Selects: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gin

Gin is a unique spirit known for its distinctive flavor, largely derived from its botanical components, particularly juniper berries. Understanding how gin is produced and distilled is key to appreciating its characteristics and diversity.

Gin Is Distilled Neutral Spirit With Botanicals, Usually Juniper Berries

The base spirit for gin, which can be made from wheat, rye, corn, barley, whey, or milk, must be distilled to at least 80 proof to qualify as gin. Chuck Bryant adds that gin can be made from various base substances, including potatoes and apples, and one Irish company even makes gin from sweet whey, a byproduct of cheesemaking.

Artisan gin makers are constantly experimenting with flavors, creating gins that sometimes deviate from the traditional piney, citrusy, and peppery taste of juniper. Although variations exist, juniper remains the traditional core botanical that gives gin its signature flavor.

Distillation Involves Steeping or Vapor Infusing Botanicals

During the distillation process, botanicals are either steeped directly in the base spirit or vapor-infused. Steeping allows the essential oils from the botanicals to release and infuse the spirit as it is heated and simmers. Alternatively, as used by Bombay Sapphire, vapor infusion involves placing botanicals in a basket above the boiling spirit, allowing the vapor to rise and infuse the spirit with aromatics through steam.

Redistilling Botanicals With Neutral Spirit Creates Flavorful Gin

Gin derives its flavors from the redistillation of botanicals with the neutral spirit, with the juniper berry typically leading the profile with its evergreen notes. This process of redistillation enriches the spirit, transforming it into the flavorful gin enjoyed around the world.

Methods and Equipment Used to Distill Gin

The equipment and methodology chosen for distillation has a significant impact on gin’s final taste and alcohol strength.

Copper Pot Stills Distill one Batch At a Time

Copper pot stills are traditional and work on a batch-by-batch basis. While this method is less efficient than modern stills, it allows for greater control and a slower distillation, which can result in a spirit with more character and lower alcohol by volume (ABV).

Continuous Still ...

Gin, a spirit with a rich history and a wide array of styles, can be categorized broadly into several types, each with its own distinct characteristics and history.

London Dry Gin: Classic, Juniper-Forward Style

Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant discuss London Dry Gin, highlighting its juniper-forward flavor profile, which is central to the classic style of this gin.

London Dry Gins: Distilled For Crisp Taste

London Dry Gin emerged as a response to Victorian-era health trends, where there was a shift away from sweetened spirits. This shift led to the development of a drier, crisper gin that lacked the added sugars that were once common. London Dry Gin, as clarified by Josh Clark, is a subcategory of distilled gin. Chuck Bryant mentions that this was a period when renowned high-quality gin brands like Booths, Boodles, and Beefeater began production in England.

Examples of London Dry Gin Brands

Bryant identifies beloved London Dry gins such as Beef Eater, Gordon's, and Tanqueray, which are notable for their lack of sweetness—hence the term 'dry.' These gins are known for their crisp taste and are the preference of many, including Bryant, who expresses his fondness for high-quality London Dry Gins.

Old Tom Gin: A Sweeter, Malty Style Predating London Dry

Old Tom Gin represents an earlier style of gin with a sweeter, more malty profile—largely due to the poor quality of the base spirit that was masked by the added sugar and botanicals.

Old Tom Gins Mask Harsh Flavors of Poor Distillation

Bryant delves into the history and flavor of Old Tom gin, which comes from a time when gin's harsher flavors were tempered with sweetness. He alludes to the historical popularity and accessibility of Old Tom gin in London, pointing to a unique coin-operated dispensing system that was used to distribute it.

Brands Reviving Old Tom Style

Modern interest has seen a resurgence in Old Tom style gins. Ransom's Old Tom Gin is an example of the brands ...

The history of gin dates back centuries to its medicinal origins in The Netherlands and its transformative journey through British society, reflecting historical patterns of colonialism and changing consumer trends.

Gin Originated In 13th-14th-Century Netherlands As Medicinal "Genever" Spirit

Gin began as a juniper-based medicinal spirit called genever in the Netherlands in the 13th and 14th centuries. Apothecaries created this juniper-flavored liquor with curative intentions, but it quickly became popular for its intoxicating effects. Genever was a malted wine enhanced with sugar and juniper, which is directly considered the predecessor of today’s gin.

Genever: An Early, Juniper-Flavored Liquor For Health Benefits

Jenever, with its malt wine base and added botanicals, shared the malty quality of whiskey but included juniper's distinctive gin notes. However, its original purpose to cure ailments gradually shifted toward recreational consumption for intoxication. Its use in medical treatments dates back to a recipe from Pliny the Elder in the 70s CE, involving juniper berries.

Genever Introduced To England, Evolved Into Gin

English soldiers fighting in the Netherlands during the 16th century under Queen Elizabeth I brought genever back to the UK, ultimately influencing British tastes and evolving into what we now know as gin. The term "jenever" got shortened to "gin," laying the foundation for further developments in the spirit.

Gin's 18th Century Popularity in England Led To "Gin Craze" and Social Problems

Gin’s increasing popularity in England, especially in the 18th century, reached a level known as the gin craze, characterized by widespread drunkenness and social upheaval due to the consumption of low-quality gin.

Poorly-Made Gins Led To Drunkenness and Upheaval In London

Bathtub gin made with dangerous additives like turpentine and sulfuric acid escalated the problem, causing extreme behaviors and general public disorder. Such poorly-made gin was infamous for its detrimental effects on society.

Parliament Passed "Gin Acts" to Regulate Trade

To combat the gin craze and its associated social issues, the British Parliament enacted a series of "Gin Acts" over 22 years. These regulations aimed at controlling gin pr ...