Perhaps each country has its own traditional alcoholic drink. For example, Russia is associated with vodka for many, the United States of America with whiskey, and England with gin. In this article we will consider the English national drink.
What is gin?
Under this name is an alcoholic beverage with a strength of 37 degrees and above. Very often it is also called juniper vodka. A real good gin is the result of a double distillation of alcohol from cereals and berries. It is the juniper fruit that gives this alcohol such an unusual tart taste. Gin insist after adding some spices:
- anise;
- coriander;
- almonds;
- lemon zest;
- violet root , etc.
Juniper and condiments make gin an attractive taste. Due to its dryness, it is practically not consumed in its pure form. So, basically it is diluted with something less strong. This is a great base for making a variety of cocktails.
History of occurrence
Throughout its existence, gin has gone through a thorny path from a drink with dubious taste and aroma to elite alcohol. His homeland is not at all England, as it might seem, but Holland. It was first received in 1650. But historically, it was in England that gin received the greatest distribution. British soldiers used it to warm during the Thirty Years War and ultimately brought it home with them. In 1689, gin with the addition of alcohol began to be produced in England. It was a poor quality base drink. But this did not prevent him from becoming very popular among the lower strata of society. Most likely, the demand influenced this demand for an alcoholic drink called gin, because it was very low, and even people with low incomes could afford it. At this time, the king signed a decree banning the import of alcoholic beverages, which led to the fact that in almost every house they could make gin on their own. This technology was practically no different from conventional home brewing. Soon, the government put things in order in this industry by introducing new taxes and licensing. Over time, the quality of the drink increased, and the taste improved much. Gin manufacturers appeared, which in the struggle for the world market began to produce luxury drinks.
Gin and medicine
Juniper brought popularity to the future alcoholic drink, because this plant is the main flavoring in gin. In ancient times, it was used by people as a healing tool in the fight against a mass of ailments, among which there was even a bubonic plague. Gin has some preventive properties, but they will appear only if the drink is consumed in small doses. It was used both as a diuretic and as a cure for malaria. With colds, radiculitis and arthritis, gin also helps. Reviews of people who use it in traditional medicine are only positive. However, with the systematic use of this drink, alcohol dependence appears , which leads to a malfunction in the cardiovascular system. Individual intolerance to juniper can lead to allergic reactions. Also, gin is not recommended for people suffering from hypertension and kidney disease.
The main types of gin
The modern composition of this drink has up to 120 components. The classic gin recipe provides for the presence of at least two ingredients: alcohol (wheat or barley) and juniper (its berries). The drink is divided into two main types:
The first variant of gin can be obtained by distilling alcohol from wheat, while in the Netherlands barley alcohol is used. The most common is London dry gin.
British gin is obtained by adding flavorings to ready-made wheat alcohol. After mixing, everything is distilled again. The resulting product is diluted to a fortress of 43-50 degrees and purified from impurities and salt using water.
The Dutch way to get gin is as follows: all the ingredients are added to the barley wort, then the composition is fermented and distilled. After that, flavors are added and the procedures are repeated. The resulting composition is diluted with water to the desired strength. Dutch alcoholic drink - gin - after its distillation from barley alcohol is still aged in oak barrels. This gives it a special aroma and color similar to cognac. Depending on the storage time in the barrels, gins of different price categories are obtained.
Interesting about gin
In the Belgian city of Hasselt, there is a national museum that presents interesting facts about strong alcohol, which is a gin drink. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that after swallowing in the mouth there remains a feeling of coolness, and not burning, as is the case with vodka or whiskey. And the aroma of juniper berries, needles or citrus fruits that add as additional components contributes to this sensation.
In 2009, a special bar was opened in England where gin and tonic are not drunk, but sniffed. Special equipment evaporates the drink, and guests in protective suits inhale its vapors. The “steam” gin, whose average price is 5 feet, is considered not the cheapest, and only people with decent income can afford it.
How to drink gin?
There is no unequivocal opinion on how to drink a gin drink. It is a strong alcohol, so it can be consumed both in pure form and in dilute form. In its pure form it is not drunk so often, the fault is the dry taste of gin. The drink is swallowed in small piles like vodka, plentifully snacking on hot dishes, for example, fried meat. To weaken the characteristic burning taste, you can eat gin with game, cheese, smoked meats, fish, olives, lemons, pickled onions, etc. Literally everything, including fruits, is suitable as accompanying dishes to the drink. It all depends on personal preferences and taste. Before drinking, it is recommended to cool the alcohol, many drink it with ice cubes. Usually, an undiluted drink is served at the beginning of the feast as an aperitif, because both the store and home gin in every way excite appetite.
Glasses for undiluted drink should be small, with a characteristic thick bottom. Mostly gin is drunk with cola, soda, soda, fruit drinks. This method allows you to reduce the strength and soften its taste. Certain proportions do not exist, usually all ingredients are taken in equal parts. The unusual flavor of gin makes it an excellent basis for creating a variety of cocktails. In this case, tall glasses with a thick bottom are used as dishes. The most popular cocktail is gin and tonic.
How to make a gin and tonic cocktail?
Consider the main components for this drink:
- Ice. For its preparation, distilled or mineral water is used. If the ice is frozen in large cubes, it must be crushed into smaller pieces.
- One lemon. It must be cut immediately before making the cocktail.
- Gin.
- Tonic. It is advisable to use Schweppes in 200 ml bottles or cans.
When everything is at hand, you can start preparing a cocktail. The recipe for gin and tonic is as follows: a glass is filled with crushed ice by about a third. Next, put a slice of lemon there. Then gin slowly pours into the glass. It is necessary to wait a bit and mix all the components. Next, a tonic is poured into the glass, the recommended proportion to gin is 2: 1, but you can experiment to your liking. They drink the finished cocktail slowly, enjoying the juniper-lemon aroma and taste.
Alcoholic drink gin. Main varieties
There are a great many varieties of this drink. The most popular high-quality gin drink is made under the Beefiter brand. It is made of juniper, grain alcohol, citrus, coriander, almond. Gordons is a strong drink with the addition of cinnamon, angelica, lemon peel. It is made according to the prescription of the founder Alexander Gordon. Gin “Bombay Sapphire” has a wonderful mild taste and a rich bouquet of aromas. It contains components such as cassia bark, dandelion root, licorice. This type of gin is indispensable for the Martini cocktail.
Cocktail Martini
This drink is named after its creator. The method of preparation is as follows: dry white vermouth is mixed in equal parts with highly chilled gin and several olives are added on a long skewer. There is a "female" and "male" version of the cocktail. We considered the second option above, but we’ll find out right now how to prepare a “female” variety. So, you need to take 1/3 of the gin, 1/3 of vermouth and 1/3 of citrus juice. All ingredients are mixed. A delicious cocktail is ready!