When we found out about Wölffer Estate's rosé gin, we really only had one question besides where to buy it. Once we looked on its millennial pink glory, would we be able to bear to actually make a cocktail with it?
To find a drink just as pretty as the gin (and its packaging), we didn't want to just do a standard-issue gin and tonic (though those are delicious, too). Instead, we took inspiration from the original pink gin to devise a new drink. Long before rosé was the unofficial drink of summer, British sailors were adding Angostura bitters to gin. The bitters, like the quinine in tonic water, were supposed to fight malaria but also created the first, homemade, pink version of the liquor.
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We also used grapefruit instead of lime. Not only is the pink citrus fruit on-theme, the tartness helps balance out the spiced flavour of the bitters. The resulting drink is fruity and a little less bitter than a traditional G&T, but the juniper and botanicals of the gin still shine through. If you can't get your hands on rosé gin in time for the weekend, the Angostura bitters will still turn classic Gin & Tonics a peachy-pink colour and result in a totally delicious drink. If you manage to find classic pink gin, which already contains bitters, you can skip adding them as you mix.
The Bitter Millennial G&T
Serves 1
Serves 1
Ingredients
90 ml. tonic water (we used Fever-Tree)
4-6 dashes Angostura bitters
45 ml. gin
2 large grapefruit wedges
90 ml. tonic water (we used Fever-Tree)
4-6 dashes Angostura bitters
45 ml. gin
2 large grapefruit wedges
Instructions
1. Pour the tonic water over ice. Add 4-6 dash of Angostura bitters to taste and stir lightly.
1. Pour the tonic water over ice. Add 4-6 dash of Angostura bitters to taste and stir lightly.
2. Top off with 45 ml. gin of of your choice. Squeeze the juice of one grapefruit wedge into the drink and garnish with the second.
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