Blueberry Gin and Tonic

When it comes to summertime cocktails, a gin and tonic makes a perfect refresher on a sweltering hot day. This blueberry gin and tonic is a flavorful riff on the classic gin and tonic recipe that gets a burst of sweet and floral fresh berry flavor from blueberry simple syrup.

Ingredients for Blueberry Gin and Tonic

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• Gin: Gin is a distilled spirit made from fermented grains that’s flavored with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients. The gin really shines in this gin and tonic with blueberries cocktail, so this is not the place to skimp when you’re at the liquor store! Use your favorite gin, or try one of our favorite gin brands.
• Tonic water: You can’t have a G&T without the T! Tonic water combines carbonated water with sugar and quinine. Quinine, which was originally derived from the bark of a cinchona plant, gives the water its signature bitter flavor.
• Blueberry simple syrup: Blueberries are combined with sugar and water to make a sweet syrup that flavors this gin and tonic. While fresh blueberries will provide the strongest blueberry flavor, you can also use thawed frozen berries to make the simple syrup. Any leftover blueberry simple syrup is perfect for serving over pancakes in the morning!
• Limes: Lime juice is mixed into the cocktail, and a lime wedge is used to garnish the drink. Lime juice adds a bright and lightly sour flavor, which complements the herbal flavor of the gin and the sweetness of the blueberries. Stick with freshly squeezed lime juice, as it has the best flavor compared to bottled. To more easily extract the juice, make sure your limes are at room temperature. Using light pressure, roll the fruit on a cutting board to loosen the membranes inside the fruit and to help release its juice before cutting the lime.
• Fresh mint: A fresh mint sprig is used to garnish this gin and tonic with blueberry.

Directions

Step 1: Make the blueberry simple syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and blueberries. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for at least 45 minutes.

Step 2: Strain the solids from the syrup

Strain the blueberry syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass container, pressing down on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids. Cover and chill the blueberry simple syrup in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 3: Mix together the cocktail ingredients

Fill the cocktail glass with ice. Add the gin, lime juice and blueberry syrup to the glass. Gently stir to combine. Then top with tonic water, stirring once more.

Step 4: Garnish and serve

Garnish the drink with fresh blueberries, a lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately. Save the remaining syrup for later use.

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Blueberry Gin and Tonic Variations

• Make it a gin rickey: If bitter tonic water isn’t your jam, replace the tonic water with club soda to make a blueberry gin rickey. Or, use blueberry simple syrup to sweeten another classic gin cocktail.
• Alter the alcohol: Blueberry, lime and tonic water would also work well with another neutral spirit such as vodka (at its heart, gin is basically vodka infused with botanicals). Tequila would work too.
• Switch up the citrus: For a different flavor profile, use lemons in place of the limes.
• Go crazy with the garnishes: Instead of a lime wedge, garnish the cocktail with a lime wheel or twist. You could also use other fresh herbs, such as a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary, as a finishing touch.

Can you make blueberry gin and tonic in advance?

Although a gin and tonic with blueberry is best served immediately after it is made, you can easily make some parts of this cocktail in advance. The blueberry simple syrup can be made up to a week in advance—just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. To make gin and tonics for a crowd, you can easily multiply the ingredients by six or eight, stir them together in a pitcher and serve the drinks immediately in glasses filled with ice.

Blueberry Gin and Tonic Tips

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What’s the best gin for a blueberry gin and tonic recipe?

London dry is a classic choice when making a gin and tonic. As its name suggests, this style originated in London and has a dominant juniper flavor. Beefeater, Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire are all examples of London dry gin. Plymouth gin—which comes from Plymouth, England—is typically not quite as dry and has a smoother, earthier and citrus-forward flavor compared to London dry. Contemporary, western or new American style gins tend to have unusual botanicals in addition to juniper. Examples of this type of gin include Hendrick’s, St. George Terroir and Aviation.

Any of these types of gin would work well in a blueberry gin and tonic recipe. The sweet flavor of blueberries is a particularly nice complement to the botanical-forward flavors of contemporary gins.

What type of glass is best for blueberry gin and tonics?

A gin and tonic is typically served in a highball glass. Other cocktail glassware that is suitable for a gin and tonic with blueberries includes a Collins glass, a double old-fashioned glass or even a balloon-shaped wine glass.

When should you serve blueberry gin and tonics?

A gin and tonic is a delicious refresher on a sunny spring afternoon or a hot summer day. This blueberry gin and tonic recipe is especially perfect for making when blueberries are at their ripest in the region where you live. What better reward could there be for picking your own blueberries than serving yourself a gin and tonic with freshly made blueberry simple syrup?