A Gin Martini is a classic cocktail that every at home bartender should know how to make. Only two ingredients, but with my tips, it will be top notch.
When it comes to date night, my favorite place for my husband and I to sit is at the bar in our favorite restaurants. There is something that makes us feel more like friends sitting right next to each other as we enjoy a cocktail and dinner.
Plus . . . it is the perfect spot for me to watch bar tenders make everyone’s cocktails. It’s like free entertainment.
Being an at home bar tender doesn’t have to be intimidating. You don’t even need a lot of fancy equipment – my essentials are a cocktail shaker, a strainer, and a jigger. To stock your bar with fun glasses, hit up thrift stores.
And of course, for the best tips on making perfect cocktails, come here. ????
Today we are making a classic Gin Martini and I have a few simple pointers that will make it absolutely perfect.
Fan of a vodka martini? Check out my Dirty Martini.
HOW TO MAKE A GIN MARTINI
This is a really simple two ingredient cocktail, but there are a few steps that will help it turn out perfectly.
- Fill a glass mixing glass or the mixing cup of a metal martini shaker (the bottom cup part only) with ice cubes (not crushed ice).
- Add cold gin and cold vermouth.
- Stir it until the mixing glass or metal cup frost.
- Strain the martini into a chilled glass.
BEST SERVED COLD
The key to a good gin martini is to serve it really cold. There are a few things we are going to do to accomplish that, but it starts with storing the gin and dry vermouth in the freezer.
Because of alcohol content in them, they won’t freeze, but they will be perfectly chilled for your martini.
Other ways we make it cold:
- Mix the already cold ingredients with ice cubes.
- Serve it in a chilled martini glass.
BEST GIN FOR A MARTINI
Top shelf brands of gin are Sipsmith London Dry and Nolet’s Silver Dry. Either would be perfect for this recipe.
If you are looking to spend a little less, I love Bombay Sapphire as a great mid level gin.
CHILLING YOUR MARTINI GLASS QUICKLY
Recently my brother taught me a trick: To keep your coffee hot longer, fill the cup you will drink it out of with hot water while the coffee is brewing. Warming the mug will keep your coffee hotter longer.
The same principle holds true with a good martini.
Filling the martini glass with ice and then with cold water and letting it sit for a minute will chill your glass quickly.
Toss out the ice and water, and enjoy a cocktail that stays cooler longer.
And if you are thinking ahead, throw those glasses in the refrigerator for a few hours before cocktail time.
GARNISHES
You can go with either an olive or a lemon twist for a garnish.
Traditionally, a lemon twist (or curl of a lemon peel) is run around the rim of the martini glass. Then you squeeze it into the cocktail and drop it in. It adds just a pinch of acidity to your gin cocktail.
OTHER GREAT GIN COCKTAILS
I love a great classic gin cocktail. Here are a few of my favorites:
- The French 75 is my all time favorite champagne cocktail.
- I love turning a traditional Moscow Mule into a Gin Mule.
- And if you are looking for a lower calorie cocktail, make my Gin Rickey!
If you make any of my cocktails, leave me a comment and let me know! I love hearing from you!
Gin Martini
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin chilled
- 1/2 ounces dry vermouth (1 tablespoon) chilled
Instructions
- Chill a cocktail glass by filling it with ice and cold water.
- In the metal cup of a cocktail shaker, add ice cubes (not crushed ice).
- Add in the gin and dry vermouth and stir.
- Strain into a cocktail glass.
- Add a lemon twist or a cocktail olive.
Toomanybooks says
What is the best way to measure 2 ounces of gin and 1/2 ounce of vermouth? A jigger normally holds one and one-half ounces. It would be difficult, at least for me, just to eyeball what 1/2 additional ounce would be in the jigger. A glass measuring cup seems too big. I usually prefer a manhattan but I’m going to try this using your method. Thanks!
My jigger has a 2 ounce end, and I highly recommend getting one that has one ounce on one side and two ounces on the other. That said, 1/2 and ounce is a tablespoon. So use your 1 1/2 ounce jigger and then use a tablespoon for the remaining 1/2 ounce.
Cheryl says
Sounds wonderful!! Have you tried Hendricks Gin? Not super expensive, but so smooth!!!
Patrick Smacher says
I would like to recommend a measuring glass for your bar. The one I use is a Gemco measuring glass. It’s about 3.5″ high and 2.5″ wide. It has measurements in oz, from .05oz-4oz plus measurements for tsp. 1tsp-24tsp, tbs. from 1-8tbs, and ml. 10ml-120ml. This one measurement glass will replace all your jiggers and spoons. You can get these in just about any store like W-Mart. It saves me a lot of problems trying to figure out what tools to use. Hopefully this will help you.
I haven’t, but I will next! Thank you for the recommendation!
Carol says
Love using my 4 ounce measuring shot glass. My gin of choice is always herbaceous. Especially love Wild Roots from Sisters, OR. Costco’s Kirkland is also filled with herbs 🪴. I enjoy your recipes, Lisa.
Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoy them!
Tom says
I like my martini very dry. When chilling the glass with ice use vermouth instead of water over the ice. When ready, swirl the glass and toss the ice. Then pour in the gin and garnish.
Super dry martini.
My concern with that is that the ice will just dilute the vermouth.