Southside

The Southside is Prohibition's minty gin cocktail and either a Chicago gangster drink or a New York society cocktail, depending on which legend you believe. The Chicago story claims it was created on the South Side by Al Capone's gang to mask bathtub gin's harshness, while the New York version credits the Southside Sportsmen's Club in Long Island. Regardless of origin, this Prohibition-era cocktail combines gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and fresh mint to create a refreshing, herbaceous cocktail. Served in a chilled coupe glass or over ice in a rocks glass, the Southside represents Prohibition creativity, mint-forward cocktails, and the debate between gangster and society origins. The drink embodies 1920s drinking culture, the use of mint to mask or enhance gin, and simple elegance. The Southside is essentially a Mojito made with gin instead of rum, or a Mint Julep made with gin and citrus. The combination of gin botanicals, lemon brightness, mint freshness, and sugar sweetness creates balanced, refreshing sophistication. The cocktail demands quality ingredients: good gin (modern quality), fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and fresh mint (gently expressed, not destroyed). The drink represents Prohibition ingenuity, competing origin stories, and the timeless appeal of mint cocktails. Whether served at a Chicago speakeasy or a Long Island club, the Southside delivers minty gin refreshment.