May 22, 2019

The Clover Club, a Deliciously Vibrant Raspberry Gin Sour

The Clover Club Cocktail

Bright raspberry flavor meets aromatic gin and tart lemon for a magical combination.

Need something fruity to drink before brunch or in place of dessert on a summer evening? In comes the Clover Club.

The velvety texture and crisp fruity flavor are perfect for so many situations.

Squeezing fresh lemon juice

The History of the Clover Club Cocktail

It is not known who came up with the drink or when exactly it came about, but a recipe was published in the New York press as early as 1901 making this an incredibly old drink.

Clover Clubs were first enjoyed by (and named after) a group of newspaper men, lawyers, writers, and politicians that would meet in Philadelphia's Hotel Bellevue around the turn of the century.

When the hotelier George Boldt was recruited to the staff of the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel the recipe came with him and gained a more mainstream popularity before being forgotten in the dark age of cocktails.

In recent years it has seen a revival becoming somewhat of a fan favorite among cocktail enthusiasts and even has a bar named after it in Brooklyn.

Measuring Tanqueray Gin

What gin should you use for cocktails?

There are so many nice gins that you could go for, and anything that is good quality will work just fine in a Clover Club.

The only thing you should avoid for this cocktail is anything that says Old Tom style.

Old Tom gins have added sweetness that works well for some drinks, but when you combine it with sweet raspberry syrup it will be too much.

Tanqueray, Bombay, Citadel, and Beefeater are some of my favorite options.

ADDING DRY VERMOUTH

The addition of vermouth to the recipe is done by Julie Reiner in her bar named after the drink, and is reportedly a lost ingredient rediscovered by cocktail historian David Wondrich.

Vermouth works as a balancer for the sweetness of the raspberry, and adds just a bit of complexity in the background.

I encourage you to add it if you have it, but only using gin will still yield a delicious drink.

Double Straining the cocktail from the shaker

Getting the recipe just right

Most recipes I've seen on the internet call for 1/2 an oz of raspberry syrup, however...

I like a little more.

By increasing the measurement to 3/4 oz (or just under) you get a more vibrant raspberry flavor that is still balanced out by the dry vermouth and lemon. My suggestion is that you use 3/4 oz of raspberry syrup and if it's too much for you dial it back, but I don't think you'll need to.

Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Raspberry Syrup Recipe

Homemade Raspberry Syrup is incredibly delicious in cocktails. It's easy to make and will really make the difference in your drinks.

If you take the time to make your own raspberry syrup you want to be able to taste it in your cocktails right?!

And yes, you should take the time to make your own because I promise it will be better than whatever you buy at the supermarket.

Skewering fresh raspberries
Garnishing teh Drink with Fresh Raspberries

Using egg whites in cocktails

Most importantly, use the freshest eggs available. If you can get them from your local market or small farm do it! The fresher the better.

Sometimes seeing raw egg whites in drinks makes people nervous about getting sick. However, I'm here to tell you that I've had plenty of egg white drinks, worked in restaurants that serve them, and given them to friends and family without anybody ever having an issue.

That being said I obviously can't guarantee you won't have any problems. If it really makes you scared you can use pasteurized egg whites instead, I won't judge you.

Peeling a lemon to squeeze over the Clover Club

How to Make the Clover Club

The process for making egg white cocktails involves what is known as a "dry shake".

You simply shake the cocktail twice. One time without ice and then again with ice.

This method allows you to build up a good froth in the shaker before you start adding any dilution with the ice cubes. After you shake the second time you strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass and serve it.

One thing I suggest everybody do is express a little lemon oil over the finished drink. Egg whites block the smell from hitting your nose so I always like putting something on top of them.

Garnishing with raspberries seems to be the most popular but you could also do a nice design of Peychaud's bitters on top instead.

Clover Club Cocktail

The Clover Club is the perfect combination of bright raspberry, tart lemon and aromatic gin all coming together in one deliciously smooth cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
  • 3/4 oz Raspberry Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Eggwhite

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to your cocktail shaker (egg last).
  • Shake vigorously without any ice for about 12 seconds.
  • Add ice and shake for another 12 seconds.
  • Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  • Express the oils of a lemon peel over the finished drink.
  • Garnish with a few skewered raspberries.

Notes

I really encourage you to make your own raspberry syrup for the Clover Club. It's simple and really not much effort at all.
If using egg whites makes you nervous go ahead and use pasteurized ones.
Total Time: 5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Servings: 1
Tag me at @mydrinkinghobby when you make this!

Share The Clover Club!

Clover Club Cocktail Pin

Things to try:

If you like the texture of a whiskey sour and the flavor of gin, you can't go wrong with a Clover Club.

More Delicious Things!

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