Know Your Products (Gin)

"was due to be published in a magazine in Feb 2009"

Do you have any idea what type of Gin you get when you ask for a Gin & Tonic, or do you know if you need to pay more to get a good Gin & Tonic? Let’s talk about Gin and how & why Gins price tags vary.
I love Gin & Tonics and I know when I’m being over charged for a Gin & Tonic. Now in Hong Kong, Asia and the world there are probably 4 Major brands of gin that you see on the shelve of every bar. I won’t say the brands names, but I’m sure you are thinking about them now. Now do you get any of these gins in your Gin & Tonic, 99% of time I would say probably not? These gins are normally reserved for the Dry Martini guy with his two olives, or the guy who when he orders, doesn’t say Gin & Tonic he says the brand name & Tonic. So how can you know if you are being over charged for Gin, well the four major brands you see on every shelve are always premium price. So what about the regular guy like maybe you and me who probably has a major brand at home for the odd Gin & Tonic, but refuses to pay the price for a major brand in a bar. We are the guys who have a house pour (also known as a well pour or speed rail pour), now these brand names vary considerably, but most premium established restaurants or bars will have a major brand as a house pour or a 2nd division brand (explain later what I mean for a 2nd division).
Theirs 3 types of Gin in my mind
1- Gin made in UK
2-Gin made in Holland (Genever)
3-Gin made else where, I only consider 1 & 2 “who cares for American or Spanish Gin, sorry to be rude, but it’s “England’s National Spirit”, but the English didn’t invent it, I hear you say. Correct, but we know how to make it the best! Now that’s not the technical 3 or 4 types listed elsewhere. Now let’s get in to about Gin, why are some gins in the speed rail? And why are some Gins are on the bar shelve? Let’s mix all the gins up and categorize them in to their correct places and not by price or fame for now.
There are three ways of making Gin, this is the most important part, knowing how it’s made can help you choose your Gin.
1) Cold compounding-1) - All the botanicals are measured crushed and steeped in the measured amount of spirit for a measured amount of time, after which some are then redistilled, some are left to stand, but both after being filtered are diluted to bottle strength.
Cold compounding-2) - All the botanicals are measured crushed and put in a fine mesh bag before being added the alcohol; after the bag is removed the spirit is filtered, diluted to bottle strength.
Cold compounding-3) - The rarest method of cold compounding is the least used today (a common style for making cordials & Liqueurs) the botanicals are suspended over the alcohol tank, and then the alcohol is continuously pushed over the botanicals until all the flavours have been added.
2) Essential Oils method - The botanicals are crushed and cooked first to remove the necessary oils which are needed, they are then concentrated into a clear liquid with alcohol and added to a large tank of the neutral grain spirit, they are allowed to marry for a period of time before being filtered and diluted to bottle strength.
3) Gin head distillation method - A pot still is used to redistill a neutral grain spirit, so that the alcohol steam moves past a series of fine mesh metal trays suspended in the neck of the still, the vapors pass through the trays, when condensed becomes the finished product. No filtration is needed and the Gin is diluted and bottled to strength.

The 3rd method Gin head distillation means the label can say “distilled”, the 2nd method essential oils was originated as a prohibition style, it’s still used today for very low priced Gins. I can imagine the 2nd method being used in its crudest form possible sometimes. The 1st method cold compounding is the most common technique for mass produced gins, and some of them are excellent.
Ok! So what brands use what method? The easiest thing to look for is the word “Distilled” this is because the Gin has been made in the 3rd method and the most expensive and traditional way. Now I do not agree that is a fore-sure way to choose Gin, but definitely the first thing to look for. Other words on the label are “London Dry Gin” this is a gin traditionally made in London, but not any more as no law controls the word London on the label as the place of origin. Majority of these will be made in the cold compounding method. “Distilled London Dry Gin” this means its made in London (probably) by the 3rd method, the top distinction of a premium brand. Other label descriptions “English Gin” Could either be made in England or labeled so to suggest the English style probably Method 1.” Dry Gin, Extra Dry Gin, Very Dry Gin, English Dry Gin all mean the same really Gin is dry yes! And they are probably made in method 1 style and a lot of low priced Gins will be made by the 2nd method and normally just labeled as Gin. Now “Plymouth Gin” well if you see this on the label this can only mean one thing, this means it’s a gin made in Plymouth, there is only one distillery making Plymouth Gin today. Don’t think there’s a gap in the market there as they control the name Plymouth Gin as well. This Gin is more full bodied meaning a bit of a punch with great nose.
So ask the bartender what’s his house Gin, and if it doesn’t either have London Dry Gin or Distilled London Dry Gin on the label or if it’s a brand you’re not familiar with then I suggest don’t order it. That’s a very basic guideline as there are some great Gins on the market that won’t have either of those two descriptions, but if you have never seen the label and don’t know the brand I suggest don’t take the risk, Some brands will look fantastic and that’s all. You might hear me say it a few times, “go with what you know or have been told”
Ok so lets re-cap, your gonna have a Dry Martini before dinner then I suggest a “Distilled London Dry Gin”. For a Gin Tonic, Gin Fizz, Collins or Pink Gin go for a regular London Dry Gin, but make sure it’s a brand you know. For cocktails & mixed drinks you still need the quality, but you don’t need the expense and the 2nd division Gins (London Dry Gin with a brand name you know) are better in mixed drinks and cocktails except the Dry Martini that needs a Distilled Gin in my opinion as straight Gin can be very overpowering after a while, distilled gins are lighter and crispier. My favourite Gin to order in a bar and I even use it at home for Gin & Tonics is a 2nd Division Gin from England. I come from a long line of East End Gin drinkers, I know all about muva’s ruin, we’ve always drunk the Gin that’s "by appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain" (that’s what Gin is, “its from London”
To answer some of the first questions, do you need to pay more to get a good Gin & Tonic? No! Just check what gins the bartender has and select the best one for the type of drink you are having, and most of the time that means a 2nd division Gin, so Gins price tags vary because of the way their made, but remember it doesn’t mean its gonna taste better for you.
Gin Cocktails are amazing when made right, Gin is a very dry spirit and very aromatic so 99% they will always work best with a sweet ingredient. My favourite mixed drinks are Martinez, Fancy Gin Cocktail, Gin Rickey, Tom / John Collins, Bronx, Abbey Cocktail, Monkey Gland, Gimlet, Dry Martini, Singapore Sling, Desert Healer, Cucumber Martini and the Bramble

Cocktail of the week is going to be a cocktail that gets some people confused about the name see previous Blog (3 Confusing Cocktails)

Tom or John Collins (3 Confusing Cocktails)
Recipe
2 oz Spirit of your choice............Collins glass with ice
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice.................Build all ingredients (i like to shake)
¾ oz Sugar Syrup......................Garnish with lemon wedge squeeze/Lemon wheel
3-4 oz Soda Water

Method
Use a 12-14 oz glass filled with ice, add the first 3 ingredients in to a shaker and shake & Strain in to the ice filled glass and top with Soda Water and garnish

Drink specs
The Lemon juice must be fresh and strained (no pulp and seeds), Make your Sugar Syrup 1 part white granulated Sugar to 1 part of boiling water, fill any liquid container ½ way with white granulated sugar then fill the other half with Boiling water and stir until dissolved, then refrigerate for 15 minutes then take out and shake again then store in the fridge until chilled. One more thing never use a pre mix for any drink, for a Collins there are lots of different pre mixes available and they should not be considered in making great drinks. The soda water can be one of your favourite brands and the Gin is a choice of your own, but make sure you have a brand you know.

Spirit Lover
“Keep Mixing” (any questions or feedback)

(Disclosure: This entire above article is of the sole opinion of the author and not gospel, plus it is recommended to drink in small amounts ok!)