Cucumber Basil Refresher
A refreshing cocktail with fresh cucumber juice and basil. Use with gin or vodka!
Equipment
- juicer or blender
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz gin (or vodka)
- ¾ oz fresh cucumber juice* (see note about how to make it)
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- ⅛-¼ oz lemon juice
- 1+ oz club soda or sparkling water
Instructions
- Add the gin and basil to a cocktail shaker and gently muddle the leaves.
- Add in the fresh cucumber juice*, lemon juice, simple syrup, and ice.
- Shake well.
- Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
- Top off the rest of the class with the club soda. You may have to take a few sips to make room.
Notes
*You can make fresh cucumber juice using either a juicer or a blender. If you've got a blender, here's what to do:
Pour the 1.5 oz of gin (or vodka) in the blender and add a 1/3 of a cucumber & blend until you make a puree. Cucumbers have a high water content so it shouldn't seize up on you. If it does, you can add the simple syrup and lemon juice in, too, to help it blend better. Once you've made the gin/cucumber puree, you'll have to strain out the pulp using a fine mesh strainer like this one. Push on the pulp to squeeze every last drop out.
MOCKTAIL OPTION: Leave out the alcohol and use either extra cucumber juice, lemon juice, or club soda in its place.