If there’s a season for Pimm’s Cup, it’s now. For a brief period during the first two weeks of July, the drink is in the spotlight as Wimbledon’s signature cocktail, served alongside the famed tennis tournament’s equally famous Strawberries and Cream. Made with a gin-based liqueur of the same name, Pimm’s Cup is typically topped with sparkling lemonade and a variety of fruits and has become a summer staple. But for many, the drink’s signature, a historic, herb-heavy recipe known only to a half-dozen people, leaves a lot to be desired.
Some bartenders have done just that by strengthening their foundation with: Sinner that’s all gin People have been creating their own variations on the Pimm’s Cup. In fact, Brooklyn bar Maison Premiere 35 repetitions Evokes everything about drinks Bourbon To Plum Brandy In addition to the liqueur of the same name, some people add a Pimm’s Cup. Others eschew it. “It’s a really delicious low-alcohol summer drink,” says beverage consultant Paul McGee, who worked on the drink’s menu at the Seaworthy in New Orleans. “But,” he continues, “to me, Pimm’s is thin and not very bitter. It’s mild, almost like weak tea.” In place of liqueur, McGee mixes Amaro dell’Etna with lemon juice, blackberry-ginger syrup, and a splash of tonic water for what he calls a “Pim’s” Cup.
Other bartenders, desperate for a better Pimm’s, are concocting their own house versions: On the menu at San Francisco’s now-closed Slanted Door, Eric Adkins created a Pimm’s Mix that combined gin, Campari, Punto et Metz, Dubonnet, and two types of vermouth. Royal Pimm’s CupAt The Good Guys, a new wine and spritz bar from the Attaboy team on New York’s Lower East Side, Sam Ross has also created a house version of the Wimbledon that’s fittingly named after the bar: house-made Pimm’s topped with lemon juice, agave syrup, and prosecco.
“Sasha [Petraske] “Milk and Honey always made a cocktail to replace Pimm’s,” Ross recalls. “When I tried his cocktail side-by-side with the real thing, it was completely different. Milk and Honey’s version…had much more vibrant fruit notes and bitterness.” Mixed with cucumber and strawberry and topped with bubbles, it “was a real summer treat.”
Taking over the former Milk & Honey location, Ross and the Attaboy team have continued to refine their homemade Pimm’s brewing process over the years, adopting much of Petrascu’s drink-making philosophy. “We’ve been fine-tuning the formula,” says Ross. [over] “Just as the original Pimm’s offered different variations for each season, each year has been tailored to suit different occasions,” says Ross.
At Good Guys, the formula is currently a four-ingredient inspired blend. Pimm’s No.1It’s made with Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, which Ross says “adds incredible depth and vanilla notes,” Grand Marnier and Cherry Herring (“for fruity notes and richness”), and of course, gin (“gives structure to the whole thing”). WimbledonThe first drink on the Good Guys menu, this Pimm’s Cup spritz-style drink is flavored with fruit, making it a great anytime drink, as well as a refreshing midday drink during those two summer weeks. “It’s a starter, intermezzo and finisher, all rolled into one,” says Ross.
