What Are The Best Ingredients For A Gin And Tonic
First off, theres the gin. London dry gin is the go-to style for a gin and tonic. Despite its name, London dry can come from anywhere in the world. While the exact flavors vary slightly, you can expect your classic London dry to have juniper, coriander and citrus notes. Its clean and brightexactly what you want in a gin and tonic. Beefeater, Plymouth and Bombay Sapphire are three common brands.
You can also opt for pink gin to make your G& T. Pink gin is fruitier thanks to the addition of red fruits like strawberry, raspberry and currants. If you love juicy fruit flavors, swap pink gin for London dry. Look for pink gin from Beefeater, Gordons and others.
Oh, and your options dont stop with the gin. There are a few other easy ways to put a spin on a gin and tonic. The simplest personal touch you can add is the garnish. The classic G& T calls for a wedge of fresh lime, but you can use a few cucumber slices, a mix of grapefruit and orange slices, summer berries or fresh herbs from your garden.
You can also pick up a bottle of flavored tonic water to introduce another layer of flavor to your cocktail.
Is It Safe To Drink Tonic Water Every Day
It is generally harmless for most people to drink tonic water daily in moderation. Quinine is the ingredient in tonic water that is responsible for its semi-bitter and dry taste. The alkaloid is derived from cinchona bark and can lead to quinine toxicity in high doses. This is most often a concern in medication form or for people with certain medical conditions, and it can interact with some medications. To ensure the tonic water sold in the U.S. is safe, the FDA limits how much quinine can be present in tonic water.
Ways To Make A Perfect Gin And Tonic
Our foolproof formula, plus a great non-alcoholic recipe.
Theres probably only a handful of weekends left in this years G& T seasonso lets not waste another precious minute. Instead, lets give this cherished summer classic a memorable send-off with four versions of the perfect gin and tonic.
With all the new craft gins in Canada , its never been more funor more deliciousto play around with this mixed drink. That said, mixing and matching is easier when you know a few basic rules about selecting the right gin for your palate, as well as a foolproof formula for making the best G& T.
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Classic Gin And Tonic Recipe
Two parts tonic to one part gin is a classic formula thats easy to follow, easy to remember and will never let you down.
- 2 oz Georgian Bay Gin
- 4 oz chilled tonic water
- 1 lemon wedge*
Method: Add ice to a rocks glass and pour in two ounces of gin. Take the tonic water out of the fridge and slowly pour it into the glass. Stir it once and garnish with a lemon, spritzing a little juice in before you drink it.
*The lemon and lime debate rages on, even though its more common to see limes these days, especially in North America. Lemon boosters say limes are too sweet and bully the gin. The lime camp says, simply, they like the way lime tastes better. Fair enough. We invite readers to try them side by side to see if they agree that lemon allows a classic dry gins spicy juniper and citrus to shine through.
How Strong Is A Gin And Tonic
The gin and tonic can be as light or as strong as you want to make it. The strength is controlled by the amount of tonic you pour. With the average 5-ounce pour of tonic and an 80-proof gin, the drink weighs in around 10 percent ABV . It’s a very casual drink, which is why it’s a favorite to serve at dinner.
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The History Of Gin & Tonics
The main ingredient in tonic, quinine, was a traditional cure for malaria at the end of the nineteenth century. It was commonly used by the British East India Company and was also used to treat workers that dredged the Panama Canal. But quinine tasted bitter, so it was mixed with soda water and sugar to make it more palatable. It is said that British officers then added their ration of gin and lime to the tonic water, and thus the gin and tonic was born. Since quinine is no longer used as an antimalarial, tonic water made today contains much less quinine than it did historically.
Spiced Orange & Cinnamon G& t
50ml ginFresh orange slices Fresh ground nutmegCinnamon stickPour gin and tonic into a glass over plenty of ice, add in a few orange slices, a little sprinkle of ground nutmeg and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Dont use dried ground cinnamon. Sloe gin and Christmas-spiced gin work well in this recipe.
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How Should I Garnish A Pink Gin And Tonic
Theres a little rule I learned years ago, tonic and lime, all the time, and it makes sense. Lime is a perfect complement to sour tonic. You can certainly add a wedge to your glass, or add a few thinly sliced limes to the drink itself with ice.
But if you want to make these pink gin and tonics more originally garnished, add herbs that compliment the herbal notes of the gin instead. I used fresh thyme to bring the herbal notes forward. You could even use a little sprig of rosemary.
It also doesnt hurt to add a few pretty little flowers to take the loveliness over the top
Get Creative With Your Garnish
Choosing the right garnish can completely transform your gin and tonic. Chances are, youve already tried experimenting with lemon, lime and cucumber – now its time to branch out!
Check out our guide to choosing a gin garnish that will complement or enhance the natural flavours in your drink.
Here are 15 of our favourite gin garnish suggestions to inspire you to get creative with your next G& T.
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How To Build The Cocktail
Why We Love This Recipe
Along with a dirty martini, the gin and tonic was my first love of a classic cocktail. My parents used to drink them on the back patio once in a while when the weather was nice. The ritual may have hooked me first, but the bracing, herbal qualities of a good gin, the generous squeeze of lime, and the slight, sweet fizz of tonic are what sold me in the end.
A stiff G& T is:
- Well-balanced. A little bit herbal // a little bit bitter // a little bit sweet // a little bit sour // a little bit fizzy
- Breezy and summery at its core, yet classic enough to be welcome all year round
- SO easy to make. This highball cocktail is neither shaken nor stirred.
- As refreshing or bracing as you like. We give our suggestions here, but you get to control the pour.
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More Gin Cocktail Recipes
- You cant go wrong with this Classic Gin Fizz Cocktail. Its uncomplicated, fresh, light, and timeless.
- Learn what sloe gin is and how to use it to make one of our favorite cocktails: The Sloe Gin Fizz.
- Have you ever heard of a Southside Cocktail? Its a simple cocktail recipe Gin-based, mint-kissed with a touch of citrus.
- Add an herbal spin to the classic gin fizz cocktail with fresh rosemary and make Rosemary Gin Fizzes.
Recipe updated, originally posted December 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. Adam and Joanne
Tips And Tricks For Making The Best Gin And Tonic
The honest truth here is that if you are a person who absolutely hates gin, then you may never really come to enjoy a good g& t- and thats ok. But, dont rule it out until youve tried these simple tips!
TIP- If you are more of a vodka person, follow these simple tips, simply swap the gin for vodka.
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How To Drink Tonic Water
Tonic water is most often used in alcoholic mixed drinks, but it’s also enjoyable on its own when poured over ice. As a nonalcoholic drink, a splash of lime juice gives it a nice boost with the tart citrus balancing the tonic’s bitterness. Tonic’s dry profile makes it an excellent dinner drink and a palate cleanser you can sip between bites or courses.
While it’s famously mixed with gin, other liquors work well with tonic water. Vodka is nearly as popular, and Irish whiskey is a favorite among whiskey styles. Tonic can also be mixed with fortified wines and, for drinkers who really enjoy a bitter drink, with bitter spirits such as Aperol and Campari for the ultimate apéritif. In mixed drinks, tonic often appears in simple recipes with just a few ingredients. It pairs very well with citrus juices and berries and is an excellent alternative to sweeter sodas in some cocktail recipes.
Nonalcoholic tonic drinks are increasingly more popular. In coffee shops, floating a shot of espresso on top of a glass of tonic is common. It can also be mixed with cold brew coffee for a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up. For a sweet, floral touch, mix tonic water with an herb-infused syrup such as lavender.
The Spruce / S& C Design Studios
The Spruce / S& C Design Studios
When Did It Become A Thing Again
The British obsession with gin kicked off in the late 1600s and early 1700s, when tax breaks were given to the production of spirits , and resulted in pints of gin being cheaper than a beer ushering in the Gin Craze era, and a swathe of problem drinking. Apparently when the River Thames froze over, distillers would set up on the river and sell hot gin with gingerbread, which sounds like a bloody delight.
In recent years, gin has typically been seen as the kind of spirit your grandparents would neck back on a summers afternoon, or get a bit giddy on at a family reunion. Its well known that Queen Elizabeth II has multiple gin cocktails every day including apparently having a glass of gin and Dubonnet with a slice of lemon to celebrate mid-morning. What a life.
For generations its been considered a depressing spirit that was only reserved for sad poets and your nan, but then around the start of the 2010s, gin had a hell of a renaissance.
A ginaissance, if you will.
In Australia specifically, Four Pillars in Healesville in Victoria was one of the first distilleries to really forge the path for small-batch, craft gin in the country. Founded in 2013, the Yarra Valley distillery knocked it out of the park early on with a double gold win at the World Spirit Championships in San Francisco in 2014, and took a handcrafted approach to creating the mothers ruin spirit, as reported by ABCs Radio National.
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Tonic Water Vs Tonic Syrup
Now that youve got your quality gin, its time to pick a quality tonic water or syrup.
Although the soda aisle in the local grocery store has plenty of tonic water made by big soda companies, these tend to be overly sweet, have an artificial taste, or a combination of the two.
In fact, I hated Gin and Tonics as a twenty-something until I was finally introduced to the high end tonic waters from Fever-Tree and Q Mixers. In addition to these well known craft brands, other high quality tonic waters are made by Fentimans, Regatta, and others.
Tonic syrup is a concentrate that you can mix with carbonated water to make your own tonic water. Tonic syrups can be much more economical because a small bottle of relatively inexpensive syrup can make many glasses of tonic. Also, using a syrup allows you to decide how strong or weak your tonic tastes.
There are a number of tonic syrups available in stores or on Amazon, and you can even make your own pretty easily with cinchona bark! Try the tonic syrups from Liber & Co, Jack Rudy Cocktail Co, or the craft syrups from Free Pour Jennys.
The Best Gins For G& ts
With the incredible number of gins on the market today, the possibilities are virtually endless. And unlike some gin cocktails, just about any gin can work in a Gin and Tonic. If you enjoy the flavor of the gin, it can work.
When selecting a gin, pick one that has a flavor profile you enjoy, and one that is unadulterated. This means skip sweetened gin products, like most pink gins. Keep things simple and go with a clean-tasting, bright, crisp gin.
For a classic take on the Gin and Tonic, choose a London dry gin. I recommend Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Beefeater, or Sipsmith.
If youre a fan of modern, new wave gins, go ahead and experiment with something like Malfy Con Limone, Barr Hill, FEW Breakfast Gin, Hendricks, Gin Mare, Citadelle, Uncle Vals Botanical, or Nolets!
Some gin fan favorites include Plymouth, Monkey 47, The Botanist, and Empress 1908.
- Top pick for classic flavor and budget price point:Bombay Sapphire.
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Adapting The Gin & Tonic Formula
While this provides a good general guide, with such a versatile spirit one size does not fit all. While you could apply the measurements and method of the above calculation each time you mix up your favourite drink, you have to consider the variation of flavours of each gin.
But really, there are no limits or wrong answers when it comes to gin adventures. There are so many amazing gins out there, the best thing to do is experiment with different garnishes, tonics and even glasses to find your perfect match… and the good news is, you’ll have plenty of fun doing it.
Craft Gin Club is a monthly subscription to small-batch gins. Visit the Craft Gin Club website to discover more.
The Great Garnish Debate
Its no wonder that, given its international popularity, the G& T has a number of different guises. When it comes to the eternal question of lemon versus lime, there are a few different takes on the matter. Those who argue for lime say the fruit, with its bright, punchy flavor, offers a boldness that lemon cant match. However, many purists argue that the lemon is the only choice: as a more delicate fruit, it is less likely to overwhelm the bounty of a gins botanicals. Either way, Max Venning from Three Sheets advises bartenders to use a light hand: Theres no need to squeeze the citrus over the drink. If youre using a quality gin like Sipsmith, theres no harshness that needs covering up.
No matter which citrus fruit you select as your perfect G& T garnish, theres no need to squeeze before placing into your glass.
Others move further away from lemons and limes. Julia Forte from the London Gin Club advises: Match your garnish to the specific or highlighting botanicals in the gin. Lime, rhubarb, or an olive work well with dry gins, while grapefruit, citrus peel, cucumber, and rose petals work with floral gins. For a savory gin, try rosemary, thyme, or basil with a cherry tomato. Find fifteen of our more unusual G& T garnishes here.
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What Is The Best Ratio Of Gin To Tonic
A gin and tonic should be crisp and refreshing, never boozy or heavy. After doing some research, ratios can vary. Some enjoy equal parts gin to tonic, others reduce the gin and double the tonic. For us, we liked it right in the middle, which kept the drink light and crisp, but still aromatic from the gin.