I recently discovered a novel twist on gin: pink gin! And once I had some, I of course used it to make a pink gin and tonic. But if you read that post, you can see that for one of the variations on the drink I added a little pink lemonade. It made the drink pinker, sweeter and more citrusy.
So of course, it was not exactly a huge leap to go full-out pink gin and lemonade.
Lemonade is such an iconic drink for summer. Refreshing and thirst quenching. Any time you combine sweet with tart and put it in a glass, I am happy!
And the beauty of it is, pink lemonade is so readily available these days. Which means, we can use pink gin and pink lemonade to make a cocktail with maximum PINK.
Bring it!
What is pink gin?
Originally, pink gin was made fashionable by the British in the 19th century. Plymouth gin was enhanced with a few dashes of bitters. The reddish color of the bitters gave the drink a pinkish hue.
These days, we can purchase strawberry-flavored gin which has not only the sweetness of strawberries but also a lovely pink color. It’s a much more straightforward approach to pink gin.
And the color is unmistakably pink. 😀
Ingredients
- Pink Gin
- Pink Lemonade
Pretty simple!
How to make a pink gin and lemonade
Many mixed drinks are named to tell you exactly what they contain, and this one is no different. Pink gin. And lemonade. Not hard, is it?
But for maximum pink color, be sure to use pink lemonade. Otherwise, that pink gin will just give a slightly orange look to regular lemonade.
And the fun part is how you garnish. Some strawberry slices and a green garnish will complement the beautiful pink color; think of a slice of lime or a sprig of herbs. You could also use a lemon slice, to match the lemonade flavor. I tend to use a combination of lemon, lime and strawberry slices to create a whole party in my glass. 🥂
Expert Tips
Since you are probably making this on a hot summer day, it’s a nice touch to chill your glasses in the fridge or freezer for a bit before mixing the drink. This ensures a nice cold drink. Plus, your ice cubes will hopefully melt a little slower.
Any glass you have will work for this drink. I made some in tall, skinny “Collins” glasses and also in balloon shaped wine glasses. I feel that the shape of the balloon glass helps to highlight the pretty pink color of the beverage, but in the end they all drink the same. 😄
Worried about carbs? Use a reduced calorie or sugar free lemonade. Cuts out all that extra sugar and you still get the great lemonade taste.
If you love this drink but want a slight bubbly quality, consider the pink gin and tonic option where I used both tonic and pink lemonade. Alternatively, you could just top with a little bit of soda water or sparkling water.
The beauty is, this is so easy to make your own!
More pink cocktails
Since you have that pink lemonade anyway, try mixing up a Pink Senorita.
And for a whole different shade of pink, a dragon fruit cocktail will always get noticed!
📖 Recipe
Pink Gin & Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces pink gin strawberry flavored
- 4 - 5 ounces pink lemonade
- Sliced strawberry - to garnish
- lemon and/or lime slices - to garnish
Instructions
- Half fill a tall or balloon shaped glass with ice. Pour in the gin.1 ½ ounces pink gin
- Add strawberry slices and more ice.Sliced strawberry - to garnish
- Top with pink lemonade, garnish as desired and serve.4 - 5 ounces pink lemonade, lemon and/or lime slices - to garnish
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Emily
Such a smart idea to add strawberry gin to lemonade! Sometimes I just need an easy cocktail and this is my new favorite!
Sula
Its just perfect for summer!
Toni
I love how refreshing this is!! Such a perfect summer drink!
Sula
It definitely refreshes on a hot summer day!