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.
