The Fruity British Cocktail Made For Ginger Ale Lovers

To understand the Pimm's Cup, you'll first need a familiarity with Pimm's No. 1 Liqueur, a British original developed in the early 1800s by James Pimm as an accompaniment to the oysters he sold in his oyster house. The idea was to create a delicious drink that would both aid in digestion and keep the customers ordering up. While variations of Pimm's have been made with other spirits over the years, the No. 1's base is gin, and the original is the most popular. In addition to gin, the liqueur has some fruit and spice notes.

The most popular way to drink Pimm's No. 1 is the Pimm's Cup, which enhances the fruitiness of the liqueur by adding a variety of botanical garnishes, including cucumbers, strawberries, oranges, and mint. All of this is mixed together with a bit of Pimm's in a glass (or pitcher, if you're serving a crowd). 

The cocktail also includes several ounces of British lemonade, which, if you live in the U.S., may not be what you think. British lemonade is a sparkling beverage more akin to a flavored sparkling water than what Americans think of as lemonade. Some American Pimm's drinkers turn to San Pellegrino Sparkling Limonata as a substitute, but others enjoy ginger ale, 7Up, or Sprite.

While the ginger flavor of ginger ale may add a nontraditional element to the Pimm's Cup, it's commonly used in American versions of the drink. Add a squeeze of lemon juice so you still get that hint of lemon. If you're going the ginger ale route, use ginger ale and not ginger beer – unless you really want your drink to pack a kick. But, since the Pimm's Cup is supposed to be a light, refreshing beverage, ginger ale is really the best choice here.

When Chowhound ranked ginger ale from worst to best, Boylan and Schweppes came out on top, with Boylan being notable for its "subtle, lemony finish" and quality ingredients. Keep your eyes peeled for a bottle of Boylan when shopping for Pimm's Cup ingredients.

Once you've stocked up on Pimm's No. 1, you may be wondering how else to use it. Another Pimm's drink that incorporates ginger ale is the Reyka Pimm's Cup, which is similar to the original but with the addition of vodka. And If you're a fan of the Moscow Mule — a vodka-based cocktail with lime, ginger beer or ale, and mint — you may want to try the Pimm's Gentleman's Mule, which swaps out the vodka for Pimm's.