Three Ways: The Gibson Cocktail

At the lobby bar in Austin’s chic Hotel Van Zandt, you can order your Gibson with vodka or gin; either way, it will be a theatrical affair. Lead bartender Curtis Janto’s recipe is thrown repeatedly between mixing tins to chill and aerate the cocktail, which he feels develops the herbaceous and citrus notes of the drink.

2 oz. gin or vodka
1/2 oz. Cocchi Americano
1/4 oz. dry vermouth
barspoon brine

Tools: shaker, Boston shaker or barspoon, strainer
Glass: coupe
Garnish: pickled pearl onion

Combine 2 oz. of gin or vodka with 1/2 oz. of Cocchi Americano, 1/4 oz. of dry vermouth, and a barspoon of brine in an ice-filled shaker. At Brass Poppy, bartenders throw the cocktail into a second Boston shaker held at the hip; at home, you can stir the drink in the shaker, then strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a pickled pearl onion.
Brine and GarnishBoil 2 parts Champagne vinegar, 1 part water, 1/4 part granulated sugar, 1/8 part salt, 1/4 part peeled and minced ginger, and 1/8 part peeled and minced black garlic, stirring until dissolved. Strain and pour over blanched and peeled pearl onions. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Curtis Janto, Brass Poppy, Austin

At Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn, head bartender Conor Johns created this Gibson recipe “as an answer to the overwhelming amount of calls for dirty Martinis we were receiving,” he says. “The vermouth from the Basque region of Spain is what really makes this drink unique.” He infuses Axta dry vermouth with charred onion and rosemary to create distinctive, herbaceous flavors.

2 1/2 oz. London dry gin or grain-based vodka
3/4 oz. infused vermouth
3 dashes lemon saline solution

Tools: mixing glass, barspoon
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: pickled pearl onion

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass and garnish with a pickled pearl onion.
Lemon Saline SolutionCombine 1 cup of salt, 4 cups of water, and 2 halved lemons. Boil until the salt dissolves, then cool and strain into a bottle. The mixture will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Infused VermouthChar 5 thick slices of peeled white onion over a flame on the grill or a stovetop. Let cool, then add to 750 ml of dry vermouth with 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Refrigerate for 36 hours, strain out the solids, then store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Conor Johns, Red Hook Tavern, Brooklyn

The popular raw bar menu at this sleek Manhattan spot inspired bar director Tristian Brunel to create this tart Gibson riff. “The shallot blended into the red wine vinegar gives it a fragrant allium note that’s a bit less intense than a classic onion,” he says, and “black pepper helps to bring out the traditional mignonette flavor profile.” A 50/50 base of gin and blanc vermouth makes Tusk Bar’s version easier-drinking than other Gibsons. “It’s perfect with a set of oysters but delicate enough to stand alone,” Brunel says.

1 1/2 oz. blanc vermouth
1 1/2 oz. gin
1/4 oz. mignonette vinegar

Tools: mixing glass, barspoon
Glass: Martini
Garnish: pickled onion

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill, then strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a pickled onion.
MignonetteEmulsify 750 ml of red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of salt, 1 large peeled shallot, and 2 Tbsp. of black peppercorns in a blender. Strain through cheesecloth and refrigerate (will keep for up to 2 weeks).

Tristian Brunel, Tusk Bar, Manhattan