Last Updated on November 20, 2020 by Fiona Maclean
Pink Gin Spritz – the perfect summer drink:
It’s at this time of year that I’m trying to do my best to make summer last a little longer. Making a lovely fresh and summery cocktail when the sun is shining is just one way to achieve that. I’ve been trying a bottle of Gordon’s Pink – a Pink Gin that is made with an original recipe from the 1880s – which seems just perfect for a pink gin spritz. It’s flavoured with natural summer fruits – raspberries, strawberries and redcurrant blended with Gordon’s gin. The result, all packed into the prettiest bottle is a blushing pink gin that can’t help but remind you of summer sunshine. When you open the bottle, there’s a fabulous berry scent – Wimbledon, picnics in the park, hedgerows full of flowers and more. It’s overwhelmingly summer in a bottle.
Now, I’m allergic to fresh strawberries and the first time I tried this, it was clear it wouldn’t do me much good to continue. It is testament to the freshness of the ingredients that, while I can happily eat strawberry jam, I can’t drink this pink gin without suffering the same side effects I get from eating a bowl of strawberries. It’s deeply frustrating, but I ended up having to pass the bottle on to Simon (who is much better at making cocktails than me anyway!).
He is a fan of Fever-Tree tonics – and has been playing around with the flavoured ones to complement his version of a Pink Gin Spritz. If you DON’T have a strawberry allergy and would like to try for yourself, here’s his recommendation on how to make one for yourself.
A delicious pink gin spritz using Gordon's pink gin
- 50 ml Gordon's® Premium Pink Distilled Gin
- 50 ml tonic water we liked Fever-Tree Sicilian Lemon Tonic
- 50 ml Prosecco
- Fresh strawberries
- Ice
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Muddle a few strawberries to extract a couple of teaspoons of fresh juice.
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Fill a large coupe glass with ice,
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Add 50ml Gordon's Pink Gin
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Top up the glass with 50ml Sicilian Lemon Tonic and 50ml Prosecco and mix together gently
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Garnish with more fresh strawberries and serve
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For a sweeter version use lemonade instead of lemon tonic
Recipe Video
What we call pink gin these days bears little resemblance to what the Victorians would have recognised from the name. In fact, Gordon’s Pink Gin seems to be a fruit gin – and very delicious at that. I can make my own version of a pink gin spritz using a raspberry gin or even sloe gin – though it’s that lovely strawberry not that makes this drink so very summery. But, in the 19th century, pink gin was a drink made with bitters and gin – a bit like the Gimlet or even a classic Gin and Tonic – used by the Navy to treat sea-sickness. The original pink gin was so named because the bitters made the gin turn a rosy pink. Traditionally it was nothing more than gin and bitters – though most mixologists will add a twist of lemon and perhaps top the drink up with soda water.
The craze for pink gin is more to do with the popularity of rosé wines and fruit-based cocktails than to the historic use of the term. There is something of an obsession with all things pink. I love this pink port cocktail for instance and if you check our list of Easy Classic Summer Cocktails, you’ll find more to choose from. The fact that pink gin used to be something quite different, isn’t to say that fruit gins don’t have their own history. They can be lower in alcohol than normal gin and also sometimes contain sugar. Gordons Pink Gin is 37.5 ABV and does not have any added sugar other than that which comes from the fruits themselves (raspberry, strawberry and redcurrant).
If you are looking for a way to make summer last just that little bit longer – why not try for yourself. Sadly I’ll be sticking to regular Gin and Tonic or to Sloe Gin (which I love!) in the future. And, of course, having tasted a pink gin spritz you can guess that it is exactly what I am craving right now! Meanwhile, why not pin this post for later
And do check out my other summer cocktail recipes for a St-Germain Spritz or for a Pimm’s Spritz.
Disclosure: I was provided with a bottle of Gordon’s Pink for the purpose of making a Pink Gin Spritz.
This is such a summery, refreshing drink
I’m going to try this on a really cold, wet miserable winter’s day because I just KNOW it will bring me the taste of summer.
And on another topic completely, I know you have no control over the ads, but one ju7st popped up on this page for a top I absolutely MUST have, so thanks for that!
Such a refreshing drink, and a reminder of lovely summer weather.
Ah memories of the summer
Sounds divine – I might make this for Christmas Day tea.
This is such a refreshing drink
Thank you for the ingredients, this is really lovely & refreshing, 5 stars from me! x
My sort of cocktail. Good quality ingredients and not too many of them. Lovely!
So appealing and a great summer drink . Hats off to the barman !
This sounds wonderful, I am loving pink gin!
Will absolutely be making this drink, looks so lovely and refreshing. Perfect for summer evenings in the garden!
This sounds so simple yet so delicious! I’m definitely going to try it
I just love the looks of Gorden’s pink gin. It is so very girly. Tastes amazing too.
Suggest to Fiona to use Raspberries or any other berries. Even in NZ alot of our strawberries are watery and tasteless in midsummer months.
So we have take to using feeze dried raspberries /strawberries/ mango in cocktails all yr round now.
Add a little more effervescence to the drink, swell to taste and feel like fresh berry pieces, lowish sugar per piece but nig flavour, quite cheap and great snax for kids who love the sherbert feel on tongue.
I do not work for freeze dried fruit co. Just a mum who likes pink gin +/- prosecco with berries!!! Diana
good idea! I agree, strawberries can be watery. – best solution I know is to macerate them in OJ overnight which somehow transforms them!
Oohhh! So scrumptious!
This looks amazing! I am already obsessed with pink gin and mediterranean tonic so i will need to try this next!
Well I bought the pink Gin just need to get the rest
Perfect drink all year round
I agree it’s so pretty isn’t it!
Love pink gin this recipe sounds nice
Summer Winter Autumn Spring This needs to be bought and made all year round
I do love your enthusiasm. It’s such a pretty drink though isn’t it!