A perfect aperitif for celebrating a fresh caught salmon dinner, the Cabin Club cocktail is simple, refreshingly tart, and bursting with blueberry flavor. This drink was inspired by a lovely weekend spent lounging and fishing at a dear cousin's cabin on the legendary Kenai River. It is essentially a Pacific Northwest spin on the Pegu Club, that classic gin sour invented at a British social club in Burma back in the early 20th century and later published in the famed "Savoy Cocktail Book" by Harry Craddock. This version swaps in blueberry liqueur in place of the usual orange for a less tropical, and more continental, flavor profile....in other words, it's cabin kitchen approved!
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Ingredients for a Cabin Club Cocktail (AKA Blueberry Pegu Club)
- London dry gin
- blueberry liqueur
- fresh lime juice
- Angostura and orange bitters (or other bitters of your choice, such as the "Woodland" selection pictured above)
- fresh blueberries, to garnish (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for a Cabin Club Cocktail (AKA Blueberry Pegu Club)
Toss some ice into a cocktail shaker.
Then add the gin.
Pour in the blueberry liqueur.
And splash in the lime juice.
Finally, add the bitters.
Shake until well chilled, about 30 seconds, and then strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with a a few blueberries or a lime twist, if desired, and serve.
Hint: This drink is on the fairly tart side, just like the original Pegu Club cocktail that inspired it. If you prefer something a bit sweeter, feel free to adjust the ratios of blueberry liqueur and lime juice accordingly!
Notes on the Components of this Drink
- Gin - Choose a London dry gin for this cocktail (like Tanqueray or Beefeater). I also enjoy The Botanist in this drink.
- Blueberry Liqueur - There are a variety of options on the market when it comes to blueberry liqueur, like the Alaskan one pictured above from Hoarfrost Distilling. I also recommend Drillaud. But if you have lots of patience, homemade blueberry liqueur is definitely my favorite choice here!
- Bitters - Angostura and orange work really well in this drink, but you can of course substitute another type of bitters if you prefer.
Top tip
Don't be tempted to skip the bitters in this very simple cocktail...those few little drops play a key role in adding a little depth and balance! But if you're feeling adventurous, you can certainly get creative with the options and substitute the bitters of your choice. A few other interesting possibilities to experiment with here include lime, coriander, lemon, mint...or even a wild card variety like the "woodland" bitters pictured above!
Related
Looking for more cocktails inspired by life in the Northern latitudes? Try these:
Pairing
These are a few of my favorite dishes to roll out after kicking things off with a Cabin Club Cocktail (AKA Blueberry Pegu Club):
📖 Recipe
Cabin Club Cocktail (AKA Blueberry Pegu Club)
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 2 ounces London dry gin
- ¾ ounce blueberry liqueur
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- couple dashes angostura bitters
- couple dashes orange bitters
- few fresh blueberries, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine everything in a cocktail shaker along with plenty of ice.
- Shake until well-chilled, about 30 seconds.
- Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a few blueberries or lime twist, if desired.
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