You May Experience Fewer Hangovers If You Drink Gin Every Night Instead Of Other Drinks
How would you like to never have a hangover ever again? That may not be entirely possible unless you avoid alcohol, of course but you can lessen your chances. However, you will have to trade in certain drinks. As Healthline highlighted, studies have found an association between congeners and hangovers. As it happens, dark drinks like brandy and whiskey are high in congeners whereas clear drinks, such as vodka and gin, have much lower levels.
“While lighter colored drinks may slightly help to prevent a hangover, drinking too many alcoholic beverages of any color will still make you feel bad the morning after,” Daniel Hall-Flavin, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in addiction, explained to the Mayo Clinic. “Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause dehydration, low blood sugar, digestive irritation and disturbed sleep all factors that lead to hangover symptoms.”
Your Indigestion May Improve If You Drink Gin Every Night Or It May Get Worse
Could a gin and tonic really get rid of your indigestion? Some people have claimed that juniper berries the predominant ingredient in gin has helped abate symptoms related to the condition, including bloating, nausea, and heartburn, according to Very Well Health.
Despite this anecdotal evidence, though, there’s no solid medical proof to back up people’s claims at least not in humans. A 2007 study conducted by researchers in Canada did find that juniper berry essential oil helped improve digestion in cows . However, it’s also important to note that, while some people find heartburn relief from gin, others may experience worsening symptoms.
Kevin Ghassemi, a gastroenterologist at the University of California in Los Angeles, told NPR that alcohol in general has a temporary but “direct effect” on heartburn. This is because alcohol can relax the muscles that connect the stomach and esophagus. “The muscle is supposed to be closed, except when food is passing into the esophagus,” the doctor explained. If alcohol relaxes that muscle, as it has a tendency to do, stomach acid is able to “come back up into the esophagus, and that’s reflux.” So, if you drink gin every night, you may worsen acid reflux symptoms.
FYI, you might want to avoid carbonated beverages, too, as it’s one of the worst things for acid reflux.
Dont Be Afraid To Drink Gin Neat
Dont be afraid to drink gin neat, says Smith. These days, a lot more gins are designed to be drunk neat. Gone are the days where drinking gin is like drinking a Christmas tree. He explains that its easier than ever to find a gin that might feature flavors you prefer, whether you like cinnamon or cardamom, citrus or floral notes, especially if you bring barrel-aged gins into the mix. Barrel-aged gins have proliferated in recent years, particularly from small-batch distillers across the U.S. Longtimers like No. 209 in San Francisco even experiment with different barrels, aging its gin in sauvignon blanc or cabernet sauvignon wine barrels.
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You May Experience Some Pain Relief If You Eat Gin
In your grandparents’ kitchen, you may have noticed raisins soaking in a jar on the counter. Maybe you chalked it up to your nanna’s eccentricities, but there is actually some science behind this antiquated home remedy.
As medicine researcher and author Chris Kilham explained in an article for Fox News, the remedy which calls for a box of golden raisins, a glass jar, and gin is meant to alleviate arthritis pain. The raisins are to be covered and soaked in the gin at room temperature for one week, after which they should be consumed, ten per day. As Kilham explained, golden raisins are capable of anti-inflammatory activity and, since arthritis is an inflammatory disease, the raisins could help. Gin is made with similarly anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich juniper berries, which is why it’s the preferred booze to use.
“When you soak the golden raisins in the juniper berry gin, the gin extracts many of the compounds in the raisins, making them more readily absorbed when you consume the raisins,” Kilham added. Although this remedy may not be foolproof, the expert said it’s safe for most people to give it a go.
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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Champage / Sparkling Wine
Not sure what to do with the champagne that’s left over from a celebratory dinner? Have some sparkling wine from the holidays taking up valuable kitchen space? There’s a solution waiting to be made turn them into an amazing French 75. And here’s the good news: A French 75 is a perfect sort of introductory gin drink.
You can make a French 75 with just a shot of gin, half as much lemon juice, and a dash of simple syrup. Shake with ice, strain into a glass, then top with your champagne or sparkling wine. It’s cold, it’s fizzy, and it’s got a kick of sourness that allows the gin to seep through without being overpowering. Love the basics? Mix it up! Pour heavy on the gin if you want more of the botanicals, dress up the French 75 up with a berry liqueur, or add a botanical garnish.
You Can Improve Your Heart Health If You Drink Gin Every Night
“As with other types of alcohol, there is some evidence to suggest that moderate consumption can help reduce the risk of heart attacks…,” nutritionist Jackie Lynch confirmed to Good to Know. Now, that doesn’t mean you can throw back martini after martini and expect to strengthen your heart. “This relates to one small glass per day, as studies have shown that as you increase your intake to three glasses per day the risk of cardiovascular disease increases dramatically,” the nutritionist continued. She further recommended opting for a “single rather than a double measure” of gin to be safe.
Although a nightly gin martini can improve your heart health, a gin and tonic may not, due to the added sugar. Because an excess consumption of sugar has been linked to heart disease, you’re going to want to avoid adding any sweet mixers to your measure of gin if you choose to drink gin every night.
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Can I Make Tonic Water At Home
Many types of soda are fun to make at home. However, tonic water is one that should always be purchased from a reputable manufacturer. Due to the serious side effects of cinchonism, it can be harmful to make your own tonic syrup from cinchona bark because it is impossible to control the amount of quinine. It is generally safe to purchase a premade tonic syrup if you follow the company’s recommended dilution to make tonic water. As an alternative, you can make quinine-free tonic syrup at home.
You Could Gain Weight If You Drink This Kind Of Gin Every Night
Gin may be the base for some delicious low-calorie cocktail concoctions, but you’re going to want to pay attention to what kind of gin you’re ordering especially if you’re looking to maintain or lose weight. If your go-to drink is a sloe gin fizz, well, you may be in for a surprise.
It’s easy to mistake sloe gin or, as it sounds to the ears, slow gin as a method of preparation, à la James Bond‘s famous “shaken, not stirred” martini. As it happens, though, sloe gin isn’t even technically considered gin. It’s a liqueur, Sam Carter, senior brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire, explained to Good Housekeeping, and it gets its name because it’s made from gin and sloe berries .
Regular ole gin is 37.5 percent alcohol by volume , whereas sloe gin is anywhere between 20 and 25 percent ABV. “Plus,” Carter explained, “there’s a lot more sugar in it than a regular gin.” And, as we all know, consuming sugar is pretty much the easiest way to pack on the pounds. So, if you want to drink gin every night, at least avoid sloe gin drinks.
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Best Drinks To Mix With Gin
While there are plenty of liquors you can pick up knowing they’re super versatile and likely to work with almost anything that’s in the fridge and yes, we’re looking at you, vodka gin generally isn’t one of those. There’s a gin and tonic, and … what else?
Admittedly, gin can be tough. It has a distinctive flavor profile that can be described as anything from “botanical” to “Christmas tree,” and everything in between those two. Gin, says MasterClass, is defined in part by the use of juniper berries in the distillation process, and it’s those berries that give this popular liquor that pine-tree, evergreen taste.
For those who might skip the gin because they’re not fans of a gin and tonic, we have good news: There are a ton of other drinks you can use as a base for some truly incredible gin cocktails. Some probably have a permanent spot in the fridge already, and if some are the sort of thing you pick up on occasion, let’s be honest: These ideas are reason enough to spring for that nice bottle of gin.
Add Limea Wedge Or Measured Juice
Our best tip for making a mixed drink with coke? Add citrus! The acidity of a lemon or a lime cuts through the sweetness of the cola and makes the drink much more interesting. You can add the lime to this gin and coke in two ways:
- Squeeze in a lime wedge: Before you garnish with a lime wedge, squeeze it into the drink. This will add about 1 teaspoon lime juice.
- Add ½ ounce lime juice. Want a more pronounced citrus flavor? Measure out fresh lime juice and add it for an even tastier drink.
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Orange And Other Citrus Sodas
There is a great range of orange sodas from Fanta , the French Orangina and a firm favourite of many San Pellegrino.
When combined with gin, it makes a drink that is delightfully summery. I would recommend serving it Gin Tonica style with plenty of ice and a fresh citrus garnish youll feel like youre sippin on sunshine!
Other citrus sodas include Fanta Lemon, which is notably popular as a gin mixer in Spain and the Balearic Islands it also mixes wonderfully with sloe gin. The Double Lemon from Double Dutch has a similar character, but with the added bitterness of quassia bark. Finally, there is Ting, a grapefruit-flavoured soda that comes from the Caribbean.
How To Make A Gin Rickey:
- Add lime juice to a highball or collins glass .
- Pour in Gin.
- Fill the glass with club soda and garnish with lime.
- Give it a quick stir and serve immediately.
Quick and easy cocktails are the best for entertaining guests and even better for a quiet evening at home. No need to go out for a simple and delicious cocktail when you can mix one up and cozy up on the couch with a good book or your current Netflix obsession. A Gin Rickey is just the ticket.
Rickey cocktails can also be made with bourbon but the pairing of the gin and the lime is my favorite. These cocktails have been around since the 1800s and became popular in the political crowd in Washington, but dont let that stop you from trying it!
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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.
With A Bottle Of Gin And A Few Groceries You’re Well On Your Way To Making These 15 Simple Gin Cocktails
There are a number of ways to stock a bar: you can go out and buy one of everything , you can go out and buy what you need for your one or two favorite cocktails , or you can wait and hope that a well stocked bar magically appears in your living room . If you’ve tended toward the last method, your bar might be looking a little bleak. But if you’ve got just one bottle, you can make drinks.
Today, we’ll focus on the cocktails you can make with a bottle of gin. You don’t need liqueurs, vermouth, or any other spirits. The rest of the ingredients can be gathered at your local grocery store or farmers’ marketthis list should be handy as warm-weather produce starts appearing again, but there’s plenty to get you started even if you can still see snow out your window.
Some of these cocktails call for a specific type of ginthe cucumbery, floral Hendrick’s, for example, or robustly juniper-flavored London Dryand those gins will make delicious versions of these drinks. But the world won’t end if you swap ’em for whatever you have on hand.
Let’s get to drinking! We’ve left out the gin and tonicyou guys can figure out how to make that one, right?
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Jawbox Small Batch Classic Dry Gin
Jawbox is an Irish distillery that combines 11 different botanicals to create a truly amazing gin. This gin is definitely on the herbal side, but theres also a strong influence of citruses and juniper.
Jawbox Small Batch Classic Dry Gin uses these 11 botanicals:
All the botanicals come together to create a gin with a bold, crisp, and piney nose. Added to this is a clean scent of citrus and coriander, perfectly introducing you to the crisp taste.
As for taste, this gin has a classic base of bold juniper berries but also has a citrusy flavor in the opening. This then develops into a peppery and green aftertaste.
The peppery and green aftertaste is what makes this gin work so well with ginger ale. The pepper, as well as the bold and green taste perfectly contrasts with the sweet and spicy taste of ginger ale.
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What Are The Things You Can Do With Empty Gin Bottles
From photo frames, lights and candle holders, gin bottles are made of solid glass, there is no reason why these multi-purpose gin bottles cant be functional throughout the house for many years to come! This makes them perfect for anything that needs to be strong and secure including gardening, storage and even adding to your interior design!
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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, there’s more to the story.
It’s not that all alcohol worsens asthma or allergies. Instead, it’s 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 UK’s 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 you’ll be less likely to aggravate your allergies via alcohol.
Strawberry Black Pepper Gin & Tonic
A simple way to elevate the classic Gin and Tonic is to simply add a few strawberries, black pepper, premium soda water, and Tanqueray gin. This Strawberry Black Pepper Gin & Tonic is a fruity twist on the classic drink and features a sweet, peppery combo that adds an extra dimension of flavor to the pretty pink drink. Paired with a crisp, dry gin youll be able to taste floral notes and enjoy a spicy, citrus finish.
Ingredients
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Use Plenty Of Quality Ice
Whenever youre making a highball, you want to use a LOT of ice. Yes, fill the glass with ice. Contrary to popular belief, more ice will actually mean that your drink is less watered down, rather than more. It will also be colder quicker and stay colder longer.
If possible, use large pieces of ice in your drinks. Visit my craft ice guide for more about how to make the best ice for cocktails.