Pink Gin

Here’s a super simple cocktail for gin lovers, Pink Gin. A combination of chilled quality gin and Angostura Bitters with a twist of lemon. It’s a smashing cocktail, best served as an aperitif.

With only three ingredients, a requirement of serving a Pink Gin is quality gin. Lucky for us all, there are many quality gin brands on the market. Among my favorites is Hendricks, it’s floral and citrus notes open up the palate which is what you want from an opener for a meal. Nonetheless, London Gin, which is free from artificial flavors and additives, is a great base for a Pink Gin too. Which means, you can choose your fav from the numerous brands available and experiment.

There are a few ways to make a Pink Gin. The contemporary recipe calls for swirling the Angostura around a glass before filling it with ice and a mixture of gin and soda.

I prefer the traditional method which is served up. The gin is chilled before pouring it into a cocktail mixing glass. The Angostura should be burned before adding it to the gin. Finally, the cocktail is poured into a martini glass with a twist.

Note, Angostura Bitters is a requirement for this cocktail. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE as you will not get that pink hue.

I discovered this recipe while watching a classic movie, The Grass is Greener. The movie starred one of my favorite all-time actors, Cary Grant. There’s a scene where Cary Grant and Jean Simmons discuss the plight of Cary Grant’s marriage to Deborah Kerr while working on making a Pink Gin. Jean Simmons insists on burning the Angostura.

I was way too young to drink when I first watched this movie, but it was something that stuck in my mind. I’m happy to confirm that Jean Simmons was right, burning the Angostura makes it richer and thicker and I highly recommend it.