Southside cocktail recipe

This simple, refreshing cocktail shares many similarities with the likes of the Mojito, but showcases gin in place of white rum. Lime and mint are combined with a little bit of sugar syrup to create a crisp and balanced drink that is not too sweet and not too sour. The aromatics in the mint help to further bring out the herbaceousness of the gin, making it the perfect choice for sipping on a summer afternoon.

The first written record of the Southside traces back to 1917, in Hugo Enslinn’s cocktail book Recipes for Mixed Drinks, and it was highly popular around the time of Prohibition. Although it fell out of favour over the years, the Southside is seeing a recent spike in demand, thanks in large part to the gin renaissance of the past decade.

As for the name, it remains a bit of a mystery, like so many cocktails from this era. Some sources say it was simply coined after the Southside Sportsmen’s Club in the Hamptons of New York, where it is thought to have originated, but there are more salacious tales out there, too. One story links it to an infamous Chicago gangster named Frankie McErlane, who was a member of the ‘South Side’ gang and famed for his short fuse, his use of the Tommy Gun and his stash of bootleg gin. It’s rumoured that mixing up this recipe was his way of hiding the rough, home-brewed gin he was trying to sell off to Chicago’s underground speakeasies. While we’ll likely never know the real story, one thing that is certain is the deliciousness of the Southside. Cool, crisp, and with only four simple ingredients, it’s well worth adding to your repertoire.

An easy variation on the Southside is the Southside Fizz, which simply calls for adding any desired amount of soda water to the recipe. Adding bubbles makes the drink extra refreshing, even more sippable, and waters down the alcohol content if you’re looking for a lighter option. We recommend serving the Southside Fizz in a tall glass.

For a different take on a bubbly Southside, you could also give the Southside Royale a go. The key difference here is the addition of sparkling wine once the shaken mix is in the glass, giving this delicious drink a lovely fragrant twist.  

For a more dramatic spin on the Southside, swap out gin for sake, the iconic Japanese rice wine that is known mostly as a drink to shot or sip. The Sake Southside is a unique way to enjoy sake, but you may well find that you love the way the mellow flavour mixes with the brightness of the citrus and mint. Any type of sake works: replace it 1:1 with the gin, keep everything else the same, and see what you think.

For a couple of tips on making this cocktail, don’t be tempted to skip the straining – this removes the little bits of mint that can get stuck in your teeth. And don’t shake it for too long – 10 to 15 seconds max – or the mint will develop a more vegetal note rather than the bright minty flavours that make this drink.