History of Gin: From Craze to Cure to Classic Cocktails
If you've ever sipped on a Gin and Tonic, Martini, Gimlet, Negroni, French 75 or the classic Tom Collins, you can thank gin. The backbone of many famous cocktails would not be the same without this refreshing spirit. So, how did it come to be?
How It All Began
Gin is a liquor crafted from a grain mash of wheat, barley, rye or corn and flavored with fresh botanicals, most commonly, juniper berries or juniper extract. Dating back to the early 16th century and first produced in the Netherlands, gin is named after the Dutch word for juniper, jenever or genever in old English. Like many spirits of the time, gin was initially produced and distributed as medicine to treat stomachaches, gout, gallstones and dyspepsia.
The clear liquor uses fresh botanicals during distillation, setting it apart from its counterparts. During the process, botanicals are introduced in the still to create a more concentrated and well-rounded flavor.
The Gin Craze
Gin Lane, 1 February 1751, William Hogarth (1697 - 1764)
The liquor quickly made its way to England and gained popularity during the late 1600s during a time known as "The Gin Craze." In 1689, William III of England began a trade war against France, resulting in high taxes placed on French wine and Cognac. At the same time, tax breaks were placed on spirits produced in England, resulting in a phenomenon of gin costing less than a pint of beer.
As time went on, gin was blamed for various problems, including crime rates, prostitution, high death rates and low birthing rates. As bootleggers continued to thrive and sold gin crafted with poisonous ingredients such as turpentine and sulfuric acid, many suffered from ingesting the poor-quality spirit.
In 1751, an artist named William Hogarth published a satirical print titled 'Gin Lane,' which depicted disturbing scenes all at the hand of gin. With this, the 1751 Gin Act was passed, lowering the license fee and forcing distillers to sell only to licensed retailers. By 1757, the Gin Craze had finally come to an end.
A Cure for Soldiers
During the mid-18th century, gin remained popular in Britain and was still used medicinally for quite some time. Because of its ability to mask the unpleasant and bitter flavor of the antimalarial drug, the liquor was often used by soldiers and colonials prone to malaria infections. The result was the well-known Gin & Tonic we have today.
Coming to America
It wasn't long before gin made its way to the states, and by the 19th century, the botanical flavored spirit was beginning to flourish.
A vital role in the liquor's rise in popularity was the creation of new and unique styles. Today, there are four different types of gin to enjoy, including "Old Tom Gin," "London Dry Gin," "Plymouth Gin" and "Genever."
Old Tom Gin: Known as Bathtub Gin during Prohibition, Old Tom Gin has a stronger flavor than London Dry Gin and is ideal for mixed drinks and pre-Prohibition cocktails. Its sweetness comes from a large amount of licorice and helps to bring citrus flavor profiles down.
London Dry Gin: Originating from England, but now made worldwide, London Dry Gin is commonly used in Gin and Tonics and Martinis. With intense flavors of juniper and fresh citrus notes, London Dry Gin is a natural craft of gin with no artificial flavors or sweeteners.
Plymouth Gin: Named after its place of origin, Plymouth Gin may only be distilled in Plymouth, located 190 miles from London. This gin typically includes seven botanical ingredients, including cardamom, coriander seeds, orris root, dried orange peels, juniper and Angelica root. It has a dry, earthy flavor profile.
Genever: Crafted after the original style of gin dating back to 16th-century Holland, the base grains are malted to create a more robust flavor and are paired alongside juniper and fresh botanicals.
Bathtub Gin and Prohibition
During the days of Prohibition, many moonshiners and bootleggers began distilling their own alcohol and producing millions of gallons of illegal product. However, the result had a taste so potent that it required the addition of fresh botanicals, thus granting the name "Bathtub Gin."
Despite its name, Bathtub Gin was not necessarily made in a bathtub. The name comes from adding botanicals and watering down the homemade spirit to make it more drinkable. Because bottles were too tall to fit underneath a kitchen sink, many chose to use the bathtub instead.
While the term "Bathtub Gin" is most commonly associated with foul taste and poor quality, the process of steeping botanicals directly in the spirit is still used to this day. This process allows distillers to experiment with new flavor profiles and test formulas ahead of production, now known as compound gin.
Present Day
From its Dutch conception to the English Gin Craze, Bathtub stilling and medicinal use, gin has remained popular to this day and is recognized as a fan-favorite for many classic cocktails.
While gin is historically known for its pine-needle flavor profile of juniper berries, many distillers have begun exploring new combinations of botanicals to create all-new facets of gin.
Common Gin Flavor Profiles:
Citrus: Clean, bright and refreshing flavors crafted using orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit.
Spice: On the savory side, aromatic ingredients include cinnamon, coriander, cardamom and anise.
Sweet: Decadent, sweet flavors derived from almonds and licorice.
Floral: Fresh notes stemming from popular botanicals of lavender, rose, chamomile and iris.
Northside Gin
Northside gin is infused with lavender, citrus peels, chamomile, angelica root and elderflower, providing a refreshing combination of fruity, floral, and citrus profiles. This botanical and citrus-forward gin embodies the idea that "no two gins are the same" and goes great in classic cocktails like French 75, Tom Collins, Gimlet, Negroni and an Aviation.
French 75 Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ounce Northside Gin
½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
3 ounces Champagne or Prosecco
Garnish: lemon twist
Directions:
Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Champagne or Prosecco. Garnish with a lemon twist.