DEFINITION

Gin is a flavored alcoholic beverage produced by redistilling high proof spirits with juniper berries and other botanicals.

Gin originated over three centuries ago in Holland when Franciscus ‘de la Boe’ Sylvius, professor of medicine in Holland’s University of Leiden mixed juniper berries and alcohol to cure kidney
The word “Gin” is an abbreviation either derived from the French word ‘genievre’ or the Dutch word ‘junever’ both meaning juniper
British soldiers took the drink before going into battle in the Netherlands which gave them ‘Dutch Courage’.
They developed liking for the taste and took the art of making this spirit to
By 18th Century Gin became a cheap remedy for London’s poor and there was no control over the production of Gin and was produced all over
The famous phrase came about because of the cheapness of “Drunk for a penny and dead drunk for two pence, clean straw or nothing”.
Some employers even gave Gin to their employees as part payment of

STYLES OF GIN

Dutch Gin / Holland Gin / Schiedam Gin / Genevar Gin / Geneva Gin

London Dry Gin / Dry Gin / English Gin

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF DUTCH GIN

Equal quantities of malt, corn & rye are mashed and fermented

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Distilled in Pot Still (2 or 3 times)

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Redistilled with addition of Juniper berries and other aromatics

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Stored in glass lined containers and then bottled

CHARACTERISTICS OF DUTCH GIN

Full-bodied with clear and pronounced malty aroma and flavor

Not ideal for mixed drinks/cocktails as its own taste is predominant

Maturation is not required

Color is adjusted with caramel

It is best enjoyed straight and chilled

Bottled in stone crocks – excellent bar display

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF LONDON DRY GIN

75% Corn + 15% malt + 10% others mashed and fermented

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Distilled in Patent still (90% to 95% al v/v)

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Dilution with distilled water (60% al v/v))

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Distilled in Pot Still with juniper berries and other botanicals (85% to 90% al v/v)

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Dilution to marketing strength and bottled

CHARACTERISTICS OF LONDON DRY GIN

Originally made in and around London (most English gins are still made there). Now it’s a generic
Dry means nothing as all gins are

It is colorless and light

It is used mainly in the preparation of mixed drinks/cocktails.

TYPES OF GIN

London Dry

London Dry, originating in…England…but produced all over the world, is what most people think of when they think of gin—and it’s what you typically get in a G&T or martini. Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire. “You’re definitely gonna get juniper,” said O’Neill, “because juniper is the most dominant flavor within the gin and hence the reason it’s called gin (juniper is genévrier in French).” Juniper, as in the Christmas-tree flavored berry often found in certain Bath and Body Works products, mellows out when distilled.

Plymouth

Plymouth gin is technically a style of gin, but only one distillery produces it and it’s one of the oldest recorded distilleries in the U.K. It’s been through a lot–different owners, a little thing called World War II, the general progression of time and vodka.

Old Tom

Old Tom is the corduroy-clad hipster of gins. After a quick discussion of the death rate versus birth rate in the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries, professor O’Neill basically said that back then, gin got a bad rap because so many people were making their own. And it was terrible. “They would have used things like licorice or a sweetening agent to actually sweeten the gin. So it became known as bathtub gin, that style. Old Tom was originally a sweetened style of gin that was produced and it came around the middle of the 18th century, and Old Tom was the street name for the gin.”

Genever

This is the original style of gin, dating back to 16th-century Holland. The base grains are malted (so the grain starts to germinate aka liiiiive and then that process is halted), similar to whiskey, giving it a more robust flavor. It’s also flavored with juniper and botanicals, but less so than the other gin types.

BRANDS

Gordon’s
Bombay Sapphire
Tanqueray
Beefeater
Seagram’s
Larios
Hendrick’s
Gin Mare

Service of gin

Gin & Tonic

The legendary combination of gin and tonic water has been delighting drinkers since the 1700s, when it was invented by British colonialists in India. Malaria posed a major health threat in this region, so doctors often prescribed quinine – a liquid that acts as an antimalarial. But quinine had a bitter, unpleasant taste, so people took to mixing it with gin, sugar, lime, and water to improve its flavour. And thus tonic water (made of water, quinine, and sugar) was born, paired with delicious gin.

Gin & Cucumber

Gin and cucumber is one of the all-time classic drinks combinations. But why does it work so well? The matching of a botanical spirit to a watery vegetable might seem counter-intuitive, but it makes for a delicious combination.

A Fruit Cup

A fruit cup is an absolute British classic; typically a gin-based fruit concoction which is intended to be made into a long drink by the addition of a mixer like lemonade or ginger ale

Gin Martini

As we recently discussed in our James Bond drinks post, a martini made of gin, vermouth, and an olive or lemon garnish is a truly classic cocktail. There are variations on the form – a traditional dry martini is made with dry white vermouth for less sweetness, while for those who prefer a hint more sweetness, a perfect martini uses equal amounts of sweet and dry vermouth.

Drinking Gin Straight

Of course, you can always drink your gin straight. Some people will even tell you that it’s the best way to enjoy gin. Just pour the gin over a few ice cubes and drop in a lime wedge if you fancy. Naturally, to enjoy a spirit neat it must be of good quality – there’s nothing worse than nasty, bitter, cheap gin.

BRAND NAMES

Dutch Gin – Bols, Kokma, De Kuyper, Hasekamp, Jonga Graan Jenver

London Dry Gins – Booth’s, Gordon’s, House of Lords, Calvert, Tanqueray, Gilbey’s, Beefeaters, White Satin

ABOUT GIN