GIN

Gin is a white spirit flavored with juniper berries and botanicals( an assortment of herbs and spices ).  Its name is shortened version of “Genever” the Dutch word of Juniper.

Juniper Berries

Gin is made primarily from a mixture of malted barley, wheat, corn, and rye. It is an un-aged spirit. 

The botanicals which are used to flavor gin are anise, coriander, cassia bark, cinnamon stick, orange peel, etc.

The main gin producing countries are England, Holland, Canada, and the USA.

HISTORY

·    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 complaints.

·    The word “Gin” is an abbreviation either derived from the French word ‘genievre’ or the Dutch word ‘junever’ both meaning juniper berry.

·    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 England.

·    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 London.

·    The famous phrase came about because of the cheapness of Gin. “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 wages.

TYPES OF GIN

There are 2 main types of gin, based on the methods of making:

DUTCH GIN or HOLLAND GIN  It is distilled twice in pot stills with juniper berries and other aromatics included in the second distillation

LONDON DRY GIN  It is distilled first in the patent still, and then in pot still along with juniper berries and other aromatics

PRODUCTION OF GIN

• Dutch Gin or Holland Gin

Dutch gin, also known as Hollands, is produced by fermenting the mash of rye, malted barley, and corn, distilling in pot stills and redistilling at low proof with the addition of juniper berries and coriander seeds. This produces a full-bodied gin with a distinct flavor of malt and juniper. ( See diagram above). This drink is not suitable for cocktail production as its flavor dominates the other ingredients. It is best enjoyed straight and chilled.

• London Dry Gin

London dry gin is made from grain spirit which is distilled from a grain mixture of barley, corn, and rye in patent stills to obtain neutral spirit at 180-188 degree proof. It is then reduced to 120 proof with the addition of distilled water and then redistilled in pot stills with juniper berries and coriander seeds either placed in the spirit or suspended above them so that the rising vapors pass through them absorbing the flavor and then condensed. 

Each manufacturer has his/her secret recipe for flavoring Gin but all of them have one basic ingredient-Juniper berries. Other aromatics include cassia bark, angelica root, calamus root, orris root, liquorice, cardamoms, fennel, almonds, lemon, and orange peel. These aromatics are termed as botanicals.

Gin is colorless and an example of a white spirit. It is not aged in wooden cask as this will get the color from the wood. It is stored in a stainless steel or glass-lined container until it is bottled. However, golden gin is stored in a cask for a short time to get the golden color.

London gin is used mainly in the preparation of mixed drinks and is seldom taken straight.

TWO TYPES OF GIN DISTILLATIONS ARE: 

• Distilled Gin 
• Compound Gin

• Distilled Gin- 

The production of gin starts from a pure or neutral spirit distilled from any kind of grains like malted barley, corn, rye, or wheat. This is then rectified(redistilled) by the gin distiller in a patent still with various botanicals and juniper berries. The recipe is a guarded secret. The base spirit used in the UK is slightly lower in alcoholic strength than the base spirit used in the US. 

Alternative method- 

1. The botanicals are steeped in a portion of the neutral spirit and the mixture is distilled in a pot still which result in the production of a highly flavorful and concentrated spirit This is combined with the rest of the neutral spirit. 

2. A basket of botanicals is hung near the mouth of the still and the alcoholic vapors are passed through the basket of botanicals as well as the cracked juniper berries which helps the vapors to carry the flavors along with it and the flavors remain in the final product.

Compound Gin:

 Compound gin is produced by mixing high proof neutral spirit with extracts of juniper berries and other botanicals and flavoring. This Gin is of a lower quality than the distilled Gin and therefore very little gin is produced using this method. 

Aging:

 Gin can be consumed or consumable after the rectification is over. However, three months of wood aging may be allowed for the spirit and the botanicals to harmonies properly. 

U.S federal regulation does not allow any age mention on the bottle. Finally, it is tested for taste, clarity, and strength before it is bottled.

Styles of Gin:

• London Dry Gin: - Made in London, unsweetened, classic gin is now made elsewhere under license and marketed under brand names as Booths, Beefeaters.
• Plymouth Gin; - This pungent, aromatic gin is made by the Devonshire firm of Coater and Co, in Plymouth. Because of its naval connections, it is the standard gin used in making of a pink gin.
• Old Tom Gin: - Made in Scotland mainly for the export market, sweetened with the addition of sugar syrup.
• Dutch Gin: - Also known as Holland or Schiedam, it is often sold in stone jars. Some grain flavors are retained as the original spirit is not rectified. It is made from barley and rye and double distilled in a pot still. @ main types of Hollands are Oude Genver and Jonge Genver, meaning Old and Young gin. Bols and De Kuyper are the best-known producers. It is often sold in crocks.

• Steinhager: - A German gin made in Westphaila. It has a distinct personality and is usually drunk for Schnapps, neat with ice.

• Sloe Gin: - This is made by steeping sloe in basic gin and includes the addition of sugar syrup, bitters, and almonds.
• Fruit Gin: - These are usually artificially flavored with orange, lemon or other appropriate essence.
• Cold compounded gin: - Low-grade neutral spirit stirred with juniper-flavored essence. The gin essence is prepared in chemical laboratories. It is a simple and cheap method of making gin, avoiding the usage of still. Much of the gin available in the market is made in this manner.

BRAND NAMES 

• Beefeater London Dry Gin, England 
• Bombay Dry Gin, England 
• Bombay Sapphire, England 
• Broker’s London Dry Gin, England 
• Citadelle Gin, France 
• Damark Amsterdam Original Gin, Netherlands 
• Hendrick’s Gin, Scotland 
• Junipero Gin, USA 
• Leyden Dry Gin, USA 
• Martin Miller’s London Dry Gin, England 
• Martin Miller’s London Dry Gin Westbourne Strength, England 
• Mercury Gin, England 
• Plymouth Gin, England 
• Reval Dry Gin, Estonia 
• Tanqueray No.10 Gin, England (Considered to be the most perfect gin in the world) 
• Tanqueray Gin, England 
• Van Gogh Gin, Netherlands