Boston Common — A gin sour turned floral by chamomile and grapefruit bitters

Boston Common

A gin sour turned floral by chamomile and grapefruit bitters

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 3/4 ozLemon Juice
    Fresh
  • 6 dashesBoston Bittahs
    Citrus peel and chamomile
    Substitute: A grapefruit or floral bitters
  • 2 ozGin
    A soft, floral gin
    Substitute: A blanco tequila for a drier sour
  • 1/2 ozHoney Syrup
    Three parts honey to one part warm water
    Substitute: Simple syrup, though the drink loses its softness

Instructions

  1. Chill a coupe
  2. Shake 2 oz gin, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz honey syrup and 6 dashes Boston Bittahs with ice

    Short, around ten seconds: chamomile turns tannic when over-diluted

  3. Double strain into the chilled coupe and garnish with a grapefruit twist

Technique Notes

Honey syrup rather than sugar, and shake it short. Chamomile goes tannic when it is over-diluted, and a long shake pulls the drink toward stewed tea.

Why the Boston Common Works

Chamomile sits between floral and herbal and goes bitter fast, so it wants sweetness with body rather than clean sugar. Honey has that body, and the grapefruit peel in the bitters keeps the whole thing from turning into a tisane.