Strawberry Gin Smash
A vibrant summer cocktail featuring muddled fresh strawberries, aromatic gin, bright lemon juice, and a touch of honey, all shaken with ice and finished with a splash of sparkling water for effervescent refreshment that’s both sophisticated and blissfully simple.
Ingredients
- 8-10 fresh strawberries hulled and quartered (plus extra for garnish)
- 4 oz London dry gin Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire work beautifully
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz honey simple syrup equal parts honey and warm water, stirred until dissolved
- 4-5 fresh mint leaves plus sprigs for garnish
- Sparkling water for topping
- Ice cubes
- Lemon wheels for garnish optional
Instructions
- Prepare your berries by washing them thoroughly, removing the stems, and cutting them into quarters. Fresh berries will release more juice and flavor than frozen ones.
- Divide the strawberries between two sturdy glasses (about 4-5 berries per glass) and add half the mint leaves to each. Add 1/2 oz honey simple syrup to each glass.
- Gently muddle the ingredients just until the strawberries release their juices – about 20 seconds of light pressure. You’re not trying to pulverize them, just coax out their flavor.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin and fresh lemon juice, dividing equally if making both drinks at once, or halving the measurements if making one at a time.
- Add the muddled strawberry mixture to the shaker and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty.
- Fill serving glasses with fresh ice and strain the cocktail mixture over the ice, leaving about an inch of space at the top.
- Top each glass with a splash of sparkling water (about 1-2 oz) to add effervescence and lightness to the drink.
- Garnish with a fresh strawberry, a sprig of mint, and a lemon wheel if desired. Serve immediately while cold and bubbly.
Notes
- For a sweeter cocktail, increase the honey simple syrup to 1.5 oz total.
- Want to prep ahead? Make the strawberry-mint-honey mixture up to 4 hours in advance and keep refrigerated, then complete the cocktail just before serving.
- The quality of gin matters – choose a mid-range gin with pronounced botanical notes for best results.
- For a crowd-pleasing punch version, multiply the recipe by 8 and serve in a large punch bowl with plenty of ice and floating strawberry slices.
- If strawberries aren’t at peak season, a light dusting of sugar before muddling can help bring out their natural sweetness.