Gin pt.1
Over the years I’ve had a ton of people tell me they don’t like gin for whatever reason; are you one of these people?
If you are I’d bet you’ve just never tried the right gin cocktail.
Personally, my first experience with the stuff was in ’06 and involved me taking mixology lessons from Snoop Dogg; making a simple mixture of Tanqueray and OJ (laaaaaaiiidbaaack). Eleven years later and gin is now one of my favorite spirits.
But what is gin and why are a lot of people turned off by it?
Gin comes in a variety of styles but is essentially juniper (a type of berry) flavored vodka that's been infused or re-distilled with other botanicals: coriander, cardamom, citrus peels, barks, and more. The reason I believe people are turned off by it is because the juniper is unfamiliar and gin tends to be really dry (not sweet).
The most common style of gin would be London Dry, which typically highlights the juniper notes with a touch of citrus. This style includes the big brands like Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Bombay.
I won't get into all the other styles of gin for today but I would like to mention the newer Western style which I really enjoy. This style includes smaller brands like Hendricks, St. George, Citadelle, and a few others. The difference between these and the more traditional style is juniper no longer takes center stage; citrus and earth notes have been brought the front now.
Anyway enough with the lessons for now….
Here are three simple gin cocktails you can easily make at home:
BEE’S KNEES
2 oz gin - ¾ oz fresh lemon juice - ¾ oz honey.
Shake ingredients with ice strain over a coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel or twist.
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GORDON’S CUP
4 cucumber wheels - 2 oz gin - ¾ oz fresh lime juice - ¾ oz simple syrup
In a cocktail shaker add the lime juice and cucumber. Muddle for 10 seconds. Add the other ingredients plus ice. Shake and dump into a short rocks glass. Garnish with a cucumber peel or wheel.
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SOUTH SIDE
6 mint leaves - 2 oz gin - 1 oz lime - ¾ oz simple syrup
In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients except one mint leaf. Shake with ice and fine strain over a coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.
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If you try any of these please let me know which ones you liked or didn't like and why.
Stay tuned for pt.2.
Cheers!
