Sweet, tart, floral, and frothy, my Clementine & Blood Orange Gin Sour Cocktail is my newest happy hour obsession. Made with just 5 ingredients in about 5 minutes, this bright, beautiful, citrusy beverage is a taste of sunshine in a glass.
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About This Recipe
Here in Southern California, citrus season is in full swing. The farmer’s markets are flooded with tons of delicious, juicy fruits like mandarins, Cara Caras, kumquats, and grapefruits. As a true lover of all things sweet-tart, I simply couldn’t help myself when I came across a pile of perfect clementines and sensuous blood oranges.
Fast forward just a few hours later, and Calvin and I were swigging these delightfully refreshing mixed citrus gin sours like there was no tomorrow. They’re not only gorgeous to look at but also a real treat to sip on.
Made with Empress 1908 Gin (one of my favorite all-time spirits), this tasty concoction has all the citrusy botanical flavors I associate with gin, plus the added complexity of black tea and butterfly pea flowers that impart a gorgeous indigo hue and a warm, earthy flavor to the mix.
When combined with homemade honey syrup, the flavors of this exquisite gin meld perfectly with the fresh fruit juices. Add an egg white to the mix for a luscious mouthfeel that transforms this gin sour into a sublimely sippable mèlange that’ll have you coming back for more.
Ingredients
This well-crafted cocktail might taste complex, but the ingredients are quite simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Honey - Making honey simple syrup is as easy as mixing equal parts warm water and honey until homogenous. I suggest using high-quality local honey, preferably of a wildflower or orange blossom variety.
- Empress 1908 Gin - If the shocking color of blue curaçao puts you off, I beg you to reconsider. This indigo-colored spirit is among the best gins I’ve ever quaffed, and the color can be a real boon for happy hour. If you are unable to procure a bottle, any good-quality botanical gin will do well here.
- Blood Orange Juice - If you can get your hands on fresh, in-season blood oranges, I suggest you squeeze your own. If not, high-quality nationwide brands like Natalie’s are a fine substitute.
- Clementine Juice - Again, fresh is best here!
- Egg White - If separating an egg seems like a lot of work for a cocktail, feel free to use the pasteurized liquid egg whites sold in cartons. Otherwise, save those yolks and a handful of citrus to make a beautiful curd for slathering on breakfast pastries throughout the week.
Equipment
One of the things I love best about sour cocktails is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to make them. Simply gather:
- Cocktail Shaker With Lid - This Clementine & Blood Orange Gin Sour is one that must be shaken, not stirred. Make sure your cocktail shaker lid fits tightly to avoid any big spills. If possible, reach for a tin-on-tin or Parisian shaker - their simple design makes it easy to keep your beverages where they are supposed to be.
- Cocktail Strainer - While you want some *very tiny* pieces of ice in the cocktail to give it texture, you are going to want to hold any larger pieces back. Cocktail strainers are the best piece of equipment around for making sure only the good bits get through.
- Pretty Cocktail Glass. Happy hour at home may not seem as special as a night on the town, but I guarantee that’ll change when you up your glass game. I’m partial to a coupe whenever it comes to sour cocktails, but you could easily get even fancier with a specific sour glass, also known as a Delmonico glass!
Bonus points if you have some beautiful cocktail napkins to serve your professional-looking beverages with!
How to Make Gin Sours
Making these mixed citrus gin sour cocktails is a snap. Simply:
Dry Shake: Add all the cocktail ingredients minus the ice into a shaker and shake for 30 seconds until frothy.
Shake With Ice: Add ice and shake for an additional thirty seconds until well chilled and nicely aerated.
Strain & Enjoy: Strain into your serving glass. Get a little extra fancy by topping with a thin slice of blood orange (fresh or dried) that sits on top of the frothy top with a cocktail stick. Now it’s time to enjoy. Cheers, my friends!
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the dry shaking. Dry shaking cocktails (meaning before you add the ice) with egg whites allows for a more prominent and frothy foam. The process of shaking without the ice gives the cocktail a better chance to emulsify, leaving you with a silkier, more luxurious head.
- Shake vigorously, especially when you add the ice! Shaking cocktails with ice not only acts to mix the ingredients together, but also simultaneously chills and aerates them. Think of it like this - shaking a cocktail is akin to creaming butter and sugar; don’t rush the process and you’ll end up with a better, tastier, more luxurious result.
- Go for gold with your garnish! A surefire way to make your homemade gin sours feel as fancy as you’d find during a night on the town is to add a garnish. This Clementine and Blood Orange cocktail is just begging for a dried slice of citrus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Simply swap the honey syrup out for a vegan simple syrup. Here are 15+ options to choose from.
If you happen to be lucky enough to get fresh citrus at home, you’ll notice subtle flavor differences between different varieties. While I love the blood orange and clementine combo, you can make a citrus gin sour using any variety of oranges or mandarins available.
Unfortunately, shaken drinks aren’t really cut out for turning into pitcher beverages. They should be imbibed shortly after shaking for the best texture. Additionally, this cocktail has egg white, which means it shouldn't be batched in advance!
More Sour Cocktail Inspiration
- Pear Brandy Sour with Demerara Simple Syrup
- Blood Orange Pisco Sour
- Pear, Quince, & Elderflower Sour
- Lemon Lavender Sour
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try this recipe, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Clementine & Blood Orange Gin Sour Cocktail
Equipment
- Glasses for serving
Ingredients
- 1 oz Honey Syrup, equal parts warm water and honey, shaken until mixture is homogenous
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin, or the gin of your preference
- 1 oz Blood Orange Juice
- 1 oz Clementine juice
- 1 Egg White
- Ice
- Blood Orange Slice for garnish
Instructions
- Add all the above ingredients without ice and garnish into a shaker and shake for 30 seconds until chilled and frothy. Add ice and shake for an additional thirty seconds.1 oz Honey Syrup, 2 oz Empress 1908 Gin, 1 oz Blood Orange Juice, 1 oz Clementine juice, 1 Egg White, Ice
- Strain into your serving glass and top with a thin blood orange slice that sits on top of the frothy top with a cocktail stick. Then enjoy - cheers my friends!Blood Orange Slice for garnish
Notes
- Don’t skip the dry shaking. Dry shaking cocktails (meaning before you add the ice) with egg whites allows for a more prominent and frothy foam. The process of shaking without the ice gives the cocktail a better chance to emulsify, leaving you with a silkier, more luxurious head.
- Shake vigorously, especially when you add the ice! Shaking cocktails with ice not only acts to mix the ingredients together, but also simultaneously chills and aerates them. Think of it like this - shaking a cocktail is akin to creaming butter and sugar; don’t rush the process and you’ll end up with a better, tastier, more luxurious result.
- Go for gold with your garnish! A surefire way to make your homemade gin sours feel as fancy as you’d find during a night on the town is to add a garnish. This Clementine and Blood Orange cocktail is just begging for a dried slice of citrus.
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