Vacation MacGyver, pt. 1
(#ad)
Today I'm continuing Highball Happy Hour with a summer-y, tropical-leaning, and absolutely crushable drink featuring the one-and-only Jaisalmer Gin. The recipe for this one came about during a recent vacation. It's a funny thing about being the self-elected vacation bartender-- when you're used to a very... expansive bar at home, it's a big change to suddenly have very limited options. But as I always say, constraint is the catalyst of creativity, so here is the first of two drinks I created with what I had on hand.
The build uses an atypical source of fizz, tepache (fermented pineapple beverage). On vacation I used a purchased tepache (awesome grocery store find), but for the shoot at home, I made my own (it's super easy, fun, and really tasty!). I lengthened the drink further with coconut water, which adds a hint more of tropical depth. Strawberry (in the form of jam) takes co-lead here with the pineapple and the mint really ties the whole thing together. The gin works perfectly here, straddling the line between tropical and more of a typical gimlet/southside build (seriously, gin is so versatile).
Recipe
2oz Jaisalmer gin
0.75oz coconut water
Barspoon strawberry jam
0.75oz lime juice (adjust based on tepache sweetness)
6-8 mint leaves
~3oz tepache
Take all ingredients minus tepache and whip shake and dump. Fill highball glass with ice and top with tepache. Garnish with fresh mint and strawberries. Cheers!!
