Perhaps no one cocktail captures Richard Beltzer’s style as aptly as his PSG&T, or Pumpkin Spice Gin & Tonic, a seasonal spin that calls on squash syrup and cinnamon-infused gin. It marries the familiar highball template with a sustainable bent (the syrup extends the life of the squash), while cheekily nodding to the ubiquity—and yes, deliciousness—of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. “I want the people who look at the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks and want it, to order this drink,” explains Beltzer—“but without the insecurity.”
PSG&T (Pumpkin Spice Gin & Tonic)
Richard Beltzer, Bad Hunter | Chicago
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 dashes tartaric acid
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 1/4 ounces cinnamon-infused gin (see Editor’s Note)
- 3/4 ounces pinot blanc
- 3/4 ounces manzanilla sherry, preferably La Guita
- 1 ounce squash syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 2 ounces Topo Chico, to top
- 3 ounces tonic water, to top
Garnish: orange wheel, torched cinnamon, grated nutmeg
Directions
- Combine all ingredients, except the Topo Chico and tonic water, in a snifter over crushed ice.
- Stir to integrate.
- Top with Topo Chico and tonic water.
- Garnish with orange wheel, torched cinnamon, grated nutmeg.
Editor's Note
Cinnamon-Infused Gin:
1000ml gin, preferably Hendrick’s
100g cinnamon sticks
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive container and stir to integrate. Let sit for 24 hours at room temperature. Strain through chinois.
Caleb Tumin’s Squash Syrup:
16g clove
30g cinnamon sticks
20g mace
430g roasted squash (roast at 450ºF for 10 minutes)
10g honey
430g sugar
In a pan, combine clove, cinnamon and mace. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook all together until sugar dissolves.