There is a cocktail bar in Williamsburg that Kramer and I sometimes have a drink at when we are dragged there by friends called Hotel Demano. The cocktails are really interesting and the food is good, but the place is always packed and the tables are so small that it’s hard to balance your drink on it if you’ve got more than two people in your party, not to mention every time we go, even if the place has empty tables, the host always says he “has to check” to see if there is space to be seated. It’s all a little pompous and annoying to be honest, but I will put up with it on occasion because their drinks really are fantastic. One of them is a summer favorite of mine called The Brooklyn Beauty. I’m sure that theirs is a bit fancier than my version here, but this certainly does the trick for me. Seeing as how we’ve been having abnormally warmer weather here in New York (in between dreary rainy days), I figured that it’s about time that I shared this cocktail with you. It’s got a little of everything, so it’s definitely a lot stronger than its name or appearance would lead you to believe, but it’s still easy to make. Simply shake gin, St. Germain (which is completely worth adding to your liquor collection if you haven’t already, especially since spring is just around the corner), and lemon juice over ice, top with prosecco or champagne, and serve. Kramer and I always makes sure that we have the ingredients for this cocktail if we are having a party, as it’s alcoholic enough to be manly, while still pretty and delicate enough to be feminine; best of both worlds, right? Now drink up!
Your ingredients.
Peel a strip of rind from your lemon, twist it over the glass so some of the oils get in there, and wipe the insides of the glass with the rind.
Peel some more strips of rind and twist them around your finger to make them curly – these are just your garnishes, so set them aside.
Pour your lemon juice, gin, and St. Germain in your shaker and fill with ice.
Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into your glasses.
Top with prosecco and garnish.
Drink up!
- 2 pieces lemon rind
- 5 ounces gin
- 2 ounces St. Germain
- 1½ ounces lemon juice
- ½ to ⅔ cup Prosecco or Champagne (for topping off)
- 2 pieces curled lemon rind or lemon wheels (for garnish)
- Peel off 2 pieces of lemon rind with a peeler or knife, doing your best to get as little pith on the rind as possible, and twist them over your glass to get some of the oils and essence from the lemon, then wipe the rind around the inside of the glass. You can use these as twists if they are still in tact, or twist new pieces of rind around your finger to make them curl for the garnish. Alternatively, you can use sliced lemon wheels.
- In a shaker, combine your gin, St. Germain, and lemon juice. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Strain into your glasses and top off with Prosecco or Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist or wheel and serve.
Mmm, this looks good. I love St. Germain, ever since I tried a St. Germain cocktail at Christopher’s (PA). Lately, I just mix it with some club soda for a refreshing drink in the evening. Oh, and also experiencing unseasonably warm weather in south east PA, I wore a coat today, but I was sweating.
It’s so refreshing! It reminds me of lychee, although I know it’s made from elderflower.
I enjoy your love of gin. It’s my favorite, and one of my friends always calls me a grandpa when I drink it.
I love it, too! I guess I just prefer the herbal/citrus notes in it, like Hendricks or Bombay Sapphire. It’s so clean tasting.
Snooty bars and restaurants drive me nuts; it’s as if they’re doing you a favor by letting you give them your money. Bah.
My favorite gin is an Austrian one that Trader Joe’s occasionally gets in, called “Monopolowa.” Many fellow martini-lovers have sung the praises of Hendrick’s, however, so I may have to broaden my horizons.
I have never heard of it, but I will have to find it! I love the name.
I love Hendricks. It is my favorite gin, followed closely by Bombay Sapphire. My girlfriends always look at me like I’ve grown a second head when I order a gin martini (I’m the only gin drinker in a sea of vodka lovers), but with Hendricks its not hard to drink at all. I just need Friday to get here so I can have this! I would make one today, but I’m going to be at a dance class alllll night.
I need Friday to get here, too!
Have fun at your dance class!
I have some Jenever in the fridge so I think I will give this a try since it is always sunny and warm here
Rub it in, why don’t ya?
this looks like a fun twist on one of my fav cocktails, the “French 75.” Definitely know what I’ll be drinking come Friday, thanks for sharing! Gorgeous pics as always
I was actually making a French 75, but I wanted to use St. Germain, and remembered that was the drink from this bar, haha. I can’t stay away from St. Germain!
This looks so refreshing!
Thanks, Michelle!
This sounds so good! I always love a chance to make a drink in a flute, and this combo of ingredients is like my dream combo right now. This is so going on the list…
My thoughts exactly – I love drinking out of a flute!
Beautiful photos! Sounds wonderful.
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I believe this cocktail is most commonly called a French 75.
[...] It’s a lot like St. Germain (which I have made many a cocktail with in the past, like The Brooklyn Beauty or the Summer Key Lime Cooler), one of my other favorite French liqueurs, but it’s much less [...]