Pimm's Cup Cocktail Recipe
Pimm's with lemonade and a jug of fruit — cucumber, strawberry, orange and mint all go in.
- Category: Popular
- Glass: Highball glass
- ABV: 9%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Pimm's No. 150 ml (1.7 oz)
- Lemonade150 ml (5.1 oz)
- Cucumber3 piece
- Strawberries2 piece
- Fresh mint leaves6 piece
How to Make It
- Fill a highball glass with ice and the sliced fruit.
- Pour in the Pimm's.
- Top with lemonade and stir gently.
- Add a large mint bouquet on top.
Garnish
Cucumber, orange and mint
What it tastes like
Fruit notes come forward, it has a green, botanical backdrop, it drinks cool and easy and it is low in alcohol.
The technique
Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.
Glass and ice
A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Lemonade
- This means fizzy lemonade — lemon soda, not still. If you use homemade lemonade, the fizz has to come from sparkling water, or the drink falls flat.
- Cucumber
- The skin can be bitter, so thin slices work best; dropping slices into the shaker gives a cleaner flavour than muddling them.
- Fresh mint leaves
- The stem is bitter, so use the leaves. One clap between your palms before it goes in releases the oils and gives you the aroma without bruising it.
The Story
James Pimm sold it as a digestive tonic in his London oyster bar in the 1840s; it has been the drink of the English summer ever since.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Pimm's Cup mixed?
- It is built in the glass and served in a highball glass.
- How strong is a Pimm's Cup?
- Roughly 9% ABV as served — lighter than a beer — a long-conversation drink that takes a second round.
- Can a Pimm's Cup be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Pimm's Cup hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.