Pimm’s Cup
5.0
(8)
Active Time
2 minutes
Total Time
2 minutes
A quintessential British cocktail, the Pimm’s cup is a perfect summer drink—light and bright and thirst-quenching, with only about half the alcohol you’d find in most other highballs, like a gin and tonic or Dark and Stormy. It is also dead simple to throw together, making it a great option to have at a party. All you need is a bottle of Pimm’s No. 1—a gin-based liqueur flavored with a proprietary mix of botanicals, fruit, and spices—and some soda. You don’t even need a cocktail shaker; the whole drink is built right in a highball or Collins glass (or a similar tall glass).
The classic Pimm’s cup cocktail recipe is credited to James Pimm, who owned an oyster bar in London in the mid-1800s frequented for its punches as much as its shellfish. Still popular in its home country (it’s a favorite at Wimbledon), the drink is now also associated with the city of New Orleans, where it is a popular tipple. The traditional version calls for sparkling lemonade, though some swap the fizz for ginger ale, ginger beer, Sprite (or another lemon-lime soda), or fresh lemon juice and seltzer. Garnishes can include sliced strawberries, citrus, and other fruit; or a mini bouquet of herbs like basil or tarragon. This rendition keeps things as simple and easy as possible, relying on the nuances of the Pimm’s itself, cooling cucumber, sprightly ginger soda, and the fragrance from a sprig of mint to add all the personality the drink needs.
Ingredients
1 serving
Preparation
Fill highball glass with ice. Add Pimm’s, then top with ginger beer, garnish with a slice of cucumber and mint sprig, and serve.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in January 2009. Head this way for more of our favorite summer cocktails →
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Reviews (8)
Back to TopPimm’s Cup is always made in the UK with Schweppes lemonade (a clear, finely carbonated lemon soda, much less sweet than 7-Up or Sprite or any other US lemon-lime soda). It is never made with ginger beer or ginger ale. I love Pimm’s and it is intensely frustrating how virtually impossible it is to get the right flavor mixer here in the US. How I wish we could get the Schweppes lemonade here! Nothing else is quite right! It also requires a cucumber spear, fresh mint sprig and some strawberries. Nothing better especially on a warm summer’s day!
SFCityGal
San Francisco
4/7/2024
A New York Pimm's cocktail creation. We call it "a little spanking". 2 parts Pimm's 1 part Cointreau 1 part St Germain (Elderflower) 1 part Gin (Hendrick's) 1 splash of Leroux Raspberry liquor 1/2 fresh lemon 1/2 fresh orange Top with club soda Stir
The_Xman
NYC
9/28/2013
The drink is great - however it is definitely n.o.t. created by Eben Freeman. It is a decade [maybe a century] old English recipe. I really like what Eben does - however this is definitely not one of his achievements. Delicious anyway!
opinionatedalchemist
Abu Dhabi
3/23/2013