Gibson Cocktail Drink – Beaming Baker

A simple and sleek Gibson cocktail recipe made with just 2 ingredients, finished off with a beautiful cocktail onion skewer—a standout drink at cocktail hour. The best Gibson drink!

The Fascinating, Supposed History of the Gibson Cocktail

Like with any good cocktail, the Gibson drink has a murky history with no one quite sure of its origins. The earliest written recipe for a Gibson drink comes from The World’s Drinks and How to Mix Them by William T. “Cocktail” Boothby. On pg. 25, Boothby writes that the Gibson Cocktail is comprised of “half a jigger of French vermouth and half a jigger of dry English gin,” with no mention of the Gibson’s signature onion garnish whatsoever. Interestingly enough, he notes that “an olive is sometimes added.” But not an onion. [1]

So where did the onion garnish come from? In 1912, the Tacoma Times published an article in which a drink containing “a dry martini with an onion in it” was called “The Hanford Cocktail.” [2] So is the Gibson cocktail actually the Hanford Cocktail?

Or, does the Gibson drink stand on its own, on account of one of the rumored persons with the same name to have created the cocktail? Think of Walter D.K. Gibson, who, in 1898, is said to have added the onion to his martini due to the belief that onions could combat a cold. [3] According to Charles Pollock Gibson, a descendant of Walter D.K. Gibson, “W.D.K. Gibson objected to the way the bartender at the Bohemian made martinis. He preferred them stirred and made with Plymouth Gin. He also believed that eating onions would prevent colds. Hence the onion.”

In another account, Charles Dana Gibson, the artist who created the Gibson Girl pen-and-ink drawings, asked Charley Connolly, the Players Club bartender, to make a better version of the classic martini recipe [4]. Connolly responded by making a martini and garnishing it with an onion, rather than an olive.

So which Gibson truly created the Gibson cocktail? You decide.

What’s in a Gibson Cocktail?

The Gibson drink recipe calls for two simple ingredients, a few fun cocktail time tools, and your most-beautiful coupe glasses. To make a Gibson cocktail, grab your favorite gin and dry vermouth. Then, add an onion skewer for the signature piece that makes a Gibson martini a standout.

How to Make a Gibson Cocktail

The Gibson, known to some as a dry martini with an onion, is just as simple to make. To make a Gibson cocktail, follow the steps below:

1. Fill a cocktail glass or shaker with ice.
2. Add gin and vermouth.
3. Stir the gin and vermouth together.
4. Strain into a chilled glass, such as this coupe glass. 
5. Garnish by dropping a few onions straight into the glass, or by adding a cocktail skewer.

What exactly is a Cocktail Onion?

Simply put, a cocktail onion is a pickled pearl onion. Typically, pearl onions are steeped in a brine made from water, vinegar, sugar, and sometimes spices. The result is a sweet and umami-packed cocktail garnish that’s perfect for a Gibson drink.

Should I use Gin or Vodka in a Gibson Drink?

The choice is up to you! While you can use gin or vodka depending on your preference, note the subtle differences in each. With gin, your drink will be sweeter and tastier due to the pairing of gin with the sweet cocktail onions.

Super Fun Drink Recipes to Make! 🥃

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

Print

More Cocktail Recipes for Your Bar Cart 🍹

This post may contain affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission for my referral, at no additional cost to you.