Rosemary, Gin, and Grapefruit Cocktail

Rosemary simple syrup and Bristow gin pair beautifully with tart grapefruit juice in this rosemary, gin, and grapefruit cocktail.

This post was not sponsored by Eat Y’all or Cathead Distillery.

It’s humorous that this grapefruit cocktail is the drink I’m obsessed with this summer. One, because I hate grapefruit. And two, I hate gin. Until now.

In my last post, I mentioned the Writer’s and Chef’s Tour I participated in last month. Another one of the stops on the tour was Cathead Distillery, Mississippi’s first and only vodka distillery. They recently moved operations to the downtown area. I tried to coax The Husband into touring the place during one of our rare baby-free weekends, but I didn’t get much interest. The evening we toured the distillery, I left him home alone with our two kids. I didn’t feel bad about it. No, not even a little bit.

My first #vodka tasting! Loved touring @catheadvodka Distillery. #eatyall2016

A photo posted by Lisa Bynum (@cookingbride) on May 18, 2016 at 5:15pm PDT

During the tour, I participated in my first vodka tasting (still not feeling bad about leaving him alone with the kiddos). I wasn’t sure how the vodka would agree with my palate since I’ve never drank vodka straight before. Going in, I thought my favorite would be their signature Honeysuckle Vodka. I ended up being very surprised. My two top picks ended up being their Bristow Gin and Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur.

The stills at Cathead Distillery

This gin has a pretty neat backstory. One of the owners of Cathead wanted to propose to his girlfriend. Her grandfather was a judge in South Carolina and a prolific gin drinker. This gin was intended to be a wedding gift for her grandfather only. Good thing they changed their mind.

There is magic happening in them there barrels.

I have tried gin before. The Husband occasionally likes to sip on a gin and tonic after the littles have gone to bed. Typically, it has too much of an anise astringency for my liking. Bristow has a herbal flavor that’s much more palatable, especially for non-gin drinkers like myself. Later that evening, we were treated to dinner at The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen, where we were presented with gin and tonic cocktails made with Bristow Gin. It was delicious and refreshing!

Not surprisingly, The Husband was intrigued by this gin and tonic his non-gin drinking wife came home raving about. So the next time he made a trip to the liquor store, he bought a bottle. The first bottle went entirely into making gin and tonics. However, I really wanted to try it in this grapefruit cocktail I’ve been making for several months now.

The traditional name for this drink is a Rosemary Greyhound. It’s also traditionally made with vodka. But the herbal undertones in the gin pair so well with the rosemary simple syrup, I wouldn’t drink it any other way. The simple syrup also cuts the bitterness of the grapefruit juice making this sweet and almost floral.

Be careful, though. At 94 proof, Bristow Gin packs a punch. When blended with this sweet, fragrant cocktail, it’s easy sippin’ and downright dangerous.

5 from 1 vote

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Rosemary, Gin, and Grapefruit Cocktail

Rosemary simple syrup and Bristow gin pair beautifully with tart grapefruit juice in this rosemary, gin, and grapefruit cocktail.

Servings 2 drinks

Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

Rosemary Simple Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 large sprigs of rosemary

Cocktail:

• 2 ounces Bristow gin
• 3 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
• 1 ounce rosemary simple syrup more if you want it a little sweeter

Instructions

For the rosemary simple syrup:

1. Combine the simple syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a boil, them allow to simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about a minute or two. Remove pan from heat. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Remove and discard the rosemary stems before serving.

For the cocktail:

1. Combine cocktail ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for a few seconds until everything is combined. Strain into ice filled glasses.
2. Garnish with grapefruit wedges and rosemary springs if desired.