SIP: 100 Gin Cocktails with Only Three Ingredients

Travel Distilled reviews the book SIP: 100 Gin Cocktails with only Three Ingredients, from London’s Sipsmith distillery.

The guys at London’s Sipsmith distillery have put together this gin cocktail recipe book, aimed at those of us who are intimidated by complicated cocktail recipes. These gin cocktails have only three ingredients.

My first reaction was: how on earth can you come up with 100 gin cocktails that do only have three ingredients? It must have been a challenge for the authors, but it’s a challenge they took on and won. It’s an excellent gin cocktail recipe book, and certainly encouraged me to be a bit more adventurous and go beyond the gin and tonic, ice and a slice.

A simple gin and tonic cocktail from the 100 gin cocktails recipe book from Sipsmith gin — Though a Simple Gin and Tonic is Hard to Beat

The Authors

Although the book is credited to all the Sipsmith team, they say most of the credit should go to Jared Brown, the Master Distiller, who came up with most of the recipes and most of the words.

Established in 2009, Sipsmith shook up the London (and UK) distillery scene when they challenged the regulations which limited the size of the stills that could be used for distilling. By lowering the limit, it opened distilling up to small-batch craft distillers, so three cheers for Sipsmith.

A gin julep cocktail from the 100 gin cocktails recipe book from Sipsmith gin — A Gin Julep

A Brief History of Gin

Before getting to the gin cocktail recipes, the book begins with a brief history of gin and how it’s made, followed by a section on the tools you’ll need for your home bar, the glassware, syrups, garnishes, and a few cocktail-making techniques. And then on to the cocktails…

They start off simple, with a Fairfax, named after Sipsmith founder Fairfax Hall. The Fairfax is simply gin and ice. Even I could manage that. Next up is the gin and tonic, with a lime wedge, which is what we prefer to lemon these days.

A London Mule gin cocktail from the 100 gin cocktails recipe book from Sipsmith gin — A London Mule Gin Cocktail

Gin and, er … Port?

Then things start to get interesting. How about a Gin Sangaree? This is gin, a simple syrup (syrup recipe provided) and… port? Gin and port? That’s not a pairing I’d ever have thought of, but it sounds and looks good. The majority of the cocktails have lovely photos alongside them, tempting you to try them. Gin and ginger ale is another unusual combo, like a Moscow Mule but with gin. As the only other ingredient is fresh lemon juice, who couldn’t manage that?

A cocktail called the Bee’s Knees is described as “one of the best gin drinks ever created” and combines Sipsmith London Dry Gin with lemon juice and honey syrup. A London Mule combines gin and ginger beer with some lime wedges, and a Gin Julep is gin, simple syrup, and mint sprigs. Very refreshing.

A gin paloma cocktail from the 100 gin cocktails recipe book from Sipsmith gin — Gin Paloma

Anyone Fancy a Gin and Milk?

A cocktail which combines gin with two different kinds of sherry sounds intriguing, as does a Gin Milk Punch. Can you really combine gin with simple syrup and 100ml of full-fat milk? Apparently so. Another interesting offering is a Gin Caipirinha, using gin instead of cachaça in Brazil’s favourite cocktail.

I could go on listing these interesting and unusual gin cocktail recipes forever. The book really is full of them. My only criticism is that there ought to be an index. I’ve just opened a bottle of sweet vermouth, for instance, and would love to know if there was a gin cocktail recipe to put this in while it’s fresh. I guess I’ll just have to skim through the book to find out. There probably is.

Apart from that, the book is pretty-near perfect, one of the best gin cocktail recipe books I’ve seen, and I’m definitely going to be using this a lot.