World Gin Day: Lemongrass-Ginger and Cucumber-Lime Gin Infusions

Not to turn my back on bourbon, which many know is a favorite spirit of mine, but the Gin and Tonic is one of my absolute favorite drinks. For World Gin Day, I’m excited to share recipes for two gin infusions that are perfect choices to use in my favorite cocktail.

I tend to stick with other herbs and spices or citrus when I infuse gin because it’s already herbal to begin with; it’s not neutral and open to most ingredients, like its cousin vodka. In this case, cucumber-lime and lemongrass-ginger are two flavor pairings that really work well and I enjoy drinking in a Gin and Tonic.

First, you’ll need to find a good tonic water. As easy as they are to find in grocery and convenience stores, tonic made by big soda manufacturers are not what I’ve come to enjoy in my drinks. I like Q’s line of gourmet sodas  and Fever Tree about the best. You’ll find tonic water, ginger beer, and club soda among other varieties from these brands in 4-pack single-serving bottles. Both run about $4.99 each at Wegmans and other grocery stores. Q also makes larger bottles, although I prefer the smaller sizes, which are good for making one or two drinks at a time without going flat.

I’ve also been told by my bartender friend, Stefanie, that there’s yet another alternative out there: tonic concentrate. You just add it to club soda or seltzer water and proceed with making your drink. I’ve yet to try it, though, and haven’t seen it in any stores; she said she bought it on Amazon.

Next, you’ll need a quart-sized mason jar with a lid and some gin to put in it. Use what you like that’s about middle-of-the-road (i.e., nothing super top-shelf that would cost you $40-50 a bottle) with a relatively neutral flavor. What do I mean by this? Some gins are more herbal or uniquely-flavored than others. I wouldn’t recommend something like Tanqueray, which already has a good flavor and can be on the more expensive side to justify using in this application. I generally go with New Amsterdam. It’s good quality but doesn’t have as distinctive of a flavor that would interfere or clash with other ingredients, and it’s almost-always on sale at my local PA state liquor store for about $20 for a 1.5 liter bottle. Works for me.