Spicy Cucumber Lemonade with Gin

This Spicy Cucumber Lemonade with Gin is the party starter you've been craving this summer. We combined cucumbers with a sharp punch of ginger and wasabi and finished it all off with gin's traditionally floral notes. You'll never look at lemonade the same way again after a glass of this concoction!

Prep Time
20 minutes
Servings

For the spicy cucumber lemonade:

  • 1 large cucumber 1 large cucumber
  • 1 tbsp (18 g) finely grated fresh ginger 1 tbsp (18 g) finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ¼ cups (250 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar 1 ¼ cups (250 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) lemon juice ¾ cup (180 ml) lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (14 g) wasabi paste 1 tbsp (14 g) wasabi paste

For the cocktail:

  • 1 ½ cups (360 ml) Spicy Cucumber Lemonade 1 ½ cups (360 ml) Spicy Cucumber Lemonade
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) gin ¾ cup (180 ml) gin
  • ½ cup (120 ml) sparkling water ½ cup (120 ml) sparkling water
  • 2 cups (260 grams) ice 2 cups (260 grams) ice
  • sliced cucumber, pink pickled ginger for garnish sliced cucumber, pink pickled ginger for garnish

Instructions

For the spicy cucumber lemonade:

Step 1

Cut four 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) slices from the cucumber; set aside to use as garnish.

Step 2

Cut the remainder of the cucumber into roughly 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) pieces. Combine the cucumber pieces with the minced ginger in a blender, or the bowl of a food processor, and process on high until mixture is smooth; about 1 minute.

Step 3

Place the cucumber mixture in a fine mesh sieve, set over a medium bowl, and press with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible (you will have about ¾ cup ((180 millimeters)) of juice).

Step 4

Add the Redpath ® Granulated Sugar, lemon juice, and wasabi paste to the cucumber juice and whisk well to dissolve the sugar and the wasabi.

For the cocktail:

Step 1

In a large pitcher, combine spicy cucumber lemonade, gin and about 2 cups (260 grams) worth of ice. Stir well and strain evenly over 4 lowball glasses filled halfway with ice. Top each with sparkling water, and finish by garnishing with a speared cucumber slice and piece of pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

Spiced Cucumber Lemonade with Gin - web ready hero (1 of 2)

Chef's Tip

*You can find wasabi and pickled ginger in most major grocery stores, and Asian grocery stores, across the country. Wasabi has a fiery kick, which is similar to horseradish. You can feel free to add more or less depending on your desired taste.