Beefeater London Dry Recipe

Chill glass

Place a chilled martini or coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure the drink stays cold.

Mix

Fill a mixing glass or shaker with the ice cubes. Pour in 2 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin and 0.5 oz dry vermouth. If using orange bitters for a slight aromatic lift, add 2 dashes now.

Stir

Stir the mixture gently with a bar spoon for 30–45 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted. Stirring preserves clarity and a silky texture appropriate for a London Dry Martini-style drink.

Prepare glass

Discard the ice or water from the chilled serving glass. If you prefer a garlic/onion-infused Gibson variation, place 1 cocktail olive in the glass before pouring; otherwise reserve the lemon twist for garnish.

Strain and garnish

Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass using a Hawthorne or julep strainer to keep ice shards out. Express the lemon twist over the surface to release oils, rub it around the rim if desired, then drop it into the glass as garnish.

For a drier martini, reduce vermouth to a few drops and optionally rinse the glass with vermouth: pour a small amount of vermouth into the chilled glass, swirl to coat, then discard excess before straining the cocktail in. For a Gibson, substitute the lemon twist with an olive and optionally add 1–2 dashes savory bitters.