Betterave Recipe

Prepare beet juice (if not using store-bought)

Peel and roughly chop one small raw beetroot. Place in a blender with 1–2 tablespoons of water and blitz until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a small container, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. You need about 1 ounce (30 ml) of juice.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 2 oz Tanqueray gin, 0.5 oz dry vermouth, 1 oz fresh beetroot juice, 0.25 oz pickled beetroot brine, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes bitters.

Shake

Hard-shake the mixture for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold and slightly frosted. The beet juice benefits from vigorous shaking to integrate and chill fully.

Double-strain and serve

Double-strain the cocktail (through the shaker mouth and a fine mesh strainer) into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to remove any fine ice shards or pulp for a clean, silky presentation.

Thread a thin slice of pickled beetroot onto a cocktail pick and rest it across the rim of the glass, or float it on the surface. Add a small sprig of microgreens or dill beside the beet slice for aroma and visual contrast. Serve immediately.