This Orange Gin Fizz has a dreamy orange sweetness that is spiked with a slightly citrus & pepper undertow and malty richness.

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

There are two separate ways to serve this cocktail. 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

This Orange Gin Fizz 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.

You can read through my thoughts on how I think these gins pair with the Orange Shrub with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers 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.

St. George Spirits Botanivore Gin

This pairing was very creamy and dreamy but the gin didn’t shine through as much as it did with the Strawberry Shrub. It would be my first choice if I wanted to make a gin drink with very little gin flavor.

St. George Spirits Terroir Gin

I really liked this pairing. It was slightly spicy with a sweet orange flavor that had just a hint of lemon. The gin flavor could have been a little stronger, but it was still my favorite.

St. George Spirits Dry Rye Gin

Am I drinking a tequila drink? Really, that’s the first thing that popped into my mind when I did this pairing.

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

Smooth orange flavor with a subtle spiciness

Griffo Distillery Scott Street Gin

Honey-sweet but balanced with spiciness and warmth from the Szechuan peppers, grains of paradise, and coriander

New Alchemy Distilling Fleurette Gin

Spicy with a lot of honey notes and chamomile over everything else

New Alchemy Distilling Fleurette Vermilion Gin

Spicy and bold but still creamy, less honey notes but not syrupy, downplays the flower notes

Sipsong Spirits Indira Gin

The orange really comes through incredibly well and it has a spicy kick

Sonoma Brothers Distilling Gin

Very smooth with an orange creamsicle vibe and spicy finish

DIY Gin Bar Recipes

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.

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Cocktails

• Strawberry Gin Fizz
• Blackberry Gin Fizz
• Mint Gin Fizz
• Lemon Gin Fizz with Cucumber and Dill
• Orange Gin Fizz
• Gin Lemonade Cocktail

Shrubs

• Strawberry Shrub with Basil and Peppercorn
• Blackberry Shrub with Vanilla and Earl Grey
• Lemon Shrub with Cardamom and Mint
• Orange Shrub with Cardamom and Thyme
• Orange Shrub Recipe with Yunnan Tea and Szechuan Peppers

Infused Sugars

• Vanilla Bean Sugar
• Orange Sugar with Szechuan Peppers
• Lemon Zest Sugar with Cardamom
• DIY Citrus Sugar with Lemon and Dill
• Lemon and Lavender Infused Sugar

Mocktails

• Orange-Basil Strawberry Mocktail
• Vanilla Earl Grey Blackberry Mocktail
• Sparkling Basil Lemon Mocktail
• Lemon-Dill Cucumber Mocktail
• Rosemary & Mint Lemonade Mocktail

Vacation

I’m back from vacation, which I spent in Reedsport, Oregon. I had planned to try and get more work done while there but I ultimately chose to enjoy my time there work free.

I hiked, collected driftwood for a fellow blogger, enjoyed the beach, climbed the jetty, watched the USWNT play, and hung out with family.

Every time I come back from vacation, my energy levels take a hit so I’m struggling to get back on top of things. I just want to go back to my perfect day at the beach.

Tools I Used