Sloe Gin Cocktail
This bright sloe gin cocktail shakes sweet-tart sloe gin with fresh lemon, a little simple syrup, and a splash of soda. It is ruby-red, lightly fizzy, and easy to make one glass at a time.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 1 cocktail
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 5mCook 0mBritishDrinks
Sloe gin is a sweet, fruity liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in gin with sugar. It tastes like plum, cherry, almond, and berry all at once, with a gentle gin finish.
This cocktail keeps the drink simple. Lemon juice adds sharpness, simple syrup smooths the edges, and club soda makes it light and bubbly.
Use fresh lemon juice if you can. Bottled lemon juice can taste flat, and this drink has only a few ingredients, so each one shows up.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
6 items · 1 cocktail
- 2 ounces sloe gin
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce 1:1 simple syrup, plus more to taste
- 2 ounces chilled club soda, or enough to top
- Ice
- Lemon twist, lemon wheel, or brandied cherry, for garnish
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glass
Place a coupe, Nick and Nora, or small highball glass in the freezer for a few minutes. A cold glass helps the cocktail stay crisp while you drink it.
2. Measure the ingredients
Pour the sloe gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Measuring keeps the drink balanced, especially because sloe gin brands vary in sweetness.
3. Add the ice
Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice. Use solid cubes if you have them; small, wet ice melts quickly and can water down the drink.
4. Shake until cold
Seal the shaker and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds. The outside should feel very cold. Shaking chills the drink and slightly dilutes it, which softens the alcohol and sugar.
5. Strain into the glass
Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass. If you want a cleaner look, pour it through a small fine-mesh strainer to catch tiny ice chips and lemon pulp.
6. Top with soda
Slowly add the chilled club soda. Pour gently so the bubbles stay lively. Give the drink one light stir if the soda sits on top.
7. Garnish and serve
Add a lemon twist, lemon wheel, or brandied cherry. Serve right away while the cocktail is cold and fizzy.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: You can mix the sloe gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator. Shake with ice and add soda only when serving.
- Storage: This cocktail is best fresh. Once soda is added, the bubbles fade within 10 to 15 minutes.
- Simple syrup: To make 1:1 simple syrup, stir equal parts sugar and hot water until dissolved, then cool. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Sweetness swap: If your sloe gin tastes very sweet, skip the simple syrup at first. Shake the drink, taste a small sip, then add a bar spoon of syrup if needed.
- Soda swaps: Club soda keeps the drink clean and dry. Lemon-lime soda makes it sweeter, while tonic water adds bitterness.
- No shaker: Use a clean jar with a tight lid. Shake the sloe gin, lemon, and syrup with ice, then strain into the glass and top with soda.
Cook's note
Nutrition is estimated per cocktail using standard USDA data for cordial or liqueur as a stand-in for sloe gin, plus lemon juice, 1:1 simple syrup, and club soda. Exact values vary by sloe gin brand because alcohol and sugar levels differ.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What is sloe gin?
Sloe gin is not the same as dry gin. It is a sweet, red liqueur made by soaking sloe berries, a small wild plum, in gin with sugar. It is fruity, tart, and lower in alcohol than many standard gins.
Can I use regular gin instead of sloe gin?
Not as a direct swap. Regular gin is much drier and stronger, so the drink will taste sharp and less fruity. If you only have gin, add a berry liqueur or plum liqueur, but the flavor will not be exactly the same.
Can I make this as a pitcher cocktail?
Yes. For 8 drinks, combine 2 cups sloe gin, 3/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/4 cup simple syrup in a pitcher and refrigerate. When serving, pour about 3 ounces of the mix over ice in each glass and top each with about 2 ounces chilled club soda.
Why does my cocktail taste too sweet?
Sloe gin brands vary a lot. Use less simple syrup or leave it out. You can also add another small squeeze of lemon juice to bring back balance.
What glass should I use?
A coupe or Nick and Nora glass makes a neat, up-style cocktail. A small highball with ice works well if you want a longer, colder drink.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
1 cocktail
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium9 mg
- 0%
- Total Carbohydrate34 g
- 12%
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- 0%
- Total Sugars33 g
- Protein0 g
- 0%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium3 mg
- 0%
- Iron0.1 mg
- 1%
- Potassium29 mg
- 1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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