Techniques
Techniques to Make Low-ABV Twists on Your Favourite Classics
Mindful sipping doesn’t have to be boring!
Put a lighter spin on your favourite Empress 1908 cocktails with these handy tips and tricks. From simple steps like adding juice to creating your own shrubs at home, explore three delicious ways to infuse mindful sipping into your go-to happy hour recipes and tried-and-true nightcaps.
*The ABV percentages are based on the assumption that the cocktails are diluted by 20% of the total drink volume if shaken with ice.
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1. Lengthen with Complementary Juices
Starting off with the most accessible option: juice! While you certainly can make up for lost volume from reducing the amount of spirit with something like soda water, juice provides an opportunity to introduce additional flavour.
Consider what kind of juice would complement the overall profile of your classic cocktail while maintaining the essence of the original. If it’s something citrusy like a Bee’s Knees, you can use something similarly vibrant yet less intense like grapefruit. You can even step outside the box and pull elements from the spirit you’re mixing with, which we’ll be doing below!
Add some cucumber juice for a crisp twist on the Basil Gimlet! 10.11% ABV
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- 1 oz Cucumber Juice
- ¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
- ¾ oz Simple Syrup
- 5 Basil Leaves
- Cucumber Ribbon, for garnish
Method
Add liquid ingredients and basil into a cocktail shaker and gently muddle to release aromatics. Shake over ice to chill and fine-strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with cucumber ribbon on a cocktail pick and enjoy!
2. Split Base with Oversteeped Tea
Name a more iconic duo than Empress 1908 and tea – we’ll wait. 😉 In all seriousness, if you’ve been searching for complexity in your low-ABV sips, tea is full of delicious dimension! Split bases in mixology often entail the use of different spirits, but we can still use this to our advantage with a bold non-alcoholic ingredient.
With this technique, we’d recommend using double or even triple the amount of tea in a given amount of water, as well as steeping it longer to introduce more tannins. The intensity and astringency are qualities that allow us to slow down when sipping so that we really appreciate the drink’s flavours!
Add even more botanical vibes with hibiscus tea in this twist on the Gardener’s Spritz! 7.95% ABV
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- 1 oz Strong-Steeped Hibiscus Tea
- ½ oz Elderflower Liqueur*
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 6 Mint Leaves, plus more for garnish
- Sparkling Water, to top
Method
Shake ingredients except for soda water on ice and strain into a wine goblet filled with ice. Top with soda water and garnish with more mint leaves.
*Tip! In this recipe, you can also swap out the elderflower liqueur for a syrup to bring the proof down a bit more.
3. Make a Shrub!
Finally, we have shrubs, which we consider to be rather under-appreciated in the cocktail world. If you’d like to learn more about what these are, click here! Like syrups, shrubs are a great way to layer in unique flavours while adding an extra dimension of savoury acidity. If you’re finding your cocktail tastes a little flat, the zing from a shrub is sure to bring new life to it!
Add another touch of romance to the Rose Lemonade with a strawberry shrub! 7.73% ABV
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- ½ oz Strawberry Shrub, or to taste*
- Rose Lemonade, to top
- Lemon Slice and Rose Petals, for garnish
Method
Build ingredients over ice in a chilled Collins glass, starting with the rose lemonade followed by the shrub and finally floating the gin on top. Garnish with a lemon wheel and rose petals.
*To make the strawberry shrub, add 250g chopped strawberries and 125g cane sugar. Seal the bag and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Afterwards, strain the strawberry-sugar mixture into a bowl, removing solids. Add 125g white balsamic vinegar, and stir to combine. Transfer the strawberry shrub to a clean, airtight bottle and store in the refrigerator. Shrub recipe by Truffles on the Rocks
We hope this provided some inspiration as you explore the lighter side of cocktails. While these lower-ABV takes on our favourite signature creations are certainly different than the original, they’re sure to scratch your itch for elevated drinks while also having their own identity! By leveraging unique ingredients like the above, you can continue sipping mindfully with no compromise on flavour.
For more cocktail inspiration, you know where to look – head on over to our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!
Sip responsibly!
