GIN - HISTORY AND PRODUCTION STYLES

Gin, three simple letters can't even begin to describe this complicated spirit. We break down its history, various production styles, flavor profiles and learn how some of nature's sweetest fruits are infusing modern blends through botanicals.

Italian monks and Egyptian tombs. Greek athletes and Indian contraception. British wars and Dutch courage. While the wild, international story of gin may seem unnatural, its earthbound forebearers, botanicals, are anything but. 

Juniper. Coriander. Cardamom. Citrus Peel. Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Grains of Paradise. 

These are just a handful of the botanicals frequently seen in modern gin production. It's this infusion of such warm, delicate and versatile flavor profiles that sets gin apart from all other spirit categories, allowing for tremendous creative freedom for the masterminds of liquidity that we lovingly refer to as bartenders.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take it back a few hundred years to what it all began with: genever. Also known as jenever to the Dutch, or geni~vre in French, they all translate to juniper. It's said Italian monks in the 11th century were the first to use the oil of juniper berries to crudely flavor distilled spirits, mainly used for medicinal purposes to treat gout and gallstones- rather ineffectively, it should be added. Written references first pop up to the term 'genever' around the 13th century, while the first actual printed drink recipe containing it appeared in Antwerp in the 16th century. Once the Dutch began to levy a tax for various liquors- and included genever on that list- it had finally crossed over into the 'spirit world,' you could say. By 1663 there were nearly 400 distillers in Amsterdam a lone with the trend fast spreading to the rest of Europe.

"It all started when thee English were fighting The Thirty Years' War in Holland," recalls Bulldog Gin founder Anshuman Vohra. "They saw the Dutch soldiers drinking the genever before heading into battle, hence the term 'Dutch courage.' Fast forward to the late 17th century when William Ill, Prince of Orange- coincidentally, also from Holland- landed in Britain. Under his ruling, the upper class continued drinking imported genever." Distillation began among the lower class, but due to a lack of access to the right ingredients to properly produce the spirit, experimental gins were inadvertently born. In the nearly ZSO years since, we can all agree that gin, in addition to medicine itself, has thankfully, come a long way. Improvements in the distillation process and the use of more quality ingredients helped the spirit continue to gain its current popularity. Consumers today now enjoy the long-held and ever-evolving production practices passed on from many generations of distillers, both amateur and master.

Modern gin undergoes one of three types of production processes. There is 'pot distilled,' the earliest known style; 'column distilled,' used after the inception of the Coffey still, with a fermented mash; and 'compound gin,' which infuses flavor into neutral spirits. It is rumored by some that gin is simply vodka infused by this compound process. We caught up with gin connoisseur Brett Hughes of the AvroKO Hospitality Group, who helped break down the different production processes for us.


POT DISTILLED GIN

"Basically, you start with a raw, very high proof neutral distillate, and flavor it through one of three processes. The first process is a maceration before and during distillation where the botanicals are in the high proof neutral state whilst being boiled, turned into vapor, and finally condensed back into liquid."

COLUMN DISTILLED GIN

"The second process is where the botanicals are hung in a basket above the boiling spirit and alcohol vapor passes through it. The soft touch of the vapors makes this process a bit more delicate and begets a more intricate product."

COMPOUND GIN

''This process is a combination of the previous methods, utilizing botanical baskets as well as the harder, sturdy botanicals in the liquid, like juniper. The end result is extremely strong; too strong to actually consume and enjoy. Therefore, when it comes out of the still, water is added to attain the desired proof of the distiller."

There are a number of other gin classifications, with new techniques and small batch productions popping up all the time and served in bars throughout the world. For example, Madame Geneva in New York City serves at least 10 variations including: Aged Old Tom, Belgian Genever, Aged Belgian Genever and Rye Gin, which is a reproduction of a forgotten spirit stemming from an old recipe brought to America by Dutch settlers. Bulldog's Anshuman notes, "London Dry tends to be more floral, as with Bulldog, containing lavender, white poppy and dragon eye, whereas Plymouth Gins are more fruit forward."

Here are some common modern styles of gin and their basic flavor profiles:

• London Dry - Light-bodied with a strong juniper flavor
• Plymouth- Fruity and aromatic, only regionally produced in England
• Old Tom- Citrus forward and added sugar for sweetness
• Young Genever - A popular Dutch-style with a dry palate and light body
• Old Genever - Aged, sweet; with a straw hue and aroma
• New Western Dry - A concentrated flavor focuses on cucumber, rose petal or lavenders as opposed to juniper.

Now trat we understand the process, let's break open that berry, the core characteristic behind most gins. Technically speaking, juniper is not a true berry, but rather a female conifer seed cone produced from various species of juniper. While too bitter to eat on their own, the berries are used to spice various European cuisines and are what give many traditional gins their flavor. Juniper is also a natural diuretic and was used by Native Americans to treat rheumatism and arthritis and help control appetite which is why it is also currently being researched as a treatment for diet-controled diabetes as it helps to release insulin from the pancreas to satisfy hunger. It was also known to be used by some tribes as an early female contraceptive (no berries, no love! went the saying we assume)

The berries also said to be found in ancient Egyptian tombs in multiple sites, having been imported from Greece. The Greeks utilized the berries in many of their Olympic events and believed them to increase physical stamina in athletes. Romans used the berries as a susbstitute for expensive black pepper and imported Indian long pepper before the Dutch developed gin in the 17th century. The many uses and long interwined history of juniper and gin help to create maney delicious and very palatable cocktails, and a spirit with tremendous - and still untapped-pairing-potential.


BARTENDER AND DISTILLER MAKING HISTORY WITH NEW AGE AMERICAN DRY GIN- AVIATION

First produced in Portland, Oregon in 2006 by founders Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian, and produced by House Spirits Distillery, Aviation American Gin is less juniper-forward utilizing seven botanicals such as lavender, sweet and bitter orange [peel, cardamom, coriander, indian sarsaparilla, anise seed and juniper. lt is pot distilled and boiled at 84 proof and classified as an 'American Dry Gin' or 'New Age Gin.'

Inspired and guided by the great American cocktail gins of the past, it is "a category that now sits front and center in our current golden era off cocktails.'' American Dry Gin offers "more rounded flavor profiles and less overt juniper notes.'' Aviation American Gin is relative to the era soon after prohibition ended, and is "a welcome departure from the traditional London Dry style of gin offering a more balanced expression that brings together exotic spices from around the world." This allows the small-batch spirit to be "extremely mixable and outstanding in contemporary culinary cocktails and vintage drinks alike ."

Crafted us ing all natural ingredients that are also gluten-free, this small-batch production yields fewer than 100 cases at a time. The Indian sarsapari I la contributes to a complex, mildly sweet mid-palate, while the lavender provides sweet, floral notes with a mellowing aroma.

The coriander serves as a traditional dry gin ingredient dating back to the 19th century providing aromatic tones of citrus, sage and ginger. The ani se seed is a Mediterranean spice with subtle notes of licorice, and the cardamom is an exotic member of the ginger family that originates in the Himalayas. The sweet and bitter orange peel is for brightness, structure and zip, and last but not least is juniper, the backbone of all gins, containing notes of menthol, camphor and pine. The core Aviation American Gin is not aged, but the company now produces an aged gin under the name Aviation American Gin Old Tom.

Born from the first ever distilletr-and-bartender collaboration between Chri stian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian respectively, Aviation American Gin will proudly celebrate their I Oth birthday this year a major milestone for any craft spirit brand.

RECIPES

BROCKMANS HOT APPLE PUNCH

2 oz. Brockmans Gin
1 oz. lemon juice
Warmed apple juice [to your taste]

Stir gin and lemon juice in a glass mug and add warmed apple juice. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon.

SPANISH GIN TONIC

1.5 oz. Bulldog Gin
1 200 ml bottle Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic
Lime wheel
Fresh mint sprigs

Fill a tall glass with ice, lime and mint or a garnish of your choice. Pour gin over garnish, add tonic and lightly stir.

THE STATE FAIR

2 oz. Suerte Reposado Tequila
1/2 oz. Greenhook Ginsmiths Old Tom gin
1/4 oz. Amontillado sherry
3/4 oz. corn syrup
Dash black pepper
Orange twist

Combine all ingredients in a tin with ice, and shake. Garnish with black pepper and an orange twist.

CINNAMON BOLS FASHIONED

1 1/2 oz. Bols Barrel-Aged Bols Genever
3/4 oz. Becherovka liquer
1/4 oz. demerara syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Touch of chili

Combine genever, Becherovka, and demerara syrup in an old-fashioned glass. Add ice and stir. Garnish with bitters and chili.

By Amy Lennox in "Bar Business", New York, September 2016 issue, excerpts pp. 10-13. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.

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