You’ll love this Elderflower Smash, a St-Germain and gin herbal smash cocktail. Mint is muddled with elderflower liqueur, gin, fresh lemon juice, and bitters for your new favorite fresh and crisp happy hour favorite!
Are you an elderflower fanatic? Join the club! I can’t get enough of fresh elderflower flavor, and my favorite way to enjoy it is in a cocktail.
This Elderflower Smash cocktail marries all of my favorite flavors: the sweet and floral notes of elderflower liqueur, the crisp herbal bite of gin, a bit of smashed mint, and the zing of fresh lemon juice. Simply shake it up and you have my new favorite happy hour libation.
Ready to learn how to make this gin and St-Germain smash cocktail? Cheers!
Ingredients for Elderflower Smash
- St-Germain liqueur: St-Germain is a liqueur made from elderflowers, with a fruity and herbal flavor that pairs perfectly with gin and vodka in cocktails.
- Gin: Gin gives this cocktail a boozy bite! My favorite gins are Hendricks and Bombay Sapphire, but any standard gin will work well in this cocktail.
- Mint leaves: Mint leaves are muddled (that’s why it’s called a smash!) for a fresh herbal flavor.
- Lemon juice: You can use either fresh squeezed or bottled lemon juice for this recipe, both will add an acidic taste that pairs well with the smooth gin and St-Germain.
- Bitters: Bitters is a high alcohol proof liqueur that is mixed with herbs, barks, roots, or other plant part botanicals and is added in small squirts to cocktails and drinks for a fresh herbal flavor. I like Angostura Bitters in this gin smash.
Ingredients
- 4 or 5 mint leaves
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 1/2 ounces St-Germain elderflower liqueur
- juice of half a lemon
- 3 dashes of bitters
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks //
- Don’t have a cocktail shaker or muddler? No problem! Simply build this drink in a large glass and use a wooden spoon or another blunt-ended tool to smash the mint.
- Make this one drink at a time. While I love to make a big batch or pitcher of most cocktails, smashes are best when muddled and shaken individually.
- Best cocktail glasses for a smash. The best glass for a smash cocktail is a rocks glass (sometimes called an old-fashioned glass) or a Delmonico glass. Or, if you want to be fancy, you can pour this smash into a snifter.
Why is Elderflower Smash So Good?
- Elderflower liqueur is floral and sweet and reminds me of our time living in Germany. Elderflower syrup is in everything.
- Mint. I love anything with mint. It adds freshness and brightness to this drink.
- Lemon. I’m a sucker for any and all lemon drinks. Give me all the citrus, especially when it warms up outside.
Variations
The smash cocktail variations are truly endless! Below are a few fresh flavor ideas to keep your glasses clinking.
- Go for a flavored gin: Flavored gins are having a moment, and a fresh and fruity gin like ginger or rhubarb would pair perfectly with St-Germain.
- Switch up the herbs: Step outside the herb box and try fresh basil or sage in your next smash.
- Make it with vodka: Smash cocktails aren’t only for gin, in fact vodka smashes are just as delicious (and there are so many flavored options to choose from!).
- Add fun garnishes: While mint and lemon are great garnishes, take your toppings up a notch by adding edible flowers, sliced cucumber, charred or dehydrated lemons, or even a salted sugar rim.
How to Store
Because this cocktail is best when made individually, I don’t recommend preparing and storing before serving. All drink ingredients are fine held at room temperature until you’re ready to mix, though make sure to keep the fresh mint leaves refrigerated until using so they don’t wilt or brown.
FAQ
St-Germain is an elderflower liqueur that is 40 proof, or 20% alcohol by volume. It is made from hand-picked elderflowers, where the aromatic oils are extracted and made into a liqueur that has a light, fresh, and crisp flavor.
Elderflower liqueurs are shelf stable and can be stored at room temperature for months or even years after opening, making them a great addition to your home bar. However, your elderflower liqueur may have spoiled if the color of the turns darker or has an off smell.
More Festive Drink Recipes
Leave a Comment