The Clover Club is a pre-Prohibition classic. Gin, raspberry, lemon, and egg white, shaken until silky and served in a chilled coupe. Made with our Naught Australian Dry Gin, it's one of the most elegant ways to drink a Friday afternoon.
INGREDIENTS:
- 60ml Australian Dry Gin
- 20ml Lemon Juice
- 20ml Semi-Rich Sugar Syrup
- 15ml Egg White
- 3 Fresh Raspberries
GARNISH:
- Fresh Raspberry
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all ingredients to a shaker without ice and dry shake hard for 15 seconds to build the foam. Add ice, then shake for a further 15 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass.
To finish, garnish with a fresh raspberry floated on top of the foam.
The Clover Club: a quick history
The Clover Club was invented in the late 1890s at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, where a men's club of journalists, lawyers and merchants (also called the Clover Club) met. By the early 1900s it had spread to bars across the United States, and it appeared in print as early as 1908. Prohibition almost killed it; it survived only because cocktail historians like David Wondrich rescued it in the 2000s. Today it's a staple of every serious cocktail bar, including ours, in Eltham.
You'll also love
- Aviation, another pre-Prohibition gin classic, with maraschino and crème de violette
- Bee's Knees, a golden honey-and-lemon gin sour from the same era
- Sanjo Sour, Naught's signature take on a sour, made with our world-first Sangiovese Gin
Frequently asked questions
What is a Clover Club cocktail?
The Clover Club is a classic gin sour made with gin, raspberry, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white. It dates from the late 1890s and was invented at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. The egg white gives it its signature silky pink foam.
Can I make a Clover Club without egg white?
Yes. Substitute 15ml aquafaba (chickpea brine) for a near-identical vegan-friendly foam. The texture and look will be almost indistinguishable.
What gin works best in a Clover Club?
A contemporary Australian gin works beautifully here. Naught Australian Dry Gin in particular. The toasted wattle seed and native macadamia give the cocktail a rounder, slightly nutty backbone that lifts the raspberry instead of competing with it. The fruit gets more room to shine than it does against a heavier London Dry.
Is the Clover Club the same as a Pink Lady?
No. They look similar but use different ingredients. A Pink Lady uses applejack or apple brandy alongside the gin and adds grenadine for sweetness and colour. The Clover Club uses fresh raspberries (or raspberry syrup) and lemon. Both are pre-Prohibition gin classics worth knowing.
