Mixologist Alex Ott is a tricky effing trickster. When we were filming my “Too Many Patrons With LeMarvin” segment a few weeks ago, I mentioned to him that I’ll drink anything BUT gin. I told him it gives me headaches, makes me puke, and I just all-around loathe it. So, to call my bluff, he made me a gin drink without telling me.

AND I DRANK IT

AND I DIDN’T DIE

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky.

So he comes to our office a week ago with a few bottles of New Amsterdam gin for us to try, and I’m all, “nuh uh, I don’t drink that,” and he’s all, “oh yea, stupid? Well that was a gin drink I made you a couple weeks ago!!!! Sucker.” (Okay, he didn’t call me stupid or a sucker, but that’s totally how I felt.)

And now I present to you New Amsterdam’s “Soho” – I tasted it. It’s delicious. And I didn’t die. I guess I’d just been mentally psyching myself out since that time I drank too much gin and was convinced my life was over. Hmph.

SOHO

2 oz New Amsterdam gin
Spring of mint
Stem of lemongrass
1/4 ts ground ginger
1 oz agave nectar or simple syrup
1 oz lime juice
2 oz ginger ale

• Cut lemongrass into small pieces, and combine small palm full into bottom of cocktail shaker glass.
• Muddle with mint until flavor is released, add ginger and all other ingredients, then shake very hard
• Strain over ice in a highball glass until glass is 3/4 filled up.
• Fill up all the way with ginger ale!
• Garnish with lime wheel that has been spiked with lemongrass straw.