This Rosemary Refresh Cocktail Perfectly Pairs with Spring Cleaning
Breathe. Take a shower. Take a nap. Journal. Set your intention for the new season. If you're looking to start anew, we've got a drink to accompany you as you spring clean. As we spring into the new season, we're all looking for ways to cut back on our intake. Though lower in carbohydrates and sugar, Rosemary Refresh is packed with flavor. The floral and herbal elements from the gin, vermouth, bitters, rosemary syrup, and lemon perfectly meld together to create a crisp, balanced bite to your palette.
Curbing the Curbs
Most hard liquors, including tequila, vodka, and gin, are typically low in sugar and carbohydrates. This drink contains gin and Bianco vermouth, a fortified wine that is less sweet than your typical liqueur. It's also worth noting that the sugar-free rosemary syrup provides a calming earthy aroma and is simple to make.
How to Make A Rosemary Syrup?
To make your sugar-free rosemary syrup:
Add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar substitute, and a rosemary sprig to a saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until the sugar substitute dissolves for about 2 minutes.
Remove the syrup from the stove and store it in a glass jar.
Refrigerate and use this syrup for several cocktails for up to a week.
Gin + Bianco Vermouth
Emphasis on the "Bianco" in this headline. If you've had a martini, you know that there's something uniquely unexplainable that occurs when gin and vermouth combine. Bianco vermouths are slightly sweeter than those that are dry. Though they vary in spice and floral essence across brands, you'll find most Bianco vermouths infused with barks, herbs, citruses, and roots. Bianco's pair well with soda and an herb. I attempt to find those most packed with flowers and botanicals when trying new gins, such as this Citrus/Floral Green Hat Gin. The gin provides aromas of lemon and sweet orange meld with hints of cherry blossom and rose petals.
Looking for Lavender?
Though the rosemary is the star of this cocktail, the lavender bitters take this drink to a different level. Just a drop or two is all you need. The flavor is bright, sweet, and herbal. It adds a clean spring feel to your drink. You might not find this in your local liquor store, but some lavender bitters are available online. I used Bar Keep Lavender Bitters for this cocktail, but my favorite brand is Dashfire Lavender Bitters.
Spritz It Up
Top your glass off with seltzer water to add a nice bubbly spritz to your cocktail.
To prepare this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
1.5 ounce of citrus/floral gin
1 ounce of vermouth
1 ounce of lemon juice
½ ounce of sugar-free rosemary syrup
1-2 dashes of lavender bitters
Lemon seltzer water
Garnish with rosemary
Add your ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake until the outside of your cocktail shaker becomes frosty. Pour the drink contents into a coupe glass, top with lemon seltzer water, and garnish with a rosemary sprig. Enjoy!
About the Author
Ayana Jones is an Ohio native, marketing and social media nerd, and craft cocktail experimenter. On any given day, you can find her in the DMV cooking up a new food recipe, training her pup, Zoie, or kicking it with her quaranteam.