Dutch Courage

Gin is one of my most favorite spirits to drink. I have always been a fan of Gin and tonics but have recently found how much I enjoy a dry martini when they are made right. Gin is made with a neutral grain spirit and then flavored with a botanical mixture. Each brand of Gin has their own unique blend of botanicals. The main flavor of Gin is Juniper berries this is the strong pine needle flavor and smell. Other herbs in spices that are commonly used are Lemon peel, Anise, Almond, Lavender and some even have hits of cucumber.

The invention of Gin is credited to Holland's Franciscus Sylvius in the 17^th century. Juniper berries date back to ancient times and where often used to flavor crude distilled spirits and where even believed to have medicinal properties. However Dr. Sylvius was the first to refer to the drink as genever. The first Gins made in the Netherlands had added sugar and other sweeteners to mask the impurities of the distillation process of the time. In the mid 1800's the invention of the column still which could produce a much high quality of a neutral grain spirit gave birth to a new style of gin. London Dry Gin required no added sugar or sweetener. This revolutionized the gin market. During prohibition gin got a bad name from outlaws of the time that would take high proof grain alcohol and add flavoring to it and would cut it with water and label the bottle as gin. This is considered Bath Tub Gin.

Arguably gin is one of the best spirits to be used in cocktails with its deep complexities and styles. One of the most popular cocktails of all time is the Martini made with only gin and vermouth. Now days most bartenders are scared of vermouth and only add a few drops or just rinse the cocktail glass with it and add chilled gin and throw an olive in it and call it a Martini. If the martini is made correctly it's a well balanced cocktail that shows the flavors of both the gin and vermouth evenly. When I make mine whether it is behind the bar or at home I use 2 ½ ounces of gin, ¾ ounces of vermouth dry or sweet. I even use a dash of orange bitter to tie all the flavors together. Always stir your martinis no matter what James Bond says. If you shake it the drink will become cloudy and not be as appealing to the guest. The only time you're going to want to shake your cocktails is if they contain juices or non clear liquids. The gins I like to use in my martinis are different from the ones I use for my Gin and Tonics. For Martinis I like to stick with the less flavorsome gins like Bombay Sapphire or Beefeater. Now for Gin and Tonics I like to use Tanqueray or New Amsterdam. There is a real unique gin coming out of Scotland and this is the one that has hints of cucumber in the botanicals it is called Hendricks. So when you make your drink use a cucumber slice as a garnish rather than a lime wedge. No matter what kind of gin I'm using for my Gin and Tonic I always add a dash of aromatic bitters such as Angostura Bitters. What this does is it hides the bitter after taste of the quinine in the tonic and only allows the gin flavors through.

Like always I hope everyone gives this phenomenal spirit a try and remember gin is made to be used as a mix and is not intended to be drank straight. Well take care everyone and keep them shakers a shaken.

Mixologist