Whats In A Gin And Tonic
Called a G and T or gin tonic in some countries, this refreshing drink is made in countries all around the world. The Gin and Tonic was invented in the 1850s by British soldiers, who mixed gin with their tonic water as a way to drink quinine . Tonic water of today no longer has quinine, but the drink stuck around! Naturally, its made of two things:
- 1 part gin
- 2 parts tonic water
The gin and tonic is very popular in Spain, called a Gin-Tonic . I studied abroad in Madrid years ago so to me, this drink has a nostalgia that reminds me of sipping in Spain. Speaking of Spain, were taking cues from this country to bring you tips on how to make the best gin and tonic.
Whats The Best Tonic To Use For Gin And Tonics
I prefer the tonic water sold in the smaller, single-serving bottles. The tonic will be fresh and you wont lose any fizz. A lot of people swear by Schweppes, but we cant say we have noticed a difference enough to specify on that one. We particularly enjoy the Fever Tree and Q tonics.
For a lower calorie cocktail, you can use light tonic. Light tonic doesnt have as much flavor as regular, but it does help to lower the calories. You can also water regular tonic down with a little seltzer water or club soda.
Dont Confine Yourself To One Type Of Glassware
While a highball is the traditional serving choice, these days youll see everything from oversized wine goblets to the occasional champagne flute. I like to build it in a rocks glass, explains Wyatt, to allow the vibrant aromatics of the gin to pop out at you as you sip. I add 1 1/2 oz of the gin, fill the glass with ice, and give it a quick stir to chill it. I then very very slowly add the tonic water, as to not kill any of the bubbles, up to just under the rim of the glass. With a bar spoon, I pull the ice up very delicately then let it down in order to incorporate the two, then express the lemon twist overtop.
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How To Make The Ultimate Gin & Tonic
Here are three simple steps to make the perfect gin and tonic:
Step One: Fill your glass to the top with large ice cubes the more ice, the longer your drink stays refreshingly cool.
Step Two: Pour over a measure of gin followed by the Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water
Step Three: Add lime garnish to finish and enjoy
Top Tip: Peel a strip from the outside of the lime, twist it over the top of the glass to spritz the sweet citrus oil into the drink, then drop into the glass.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Not only is gin and tonic a refreshing and easy-to-make cocktail but its also a great alternative to wine and beer. The above G& T recipe contains 236 calories, however, you can opt for our Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic Water which has 46% fewer calories for a lower calorie alternative. In terms of how many units are in a gin and tonic, our recipe measurements will add up to 1.8 units
*All gin nutritional information have been sourced from drinkaware.com. For more nutritional information of Fever-Tree products please refer to the product packaging.
Start With Quality Ingredients
There are plenty of opinions about what makes the gin and tonic perfect, but I think everyone will agree that you need to begin with a quality gin and a quality tonic water .
Like any cocktail, it will only be as good as the sum of its parts, and poor quality ingredients can ruin the entire experience. This doesnt mean that you need to spend a lot of money, but dont use bottom shelf gin or store brand tonic water. Tip: if your gin or your tonic water are packaged in plastic, chances are theyre not the best choices.
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How To Make Gin And Tonic
This article was co-authored by Tom Blake. Tom Blake manages the bartending blog, craftybartending.com. He has been a bartender since 2012 and has written a book named The Bartender’s Field Manual. This article has been viewed 286,431 times.
A gin and tonic is a classic cocktail known for its simplicity. To make a classic gin and tonic, just combine your favorite gin with chilled tonic water. Add freshly squeezed lemon or lime wedges and serve the drink over ice. While it may be easy to make, you’ll never become bored with the variations of a gin and tonic. Try experimenting with different types of gin and/or various varieties of tonic to find a unique flavor for your own signature drink.
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.
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What Tonic To Serve With Gin
For a classic G& T we would suggest a crisp, classic tonic to really let the botanicals in the gin shine. The bitterness in a classic tonic really compliments the piney juniper of gin and keeps your G& T from being overly sweet.
However, there are now many flavoured tonics available pink grapefruit, cucumber, basil and orange are some of the more popular flavours. When mixing your gin with a flavoured tonic, be sure to do your research to see what flavours will complement the tasting notes of the gin without overpowering them.
For example, a citrus-led gin like Dry Island Gin, which includes botanicals of lemon myrtle and strawberry gum, pairs beautifully with the Fentimans Valencian Orange Tonic water. The sweet and zesty orange of the tonic water balances perfectly with the fruitiness of the strawberry gum.
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
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Elderflower And Lemon Gin & Tonic
A good squeeze of lemon juice20ml elderflower liqueur 50ml gin110ml tonic
Add all your ingredients into a glass over lots of ice and stir gently until chilled and combined. Elderflower tonic, lemonade or prosecco work well as alternatives to tonic water here! Garnish with a sprig of elderflowers or a slice of lemon.
How To Build The Cocktail
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Variations On A Theme
Even the best gin and tonic recipe likes to mix it up every once in a while. Here are a few of our favorite variations:
- Rhubarb has some of the same brightness as lime and some of the same vegetal quality as gin. This makes rhubarb juice or rhubarb syrup a great addition to a G& T, with or without the lime. Plus, you can’t beat that gorgeous pink color.
- A cucumber slice makes a nice garnish, especially with Hendrick’s gin. You can also add a couple of . When using alternate garnishes, squeeze extra lime juice directly into the drink.
- Blood orange is gorgeous in this cocktail. Slide a thin slice into the ice-filled glass before adding the gin. Add a splash of blood orange juice if you like.
- Grapefruit and thyme. Add an ounce of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and garnish with a sprig of thyme.
Ratio Of Gin To Tonic
My preferred ratio is 1:3, or 2 ounces of gin to 5-6 ounces of tonic water. Brands like Fever-Tree typically come in 6 oz bottles and I find this to be the perfect amount. Some prefer a bit less tonic water with a ratio of 1:2. This makes for a stronger cocktail and its a bit less balanced in my opinion.
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Gin And Tonic Glassware Options
Glassware for a G& T is all about personal preference. A classic presentation is in a tall Collins glass, or a stout double rocks glass. More modern options are a large balloon glass or perhaps a stemless wine glass.
Theres no right or wrong here, but different glass shapes will affect the drinking experience. A rounded, balloon glass will funnel the aromatics of the gin to your nose, which can make for a more flavorful drink. Large balloon glasses are also excellent for garnishing with a variety of botanicals to further emphasize the flavors and aromas of the gin.
A tall and narrow highball glass will preserve more of the carbonation, keeping your drink more effervescent for longer. Try a couple of different glasses with your favorite gin and see which works best for you.
Gin And Tonic History
This is actually quite interesting
The Gin and Tonic was brought to India by the British East India Company in the early 19th century. Due to the tropical climate faced by India and the surrounding regions, malaria became a revolving issue for all who lived there. When it was discovered in the 1700s that quinine could be used to prevent the disease, people began to drink it in tonic water. Quinine, however, has a very bitter taste.
Fast-forward to the early 19th centurysoldiers thought to add a combination of water, sugar, lime, andGINto the Quinine to make it more tolerable. It was then that the gin and tonic came to be.
Thank you, malaria
just kidding. malaria is awful, horrible, miserable.
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How To Make A Gin And Tonic
You dont need any fancy bar equipment to craft the perfect G& T. As far as cocktails go, its one of the simplest to make. This recipe serves one, but its easy to to double, triple or more.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. London dry gin
- 4 oz. tonic water
- 2 fresh lime wedges
Step 1: Chill your glass
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Let it stand for a few minutes in order for the glass to get nice and cool.
Step 2: Build your cocktail
If your ice has melted significantly, go ahead and replace it with fresh ice. Once your glass has chilled, pour the gin over the ice then fill the glass with tonic water.
Step 3: Garnish and sip
Crown your gin and tonic with fresh lime wedges or the garnish of your choice. Enjoy!
What Is Tonic Water Made From
Modern tonic water begins like other soft drinks: A flavored syrup is mixed with carbonated water. Tonic syrup ingredients vary by brand. It commonly includes natural quinine , citrus peels or oils, and a sweetener . Other botanicals may include allspice, cinnamon, elderflower, gentian, ginger, lavender, and lemongrass.
Quinine is tonic water’s defining ingredient and the reason it glows under a black light. It is a natural alkaloid extracted from red or yellow cinchona bark . The cinchona tree is native to South Americaparticularly Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuadorwhere it is known as quinquina. In the 1600s, Europeans witnessed its use among indigenous people who made tea of the ground bark.
Quinine’s use helped fuel European colonialism and the slave trade. Dutch explorers introduced cinchona seeds to their colonies in Indonesia and Java in the 1800s later, it was introduced to parts of Africa. Cinchona trees continue to be cultivated in these areas for quinine use.
The British East India Company popularized the practice of adding water, sugar, and lime to so-called tonic water made with quinine. Gin was introduced to the mix, creating the first gin and tonic in the early 19th century.
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Advice From The Cocktail
By now were all familiar with the history of the gin and tonic: first a product of necessity, the G& T made bitter and quinine-rich tonic water palatable with the addition of gin, ice and citrus. Despite its initial medicinal use, the G& T has since become a favourite of drinkers around the globe and is prized for its freshness and subtle complexity.
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 flavour, offers a boldness that lemon simply cant match. However, many purists argue that lemon is the only choice: as a more delicate fruit, it is less likely to overwhelm the bounty of a gins botanicals.
Which Glass To Use For A Gin And Tonic
Not a tonic fan? If youre drinking gin straight, the best glassware to use is a Tasting Glass: a small, tulip-shaped glass which helps to concentrate the aromas of botanicals.
For a truly delicious gin and tonic you can use a Tumbler, Highball or the Gin Tonica glass. On trend particularly in Spain is the Gin Tonica , a tall, stemmed glass with a large bowl.
Our favourite glass to use is the Highball, a tall glass typically used for long drinks. The reason we love this glass is because as the ice stacks up vertically, the cubes melt at a slower rate than they do in other glass types.
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What Is The Best Gin
After learning all of the surprising and enlightening steps, I was ready to try it myself as he had me step behind the bar to mix my own. I asked Ramona what his best gins were in the entire bar and he went to his shelves and carefully picked out 3 bottles and put them in front of me.
âThese are the best,â he said definitively.âI never seen any of these before,â I said âWhere are they from?ââFrom the United States,â Ramona smiled.
That might have been the biggest surprise of all for me that night. The US makes good gin who knew? I would have guessed that the UK would have held that honor. And once again I was wrong.
After my evening of being schooled in the making of gin and tonics, I decided maybe I should just stick to drinking them.
After all, it was the only thing that I did right!
How Many Calories Are In A Low Calorie Gin And Tonic
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Is gin and tonic good for weight loss?
Subsequently, one may also ask, is gin and tonic good for weight loss?According to a Latvian study by researchers from the Sigulda University, gin and tonic is not only delicious it helps you lose weight. The study found that gin boosts your bodys ability to burn calories for one hour after drinking it.
which gin has lowest calories?
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A Bar Dedicated To Gin In The Spanish Pyrenees
The Lobby Bar, part of the Hotel els Caçadors, specializes in serving gin. You might think this is limiting, however when you have over 100 bottles of different gin and 45 different tonics on the shelves, youâve got infinite choices! And if I were better at math and didnât drink so much gin, I could probably tell you exactly how many combination choices youâd have.
You might think this type of bar is unique, however for some reason Catalonia Spain seems to be the epicenter of gin and tonic.
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, youll 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.
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