First published Aug 2014. Updated July 2017.
Pimm’s – the quintessential British summer drink, as synonymous with long summer evenings here as Wimbledon and strawberries and cream. To me, a glass of Pimm’s is a thing of beauty,
liquid amber adorned with the colours of summer; all at once mysterious and seductive, yet a touch playful.
What is Pimm’s Made Out Of?
Created in 1823 by James Pimm, the original, Pimm’s No. 1, is a gin based liqueur made from a secret blend of fruit, herbs, spices and spirits. James Pimm first gave out these little fruit cups as an aid to digestion to his oyster bar customers in London. It proved so popular that over the years the following Pimm’s were also produced:
No. 2 – Scotch whisky based
No. 3 – brandy based
No. 4 – with rum
No. 5 – rye whisky
No. 6 – with vodka
All of them have been discontinued apart from No. 3 & 6, the former making seasonal cold weather appearance.
How to Make the Perfect Pimm’s?
The secret to a good Pimm’s is to get the balance right: 1 part Pimm’s to 3 parts lemonade (this is what we call 7UP & Sprite in the UK) or for an interesting twist, ginger beer.
The basic Pimm’s No. 1 is made with a touch of mint, some strawberries, and a small amount of cucumber. Yes, cucumber! If you’ve never added cucumber to your Pimm’s, you don’t know what you’re missing, it adds a fresh aroma almost reminiscent of freshly cut grass. Then we add lots of ice, which is why we start off with a good amount of Pimm’s to lemonade!
Being a fruit drink, Pimm’s does have a natural affinity to fruit, so lemons, oranges, blueberries, apples, peaches and really, just about any fruit will only add to the complexity of the taste.
BUT a word of advice, go easy. Less is more. Remember, you want to enhance the original flavour, not obscure it with too many fruits. For that reason, I prefer to stick with just 2-3 different types of fruit; although the mint, the cucumber and the strawberries are a must for me.
Here’s the recipe, and as mentioned, feel free to experiment with the fruit but please, don’t skip the mint or the cucumber. I put it all together, minus the ice, an hour earlier, to let the flavours develop, then just before serving, in goes the ice.
Lin xx
And if you fancy anymore drink recipes, just head on over to the Drinks page for goodies like:
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- Singapore Sling
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- Tomatillo and Jalapeño Margarita with Salt & Pepper Rim
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- Strawberry Margarita
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- How to Make Rhubarb Gin
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- Homemade Limoncello
♥ Do you like this recipe? Please give it a 5-star rating below! And when you make it, share it on any social medium and tag me @azlinbloor. Thank you! ♥
Pimm’s No 1 Recipe – the quintessential English summer drink, as synonymous with long summer evenings here as Wimbledon and strawberries and cream. Nutritional information is based on 1 serving made with 30ml (about 1 fluid oz) and 125ml (1/2 cup) 7Up. Fruit hasn't been taken into account.
Pimm’s No 1 Recipe, a favourite English Summertime Drink
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition information
I never tried Pimm but it looks so refreshing and thanks for sharing the recipe as I can try it.
I’ve never had Pimm’s before but I would love to try! I love fruity drinks and this sounds like a perfect, refreshing, summer drink!
All the fruit use freshen up the drink. I never tried Pimm because I really like drink contain fresh fruit with additional mint.
Sounds like it would be a pretty strong drink. I love the fruit in the drink. Gives it a bit of a fun look.
I’ve never had Pimms before but a couple of times, I’ve had drinks with mint, cucumber, ginger and even citrus fruits. I definitely loved that sour taste so I’m certain this drink from your recipe is as fantastic!
I loved the presentation and have honestly never tried Pimm. But after checking this post would love to try it and surprice my family.
Wow, this drink looks so refreshing. I can do with either of these right away. Lovely combinations I must say.
For some reason I’m just not a huge fan of pimms and I’m not quite sure why I don’t like it. Although I seem to be in the minority as my parents love it x
I liked the drink. I can say, this drink is really good. Sounds like Ice tea but fancy. I suggest you should use these and serve this in every event. You should copyright these, but my question is can you copyright a drink? You can earn more loyalty if there is an option for this.
This is so funny, coming after my discovery of your Eurasian recipes! My grandmother was English. And she used to talk to us about Pimm’s and Wimbledon! I remember her making this to serve at Christmas in Malacca when we were kids! I must see if I can find a bottle here in the US. Thanks again!
That is so awesome! Good luck!