The History of the Gin and Tonic

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Gin and Tonic

Today’s mini-series will cover the all too simple Gin and Tonic. Well, easy to make but did you know…

 

 

As per the experts , Gin came into existence in the mid 1600’s in the Netherlands. Dr. Sylvuis,  a.k.a. as “Franz de la Boé”.Professor of Medicine at Leyden, Holland is officially recognized  as the creator of gin .

His intentions were for medicinal purposes, distinctively for kidney affliction s . He fused the soul of the juniper plant with a neutral grain spirit. He named it Genièvre, French for juniper. It took only 5 short years for it to gain popularity and to come into commercial production . English soldiers serving in the area took pleasure to the spirit. As one story goes it was the English sailors who invented the gin and tonic. In the same way Gin  was created for medicinal purposes so was the Gin and Tonic. It’s purpose was for the cure of malaria

 

 

 

 

Let us drift back into time . 

 

 

For this particular cocktail, we have the British to thank, namely, Brits in 19th-century India, who were searching for ways to get their loyal subjects to ingest quinine, which is used to treat malaria and has at times been thought to repel mosquitoes, which carry the disease. The amount of quinine in modern tonic water is a fraction of what’s needed for treatment (you’d need about 7 quarts of tonic water to even come close), but the drink’s popularity was established.

 

As straightforward as it may seem the Gin and Tonic is anything but easy.

It’s a very simple drink, as is the martini. For that reason, it’s very easy to get wrong.

Because there’s so little that goes into this symbolic drink — gin, tonic water, ice and perhaps a bit of lime — what really matters are good elements .

Yet even gin and tonic lovers face an uphill battle to find a good one.  Even when done right, it’s not an easy drink to love — tonic’s slightly bitter quinine taste is a turnoff to sweet-drink lovers.

Atop the list of potential pitfalls is the tonic, a misunderstood beverage if ever there was one, and a potentially devastating blow to a perfect G&T.

The sad part is, it’s screwed up at 90 percent of the bars in America, and you know the reason? Ninety percent of bars in America use soda out of a gun that in no way, shape or form resembles quinine water.

The better bet is tonic from a bottle — preferably one of those single-serving jobs, which preserves freshness. Request it that way if you’re ordering in a bar; the best bars will at least stock club soda and tonic in bottles.

Gin vs. gin
The secret to the gin is the choice of botanicals. All gins have juniper as a flavor base in their distillation, which is what provides those foresty scents. But most use additional flavorings of citrus and spices. Bombay Sapphire has made its reputation on its use of 10 botanicals, from lemon peel to cubeb berries, a Javanese pepper. The mix makes Sapphire’s taste profile spicier than most — though Walker insists it’s the balance of flavors, not the number of them, that is key to its appeal .

If you prefer a more straightforward gin — any London dry such as Beefeater or regular Bombay — to the more aromatic options, which also include Dutch and Plymouth gins, and new options like Tanqueray Ten. Or if you opt for “something snappier” like the original Tanqueray.

The key to the drink’s classic taste is to balance the bitterness of the tonic against the juniper and other flavors in the gin.

As for the rest, choose a tall, slim, chilled highball glass, the freshest limes possible and — no matter how hot the day — solid cubes of the coldest ice you can get. Ratios for tonic to gin vary widely, from equal parts to 2:1. It’s really a matter of taste.

Variations abound, and none are beyond the pale: a sprig of mint, or a dash of Angostura bitters only add additional layers of flavor.  But the humble gin and tonic is a hot-weather drink, best not to be over thought.

Keep it simple a gentle stir and a big ol’ hunk of lime and head for the hammock.

 

And now the recipe You will need:

1. Some Collin/Highball glasses
2. some lemons
3. ice-cubes
4. Gin
4. Tonic

 
1. Cut a lemon slice and squeeze it into the glass, to get out all its oil and juice and after this put it at the bottom of the glass
2. Full with ice cubes till the edges of the glass
3. Squeeze a half lemon above of the ice cubes. Wait for 30 secs.
4. Fill the 1/3 of the glass with Gin
5. Fill the rest of glass with Tonic
6. Gently stir the mixture with the knife you have cut the lemon