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This Lemon Gin Fizz with Cucumber and Dill is the perfect drink for a hot spring or summer day! Nothing says summertime refresher more than a cucumber and dill drink.

It’s also the second drink that uses the Lemon Shrub with Cardamom and Mint. I think I was reaching for that shrub a lot because it’s so perfect for really hot days.

DIY GIN BAR POST

Northern California Craft Distilleries

I collaborated with six different distilleries for this series of posts:

St. George Spirits (Alameda)
Young and Yonder Spirits (Healdsburg)
Griffo Distillery (Petaluma)
New Alchemy Distilling (El Dorado Hills)
Sipsong Spirits (Windsor)
Sonoma Brothers Distilling (Windsor)

Northern California is such a spirited area and I wanted to highlight some of the fun and innovating craft spirits being made here. These distilleries generously gave me tours, tastings, and donated bottles of gin for these posts. But of course, all opinions are my own.

Jump to Recipe

Fizzy or Neat

45 degree shot of a Lemon Gin Fizz in a highball glass garnished with a cucumber ribbon and lemon slice sitting on a blue tin plate.

There are two separate ways to serve this Lemon Gin Fizz. The first is the fizzy way, as the recipe is written. But if you want a more spirit-forward cocktail with no fizz and no ice, you can double strain the shaken drink into a chilled coupe or rocks glass. The flavor is more concentrated in the neat version, so I like doing them when I feel like something stronger.

Shrub and Gin Pairing

These shrub cocktails will vary in taste depending on what gin you use. Each distillery adds different botanicals, so the same cocktail made with another gin will result in its own distinctive version.

Worksheet with 9 circles in rows with each circle containing a gin and its individual tasting notes. — **GIN TASTING NOTES**

You can read through my thoughts on how I think these gins pair with the Lemon Shrub with Cardamom and Mint if you want but whatever gins you use, keep these tips in mind:

Smell the gins and the shrubs together to see what stands out
Taste the shrubs and gins together but don’t be discouraged from trying to make a cocktail with a pairing you didn’t like. You might be surprised how the flavors you didn’t like are tempered in a full cocktail.
Rather than thinking along the lines of like and dislike, think more about what flavors are really standing out and how you can either emphasize them or temper them.

Horizontal side shot of a Lemon Gin Fizz garnished with a cucumber ribbon and lemon slice surrounded by another drink and in front of cucumber slices, mint leaves, and a lemon.

St. George Spirits Botanivore Gin

The Botanivore Gin has a very flowery smell as well as a classic juniper aroma. When paired with the Lemon Shrub with Cardamom and Mint, the overwhelming flavor was spearmint.

St. George Spirits Terroir Gin

There was just enough lemon and the spearmint flavor wasn’t overpowering. The gin maybe could have shined through a little more, but otherwise, it was a really good pairing.

St. George Spirits Dry Rye Gin

There was a very slight spearmint finish, an equal amount of lemon and gin flavor, and the rye was less pronounced.

Young and Yonder Spirits H.O.B.S. Gin

This pairing had a cool spearmint taste and feel along with a very smooth candied lemon flavor.

Griffo Distillery Scott Street Gin

Emphasizes the Meyer lemon flavor, gives it a little bit of a candied feel and then the warming spices kick in: cardamom and grains of paradise.

New Alchemy Distilling Fleurette Gin

Honey, lavender, and chamomile flavors really dominated this pairing. I think this would make an extremely good tea cocktail.

New Alchemy Distilling Fleurette Vermilion Gin

This pairing is very cool and it decreases the syrup sweetness and increases the honey-sweet. It leaves a very cooling and refreshing zing on the tongue and back of the throat.

Sipsong Spirits Indira Gin

The cardamom really complements the cumin and it’s a very refreshing mix that is sweet and smooth. There is less spearmint flavor present than in other gin/shrub pairings

Sonoma Brothers Distilling Gin

This pairing was very bizarre because my primary impression was of mint chocolate. It reminded me of the effect you get with the birthday shot shooter (do you remember those from your college days?).

DIY Gin Bar Recipes

Tall iced fizzy drink with a glass straw, cucumber and lemon garnish, surrounded by another drink, dill, cucumber slices, a lemon, and mint leaves.

Here are all the recipes that are part of the DIY Gin Bar! There are also freebies that go along with the post that you should check out if you’re interested in throwing your own DIY Gin Bar party.

Cocktails

Shrubs

Infused Sugars

Mocktails