Clover Club

The pre-Prohibition classic is one of Philadelphia’s greatest contributions to cocktail history, but like many drinks of its day, the Clover Club all but disappeared for most of the 20th century. Eventually, it found its way back into rotation, helped in part by its appearance in modern cocktail books, including Gary Regan’s “Joy of Mixology.” Its resurgence was solidified in 2008, when Julie Reiner opened a cocktail bar in Brooklyn named for the classic drink. Naturally, the bar put a Clover Club on the menu, and the cocktail has remained there since.

Any high-quality gin can make a great Clover Club, but a good London dry gin will complement the cocktail’s tart fruit and silky body. While egg white is optional in some drinks (and it’s technically optional in this one, too) its role is important, adding texture and yielding a luscious, foamy head when shaken and strained.

This recipe calls for raspberry syrup, an easy-to-assemble ingredient that requires only one more step than a traditional simple syrup. However, if you’d like to save a few minutes of stove time, you can take a shortcut by muddling three or four fresh raspberries with a half ounce of simple syrup right in the shaker. This essentially creates a quick syrup, with very similar results, and you still get that fresh raspberry flavor you want in a Clover Club.

• 2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 ounce raspberry syrup*
• 1 egg white
• Garnish: 3 raspberries

1. Add the gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup and egg white into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with 3 speared raspberries.

A useful guide turns confusion into a repeatable process. Clover Club should leave you with measurements, shopping rules, and a short practice plan — not vague inspiration.

• Balance: spirit, sugar, acid, dilution.
• Temperature: cold glassware and solid ice.
• Freshness: citrus, herbs, and vermouth age in real time.
• Seasoning: salt, bitters, and peels change aroma dramatically.

1. Day 1–2: master one base recipe for Clover Club.
2. Day 3–4: change only one variable at a time.
3. Day 5: batch a small pitcher for guests.
4. Day 6–7: write your house ratio on a card and stick it inside the bar cabinet.

You need a jigger, shaker or mixing glass, strainer, and peeler. You do not need twelve obscure tinctures on day one. Spend on ice trays and fresh produce before collectible glassware.

Too hot? Dilute longer or lower the proof. Too flat? Add citrus oils or a pinch of salt. Too sweet? Cut syrup and extend stir time. These micro-fixes keep Clover Club consistent across nights.

Revisit this guide after a dozen serves. Your palate will change, and so will your preferred ratio. That loop — taste, note, adjust — is the real skill behind every confident pour.

• Primary bottle for Clover Club
• Fresh citrus
• Simple syrup or quality liqueur
• Solid ice
• One reliable garnish

Keep a small notebook or phone note labelled Clover Club. Record ice type, shake or stir time, and garnish. After a few sessions you will see which choices make Clover Club taste sharper, softer, or longer on the finish. That personal dataset beats generic advice and keeps your home bar improving every week.

Responsible serving still matters: offer water beside every round, measure pours, and plan transport before the first toast. Great hospitality is part technique, part care.