Southside Cocktail Recipe: Gin, Citrus and Mint

Ingredients

2 oz London dry gine.g. Tanqueray · Gordon's · Beefeater · Bombay Sapphire · Sipsmith
1 oz lime juice or lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
8 leaves mint leaves about 8 leaves

Garnish: Mint leaf or sprig · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Clap the mint leaves between your hands and drop them into a shaker.
Add gin, lime juice and syrup, then fill with ice.
Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish with a single mint leaf or small sprig.

Watch it made

Southside

Taste

Crisp and minty with bright citrus and a dry gin backbone. Medium strength, clean and very fresh.

History and origin

The Southside is essentially a gin sour with mint, and its exact origin is unclear. Two stories come up again and again. One ties it to the 21 Club in New York, where it was a house favourite for decades. Another links it to the Southside Sportsmen's Club on Long Island, a private hunting and fishing club where a similar mint and gin drink was served in long form.

A third, more colourful legend claims the drink was popular with Chicago's South Side gangs during Prohibition, who supposedly used mint and sugar to mask rough gin. There is no solid evidence for that version. What is certain is that the Southside belongs to the family of American mint drinks alongside the Julep, and that the IBA lists it among its New Era Drinks.

Bartender tips

Shaking the mint with ice is enough to extract its flavour; muddling tends to make it bitter.
Double straining keeps little mint fragments out of the glass and the texture silky.
Lemon juice gives a softer, rounder drink than lime; both versions are common, so pick your favourite.

Variations

Southside Fizz: Serve it in a highball over ice and top with soda water for a long, lighter drink.
Eastside: Add a few slices of cucumber to the shaker for an even fresher, greener version.

Frequently asked questions

Lime or lemon in a Southside?

Both are used. Many modern recipes use lime, while many older bar recipes use lemon, which makes it a little softer.

What is the difference between a Southside and a Mojito?

The Southside uses gin instead of rum, is shaken and strained and is usually served straight up without soda.

Where does the Southside come from?

Its origin is uncertain. It is linked with the 21 Club in New York and the Southside Sportsmen's Club on Long Island; the Chicago gangster story is a legend.

The perfect sound