Sweet, silky, and smooth, the tart, red, and raspberry-tinged Clover Club will make your home bar the exclusive place to be.
Some days I am absolutely convinced my smartphone is spying on me. I know I’m not the only one that thinks this, either. Social media is full of people posting about how they’ll mention something out loud, or have a conversation with a friend about, say, toaster pastries. Suddenly, your feed is filled with ads for Pop-Tarts and other flaky breakfast treats.
This morning, I looked over the articles I’d be working on and saw tonight’s cocktail listed, the Clover Club. I just happened to blithely mention, out loud and to no one in particular, that this looks like a tasty drink. Moments later, as I was perusing my Instagram feed, the first thing to pop up was a reel. In it, a charming young bartender was mixing up a cocktail, showing the viewers how it was done. And the drink in question was the Clover Club. Now, as I stated above, my smartphone could very well be spying on me.
Or, it’s because I work as a cocktail writer and my social media is full of mixed drinks, lofty libations, world-renowned mixologists, and sommeliers doling out their knowledge and expertise. Either way, the video showing me the Clover Club was a welcome one, and in it they used fresh raspberries in place of the raspberry syrup. I tried that in mine, which gave the drink a fresh and subtle tartness, as opposed to a more pronounced sweet flavor.
Am I still worried about our technology spying on us and invading our privacy? Hmmm… let me make another drink for myself and get back to you.
Who Invented The Clover Club?
This cocktail goes all the way back to the early 1900s. From 1882 until the 1920s, the Clover Club was an exclusive group for Philadelphia’s upper crust. Gentlemen of means along with “captains of industry” would convene, smoke cigars, play cards and chit-chat over any number of libations. The Clover Club cocktail, named for the club itself, was one of them, and proved to be very popular. The drink’s notoriety quickly spread… and dissipated almost as fast. But the Clover Club began to make a comeback in the early 2000s, during the craft cocktail renaissance. In 2008, the Clover Club bar was opened in Brooklyn, named after the classic drink, which featured it prominently on their menu.
What Is The Best Gin To Use In A Clover Club?
I used a reliable London Dry gin when whipping up a few of these drinks for myself. Specifically, Bombay Sapphire, which I chose for its juniper-forward notes and citrus infusion. Paired with the flavors of the raspberry and lemon juice, this spirit gave me a perfectly balanced drink, where no specific taste outshined the other. I also made a Clover Club using a California gin, Gray Whale. With its infusion of fresh seaside ingredients, the cocktail became even brighter with an extra crisp finish. I imagine that the cucumber and rose notes from a Hendrick’s gin would also make this a delicious tipple.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce raspberry syrup
- 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg white
- 3 fresh raspberries for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker without ice, combine the gin, raspberry syrup, fresh lemon juice, and egg white.
- Seal the shaker and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds to emulsify the egg white.
- Add ice to the shaker and shake again until well chilled.
- Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.
Nutrition
WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?
Chill a coupe in your freezer for fifteen to thirty minutes before serving. When the cocktail is poured and ready to imbibe, garnish with a few fresh raspberries on a skewer.
IS THIS THE SAME AS A PINK LADY?
They are close, but they’re different drinks entirely. A Pink Lady adds apple brandy and uses grenadine instead of raspberry syrup.
Similar Cocktails To The Clover Club
The silky and frothy experience of drinking a Clover Club is second to none. So many of the cocktails we enjoy use egg white to bring us that foamy, soft texture that adds a little elegance to many a libation. If you’re in the mood to make some of these at your next cocktail hour, try out some of the recipes that are featured right here at Twist & Toast.
- Gin Fizz – Smooth and effervescent, this recipe instantly became one of my all-time favorites.
- Maracuyá Sour – Passionfruit and pisco come together for an unforgettable sipper.
- New York Sour – Red wine is added to the classic Sour in this Big Apple-inspired tipple.
- Whiskey Sour – The legendary cocktail that needs no further introduction.
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