sage simple syrup, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a simmer. Add the sugar and sage leaves and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the gin, grapefruit juice, and 1/2 oz. (15 ml) of the sage simple syrup. Cover, shake vigorously, and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with the grapefruit slice and sage leaf. Serves 1.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Cocktails (Weldon Owen, 2017)