What Is Gin?

Gin is a type of distilled spirit characterized by the flavor of juniper berries. Gin makers produce this spirit by infusing a neutral spirit with botanicals during the distillation process. To be classified as gin in the United States, it must contain at least 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). There are many different types of gin, including Old Tom, Plymouth, Genever, and London Dry, as well as a variety of popular cocktails, such as the classic Gin and Tonic, Tom Collins, and French 75.

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5 Styles of Gin

Gin and juniper-based spirits have been around since the 16th century. Since then, gin production has evolved into several styles:

1. London Dry : Originating in England, London Dry is a distilled gin in which juniper is the most noticeable botanical component, with notes of citrus, angelica root, and coriander. Most producers bottle their gin at a high ABV.

2. Plymouth : Produced in southern England and bottled at a lower alcohol content, Plymouth Gin is smoother and less juniper-intense than London Dry, although it contains 57% alcohol by volume (or "Navy Strength"). Only the Plymouth Gin distillery has the right to produce this type of gin.

3. Old Tom : An older style of gin with a rich, malty texture and a distinct citrus sweetness. Old Tom Gin can be barrel-aged.

4. Genever : A precursor to modern gin, Genever (or jenever) dates back to the 16th century in the Netherlands. It is fuller-bodied than gin, with an earthy, malty flavor. Produced in the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of France and Germany, genever is made from malt wine spirits.

5. International Style : New expressions of gin are emerging around the world, from Spain to Japan, and from Brazil to the United States. Many contemporary producers create their gins as direct reflections of their geography, incorporating local roots and botanicals.

What is Gin Made of?

Gin makers need a few key ingredients:

• A fermentable base : Most distilled spirits begin with an agricultural product that undergoes fermentation. The most common base is a grain mix, such as corn, wheat, rye, or malted barley, but other ingredients such as molasses, honey, apples, grapes, carrots, or potatoes can also be used.

• Water : After the distillation process, water is added to achieve the desired alcohol content.

• Juniper Berries : With a woody and resinous flavor, juniper berries are the only mandatory botanical ingredient for the drink to be considered gin.

• Additional Botanicals : Many manufacturers add other botanical ingredients such as citrus peel (especially lemon and bitter orange), licorice root, angelica root, orris root, cardamom, anise, coriander, and cinnamon.

3 Gin Distillation Methods

There are three distillation techniques used to purify ethanol and infuse botanicals:

1. Infusion : In this method, the distiller blends ethanol and botanicals in a still. The botanicals infuse into the base spirit and can be removed quickly or left for up to 48 hours, depending on the desired flavor profile.

2. Steam infusion : Using a modified still, the botanicals are placed in a basket suspended above the base spirit. When heated, the ethanol vapors rise and extract the essential oils from the botanicals.

3. Vacuum distillation : Also known as cold distillation, this technique uses a low-pressure environment, significantly reducing the boiling point of ethanol. This preserves the flavors of the botanicals.

How Gin Is Made

Manufacturers follow some basic steps:

1. Combine the base ingredients : Mix dry grains with water and yeast, heating and stirring to prepare the fermentation.

2. Ferment the base : Store the mixture for one to two weeks to ferment completely.

3. Filter the mixture : After fermentation, filter the liquid from the solids, discarding the solids.

4. Distill : The liquid is purified by heating and vaporizing, and the vapors are collected as they condense again.

5. Collect and classify the product : Distillation results in different fractions, which are separated into "foreshots", "hearts" and "tails".

6. Dilute : Gin is diluted with water to the desired alcohol content, and sugar or flavorings may be added to create liqueurs.

7. Bottling : The final product is bottled in labeled bottles.

This approach not only ensures quality, but also promotes a rich diversity of flavors in the world of gin.