Gin smells like my Aunt Frances. (I mean that in the nicest of ways Aunt Frances.) Gin smells like Country Club members. Like people over 70. Like the water that sits in the bottom of a live Christmas tree stand. It smells like pine and spices and juniper. It smells like a walk through a forest in the Pacific Northwest. It smells like W.C. Fields looks.
So what is Gin and who the hell came up with it? The short answer – Gin is vodka, but with a whole lot of flavoring agents. They were put in there in an effort to make the vodka taste better. And guess what- it worked!! But theres actually a lot more to it than that. Gin has different distilling styles and methods which create the different types we enjoy today.
First lets break down the history of Gin. Where’d it come from? (Italy?) Who decided what should be in it. (Monks?) How did they know when to stop adding things? (They didn’t!)
Gin? Whose Big Idea Was This Anyway?
The name Gin is derived from the latin word juniperus or more commonly, juniper. The main ingredient in Gin.
Like most alcohols Gin was originally produced as a medicine. It was used to treat everything like gout, coughs, cramps, fevers etc.
Looking back on history it seems that Gin may have originally came from Italy. Italian Monks and Doctors used Juniper in a variety of ways to help protect themselves from the ravages of the plague. They often filled the beaks of their masks with junipers to help mask the smell of death. They also felt it had healing effects.
But the most common answer is that Gin came from Holland. It was a popular drink with the soldiers especially. It’s been said that during the Thirty Years war the soldiers would drink it to warm themselves up. It also provided them with the popular feeling of ‘Dutch Courage’. You know, it’s that confidence you get from drinking alcohol that makes you feel like, yes, you can kick that guys ass at the end of the bar. Word of advice – you probably shouldn’t do that.
In the 1700’s Dutch and Flemish distillers started making a malted barley spirit with juniper, coriander, caraway and anise, again under the guise of medicine. But it surely made people feel better – perhaps too much better!
Gin also gained in popularity in England around this time. More people were making and drinking it, as it was a cheaper alternative to brandy and other liquors which were taxed heavily by the government.
Gin was being made in homes and shops throughout the country and eventually the government stepped in and clamped down with The Gin Acts of 1736 and 1751. People were quite upset! Riots broke out in the streets! From this era Gin got a bad reputation and ‘Gin Joints’ and ‘Gin Soaked’ became derisive phrases. Sorry, Gin.
The U.S. and the E.U. have standards as to how Gin is produced. We’ll just focus on the different Styles of Gin and leave all the science to the bureaucrats. But if you want to learn more technical stuff be prepared for words like ethanol, methanol, sabinene, limonene and refluxing!
Styles of Gin
Genever – This is perhaps the oldest style of gin. It has at least 15% malt which gives it a fuller and rounder taste and feel. It has a subdued juniper taste with hints of citrus and honeysuckle.
Old Tom Gin – Similar to Genever in its maltiness but to a lesser extent. There are not a lot of options to choose from right now but it is making a comeback of sorts in the craft cocktail world. This was the gin used in the original Tom Collins and many people think it is the only gin that should be used for the drink. The Martinez is another classic that uses Old Tom Gin.
London Dry Gin – This is the most popular style of gin. Brands like Beefeater, Bombay and Tanqueray immediately come to mind. This is a light and dry style of gin. The juniper is very forward balanced with citrus notes as well.
Plymouth – Plymouth gin is made in Plymouth , England. Thats it. Nowhere else. You won’t get a Plymouth gin made in Kansas. It just can’t happen. Its similar to London Dry but a bit sweeter and with some earthier tones.
Navy Strength – Similar to London Dry but with a much higher alcohol content – up to 57%! Ahoy Matey! These gins are bright and very complex. They work well in Negronis and really bring out the bright and complex flavors.
Flavored Gin – The most popular is Sloe gin. Its like a juniper based berry bomb exploded in your mouth! There are many others on the market but be cautious here, as with most flavored liquors, there are more than a few duds on the market made with cheap chemical flavors.
There are other styles of gins. The previous list are just some of the most popular styles. There are a lot of new gin styles that have come out in the last few years. Hendricks with it’s cucumber forward profile is perhaps the most popular of these new style gins. But there is an exciting amount of new gins to taste and discover.
So years ago I was bartending and one of my guests was drinking gin martinis. I mentioned to my fellow bartender how red my customers face was.
“Thats the Gin Blossoms” he said.
“What? That guy is way too old to be in the Gin Blossoms!” I said. “What are you even talking about?”
“No. His face. Those red blotches are called gin blossoms. You get those from drinking too much gin.” He informed me.
And so it was that I learned about Gin Blossoms. I thought the band was just named for some desert flower or it just sounded nice. Well, no. The band was named for the ugly red splotches you get on your face if you drink too much gin. Although to be fair it does sound kind of nice if you don’t know the actual meaning. And the band had some lovely, catchy, jangle pop tunes in their repertoire.
And the big question – Does gin make you sin?
I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’m doing some involved and in depth research!
Do you have a favorite gin? Has it made you sin? Let us know in the comments below!
