What We're Drinking: Beefeater Gin - Summer Edition

The first week of June, I had the pleasure of attending The Beefeater® Summer Edition Gin launch party at New York's hippest hotel drinking destination - the Ace Hotel.

The event, part of their Fish, Chips, Dips, and Sips series, was thrown to introduce the industry, taste makers, and media to new product range. Beefeater, which part of Pernod Ricard USA group, has been flying it's colours with new twists on their epic brand. Beefeater 24 (which adds grapefruit peel, green and Japanese sencha tea to the recipe) debuted last year to critical acclaim. This year a limited edition "English Summer Gin" is showcased.

The classic Beefeater London Dry Gin has been infused with Elderflower, Black Currant, and Hibiscus Flower. It also has a lighter alcohol content of 80 proof, which adds to the general airy feel of the gin.

According to Gintime, Beefeater Master Distiller Desmond Payne explains: “I wanted to create a gin that would be ideally suited to lighter summer drinks and take advantage of those rarer botanicals that are less available to remind consumers of the wonderful aromas and tastes of summer in a gin.”

At the launch party, bartenders at two stations mixed up the refreshing cocktails (recipes below) using the honored spirit and handed out samples of the gin neat. Party goers were encouraged to tweet about their experience and the messages were shown on a projection screen in real time. There was also quite a spread, haute fish and chips, cured meats, pickles, etc which helped because the cocktails were easy to throw back.

Recipes by Jamie Gordon of Beefeater

Royal Regatta
1 1/2 oz Beefeater Summer Edition
1/2 oz Belvoir Farms Cranberry Cordial
Top with Club soda

Build over rocks in a highball glass and stir. Garnish with lemon wedge.

Summer Flower
2 oz Beefeater Summer Edition
1/2 oz Hibiscus Syrup
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Dash Orange Bitters

Shake all ingredients over ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with grated lemon zest.

English Summer Collins
1 1/2 oz Beefeater Summer Edition
1/2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liquer
1/2 oz Matilde Cassis
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice into a highball glass. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lemon wedge and mint sprig.

The Beefeater Summer Edition gin will be available in 750 ml bottle and retail for around $20.

Follow Beefeater on Twitter @DrinkEnglishGin and #BeefeaterSummer

- Fredo