We’ve rounded up the 6 essential herbs that you need to grow to elevate your at-home cocktails.
Any bartender will tell you that the secret to a really good cocktail (or mocktail) is herbs. They have a way of elevating any cocktail with an abundance of flavour that can often not be identified at first sip. Most of these herbs can easily be grown at home in your garden, ready for you to forage on a Friday afternoon when you’re making your knock-off drinks at home.
Growing your own herbs is easy and all it takes is one trip to your local Bunnings to pick up the essentials. Most of the herbs put in cocktails are easy to maintain and grow in abundance. The best part? You can sip your drink with peace of mind that you’ve reduced your plastic intake with no packaging. You’ve also saved yourself around $3 per packet of herbs. Here are the 6 essential herbs that you should grow first.
Basil
Basil is a refreshing addition to plenty of cocktails, especially a gin concoction. Tear a leaf or two into your gin and tonic or throw some into the bottom of your mojito to spice things up from the traditional. This herb is very easy to grow and flourishes outdoors in the summertime.
Mint
It wouldn’t be a cocktail herb garden without mint. Every bartender knows they need an abundance of mint in their fridge for the mojito fans. There are many varieties to choose from including spearmint and peppermint. Keep in mind that they all grow at a fast rate all year round and spread vigorously, so we’d suggest planting it in a pot.
Rosemary
In more recent years we’ve seen bartenders experimenting with rosemary. It’s a killer ingredient to include in warm weather cocktails and works perfectly with lemon. Keep in mind, rosemary has a little woody stem and needles similar to a pine tree so pick these off over the sink or you’ll have yourself a mess that you won’t want to clean after a few cocktails.
Sage
Sage cocktails offer a pungent flavour and sharp aromatic potency that’ll really grab your tastebuds. This herb is around for a good time not a long time with plants typically lasting for a few months only before you’ll need to replace them. Sage works well in a gin concoction and pairs with lemon juice.
Thyme
Thyme is a delicate herb that’s an ideal addition to many cocktails. It’s a Mediterranean native and has a wonderfully aromatic quality. Thyme is another herb that grows vigorously. It also has lots of varieties including Lemon Thyme that works perfectly in a gin and tonic.
Dill
An unexpected cocktail addition, dill complements citrus fruits like grapefruit and lime. Like most herbs, dill should be pruned regularly to promote growth, so don’t be afraid to snip plenty of sprigs for your drink.