3 Gin Cocktails to Celebrate Autumn
Autumn is a bittersweet season. The warmth of summer might have faded into a distant memory but there are compensations and, conkers, Halloween, Bonfire Night and kicking dry fallen leaves aside, the seasonal delights of orchard fruits are one of them. Apples are quintessentially English and these three autumn gin cocktails make the most of their flavour to celebrate this wonderful season.
Fallen Apples
Reminiscent of crisp autumn days with the scent of bonfires in the air, this cocktail is warming, fruity and spicy with a dash of ginger wine. Perfect for sipping fireside.
Ingredients:
- 30ml / 1oz London Dry Gin
- 30ml / 1oz calvados
- 25ml / 0.75 Rosso vermouth (to find out how to make homemade vermouth click here)
- 15ml / 0.5oz dry vermouth
- 1 bar spoon / 5ml ginger wine
- Dash orange bitters
Instructions:
- Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice until condensation beads form on the outside.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with dark chocolate leaves.
Apple Pie
Combining all the delicious flavours of homemade apple pie in a cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 60ml / 2oz London Dry Gin
- 15ml / 0.5oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 7.5ml / 0.25oz vanilla syrup
- Dash orange bitters
- Toffee apple cider
Instructions:
- Shake the first four ingredients in a shaker with ice.
- Strain into a chilled champagne glass or goblet rimmed with cinnamon sugar.
- Top with toffee apple cider.
- Garnish with a vanilla pod.
Spiced Apple Gin Fizz
Gin fizzes are the easiest of cocktails to make and this one makes the most of the apple harvest with homemade spiced apple syrup.
Ingredients:
- 60ml / 2oz London Dry Gin
- 22.5ml / 0.75oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 15ml / 0.5oz homemade spiced apple syrup
- Soda water
Instructions:
- Shake the first three ingredients in a shaker with ice.
- Strain into a highball with large chunks of good clear ice.
- Top with soda water.
- Garnish with apple.
Spiced Apple Syrup
Ingredients:
- 4 small sweet eating apples
- Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
- 3-inch piece cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 cup water
- Sugar (granulated is fine)
Instructions:
- Wash, peel, core and chop the apples into large chunks.
- Simmer all the ingredients, except the sugar, in a pan gently for 20 mins with the lid on.
- When the apple pieces are soft, switch off the heat and leave the pan to cool down.
- Leave the cinnamon stick and star anise in the pan to infuse further.
- When cool remove the cinnamon and star anise.
- Sieve without breaking up the apple pieces.
- Don’t waste the apple pieces. They are delicious served warm with cream or custard.
- Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with a muslin cloth.
- If you have the patience pass again but through a coffee filter.
- Tip: Warm the liquid gently in a microwave. It helps to pass the liquid through the coffee filter quicker.
- When cool measure the remaining liquid.
- Add the liquid into a clean pan with an equal volume of sugar.
- Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. No need to boil.
- When the sugar has dissolved pour into a sterilised bottle.
- The syrup will last in the fridge for a few weeks. Perfect for making more autumn gin cocktails!
To buy some of the autumn gin cocktail ingredients click here:
