A gin basil smash stretched long: 45 ml of gin shaken with 8 basil leaves, topped with 120 ml of basil sparkling lemonade. Pale green, fragrant, ready in 4 minutes.
- Cocktail 45 ml gin
- 4 min
- 1 glass
- Easy
Recipe
Gin and basil lemonade recipe
Ingredients
Makes 1 drink
No basil lemonade on hand? Plain sparkling lemonade with a few extra basil leaves does the job.
Method
- Shake In a shaker, combine 45 ml gin, 8 basil leaves and 10 ml lemon juice if you want extra tartness. Fill with ice and shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds.
- Prep the glass Fill a tall glass with fresh ice.
- Strain Pour through the shaker's strainer and a small fine-mesh sieve to catch the basil bits.
- Top up Add 120 ml of well-chilled basil sparkling lemonade and stir once.
- Garnish Clap a basil sprig between your hands and tuck it in.
No shaker? A Mason jar with its lid works just as well. Strain it through a tea strainer.
When to serve a gin and lemonade
The summer aperitif for when you want a long, fresh drink that's lighter than a classic smash. Gin and basil play off each other, and the lemonade doubles the fresh herb note with no syrup.
Tips for a great gin basil smash
- Shake the basil instead of muddling it: more aroma, no bitterness.
- Keep basil in a glass of water on the counter. In the fridge it turns dark.
- The lemonade always goes straight into the glass, never into the shaker.
Gin and lemonade variations
Alcohol-free
Shake 8 basil leaves with 3 cucumber slices and 10 ml lemon juice, strain over ice and top with 180 ml of basil sparkling lemonade.
Another flavour
A raspberry sparkling lemonade makes a pink raspberry basil smash. A lime and mint sparkling lemonade, with mint, gets close to a long southside. Same measures.
Pitcher for 6
Infuse 270 ml gin with 30 basil leaves for 20 minutes in the fridge, strain, add 2 cans (710 ml) of basil sparkling lemonade and serve over ice.
Gin and basil lemonade: your questions
How do you make a gin and basil lemonade?
Shake 45 ml gin with 8 basil leaves and ice for 15 seconds, strain over fresh ice, then top with 120 ml of well-chilled basil sparkling lemonade. Stir once: ready in 4 minutes.
What is the ratio of gin to lemonade?
1 part gin to 2 or 3 parts lemonade: 45 ml of gin to 90 to 135 ml. At 120 ml the gin is present without taking over. For lighter, go up to 180 ml.
What is a gin basil smash?
A cocktail created in Hamburg in 2008: gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and lots of basil, shaken hard. Ours is longer, with lemonade standing in for the lemon and the syrup.
Which gin works best?
A London dry is the safest: juniper and basil play off each other. A floral gin gives a softer drink, a citrus gin a zestier one.
Alcoholic versions are for people of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly. Our sparkling lemonades are always alcohol-free.
