Gin Has Specific Production Requirements
While the actual steps to producing gin are fairly similar to any other liquor being distilled, there are a few key differences when it comes to making this spirit. The alcohol’s name is derived from , and it’s those berries that create the biggest distinction between gin and other liquors.
grow on an evergreen type of shrub all over North America, Europe, and Asia, so they’re not terribly difficult to find. But because they grow on evergreen trees, their flavor is nothing near what a sweet berry tastes like. These little seed cones are much more woodsy or pine flavored which is what gives gin its distinct flavor characteristics.
Gin is required to have an infusion of juniper berries in the final product. Sure, it can certainly have other herbs or spices added to it such as rose petals, coriander, lavender, or mint, but at its core, it must have juniper berries. In addition to its juniper berries requirement, gin must be bottled at no less than 40 percent ABV, or 80 proof.
You May Reduce Hay Fever Symptoms If You Drink Gin Every Night
Some 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. A pollen allergy, aka seasonal allergies or hay fever, is among the most common. And, as any pollen-allergy sufferers will attest, allergies suck. To make matters worse, those who have allergy-induced asthma may find that alcohol only exacerbates their symptoms. According to a study by Asthma UK , 64 percent of asthmatics surveyed claimed that drinking alcohol worsened their condition. However, theres more to the story.
Its not that all alcohol worsens asthma or allergies. Instead, its certain kinds. Fermented beverages, like beer and red wine, contain histamine and sulfites which are essentially kryptonite to people with seasonal allergies.
According to Asthma UKs study, gin contains both a lower amount of histamine and, thanks to how its distilled, zero sulfites. These two things make gin a superior summertime or, you know, anytime beverage for allergy sufferers. So, if you drink gin every night instead of red wine, at least youll be less likely to aggravate your allergies via alcohol.
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Which Brand Of Gin Has The Most Juniper Berries
These are the most Juniper-forward gins you will find in the world, according to Sipsmith. . Beefeater London Dry Gin is an affordable gin that holds its own in cocktails. Its a classic, old school London Dry gin. Brokers London Dry Gin is a gin produced by Brokers in London, England. The Tanqueray London Dry , a whisky from Scotland. It costs 34 dollars to buy Junipero. Brut Gin 33
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What Brands Of Gin Are Made Out Of Juniper Berries
Tanqueray — One of the biggest brands, and one with a secret recipe. Although they do reveal that the main botanicals used are juniper, angelica, and coriander, which gives Tanq a classic gin flavor profile with a fairly pronounced juniper core.
Tanqueray No. 10is an attempt at a more complex and intense gin that relies less on juniper and more on other notes. It’s a richer gin as well, with a fairly dense, creamy texture.
Tanqueray Rangpur Gin is a unique gin, strongly flavored with the intense flavor of rangpur limes accented with ginger and bay leaves, which produces a brisk, refreshing gin.
Bombay Original London Dry Gin — Blended with eight botanicals using a recipe that dates back to 1761. The flavor profile is firm and strong with distinct notes of coriander, citrus, and juniper.
Bombay Sapphire — A premium gin that uses 10 botanicals to produce an elegant gin with layered, subtle flavors and aromas.
Gordon’s Gin — The recipe for Gordon’s gin contains juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, and one other botanical. The blend is a proprietary secret known only to 11 people and has been secret and unchanged for more than 250 years. The profile of Gordon’s is rather spicy, with minty undertones to the licorice and juniper flavors.
Plymouth — With 7 botanicals and a touch of sugar, Plymouth is a distinctly different gin. The reliance on root botanicals here gives this Gin a mellow, earthy undertone that highlights the bright juniper and spice tones.
What Berry Is Used For Gin
The flavoring juniper, best known for its contribution to gin, is common juniper, .
Secondly, can you eat juniper berries in gin? Certain varieties of contain safe, low amounts of Thujone, while other varieties contain high levels and can make you very sick. The common , Juniperus communis, is the variety most often used to make gin, medicines and food dishes, as it is considered safe for human consumption.
Also to know, what is used to Flavour gin?
Traditionally, gin is subtly flavoured with herbs such as cardamom, coriander and juniper, and fruit such as cucumber, lemon and orange peel.
What are juniper berries used for?
Common UsesThe most common culinary use of the is as a spice used to flavor gin. Its used for its medicinal purposes as an essential oil, made by steam distillation of the crushed, dried, or fermented berries. Other ways the is used is as dried fruit.
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Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin
Japanese spirits are quickly becoming a mainstay in North American drinking culture. Still, many gin enthusiasts havent tried the best of what Japanese distillers can do with juniper. Ki No Bi is a great place to start. Its an ultra-premium dry gin made in Kyoto using primarily Japanese ingredients. The gins base is a rice spirit, while botanicals include yuzu, hinoki , bamboo and gyokuro green tea. Ki No Bi practices a very different distillation process than most gins by individually distilling six categories of botanicals: base, citrus, tea, herbal, spice and floral. These six individually-distilled botanicals are then blended to create a bold, distinct flavor that deserves to be sipped on its own at least once before mixing in cocktails.
Courtesy Drizly.com
How A Ut Professor Found The Perfect Juniper Berries For Gin In West Texas
ByPam LeBlanc in40 Acres, onMarch 1, 2019 at 9:00 am |
Last summer, Molly Cummings stood atop a ladder at the broad waist of a juniper tree in Texas Davis Mountains, filling her apron with plump berries collected from its branches. Cummings, a biology professor at UT, dubbed that West Texas tree Fertile Myrtle, and took the voluptuous plants bountyalong with berries contributed by other trees, including a pair she named Thelma and Louise because they clung to a cliffsideback home to Austin, where she treated and dehydrated them. Then she shipped them off to the East Coast, where they were used to put a new spin on an old spirit.
Ultimately, those berries added a Texas twang to gin made at District Distilling Co., a distillery based in Washington, D.C., that Cummings and her siblings have owned since 2012. As someone who studies fish behavior, courtship, communication, and camouflage techniques, Cummings background in science serves her well in her side endeavor as a gin maker. Her biological expertise comes in handy especially when foraging the wild junipers for District Distilling Co.s award-winning gins.
Gin was first made in the Netherlands it derives its name from the Dutch word for juniper. Most gin is made in the United Kingdom, using berries from the only species of juniper that grows there, called the common juniper. Its aromatic and piney flavored and more savory than sweet.
More recently, it has appeared in West Texas, where the berries have their roots.
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Gins In Which Pink Peppercorn Is Noticeable To Taste:
It goes without saying that those seeking to taste the pink peppercorn in all its glory should make an immediate pitstop at Pink Pepper Gin. Vanilla and tonka may dominate the mouth somewhat here, but the pink pepper brings a beautiful depth. Durham Distillery also make great use of the spice, as does Whittakers with its Pink Particular Gin. It puts in a brief cameo in Graveney Gin, and well, others. Many others.
Gordons London Dry Gin
Gordons London Dry Gin was created over 250 years ago by Alexander Gordon. This London Dry gin has an ABV of 37.5% and has a distinct taste of juniper.
The exact recipe of this gin is a secret and only 12 people know it, but we can pick up hints of fresh citruses and juniper. These two come as no surprise, as most gins will contain such botanicals, but Gordons manages to do it in a fantastic way.
With your first sip, youre immediately greeted by a zesty fresh flavor of citruses. On top of that, the crispness of juniper is added. This creates a wonderful, true gin-like flavor that we all know and love.
Overall, Gordons London Dry Gin is nothing too unique, but it does everything great. You can easily use this gin in all of your favorite gin-based drinks, whether thats a mix or just a glass served neatly! Perfect for any household, as you dont have to be an experienced gin enthusiast to enjoy this one.
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Where Is Juniper From
The common juniper plant is native to the UK and most of continental Europe, and is found growing across the northern hemisphere.
Unfortunately, juniper is in short supply in England today due to the loss of wild habitat. The conservation charity Plantlife UK works to save Englands junipers, appealing to the British fondness for gin and tonics as a way to encourage conservation and habitat restoration.
Today most gin producers purchase their juniper from one of the following countries:
- Kosovo
- Macedonia
- Italy
Albania, Bosnia, and Herzegovina together produce over seven hundred tons of juniper berries per year, and a lot of it is picked in the wild by individuals who sell their harvest to a large spice company. Their method is time consuming: pickers will place a basket or a tarp under a branch, whack it with a stick, and try to dislodge only the ripe, dark blue berries while leaving younger, green fruit alone. Once picked, the juniper is spread out in a cool, dark place to dry. Too much sun or heat would cause them to lose their flavourful essential oils, and a damp environment could invite mould.
Gins Where Orange Is Noticeable To Taste:
Beefeater Gin, and Hayman’s London Dry have an easily discernible orange note. While the taste of the fruit may not be abundant in the final spirit, Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin uses different varieties in combination for their recipe in their case Valencia and navel oranges are both placed fresh and in their entirety in their steam basket. To date, the only examples of a gin using both dried and fresh orange peel at the same time in a gin is William Chase Elegant Crisp Gin and possibly V2C Dutch Dry Gin.
Orange blossom, other orange hybrids and entire whole fresh oranges are also used by some gin distilleries but they are a less common sighting. Tanqueray’s Flor De Sevilla showcases both blossom and the fruit to its fullest most delicious form, although it’s unclear if it actually uses any in production or if it’s all essences and colouring
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Its Good For Your Bones
Gins makeup helps to relieve achy joints and gout, and its alcohol content coupled with the juniper berries can be an effective treatment for chronic pain and inflammations, such as arthritis. Gin-soaked raisins are especially good to prepare as you can store them in a jar and eat them daily to see the benefits.
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Is There Anything We Need To Know About Gin And Juniper Berries
Heres everything you need to know about one of the most important flavors in your liquor cabinet:
- Theyre only used in gin because they help balance out other flavors like citrus and sweetness.
- The best way to think of junipers is as an herbaceous spice rather than a fruit or vegetable: they have a bright, pine-like flavor. -Juniper berries are extremely small it takes about 16 pounds of them to make one gallon of gin.
- According to most gin aficionados, the best way to taste these berries is by smelling their aromas with a little bit of earthiness mixed in .
- Theres a big difference between the junipers used in dry and sweet gins.
- So what makes equal proportions of juniper berries special? It means you can make your favorite cocktail with London Dry or Plymouth gin, knowing that there wont be any weird flavors muddling the mix.
We hope that we have answered all your questions about which gin is made with the most juniper berries and what makes a gin taste good.
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Plymouth Navy Strength Gin
Another great offering from Plymouth is their Navy Strength gin. Plymouth was actually the first brand to officially market Navy Strength gin in 1997, which has since become a whole category of its own.
If youre unfamiliar with Navy Strength, it just means strong, or over-proof. This bottle boasts an ABV of 57%, which is a substantial jump from the 45%-ish ABV of normal gin. Plymouths Navy Strength is one of the best because it actually wrangles this high alcohol content with a balanced and surprisingly smooth taste. Of course, the punchiness is still there, making the Navy Strength gin a great option for bold cocktails and adventurous gin tasting.
Courtesy Drizly.com
Amass Los Angeles Dry Gin
When we say that gin is exciting right now, were talking about brands like AMASS Los Angeles. The inspiration is in the name, as the gin sources botanicals that reflect Southern Californias diverse agricultural offerings. A hefty 29 botanicals make up the gin, and some of them are quite unexpected, such as California Bay, Hibiscus and two kinds of mushrooms. The flavor is primarily earthy and herbal, with strong ingredients namely cardamom and coriander giving the juniper some competition. Overall, its an exciting, complex gin that every connoisseur needs to try.
Courtesy Drizly.com
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This Gin Is Made With Native Juniper Berries From The Davis Mountains
Wild Gins Co. owner Molly Cummings mines West Texas for truly unique spirits
Erich Schlegel
Written by Tyson Bird, Photographs by Erich Schlegel | From the issue | Updated: October 29, 2020 | Filed Under: Breweries/Distilleries
Its a late October morning in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, and Molly Cummings is atop a scaffold, foraging alligator juniper berries from a wild tree. With her feed bag over her shoulder, she gently grasps the branches, relieving them of their fragrant dusky green fruit. Her days haulbetween two and 10 poundsshould be enough to produce one batch of her WildBark West Texas Dry Gin.
Cummings, a University of Texas biology professor, founded Austin-based WildGins Co. in 2019. The spirits company produces two gins, WildBark and WildJune, which are both distilled from rye and malted barley and infused with juniper berries native to the Davis Mountains. I knew that we have eight species of juniper in Texas, and I really wanted to create a product that used our native berries, she says. Gin allows me to go on a foraging adventure in the mountains, but I also find it the most botanically interesting spirit. I feel a little bit like a pioneer when Im out there harvesting.
What Gin Is Made From Juniper Berries
4.1/5Gin
According to the manufacturer, Gordons gin is triple-distilled and contains , coriander seeds, angelica root, licorice, orris root, orange, and lemon peel, though the exact recipe has remained a closely guarded secret since 1769. Gordons is sold in several different strengths depending on the market.
Secondly, what berries is gin made from? Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink that derives its predominant flavour from .
Accordingly, is Bombay Sapphire gin made with juniper berries?
Bombay Sapphires recipe is based on 10 botanicals. They include traditional gin botanicals such as , citrus, angelica and orris root. To these are added coriander, liquorice, cassia bark, almonds, cubeb berries and West African grains of paradise.
What is made from juniper berries?
have been used to flavor gin, a liquor developed in the 17th century in the Netherlands. Other -flavored alcoholic beverages include the Finnish rye-and- beer made from the and branches.
The Most Juniper Forward Gins for Diehard Gin Lovers
- Sipsmith V.J.O.P.
- Beefeater London Dry Gin A classic, old school London Dry, Beefeater is an affordable gin that holds its own in cocktails.
- Brokers London Dry Gin
- Tanqueray London Dry
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Embracing The Juniper: Classic London Dry Gins
All gin requires the addition of juniper. But some brandsespecially those founded in the past decadehave been putting juniper on the back burner. And thats okay. Certainly theres room for all in our estimation.
But sometimes you crave that piney, juniper flavor for a cocktail, like say a Martini, or a Gimlet. For these situations, nothing beats a classic London Dry, juniper-forward gin. Weve listed some of our favorites below.
Beefeater London Dry Gin
With 22 juniper berries being used in every bottle, it is safe to say that Beefeater London Dry Gin has the most juniper of all brands.
This gin is known to be one of the more prominent flavors when you take your first sip of it. So if you dont like too strong a flavor, this might not be the best choice for you.
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