Gin is a strong alcoholic drink that is drunk undiluted or added to cocktails, served as an aperitif or digestive. Small portions stimulate appetite and improve digestion, but drinking gin too often can negatively impact your health.
Jin: history and features
Juniper gin is a strong alcoholic drink with pine needles smell and a recognizable spicy taste. The composition includes violet root, coriander, lemon peel, almonds, anise, and other components with a rich aroma. After tasting, the characteristic taste of juniper remains in the mouth. Initially, the strength of the drink exceeded 40 degrees, but later the manufacturers made sure that no one was drinking the drink in its pure form, and began to gradually reduce the percentage of alcohol content. However, this significantly worsened the taste, sales decreased.
In the 1960s, a tough standard was set. From now on, the strength of any brand of gin was 37.5%, which made it possible to preserve the original taste and use the product for mixing cocktails.
The homeland of gin is Great Britain, initially it was drunk exclusively by sailors. Later, a strong, aromatic and cheap drink fell in love with other classes. Jin was prized for its quick effect and was even credited with medicinal properties. Doctors prescribed regular small portions of the strong drink to prevent malaria, intestinal disorders, and even plague. It was believed that gin cures hypochondria and colds well, relieves insomnia, and stimulates the immune system. In foggy England, these properties were especially appreciated.
As a remedy, the drink was taken in glasses, but few people liked pure undiluted gin: thanks to natural aromatic additives, it had a too harsh taste and coniferous aroma. Gin began to be mixed with hot water and other alcoholic beverages: this is how the first cocktails were created.
Gin production and varieties
Modern gin varies in composition, depending on the manufacturer, its formula can contain up to 120 ingredients. However, 2 components remain unchanged: wheat or barley alcohol and juniper berries.
A true classic is London dry gin made from wheat spirit. This raw material is used by all manufacturers in the UK. In the Netherlands and Belgium, barley alcohol is more popular.
The production method is also different. In Dutch gin, juniper, anise, violet root and other aromatic ingredients are added directly to the barley wort, mixed, fermented and double distilled. The drink, purified from impurities, is diluted to the desired strength, after which it is aged in barrels. In the process, the drink acquires a beautiful amber color, the intensity depends on the aging period. In the UK, flavors are added to the already refined wheat alcohol and the product is re-distilled, refined and diluted.
Modern gin varies in composition, depending on the manufacturer, its formula can contain up to 120 ingredients. However, 2 components remain unchanged: wheat or barley alcohol and juniper berries.
The main brands of the drink:
- "Beefeater". English dry gin contains selected wheat alcohol, juniper berries, coriander, bitter almonds, citrus zest. This gin should be drunk uncrushed, as an aperitif or as a digestif.
- Gordons. It contains double distilled wheat alcohol, juniper, angelica, cinnamon, lemon peel. The drink has a more soft, spicy, slightly sweet taste
- Bombay Sapphire. English blue gin, a favorite drink of bartenders, is indispensable for classic cocktails. It contains wheat alcohol, juniper, licorice, dandelion juice and cassia flowers.
How and with what to drink gin: advice from professional bartenders
Gin can be consumed neat or diluted. The undiluted drink is best served cold as an aperitif. It is poured into small glasses or old fashion glasses, in the latter case you can add ice cubes. Strong aromatic gin stimulates appetite well, warms and invigorates. It is better to drink it in the cold season, accompanied by an appropriate snack: smoked meats, cold roast beef, pickled vegetables, olives. Gin can also be served with hot dishes, especially with game or fried lamb with juniper berries.
Those who prefer long drinks will love the classic gin and tonic pairing. The bitter, refreshing non-alcoholic beverage pairs well with spicy alcohol. The mixture is served cold, crushed ice can be added. Pour gin and tonic into pre-chilled wide glasses with a thick bottom. Instead of a tonic, cola, soda, and any soda water are often used. Stuffed olives, crackers, spicy cheese, jerky meat are served as a light snack.
Cocktail recipes
Gin is one of the most popular cocktail ingredients. It gives the mixed drinks strength, original resinous notes, brightness and originality. These mixes are often ordered in bars, but a delicious cocktail is easy to mix at home. It's worth starting with the simplest options, gradually introducing new interesting components and trying new combinations. Bartenders say that gin is especially well combined with acidic ingredients: lemon, cranberry, lingonberry, lime juice.
Martini
The recipe for a classic cocktail is very simple: it contains blue English gin and dry white vermouth, and the components are mixed in equal proportions. The mixture is served in a special martini glass on a high stem, with an olive added to the cocktail. There is another option that is often ordered at the bar. It is called "Dirty Martini": a little high-quality olive oil is poured into a glass with a ready-made cocktail.
Bartenders can also offer a special Martini for women with a more interesting and unusual taste. A third of dry white vermouth is poured into a shaker and mixed with the same amount of gin and freshly squeezed lemon juice. After shaking, the cocktail is poured into a martini glass and garnished with a curl of lemon peel.
Jin & Cranberry
The elegant reddish-pink drink has a refreshing taste and is liked by both men and women. Fill a chilled highball glass halfway with ice cubes, pour a mixture of 50 ml of gin and 150 ml of cranberry juice (preferably homemade) on top. Decorate the cocktail with a thin slice of lemon or lime and add a straw.
Bronx
Another popular cocktail in a cheerful orange color. Pour 20 ml of gin and the same amount of freshly squeezed orange juice into a shaker, add 10 ml each of red and dry white vermouth. Mix everything thoroughly. If you don't have a shaker, you can use any capacious container with a lid. Pour the cocktail into a chilled glass, serve ice separately.
The Bronx is usually poured into martini glasses or wide glasses with a long thin stem. The drink can be liquid and translucent and thick, unclear. In the first case, strained orange juice is used, in the second, it is added along with the pulp.
"Lady Chatterley
A festive cocktail especially for women. It is served in tall narrow champagne glasses, a drink of a noble dark pomegranate shade will decorate any table. Serve fruit and biscuits separately.
In a shaker mix 30 ml of gin, 10 ml each of dry white vermouth, Curacao liqueur and freshly squeezed orange juice, add a little crushed ice. Mix all the ingredients well, pour into chilled glasses. Foam may form around the edges and do not need to be removed. Each serving is garnished with a curl of orange peel.
Gin is a tricky drink that requires thoughtful tasting and proper serving. It is consumed in small portions and must be accompanied by an appropriate snack that sets off and complements the spicy taste and bright aroma.
