Love Potion Number 9 - Raspberry Gin Cocktail

How to Make a Raspberry Gin Cocktail

A raspberry gin cocktail isn't a beginners drink, as it's based on the clover club; a drink made with muddled raspberries and egg white. It's well worth taking your cocktail game to the next level if you aren't yet familiar with the techniques of egg white cocktails.

Muddle fresh raspberries with a muddler to release the raspberry flavor, add the rest of your ingredients, including your egg white.  Dry shake, then add ice, and shake again.

Straining this drink it essential to get the perfect silky foam.  Double strain with a hawthorn or julep strainer as well as a tea strainer, and beware that this is pretty messy business.

Garnish with 1-3 raspberries on a cocktail pick, we like to include a flower as well, to show it was made with love.

The Best Gin for a Raspberry Gin Cocktail

This raspberry gin cocktail has delicate flavors like hazelnut that would be blown out by a juniper heavy gin such as Bombay or Tanqueray. A fruit and floral forward cocktail, it is enhanced by choosing a floral gin. Here are some of our favorites:

1. The Botanist - If you want a raspberry gin cocktail that is floral with touches of wild herbs and berries, The Botanist, a Scottish gin made with locally foraged botanicals on the Isle of Islay, is the one to reach for.

   
   

2. Nolet's - With notes of rose, peach, and raspberry, Nolet's from the Netherlands is a light and airy modern gin with a touch of traditional juniper.  The result is an elegant profile that we prefer most for this raspberry gin cocktail.

   
   
3. Hendrick's - With it's characteristic notes of cucumber and rose, Hendrick's is maybe the most well known floral Scottish gin, and for good reason.  This is a wonderfully balanced gin that works well centerstage in a martini, or as a mixing spirit in mixed drinks like this raspberry gin cocktail.

What Is Frangelico?

A thin textured liqueur made from roasted hazelnuts, Frangelico tastes like Nutella, with creamy notes of cocoa and vanilla. Made in Piedmont, Italy it has a rich, distinct flavor that it's imitators lack.

Despite the traditional vibe of the packaging, Frangelico was created in 1980, but was named after the legend of a hermit monk named Fra Angelico, who supposedly lived in Piedmont 300 years ago, and created liqueurs. This is why the bottle is shaped like a monks habit.  

Frangelico adds a deep flavor to this raspberry gin cocktail that mellows the tart flavors and dry elements of a classic Clover Club's lemon and berry. The roasted hazelnut aroma of Frangelico creates a hypnotic allure that makes every sip of this raspberry gin cocktail something to savor.

Why Use Egg White in a Cocktail?

Using egg white in a cocktail creates a soft foam and mouth feel that enhances the experience of drinking. The proteins in the egg white emulsify the drink ingredients to make it smooth, and stabilize the structure of the foam.

If you don't want to use egg white for dietary reasons, we suggest trying aquafaba as a replacement. What is aquafaba? It is the fluid that is created by soaking or cooking legumes, like the kind you find in a can of chickpeas. Read more about aquafaba here at Bon Apetit.

How to Make an Egg White Foam: The Dry Shake

What is a dry shake? Dry shaking is simply shaking a cocktail without any ice in order to incorporate ingredients without diluting them. This technique allows the proteins in egg white to form a stable foam which traps air, creating a velvety mouthfeel and frothy head.

Raspberry Gin Cocktail Ingredients

We suggest you use organic ingredients whenever possible. Here's what you'll need to make this Raspberry Gin Cocktail recipe:

• Gin-

  A diverse spirit, with varied flavor profiles between producers, choosing a gin. We recommend choosing a floral gin to compliment the delicate profile of this raspberry gin cocktail. Nolet's Silver is our go to choice for this drink, but The Botanist or Hendrick's would work fabulously as well.

  
  

• Frangelico - This roasted hazelnut liqueur from Piedmont, Italy has a clean and creamy profile with hints of vanilla and cacao. It has a low ABV of 24% and a surprisingly thin consistency.  For more on Frangelico check out this article.

  
  
• Raspberries - Fresh raspberries are essential to make this raspberry gin cocktail. The recipe calls for 5-6 medium berries. Adjust this number depending on the size of your berries or your taste preference.

• Egg White - 1 egg white from a small or medium egg is plenty for making this raspberry gin cocktail. If you only have jumbo eggs, don't use the entire egg white. 

  
  

• Simple Syrup - This recipe calls for 1:1 simple syrup made from equal parts water and a white or minimally refined sugar. Make sure not to use dark sugar or raw sugar to keep this raspberry gin cocktail light and bright.  

  
  

• Lemon - Fresh pressed lemon juice from a reamer or citrus press adds extra zip and zest.

  
  

• Cocktail Bitters - 

  Old fashioned style aromatics are a traditional way to add depth and harmonize the sweet and sour elements of a cocktail.  

  
  

  Brimming with classic aromatics, Cocktail Bitters add complexity and elegance while helping the flavors of this drink blend together.  With cardamom, nutmeg, and other baking spices, Cocktail Bitters add a cozy, cuddly warmth to this raspberry gin cocktail.

Don't know how to measure bitters? Check out our blog on all things bitters here: What Are Bitters?