Cocktail College The (Re)Gibson
Oct 30, 2025
Sother Teague, a renowned bartender and cocktail writer with a passion for the Gibson, dives deep into his favorite pickled-onion Martini. He explores the cocktail's unique identity and history, discussing its origin stories and the importance of garnish. Sother shares insights on pickling techniques and the balance of flavors, debunks misconceptions about cocktail onions, and even reveals his personal ritual of Gibson Sundays, which fosters community. Plus, he gives tips for home bartenders and advocates for greater industry unionization.
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Garnish Defines The Gibson
- The Gibson is essentially a dry martini that swaps bitters for a pickled onion, making the garnish define the drink.
- That makes the Gibson possibly unique as a cocktail named and transformed by its garnish rather than a core ingredient change.
Why Gibson Feels Different From A Dirty Martini
- The Gibson avoids the scrutiny of the dirty martini because it rarely relies on added brine and instead uses garnish-driven flavor.
- The pickled onion acts as a palate cleanser and intermezzo rather than heavy adulteration of the cocktail.
Gib Sunday Became A Ritual
- Sother started a tradition of drinking Gibsons on Sundays and tagging it 'Gib Sunday' on social media.
- The ritual spread as other bars and bartenders joined, turning a personal habit into a coast-to-coast phenomenon.
