One sip and you'll understand why the Clover Club Cocktail is a classic. A sweet, tart and creamy concoction of gin, lemon juice and raspberry syrup crowned with a foamy egg white, this gorgeous sipper is easy, pretty and delicious!
I love beautiful drinks, I also love cocktails with a short ingredient list like this Gin and Ginger Ale or a classic Vodka Martini. The Clover Club Cocktail checks both boxes and then some!
A classic sour, this delightful sipper is perfectly balanced. Not too boozy but with enough oomph so you know you're having a real drink!
Hard to believe that this "girly looking drink" was once the preferred cocktail for an all-male group of lawyers and writers, isn't it? Known as the Clover Club, this group of luminaries regularly met at Philadelphia's Bellevue Stratford Hotel. The group included writers (such as William Butler Yeats) as well as captains of industry.
Clover Club Cocktail Ingredients
- Raspberry syrup - you can use store-bought but I think my homemade version tastes infinitely better.
- Gin - so many gins work in this cocktail that it's hard to go wrong. Hendricks is a lovely gin to use for this cocktail but a classic London dry also works.
- Egg white: If you are concerned about food safety, you can use pasteurized eggs. You will have to shake them a bit longer to get the froth, but they work really well!
- Lemon juice - as always, use fresh!
- dry vermouth - not all recipes call for vermouth, but I love the extra dimension the botanicals in vermouth give the drink.
How to make the Clover Club Cocktail
- Make the raspberry syrup- this syrup is made a little differently since it isn't cooked. The berries are simply mixed with sugar and allowed to sit to extract all the juice.
- Strain - press the mixture to get as much syrup as possible!
- Mix the cocktail ingredients - mix the cocktail ingredients in a shaker and shake without ice. Add the ice and shake again to chill.
- Serve - pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a raspberry.
Step #1 - combine the sugar and raspberries and sugar and mix. Step #2 - add the water. Step #3 - strain the mixture. 
Step #4: dry shake the cocktail 
Step #5 - pour into a coupe and serve.
Can you make the Clover Club without the egg?
You could certainly make this cocktail without the egg white, but it does lend a lovely mouthfeel. If you've never had a cocktail with an egg white, this is definitely the one to try.
When to Serve the Clover Club?
Perfect for so many occasions!!! Delicious as a pre or post-dinner drink, this classic cocktail is surprisingly food-friendly. It also makes a gorgeous alternative to a mimosa for brunch!
If you enjoyed the Clover Club, you will love these classic Cocktail Recipes!
- Rum Moscow Mule - a spiced-up version of the classic Moscow Mule!
- Cosmopolitan Cocktail - made with Grapefruit vodka!
- Gin Gimlet - made with my favorite Botanist gin!
- Lemon Drop Martini - the classic vodka cocktail with a bourbon twist!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would LOVE for you to give it a 5-star rating! Cheers! Nancy
📖Recipe
Clover Club Cocktail
Ingredients
Raspberry Syrup
- 1 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
For the Clover Club Cocktail
- 1 ¾ oz. gin Hendricks or Ford's
- ½ oz. lemon juice fresh
- ½ oz. dry vermouth I like Dolin's
- ¾ oz. raspberry syrup
- ¼ oz. egg white
- 1 raspberry optional
Instructions
- Combine the raspberries and sugar in a bowl and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Allow the raspberries and sugar to sit for about 20 minutes, stirring every so often.
- Add the water to the raspberry mixture and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Strain through a mesh strainer, pressing on the raspberries to extract as much syrup as possible.
- Transfer to a clean glass jar and refrigerate. The syrup should last about 10 days to 2 weeks. For longer storage, add a tablespoon or two of vodka to the mixture and store in the refrigerator.
For the Clover Club Cocktail
- Combine the gin, vermouth, lemon juice, egg white and raspberry syrup in a cocktail shaker and shake for about 10 seconds.
- Add ice and shake again for 10 - 15 seconds until the tin is cold.
- Strain into a coupe and garnish with a fresh raspberry if desired.
Recipe Notes
- I like a less juniper-forward gin in this cocktail. Hendrick's and Ford's both work nicely in this drink!
- There are a lot of recipes for the clover club - some use simple syrup and fresh raspberries, commercial raspberry syrup or raspberry preserves. All of these alternatives to the raspberry syrup work and do make an acceptable cocktail. BUT, I strongly recommend you make the syrup - it makes a huge difference in the flavor of the cocktail.
- As for the egg white, if you are concerned about Salmonella, you could use pasteurized eggs.
- You could also make this cocktail without the egg but the texture will be different.
Valentina says
Nancy, this is such a GORGEOUS cocktail! So interesting learning the history of names -- and for such a delicate, somewhat feminine looking, pretty drink, ironic that it was name after an all male salon. 🙂 Those raspberries looks so delicious and this is so timely for Valentine's Day. xo
Nancy says
Hi Valentina! Awww... thank you!! I thought the same thing - I kept seeing these "manly men" sitting around drinking these frothy pink cocktails..LOL!!! I have to say, even if you don't make the cocktail, the syrup is definitely worth making - it's absolutely delicious with sparkling water. The cold maceration is brilliant!!!
Cathy says
Who wouldn't love this absolutely stunning drink! I haven't ventured out into cocktails with egg whites yet, but this drink is calling my name. I can't wait to try it!
Nancy says
It's a classic for a reason - absolutely delicious! The egg white really adds a lovely texture to the drink! If you are concerned with Salmonella, Safest Choice eggs work really well!!