GinLane

<p>“I’m on a Gin & Tonic diet. So far I’ve lost 2 days!”</p><p>It is believed that <em>Jenever </em>(or Gin) has been invented by a Dutch chemist and alchemist <em>Dr. Franciscus Sylvius (1614-1672).</em> As was with many other spirits, Gin was originally intended to be used as a <em>medicine</em>. Although several different styles have evolved since the beginning, the main component still remains <em>Juniper berry</em>, obviously.</p><p>In the first half of the <em>18th century</em> the consumption of Gin increased rapidly in Great Britain, especially in <em>London</em>. The city had a virtual<em> epidemic of extreme drunkenness</em>, this provoked legislative backlash and moral outrage which was also illustrated by <em>William Hogarth</em> in his famous engravings<em> “Beer Street and Gin Lane”</em> from <em>1751</em>.</p><p>As time passed Gin slowly regained back its reputation. Today it is a popular base spirit for many classic mixed drinks, including the Martini.</p><p><p><u>Trivia & SmartAss Corner:</u></p><p>1) There are two primary ways to flavour your Gin: You can either add flavours to a distilled spirit and bottle it, or you can <em>infuse botanicals</em> into the spirit by distilling them together. Depending on your chosen method, you get a different kind of Gin, and a different flavour profile. </p><p>2) <em>Few Gin Distillers Make Their Own Alcohol.</em> Gin usually starts with neutral spirit: A commodity that in distillers buy in bulk. It’s what the distiller does with this commodity in the flavour-infusing process that makes each Gin different. </p><p>3) <em>Classifications </em>of Gin: London Dry Gin, Plymouth Gin, Old Tom Gin, Genever or Dutch, New Western or new American or International style.</p><p>4) As with many other spirits, Gin was originally intended to be used as a <em>medicine—to battle malaria.</em></p><p>5) Hardcore Gin lovers say the word Martini should never be preceded by vodka, lobster or pomegranate. They say the original and<em> only real Martini consists of Gin, vermouth & olives, period! </em> But Churchill went even further; here is his famous<em> Churchill’s Martini Recipe:</em> Shake gin in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and look at the vermouth bottle on the other side of the room. Garnish with olive. </p><p>6) <em>Juniper berry </em>is the main ingredient of Gin. They are usually picked wild by independent workers throughout Europe, and sold via distributors to the Gin makers of the world. </p><p>7) There are more than <em>700 cocktails</em> made with Gin known to man. </p><p>8) A wise man once said, “A bar without Gin is like an Italian kitchen without pasta.”</p></p><p>Cheers!</p>