Gin is my favorite spirit. I love the variety it offers. Here are 10 things that you might not know about gin, and they’re all true
1. Gin is not meant to be drunk in its natural form
You can have mescal and tequila as shots. Vodka is chilled in its country of origin with food. Whiskey, rye, Bourbon and Rye drinkers might add some water or ice. Gin is best when mixed with the botanicals (herbs or spices, etc.). cocktails, and bring out the complexity of the drink. Gin is the key ingredient in many classic cocktails.
2. Gin is used in more classic cocktails that any other spirit than it is with.
Negroni, Martini Ramos Gin Fizz. Martinez Gin Rickey. Red Snapper. Tom Collins. White Lady. Hanky panky. Clover Club. Alexander. French 75. Vesper. Singapore Sling. Silver Bronx. Pegu Club. Bee’s Knees. Southside. That’s just the beginning.
3. Holland invented gin.
Gin is England’s national spirit. A refreshing gin and tonic is the perfect way to celebrate this. The UK is home to many of the most popular gins around the globe. The English discovered Gin while fighting the Thirty Years War in Holland 17th century. Dutch soldiers were drinking Jenever to boost their morale before they went into battle. “Dutch Courage” was the name given to the English who brought back the idea that gin could be made and drank. It would be another 150 years until they had their own version.
4. London dry Gin is not always available in London
Gin doesn’t have the same restrictions geographically as spirits such as scotch, cognac, or tequila. Only a handful of London dry Gins are actually produced in the city. There are 13 gins that are “geographically indicated.” Plymouth Gin is the most popular of these. It has been produced in Plymouth, England, ever since 1793.
5. The juniper berry does not belong to a berry
Actually, the juniper berry does not actually belong to a berry. It is actually a female cone of pine, which is a highly evolved pinecone that has fleshy and merged skins that gives it the appearance a berry.
6. A martini means gin
A martini contains gin and dry vermouth. The golden age of martinis was underway, but most cocktail-loving people had not tried vodka. Smirnoff launched a clever campaign called “Vodka Leaves You Breathingless” during the age of three-martini lunch. It combined the coolness of James Bond with vodka to make it the most popular drink in the world.
Why not try Filey Gin Distillery for your next bottle?
7. For medicinal purposes, you can use Gin
The first mention of juniper based health-related tonics in Dutch publications was 1269. Since then, gin has been used “for medical purposes.” In 1269, the Royal Navy combined gin with lime cordial in an attempt to stop scurvy. Andangostura, which was used to settle stomachs at sea, is the first major mention of juniper-based health-related tonics. Tonic water containing quinine was antimalarial. It gave them an excuse to drink more tonic water and tonics.
8. Gin is flavoured vodka
Distilling botanicals with neutral grain alcohol is the most common method of making gin. Gin is made by flavouring vodka with botanicals. A skilled gin artisan knows how to balance botanical flavors to produce a quality product.
9. You are not the gin diehards you think
You thought the British drank the highest amount of gin? But think again. According to reports, the Philippines consumes around 43 percent of global gin sales. San Miguel is the biggest gin brand from the Philippines, which we have never even heard of.
10. It’s like saying you don’t love gin.
All Gin uses juniper primarily. However, after that, there are no limits on the number of ingredients a distillery may use. Some gins contain only three or four botanical flavors, while the Scottish Gin Botanist contains 31! Gin flavours range from cucumber and rose, (Hendricks), to lavender (Aviation), to lemongrass and pepper (Bombay Sapphire East). Gins are not the same. This makes them exciting for budding bartenders.