Uploaded October 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Forget Rose's Lime Juice (or Rose's Lime Cordial depending on where you're from). This homemade Lime Cordial from The 12 Bottle Bar recreates the flavor of a traditional Lime Cordial that will blow away any off the shelf brand, including the ubiquitous Rose's Lime Juice. It's the perfect substitute for a Gimlet.
Rose's is a classic brand that dates back to the 1800's. Using citrus to help sailors fend of scurvy was a honored naval tradition since the 1700's. But the only way to preserve the citrus was with alcohol. Rose's figured out a way to do it with sugar and that changed the game for the Lime Cordial market. It was the four quadrant equivalent of the preserved lime business.
But somewhere along the way, Rose's replaced their product with industrial syrup and artificial flavoring. You're certainly going to be better off making a batch of your own Lime Cordial than using Rose's.
The Gimlet, of course, is synonymous with Lime Cordial and The Gimlet alone is enough reason to have it handy at your home bar, but it's also featured in a great drink, The Sportsman.
Recipe:
1 tsp coriander
10 cardamom pods
4 oz boiling water
6 oz sugar
3 tbsp sugar
3 limes cubed
peels of 3 large oranges
1 tsp citric acid
2 oz water
Steep the coriander and cardamom in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Strain out the coriander and cardamom. Add the coriander/cardamom tea to the 6 oz of sugar in a pot, turn it on low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 3 cubed limes, 3 orange peels and 3 tablespoons of sugar to a mixing bowl and muddle well to extract the juice. Double strain the solids.
Stir together 2 oz of water and the citric acid until it's completely dissolved.
Then in a bottle add all of the citric acid solution, 3 oz of the lime/sugar/orange peel juice and 3 oz of the coriander cardamom syrup. Store in the fridge for 5 hours or more. Taste it and adjust the sweet or sour to your liking with the leftover citrus juice or leftover syrup.
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Featured in this Episode
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Cane Sugar
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Citric Acid
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The 12 Bottle Bar
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Bar Tools
4-Cup Measuring Cup
amzn.to/1FJP662
Measuring Spoons
amzn.to/1JQaABS
5-qt Pot
amzn.to/1FJPotw
Bonavita Kettle
amzn.to/1jimpqC
Mixing Bowl
amzn.to/1FT7fjg
Wooden Spoon
amzn.to/1KDGpyA
8" Strainer
amzn.to/1AA3hfb
Fine Mesh Strainer
amzn.to/1KDExWv
Nopro 3-Piece Stainless Steel Funnel Set
amzn.to/1MglVg1
Vegetable Peeler
amzn.to/1AA2s69
Tea Maker
amzn.to/1GCuRWC
Glass Olive Oil Bottle
amzn.to/1jimydC
Floeberg Muddler
amzn.to/1GCuWcO
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1LoZXWZ
Small Knife
amzn.to/1jimESo
Forget Rose's Lime Juice (or Rose's Lime Cordial depending on where you're from). This homemade Lime Cordial from The 12 Bottle Bar recreates the flavor of a traditional Lime Cordial that will blow away any off the shelf brand, including the ubiquitous Rose's Lime Juice. It's the perfect substitute for a Gimlet.
Rose's is a classic brand that dates back to the 1800's. Using citrus to help sailors fend of scurvy was a honored naval tradition since the 1700's. But the only way to preserve the citrus was with alcohol. Rose's figured out a way to do it with sugar and that changed the game for the Lime Cordial market. It was the four quadrant equivalent of the preserved lime business.
But somewhere along the way, Rose's replaced their product with industrial syrup and artificial flavoring. You're certainly going to be better off making a batch of your own Lime Cordial than using Rose's.
The Gimlet, of course, is synonymous with Lime Cordial and The Gimlet alone is enough reason to have it handy at your home bar, but it's also featured in a great drink, The Sportsman.
Recipe:
1 tsp coriander
10 cardamom pods
4 oz boiling water
6 oz sugar
3 tbsp sugar
3 limes cubed
peels of 3 large oranges
1 tsp citric acid
2 oz water
Steep the coriander and cardamom in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Strain out the coriander and cardamom. Add the coriander/cardamom tea to the 6 oz of sugar in a pot, turn it on low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 3 cubed limes, 3 orange peels and 3 tablespoons of sugar to a mixing bowl and muddle well to extract the juice. Double strain the solids.
Stir together 2 oz of water and the citric acid until it's completely dissolved.
Then in a bottle add all of the citric acid solution, 3 oz of the lime/sugar/orange peel juice and 3 oz of the coriander cardamom syrup. Store in the fridge for 5 hours or more. Taste it and adjust the sweet or sour to your liking with the leftover citrus juice or leftover syrup.
Follow Us!
facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits
instagram.com/distinguishedspirits
twitter.com/DistinguishedSp
pinterest.com/DistinguishedSp
Featured in this Episode
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Cane Sugar
amzn.to/1VckMsT
Citric Acid
amzn.to/1R5hLXi
The 12 Bottle Bar
amzn.to/1GCuJGw
Bar Tools
4-Cup Measuring Cup
amzn.to/1FJP662
Measuring Spoons
amzn.to/1JQaABS
5-qt Pot
amzn.to/1FJPotw
Bonavita Kettle
amzn.to/1jimpqC
Mixing Bowl
amzn.to/1FT7fjg
Wooden Spoon
amzn.to/1KDGpyA
8" Strainer
amzn.to/1AA3hfb
Fine Mesh Strainer
amzn.to/1KDExWv
Nopro 3-Piece Stainless Steel Funnel Set
amzn.to/1MglVg1
Vegetable Peeler
amzn.to/1AA2s69
Tea Maker
amzn.to/1GCuRWC
Glass Olive Oil Bottle
amzn.to/1jimydC
Floeberg Muddler
amzn.to/1GCuWcO
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1LoZXWZ
Small Knife
amzn.to/1jimESo
