Type of Blueberry Cocktail Recipe

The Type of Blueberry is a riff on the basic Aviation cocktail. This model, developed by bartender and creator Jim Meehan, options gin infused with freeze-dried blueberries for a pop of berry taste. 

The recipe for the Type of Blueberry was featured within the 2024 e-book, The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Common Bar, by Meehan with Bart Sasso with Emma Janzen. In it, Meehan gives simple, considerate methods house cooks can enhance their drinks by doable strategies. On this cocktail, for instance, Meehan makes use of a gin infused with freeze-dried blueberries for a pop of fruity taste with out further sweetness. 

Whereas impressed by an Aviation, the Type of Blueberry differs from the unique recipe in a couple of methods. A basic Aviation is made with gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, and crème de violette (a closely perfumed liqueur flavored with violet petals). The crème de violette creates the Aviation’s iconic purple hue. Since Meehan doesn’t name for crème de violette on this recipe, the blueberry-infused gin gives the drink’s signature colour. 

Why the Type of Blueberry works

This spirit-forward cocktail is all about balancing boldly flavored components in concord. The gin presents each botanical and fruity-berry notes, the lemon lends tang, the maraschino liqueur (a bittersweet Italian liqueur produced from crushed entire cherries, pits and all) has refined almondy notes, and the easy syrup provides richness. 

The drink’s preparation is straightforward: the components mix in a cocktail shaker with ice and because it will get shaken vigorously, the assorted parts mix and aerate to yield a cocktail with a silky texture. A garnish of three recent blueberries skewered on a cocktail decide is a visible illustration of what’s contained in the glass, and makes for a fantastic snack, too.