The Southside

—a tall drink of gin, lemon juice, sugar, mint, and soda, favored by the upper-crusty country-club set—was rumored (incorrectly) to be born in the Prohibition-era speakeasies of Chicago’s South Side. See Prohibition, Temperance in America. Instead, the Southside evolved from the Mint Juleps made at Snedecor’s Tavern on Long Island, which itself evolved into the Southside Sportsman’s Club. It was there where, more than a century ago, New York’s plutocrats would go to fish for trout. They picked up a taste for the drink made at the Southside club and started asking for “that Southside drink” at all the country clubs where they did their golfing, swimming, and tennis playing. This is how the Southside came to be known as the essential country-club quaff. It has also for many years been the house drink at New York’s 21 Club, the former speakeasy that became one of the traditional places in New York to see corporate executives, politicians, and other such big game in the wild. This has done nothing to change the drink’s reputation.

*Recipe: Shake 45 ml gin, 30 ml fresh lemon juice, 22.5 ml simple syrup (or ½ tablespoon superfine sugar), and half a dozen fresh mint leaves vigorously with ice. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda, give a quick stir, and garnish with a sprig of mint. For a more minty Southside, combine a cup of lemon juice with ¾ cup simple syrup and pack the mixture with fresh mint leaves. Let steep in the fridge for two or three days. Strain and use 60 ml of the Southside “mix” in each drink. The country clubs of Maryland’s Hunt Country substitute rum for the gin.

Felten, Eric. “A Privilege of the Privileged.” The Wall Street Journal*, August 18, 2007.

By: Eric Felten