Clover Club: Gin, Raspberry & Lemon Classic Cocktail

The Clover Club is a classic gin sour built around raspberry, lemon, and a soft layer of egg-white foam. Its bright pink color may look playful, but the drink itself is carefully balanced: dry botanical gin, tart citrus, measured berry sweetness, and a smooth texture that gives the cocktail its signature finish.

Background

The Clover Club takes its name from a prominent Philadelphia social club whose members included journalists, lawyers, bankers, and businessmen. Historical references place the cocktail around the turn of the 20th century, with an early published recipe appearing in 1901. It later became closely associated with Philadelphia's Bellevue-Stratford and is now recognized by the International Bartenders Association as an Unforgettable classic.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Gin: Provides the dry, botanical backbone of the cocktail.
• Raspberry Syrup: Adds berry flavor, sweetness, and the drink's characteristic color.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: Supplies the acidity needed to balance the syrup.
• Egg White: Creates the soft foam and silky texture associated with the drink.

Useful substitutions: A London dry gin is a particularly good fit, but another quality dry gin can work. If raspberry syrup is unavailable, fresh raspberries muddled with simple syrup can approximate the flavor, although the texture and sweetness may differ. Pasteurized egg white or aquafaba can be used when raw egg is not preferred.

Equipment

• Cocktail glass
• Cocktail shaker
• Jigger
• Strainer

Raspberry, Citrus, and Gin in Balance

The raspberry is what separates the Clover Club from a standard gin sour. It adds fruit without turning the drink into a dessert cocktail, while lemon keeps the sweetness in check. The egg white softens the sharp edges and produces the pale foam that contrasts with the pink drink underneath.

Substitutions & Variations

• Use London dry gin for a crisp, juniper-forward version.
• Try a softer contemporary gin if you want the raspberry to take more of the spotlight.
• Substitute aquafaba for egg white for an egg-free foam.
• For a historically inspired variation, explore versions containing dry vermouth, which appeared in some early recipes.
• A few fresh raspberries can reinforce the fruit character when raspberry syrup is mild.

Helpful Tips

Shake vigorously so the egg white incorporates properly and forms a stable foam. Fresh lemon juice matters here because bottled juice can make the drink taste flat or overly sharp.

Chill the glass before straining so the cocktail stays cold without additional dilution. Fresh raspberries make the most natural garnish.

Raw or lightly cooked egg can carry a foodborne-illness risk. Pasteurized egg white is a practical alternative when that is a concern.