The Eastside is a modern classic, a cucumber and mint gin sour that drinks like a Southside with the windows open. Cool, herbaceous, properly fresh. Naught's version is built on Naught Overproof Gin at 57.4% ABV, the muddled cucumber and mint pull a lot of dilution and a standard gin would get washed out. Overproof keeps the spirit singing.
INGREDIENTS:
- 50ml Naught Overproof Gin
- 20ml Lime Juice
- 20ml Semi-Rich Sugar Syrup
- 2 Cucumber Slices
- 3 Mint Leaves
GARNISH:
- Cucumber Slice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Gently muddle the cucumber and mint in a shaker.
Add the gin, lime, sugar syrup, and ice, and shake hard for 15 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass.
To finish, garnish with a cucumber slice on the rim.
The Eastside: a quick history
The Eastside is a modern classic, popularised by Audrey Saunders at New York's Pegu Club in the early 2000s during the great speakeasy revival. It is essentially the Southside, the country-club gin sour of the early 1900s, with cucumber muddled in for cool, cucumber-water freshness. The name and recipe spread quickly through the craft cocktail world and within a decade it had earned its place alongside the Southside as a default summer gin drink.
Our take builds the cocktail on Naught Overproof Gin, 57.4% ABV, navy strength. The muddled cucumber and mint pull serious dilution out of the shake, so a standard-strength gin can wash out by the time you reach the bottom of the glass. Overproof holds its line, and the result is a cleaner, brighter Eastside that still tastes properly of gin.
You'll also love
- Naught Southside, the same cocktail minus the cucumber, the country-club original
- Gimlet, the same gin and lime backbone, stripped right back
- Bees Knees, the lemon and honey gin sour from Prohibition
Frequently asked questions
What is an Eastside cocktail?
The Eastside is a modern gin sour built on gin, lime, sugar, muddled cucumber, and mint. It was popularised in the early 2000s and is a cucumber-fresh variant of the older Southside cocktail.
What is the difference between an Eastside and a Southside?
A Southside is gin, lime (or sometimes lemon), sugar, and mint. An Eastside adds muddled cucumber for a cooler, cleaner finish. The Southside is the older drink, with the Eastside emerging in the New York speakeasy revival of the early 2000s.
Why use Overproof Gin in an Eastside?
The muddled cucumber and mint pull a lot of dilution from the shake. A 40% ABV gin can wash out by the bottom of the glass. Naught Overproof Gin at 57.4% holds its juniper-forward backbone through the dilution and keeps the cocktail tasting properly of gin.
What kind of mint should I use?
Spearmint is the classic choice, brighter and sweeter than peppermint, which can taste medicinal in a cocktail. Use the leaves only, give them a gentle muddle, and skip the stems.
