You can't have ginger without the gin

With the warm weather (slowly) approaching, it may be time to start thinking about getting our cocktail on! Here are 5 gin based cocktails that you might like to try

Just to note, the recipes call for sugar syrup to be used, I don't know about you but I don't have that in the cupboard...I tend to just make up cocktails and hope for the best! So long as there is gin they tend to be fine...

You'll also notice that I haven't included any measures / amounts - I don't judge, put in as much or as little as you like!

Bramble

Ingredients:

- Gin

- Crème de Mûre (blackberry liqueur)

- Lemon / lime juice

- Blackberries to garnish (optional)

** alternatively, you could use Chambord rather than

crème de mûre and lemonade instead of lemon juice, if you would like it sweeter **

Tom Collins

Ingredients:

- Gin

- Lemon juice

- Soda water (or lemonade or tonic water - whichever you prefer)

- Sugar syrup

- cherry to garnish (optional)

Alternative: Cucumber Collins (MY FAVOURITE)

(the same ingredients - just add cucumber!)

Method: In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle cucumber slices, lemon juice and simple syrup

- If you want to feel like you've just gone to heaven you can add elderflower cordial / elderflower pressé!!

Bee's Knees

Ingredients:

- Gin

- runny honey

- a splash of water

- lemon juice

Method: Stir the honey into the water until dissolved to make a syrup. Pour into a cocktail shaker with the gin, lemon juice and a couple of ice cubes. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

Gimlet

Ingredients:

- Gin

- Lime juice

- sugar syrup

- Lime zest to garnish

Apricot Passion

Ingredients:

- gin

- 2 tsp apricot glaze or sieved apricot jam

- 30ml passionfruit juice drink (from a 1 litre carton)

- 10ml lime juice

Method: Pour the gin over the apricot glaze in a glass with a little crushed ice and stir very well until the apricot is more or less dissolved. Add the passion fruit juice drink and lime juice and stir further, add more crushed ice, then serve with a straw.