Pitcher Gimlets
Lime and gin. For stylish summer sipping.
By Erin Henderson
The gimlet, an easy blend of gin and lime, dates back centuries (mostly to fight scurvy as all the good drinks did), but to me, it really became a drink of the summer-set crowd in the 60’s.
Now, I have no idea why I think this, or even if it’s entirely true, but as I learned in my serious journo days, you never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
The gimlet was mentioned, quite poetically, in Raymond Chandler’s The Long Goodbye. Ernest Hemingway, being a fan of Chandler’s and a bigger fan of booze, took to it like a Vitamin C-depleted sailor to a lime, and it would be reasonable to think Hemingway’s popularity would influence the erudite set of the 50’s and 60’s.
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There is a dark time in the 1970’s onwards where flavourful gin was replaced by neutral vodka, a somewhat uninspired choice in my books, but hey, as long as you have a drink in your hand, I can’t really complain.
The original, 1800’s-era recipe calls for lime cordial and gin, which is still quite commonplace today. I’m not partial to lime cordial, so I use real lime juice with some simple syrup for a fresher, cleaner taste.
As for gin, you don’t need to break out the top-shelf stuff here. When mixing with other flavours, you can get away with a quality, but not super-premium spirit. Save your pennies for your martinis, when the gin has to do all the heavy lifting.
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Gimlet Pitcher
I love a make-ahead, big batch cocktail for a crowd. You can whip this up a few hours before your party and store in the fridge until needed. You want to make it day-of, though, as citrus juice takes on a tinny taste the longer it sits.
Makes: 8 drinks (4 oz each)
Bartender level: Easy
Ingredients:
- 2 cups London dry gin
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- ¾ cup simple syrup
- ½ cup water
How to Make It:
- In a pitcher, combine all ingredients and chill until needed.
- When ready pour into ice-filled glasses garnished with fresh lime.