The Perfect Gin & Tonic

Hot, humid weather required.

Contributor: John Elder

To make the perfect Gin & Tonic, you really should be in hot humid weather. It’s the perfect antidote to hot summer days and hopeless Red Sox pitching staffs. There are lots of interesting artisanal gins on the market but, just don’t. Don’t be a hero, save it for a martini or gimlet
or some occasion where you can sip and actually taste it. The tonic and lime are going toe-to-toe with the spirit here and you need a good old fashioned hardworking gin, such as Beefeater.

Ingredients
•  Ice
•  Beefeater Gin
•  Schweppes Tonic Water
•  Fresh Lime

Directions
•   Jam as much ice in the glass as possible. You need to get it super cold and a few ice cubes won’t cut it. There’s nothing worse than a G&T when all the ice has melted and you’re halfway done.
•  Add a jigger of gin (that’s 1.5 ounces), though a heavy pour is encouraged in the early going.
•  Roll the lime on a cutting board to release the juice and cut into quarters and squeeze over the ice.
•  Add Schweppes (and seriously, don’t even bother if Schweppes isn’t available. Just have a Corona), stir and enjoy.
•  Repeat until the end of the 9th inning or the third pitching change.  Or, until your wife tells you to go to bed.