Mixing up a Gin & Juice is perfect if you’re looking to make a fast and tasty drink. Most people love fruity gin drinks so as long as you have gin and some juice, you can make yourself a good or even great cocktail. Here is the rule of thumb for the Gin and Juice recipe:
To mix gin and juice, fill a tall glass with ice, then use the ratio of 1 part gin to 3 parts juice such as orange, apple, pineapple… Done. Oh, do you have a slice of orange or a squeeze of lemon or lime? Go ahead and add any fruit garnish that you’d like.
Now that you know the basics, let’s learn how to make a Gin and Juice even better by diving deeper into the best part which is “the juice” portion of this delicious cocktail.
What is the best juice to mix with gin?
Sweet Gin and Juice Drink
The best juice for gin is a juice you like. For a sweet and fruity cocktail, orange, apple, pineapple and mango juices are great choices for mixing a Gin n Juice. Freshly squeezed juice gives your Gin and Juice a finer and fresher result but it is certainly is not required.
Gin and Juice Cocktails for Savory Seekers
For a flavor that veers to the savory, sour and tart side, cranberry, blood oranges and grapefruit juices make delicious Gin and Juice cocktails. These juices tend toward bitter so simple syrup is usually added.
Don’t worry, you won’t end up with a sugary drink because even a little sweetener will balance the flavors and give you a better drink. A good rule of thumb is to always taste the juice beforehand so you know how heavy to go on the syrup.
You can make or buy tasty and wonderful syrups made of sugar, honey or agave flavored with fruit, herbs and spices like passionfruit, ginger, rosemary, jalapeno and even tea. The Gin and Juice combinations are limitless and an adventure.
Gin and grapefruit juice or a Gin Paloma is one of my favorites. I like to use a combination of fresh juices and Fevertree Grapefruit Soda to layer my Gin and Juice drink.
Tomato Gin and Juice Anyone?
When you mix gin and tomato Juice, you end up a Red Snapper. It is built like a Bloody Mary but gin’s botanical flavors interact with the tomato juice unlike the neutral vodka.
The Red Snapper isn’t complicated, you just need a few more ingredients to have one: lemon juice, celery salt, black pepper, horseradish and hot sauce.
Garnish away with your favorites like celery sticks, pickles, olives and lime wedges or get fancy with this Neptunia Brunch cocktail. We swapped out Clamato juice for the tomato and added a sushi skewer.
Mix up a Festive Gin and Juice
Unlike martinis, it might surprise you that Gin and Juice doesn’t have to be served cold. You can have a festive, spicy mulled apple juice or cider to comfort you during the cold weather months.
In as little as 5 or 10 minutes, your home will be filled with the aroma of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
I participate in an annual winter bike ride where the organizers stir up a cauldron of Wassail. I bring the Seagram’s Gin (it’s very mild for non-gin lovers) and we have an original, festive Gin and Juice to ring in winter!
Gin and Juice Mix Ideas (What can I mix with gin?)
As you are shopping, look for juices you might not normally buy like passion fruit, guava or peach. It’s so quick and easy and absolutely perfect on a sunny, hot day or if you were wishing it were a sunny, hot day.
However, avoid nectars for your Gin and Juice as they are thicker and often have a lot of added sugar.
Here are some outside the box (or out of the bottle ideas) for making a unique Gin and Juice:
- Traders Joe’s Jalapeno Limeade
- Trader Joe’s Winter Wassail
- Tart Cherry
- Pomegranate
- Trader Joe’s Power of the Seven Purple Juices
- Trader Joe’s 100% Mango Juice
- Pineapple juice
What If I Don’t Have Juice?
Worry not! If you are fresh out of juice, go to your fridge and pull out some jam. You’ll want to shake it up with ice to break up the the jam a little bit. You could also put the jam it in the microwave for 5 seconds to loosen it up.
Strawberry Jam Margarita with Gin
Need inspiration? Check out our gin and jam playlist here on youtube.
When to Strain a Gin and Juice
If you’re mulling cider or wassail, or if you’re squeezing your own fresh oranges for Gin and OJ, be sure to strain your juice before making the cocktail. And you’ll want to strain if you used the jam method.
Little pieces of pulp, spices, or seeds can interfere and weigh down the flavors.
For regular, thin juices with no particles, no need to strain.
Wrap Up
Gin and juice is a wonderfully versatile and customizable cocktail that you can enjoy regardless of planning or no planning at all. Gin and juice ingredients are really quite simple. Mix a quick and easy one with whatever is on hand.
Alternatively, be the visionary and create a signature juice cocktail. You can’t go wrong!
Some people swear by store bought pink lemonade as their go-to mixer for a classic Gin and Juice. Gin and Orange Juice sounds like a winner at brunch. Who doesn’t like easy?
To learn about different styles of gin and the great cocktails you can make with it, visit our homepage and have a drink with us.
