When I throw a party, I like to greet my guests with a fabulous drink like this—it makes them feel welcome. My friends love this cocktail because it’s fresh and light, which means it’s perfect for a party on the beach or a gathering in the garden.–Lee Brian Schrager
LC Not So Fuzzy Math Note
We’re word people, not numbers people. But even we found it easy peasy to mess around with the math of this recipe, which typically makes a pitcher full of libations, for when the occasion demands but a single, solitary cocktail. We also found it easy peasy to mess around with how heavy-handed to get with the cucumber and the gin. It’s a genteel, gentle-flavored sipper that’s starts out innocuously enough but with every sip becomes a little less innocent and a lot more potent, in terms of both flavor and force.
Lemon Cucumber Cocktail
Ingredients
- Three (10-ounce) bottles club soda
- 1 cup gin
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 12 thin slices lemon, (from 1 lemon)
- 12 thin slices cucumber, (from 1 small cucumber)
- 12 cups crushed ice
- 12 sprigs mint, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, combine the club soda, gin, and lemon juice.
- Place a slice of lemon and cucumber in each of 12 glasses. Add about a cup of crushed ice to each glass. Pour the gin mixture into the glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This cocktail is light, refreshing, and easy to prepare for a crowd. The essence of this drink rests on your choice of gin, so use your favorite. Whether your favorite is floral or herbal, it will shine against the simplicity of the lemon and cucumber. The locally distilled brand I used matched beautifully with the cucumber. Wonderful!
Even if you aren’t a big fan of gin recipes (I am not), the lemon juice offsets the gin nicely and makes for a nice drink. I usually taste the recipe after each stage, if possible, and the cucumber and lemon slice make a difference to the end result. The mint is also a necessary ingredient. If I did anything different, I would not use crushed ice. The ice melted quickly (I live in Hawaii) and the end of the drink was a bit watered down. The other option is to drink it quickly so the ice doesn’t have a chance to melt! 🙂
Everyone loved it. One thing the recipe doesn’t touch on is that this is for short glasses instead of tall ones. We used tall ones and it made six glasses. The first few sips were good, but mostly tasted like your typical gin & tonic, then you started tasting the cucumber. A few more sips, and we felt the citrus and mint. Refreshing, tasty, and so very easy to drink a few of them!
This is a light, refreshing cocktail that would make a great aperitif. Personally, I prefer a bigger hit of cucumber and would recommend a few small wedges in the drink to really impart the delicate flavor that pairs so well with gin. If you’re not a fan of the classic G & T, this is a great and — some might say — more interesting equivalent.
This was a delicious and refreshing cocktail for a warm holiday weekend. I definitely used FRESH lemon juice. Three small to medium lemons made about 1/4 cup, as suggested in the recipe, maybe a little more. I muddled 10 leaves of mint with the lemon juice before adding the juice to the gin and club soda for a more complex flavor. I found it a little tangy, so the second time I made it, I added 1 tablespoon of light agave nectar and a dash of orange bitters. Even my husband, who balks at “fancy” cocktails, loved it! Makes a nice amount for a gathering.
Not only is this cocktail fresh and light, it’s also very well balanced. Next time, I may crush the mint sprig to allow some of the oils to release into the cocktail.
Elizabeth, so glad you liked it!
You are on the right track, but you are a tad shy of a Pimm’s Cup. Add Pimm’s #1–you can delete the gin for a lighter beverage. And that much lemon juice needs a bit of sugar for balance.
The first sip had me concerned that this was a bad choice–not much flavor–but my husband was slurping it quite happily. Strange to say, but by the time the CUCUMBER essence had infused the beverage–after 10-15 minutes–I found it quite agreeable. In the end, I could easily recommend this refreshing, unusual cocktail. The next time I make it, I will consider Lisa O’s suggestions: a swirl of agave nectar and dash of orange bitters.
O., I think you bring up a good point: perhaps steeping the cucumber in the cocktail before drinking might be an essential step for max flavor.