Why it works: Lime and mint match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 846 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
South Side Fizz
Ingredients
Directions
Build the drink
In a shaker, muddle the mint, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Add the gin and fill with ice.
Shake, and strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice.
Stir until frost appears on the outside of the glass.
Finish and garnish
Fill with club soda and garnish with another mint sprig.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 5 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Gin | not in our table | 0 |
| Syrup | not in our table | 0 |
| Peppermint | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Lime + minttop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together846 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Gin + syruptop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together127 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Gin + limetop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together115 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Gin + minttop 21% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together46 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Lime + syruptop 26% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together322 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Gin
- Forms the spirit base and carries most of the drink's alcohol and botanical aroma.
- Lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the drink and balances the sweetness of the syrup.
- Simple syrup
- Adds sweetness that offsets the acidity of the lime juice.
- Mint
- Releases fresh aromatic oils into the drink when muddled and garnished.
- Club soda
- Adds carbonation and lightens the drink's body with a fizzy texture.
The step that matters
Muddle the mint gently. Pressing too hard tears the leaves and releases bitter, grassy compounds from the plant tissue, which can make the drink taste harsh. Gentle pressing releases only the fresh aromatic oils.
Swap the mint
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (gin, lime, syrup):
- Gingerfits better
- Corianderfits better
- Cinnamonfits about as well
- Mintthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against gin, lime, syrup. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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