I know it’s not technically spring until late March, but it’s felt like spring for a while here in LA and it’s had me craving my favorite spring flavors! Floral, herbal, and all things fruit, mainly. This lavender sage gin sour includes all of the above. It’s a mellow, yet flavorful drink that’s balanced, complex, and a delight to sip. You’re gonna love it.
This gin sour is purple. Why is it purple!?
Good eye. You might think that this gin sour is purple because of the lavender in it. In actuality, it’s made with purple gin! The gin is called Empress 1908, and it’s my favorite. It’s micro-distilled with 8 botanicals, one of which is butterfly pea blossoms, which are what give it its rich purple hue. Fun fact: if you add something acidic to this gin, it’ll turn a gorgeous pink or lilac color (depending on how much you add).
Do I need any other special ingredients?
Well, you’ll need lavender bitters and sage simple syrup. For the bitters, I used Scrappy’s. I bought mine at Total Wines, but they also have it on Amazon (that’s where that link will leave you). It’s a little bit pricey, but I really love it, and a little goes a long way. That said, you’re welcome to try other brands!
As for the sage simple syrup, you can make it yourself! All you have to do is simmer 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 5 large sage leaves until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the sage infuse a bit more before using. It’s really easy, and will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge. You don’t need much for this cocktail, which means you can make a lot of them! I’ve been sipping on these for a while now and it’s the easiest thing in the world because of my sage simple syrup stash.
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How do I get that lovely foam.
To create a foam that’ll sit atop your drink, just add half an ounce of either egg white or aqua faba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). Add it to your shaker, and shake along with the rest of your ingredients. This is optional, but I personally am a foam lover so I’d recommend it. That said, I’ve tried it with and without foam and it’s delicious both ways. So if you don’t happen to have eggs or chickpeas on hand, it’s gonna be ok.
Lavender Sage Gin Sour
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
Sage simple syrup
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 5 Large sage leaves (fresh)
Lavender Sage Gin Sour
- 2 oz Empress gin (or gin of your choice)
- 1 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed, please)
- 1/2 oz Egg white or aqua faba
- 1/2 oz Sage simple syrup
- 3 drops Lavender bitters
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup. To do this, simmer water, sugar, and sage in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to let the sage infuse a bit more.
- To make the drink, add ice and all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Then pour into a coupe glass and enjoy!
Notes
If you make this drink, I truly hope you love it. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram! I always love hearing from you and seeing your beautiful creations.
Looking for more tasty cocktails? Try my blood orange and earl grey hot toddy, my cherry manhattan, or my strawberry rhubarb frozen margarita!
It’s such a pretty drink!
Isn’t it! Thanks 🙂