Gin is a distilled alcoholic beverage that has a storied history with roots tracing back to monks
as early as the 13th Century. Monks would create medicinal tonics distilled from wine infused
with juniper berries. At the time, juniper had been in a Dr.’s toolkit for centuries. Later in the 17th
Century a Dutch physician, Franciscus Sylvius, has been widely credited with the creation of
gin, however this is not true. A trade war and subsequent legislation to impose higher duties on
imported spirits led to a resurgence in England. Gin distilled in England at the time was
generally of poor quality and oftentimes infused with turpentine rather than juniper. The term
“Dutch Courage” was coined around the same time as English soldiers would consume jenever
before battle for its calming effects. By the mid-17th Century, the Dutch and Flemish had
numerous distilleries around and had been redistilling malted barley spirit with juniper for years.
In the 18th Century gin consumption rose greatly in England as the government allowed
unlicensed distillation of neutral spirits. At the same time, the government also levied higher
taxes on imported spirits again and the Gin Craze took off around 1695. Thousands of gin shops
around England sprang up and were producing. The English government had to bring about 5
legislative acts to combat the populations quench for gin. The Gin Act of 1736 led to massive
riots, then was slowly reduced until it was finally absolved, the people won. Leaning into the
19th Century and the invention of the column still, making distillation of neutral spirits much
easier the “London Dry” style was born. Gin and Tonic was also created around the same time
in British tropical colonies. At the time quinine was the only widely used antimalarial compound
and was dissolved into carbonated water. Gin was added to this tonic and thus the Gin and
Tonic we love today was born. Though today’s tonic only has traces of quinine for flavor.
gin in America
During
America’s prohibition era of the early 1900s, gin was commonly found available in speakeasies.
Gin’s ease of production was one major reason as to why it was widely available at the time and
this secretly produced gin was commonly referred to as “bathtub gin”. Moving into the 20th and
21st centuries gin has taken off in popularity in many other markets than the English. The rise of
gin liqueurs has aided in the explosion of popularity. There has been a massive surge in the
number of distilleries, distilling gin. There has also been a rise in the addition of many new
botanicals to recipes from different companies. That’s not to say that small production gin from
private distillers in England doesn’t exist.
How Gin is Brewed
Gins distillation process starts with taking a neutral alcohol of which has an ABV of 96% and
adding juniper berries as well as other botanicals then redistilling the mixture to bring out the
botanical flavor and reduce the alcohol content. The neutral alcohol used in distilling gin is a
highly concentrated ethanol. This ethanol has to have an agricultural origin whether it be from
grain or grapes or molasses. The neutral alcohol and water is combined in a still and the
individual distiller’s choice of botanicals is added to the alcohol and water mixture. The still is
sealed and heated from the bottom until the alcohol is boiling making sure as to not go so high
that the water starts to evaporate. This alcohol steam is forced upward through a series of tubes
leading to a chilled tank. Upon reaching the chilled tank the vapor turns back to liquid and thus,
gin is made.
Gin is a distilled alcoholic beverage that has a storied history with roots tracing back to monks
as early as the 13th Century. Monks would create medicinal tonics distilled from wine infused
with juniper berries. At the time, juniper had been in a Dr.’s toolkit for centuries. Later in the 17th
Century a Dutch physician, Franciscus Sylvius, has been widely credited with the creation of
gin, however this is not true. A trade war and subsequent legislation to impose higher duties on
imported spirits led to a resurgence in England. Gin distilled in England at the time was
generally of poor quality and oftentimes infused with turpentine rather than juniper. The term
“Dutch Courage” was coined around the same time as English soldiers would consume jenever
before battle for its calming effects. By the mid-17th Century, the Dutch and Flemish had
numerous distilleries around and had been redistilling malted barley spirit with juniper for years.
In the 18th Century gin consumption rose greatly in England as the government allowed
unlicensed distillation of neutral spirits. At the same time, the government also levied higher
taxes on imported spirits again and the Gin Craze took off around 1695. Thousands of gin shops
around England sprang up and were producing. The English government had to bring about 5
legislative acts to combat the populations quench for gin. The Gin Act of 1736 led to massive
riots, then was slowly reduced until it was finally absolved, the people won. Leaning into the
19th Century and the invention of the column still, making distillation of neutral spirits much
easier the “London Dry” style was born. Gin and Tonic was also created around the same time
in British tropical colonies. At the time quinine was the only widely used antimalarial compound
and was dissolved into carbonated water. Gin was added to this tonic and thus the Gin and
Tonic we love today was born. Though today’s tonic only has traces of quinine for flavor.
During
America’s prohibition era of the early 1900s, gin was commonly found available in speakeasies.
Gin’s ease of production was one major reason as to why it was widely available at the time and
this secretly produced gin was commonly referred to as “bathtub gin”. Moving into the 20th and
21st centuries gin has taken off in popularity in many other markets than the English. The rise of
gin liqueurs has aided in the explosion of popularity. There has been a massive surge in the
number of distilleries, distilling gin. There has also been a rise in the addition of many new
botanicals to recipes from different companies. That’s not to say that small production gin from
private distillers in England doesn’t exist.