South Side

The recipe can be traced back to at least 1916, when it appeared in Huge Enslinn’s book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” as the South Side Fizz. His version called for gin, lemon and lime juices, sugar, mint and club soda. Lose the bubbles and cull one of the citrus fruits, and you get the South Side as we know it today.

Multiple accounts peg the South Side’s creation to the 21 Club in New York, a bar that poured countless South Sides throughout the decades. But considering that the first iteration of the famous speakeasy didn’t open until 1922, it’s more likely that the bar popularized the drink rather than invented it.

Browse South Side recipes at cocktail bars today, and you will find some drinks made with lemon and others with lime. This citrusy kerfuffle may stem from Enslinn’s recipe containing both juices. It tastes great with lemon or lime, but the 21 Club served theirs with lemon, and so does this recipe.

When making the cocktail, treat the mint gently. Too vigorous a thrashing will highlight the herb’s bitter notes rather than its sweet and aromatic qualities. Double-straining the contents (straining the drink through a fine-mesh sieve) will ensure that none of the torn mint bits enter your glass and inevitably get stuck in your teeth.

• 5 mint leaves
• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• Garnish: mint sprig

1. Add the mint leaves and lemon juice into a shaker and gently muddle.
2. Add the gin and simple syrup with ice, and shake until well-chilled.
3. Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

A useful guide turns confusion into a repeatable process. South Side 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 South Side.
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 South Side 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 South Side
• Fresh citrus
• Simple syrup or quality liqueur
• Solid ice
• One reliable garnish

Keep a small notebook or phone note labelled South Side. Record ice type, shake or stir time, and garnish. After a few sessions you will see which choices make South Side 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.