Gin

[85Carrera]

A few gin-related questions:

1 favourite brand (tanqueray no 1 for me, recent convert from Bombay sapphire, not that I would knock that either)

2 favourite gin based drink (G & T or martini depending on mood/occasion

3 anyone been to/got any recommendations for one of those gin mixing courses (where you make gin itself, rather than gin cocktails)

[Shaw Tarse]

Would you like a link to a public house that stock lots of different gins?

[85Carrera]

Yes please!

[Shaw Tarse]

Link seems to be borked
Have a word with http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/profile.asp?h...

[oldbanger]

I am making my first batch of slow gin. I have 2 jars from last autumn, as a friend convinced me that I ought to leave it a whole year.

But otherwise I'm generally a Bombay Sapphire girl

[Wadeski]

I live next door to a gin distillery in NYC - Dorothy Parker Gin & Perry's Tot are their brands. Its pretty good stuff, the Perry's tot is a punchy overproof gin, Dorothy parker is lighter, sweeter, more floral.

However, when not drinking the gin next door i go to Hendrick's.

[RDMcG]

Definitely Tanqueray 10 for me.

Usually a G&T.. on very rare occasions a very dry Martini, but they are lethal things, so i never have more than one.

[LooneyTunes]

Don't read this thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=104...

(You'll end up with more gins than you can shake a stick at - I think we have best part of a dozen in stock now!)

[NDA]

I made sloe gin one year - lovely. Except I was told some while later that the tree was definitely NOT a sloe tree - I have no idea what I made, but it tasted good.

Bombay Gin for me and lots of individual cans of tonic water in this house ensure ice cold sparkling G&T's.

[sherman]

NDA said:

I made sloe gin one year - lovely. Except I was told some while later that the tree was definitely NOT a sloe tree - I have no idea what I made, but it tasted good.

Blackcurrant



Sloe Berries

You probably made blackcurrant gin. The differance in looks between them is that the blackcurrants have a bit at the bottom of the berry and sloes are smooth and round.

[Puggit]

Damsons

[oldbanger]

I really shouldn't admit this as I used to work as a forest ecologist, but i went and picked haws last year thinking they were sloes.

I did manage to make some excellent haw brandy though, once I realised my huge mistake (tasted like pimms).

I then found a large patch of sloes a couple of weeks later.

[AstonZagato]

NDA said:

I made sloe gin one year - lovely. Except I was told some while later that the tree was definitely NOT a sloe tree - I have no idea what I made, but it tasted good.

Bullaces?

[autofocus]

85Carrera said:

A few gin-related questions:

1 favourite brand (tanqueray no 1 for me, recent convert from Bombay sapphire, not that I would knock that either)

2 favourite gin based drink (G & T or martini depending on mood/occasion

3 anyone been to/got any recommendations for one of those gin mixing courses (where you make gin itself, rather than gin cocktails)

Hi there,

Answers in order:-

1) Current favourite is Gin Mare, it's a Mediterranean gin so different to Bombay and Tanqueray (i.e not a London Dry)

2) Favourite gin based drink at the moment is Red Snapper, it's like a bloody mary but with Gin not vodka

3) As for gin making courses then it has to be a visit to the Ginstitute at Portobello Star, Jake Burger holds regular sessions there and it's got its own little gin museum as well.

http://portobellostarbar.co.uk/ginstitutelondon/

Alternatively try this: -

http://www.gintime.com/news/the-gincident-takes-to...

Be quick though as there are only a few dates left ( I am going tomorrow and can't wait)

Hope this helps.

Regards

Tim

[JungleJim]

theres nowt wrong with good old gordons, hendricks is probably my favourite

[AstonZagato]

Campaign for Real Gin

[PaulHogan]

Bombay with full fat Schweppes and I use frozen lime segments instead of ice.

[chris.mapey]

Shaw Tarse said:

Link seems to be borked
Have a word with http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/profile.asp?h...

Many thanks for the link (I think I've fixed the link in my profile as well!!)

Have a look out for (in no particular order of preference)

Tanqueray Rangpur - made with Rangpurs, which are a hybrid fruit of a lemon & mandarin - gives a great fruity juiciness to the gin.

Gin Mare as mentioned.

No 209 - from Napa Valley in CA, great robust yet subtly flavoured gin.

Monkey 47 - small batch Black Forest gin, really smooth flavours.

Tonic, to supplement the usual Schweppes, why not try

Fever Tree,
1724,
Fentiman's
6 O'Clock

That should get you started!
Feel free to drop me a PM if you have any q's.

Chris

[brissleboy]

Well, I've certainly been inspired by all these various gin threads of late, always been a favourite tipple but I've never been that fussed about trying the non-mainstream brands, always sticking to the likes of Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks and dare I say it, even Gordons as a daily drinker... until now that it! In the last few months I've been on a bit of a spree and purchased the following:

Bulldog
6 o'clock
Sacred
The Botanist
Sipsmith
Sipsmith Summer Cup
Brecon
Whitley Neill
Edgerton (pink)
Plymouth
Bombay Sapphire (got a litre Duty Free as the regular drinker)
C'an Videlet (went to Majorca on holiday and they made this in the village where we stayed!)

So many more to acquire though and some pretty obvious ones at that like Tanq 10... any further recommendations??

I like to drink mine strong, with lots and lots of ice, Fevertree light tonic (what a revelation that stuff is) and a good wedge of lemon (currently using some ones from Soller acquired whilst on holiday).

Not big on making cocktails I have to say and always order the same old ones i.e. Long Island or a Mojito... dull I know...

Cheers

[Cheese Mechanic]

If you see them (I bought from TWE) give Martin Millers Westbourne strength a go, and also Cadenheads Old Raj. This latter is 55% and the former around 45%

Those 2 gins make the best Gin and Tonics I have ever had. The MMWS is particuarly heavy on the juniper, so allows a longer drink, as does Old Raj.