How to make a Southside Cocktail

There are hardly any cocktails with a gangster link, and then we have the Southside cocktail 🙂 . Like most of the classic cocktails, this also comes shrouded in mystery. Not being born in the era makes it even more impossible to verify the true origin of the cocktail 😉 . But we did manage to pick up the best or the most interesting narration of the lot. Ladies and gentlemen, the  SouthSide cocktail.

I remember years back when a guest approached me for a Southside Cocktail. Now, this wasn’t a cocktail which many knew off. The request was quite a surprise. But I had to humbly refuse as we ran out of mint. It didn’t take much effort to convince the guest to settle for a gimlet. This act of convincing is also a part of skill bartending. But it was an era when the Gin and tonic was the most consumed gin cocktail.

The Indian gins

This was before we witnessed the gin rush in India. I believe “ blue ribbon” was the most commonly used Indian Gin brand in the good early days. As there weren’t many takers for gin cocktails, gin was more driven by signature cocktails. And when it came to the classic gin cocktail? There was hardly a couple, like the Gin and Tonic, Negroni, or Martini. But the Southside cocktail was nowhere to be found on the list. But after the cocktails started picking up, we have witnessed a sudden spike in the indian gin producing sector. At present, there stands at least 34 mentioned indian gins, and the list is still growing.

Unlike the diaquri, mojito, etc, the Southside found it arduous to survive through the prohibition period. This could be one of the reasons the Southside could not make it as a household name in cocktails. Those who are aware of the Southside cocktail might even call it a gimlet with mint or a gin-based mojito. But the truth is that the cocktail is unlike any of the ones mentioned above. It has its unique character, taste and yes, a name too 🙂

During the prohibition period, the north gangs of Chicago had access to high-quality spirits smuggled from the neighbouring country of Canada,  leaving the south with not much of a choice. The South went on to produce its own locally made spirit, which tasted awful, resulting in the so-called bar magician taking over. It was then the bartenders from the south who went ahead and added sugar, citrus and mint to suppress the flavours from the gin. And just like that, Habibi, welcome to the “Southside Cocktail”.

Cocktail Ingredients

1. Gin
2. Lime
3. Sugar
4. Ice

Equipment

1. Cocktail Shaker
2. Fine strainer
3. cocktail glass

How to make a southside cocktail

1. Add 10ml lime juice along with 2 bar spoons of refined sugar to a cocktail shaker
2. To it, add 10 to 15 mint leaves and half fill the shaker with ice
3. Now add 50 ml of good quality gin, close the shaker and shake well
4. Open the shaker and fine-strain the cocktail over a cocktail glass
5. Habibi you have yourself Southside Cocktail

An easy cocktail to make at home. A taste which relates to every common man. But also note, the quality of gin used for the cocktail matters here. The botanicals of the gin add to the flavour of the cocktail. The taste profile of the cocktails varies with the gin used, making it unique. Get your favourite gin and make yourself a “Southside cocktail”

Cheers

Drink responsibly