South Side - Classic Gin, Lemon & Mint Sour Cocktail

The South Side brings gin, lemon, sugar, and fresh mint together in a clean, aromatic sour served straight up. The South Side cocktail has enough sweetness to soften the citrus while keeping the gin and mint clearly in focus, making it a particularly refreshing choice for drinkers who enjoy classic sour-style cocktails.

An Early Gin-and-Mint Classic

The South Side's exact origin is disputed. A related South Side Fizz appeared in Hugo Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks by 1916, combining gin, citrus, sugar, mint, and sparkling water. The drink later became strongly associated with New York's 21 Club, which likely helped popularize the straight-up version rather than inventing it.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• London Dry Gin - gives the cocktail its crisp juniper and botanical backbone.
• Lemon Juice - supplies the fresh acidity that defines the sour structure.
• Simple Syrup - softens the lemon without overwhelming the gin or mint.
• Mint Leaves - contribute a fresh herbal aroma and cooling character during shaking.
• Egg White - an optional IBA addition that can add a light layer of texture.
• Mint Sprig - reinforces the mint aroma at the glass.

For the official IBA version, keep the core gin, lemon, simple syrup, and mint combination intact. If London dry gin is unavailable, another dry, juniper-forward gin is the closest practical substitute.

Equipment

You'll need a cocktail shaker, jigger, Hawthorne strainer, fine-mesh strainer, ice, and a chilled Cocktail Glass.

Why This Sour Feels So Fresh

The South Side gets more mileage from mint than its short ingredient list suggests. Shaking the leaves with gin and citrus releases enough aroma to make the drink distinctly herbal without turning it into a muddled mint drink. Lemon keeps the finish bright, while the restrained amount of syrup leaves the gin firmly in the foreground.

Substitutions & Variations

A different dry gin can shift the botanical profile without changing the basic structure. Citrus-forward gin makes the drink brighter, while a more juniper-heavy bottle produces a drier, more traditional character.

The optional Egg White may be omitted for a lighter, cleaner-textured South Side. If you use raw egg white, use properly handled fresh or pasteurized egg white.

Lime appears in several historical and modern South Side interpretations, but the current IBA specification calls for lemon. Use lime only when intentionally making a variation rather than the IBA version.

For a longer sparkling variation, the historically related South Side Fizz adds soda water and changes the serving style.

Helpful Tips

• Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice can flatten a drink built around such a small ingredient list.
• Don't overwork the mint. The current IBA method simply shakes it with the other ingredients, so no aggressive muddling is necessary.
• Double-strain carefully. The fine strainer keeps torn mint and small ice pieces out of the finished drink.
• Chill the glass first. The South Side is served without ice, so a cold glass helps keep it crisp.
• Smell the garnish. Give the mint sprig a gentle clap before serving to release its aroma without shredding the leaves.