According to ancient journals, Juniper berries have been combined with alcohol since as far back as 70 A.D but let’s fast forward to the 16th century, when it gets interesting!
The Dutch began producing a spirit called ‘genever’ – it was a malt based spirit with a healthy amount of juniper berries to mask the taste. Like it’s predecessors, it was a medicinal liquid to treat stomach complaints, gout and gallstones, but by the 17th century it had taken on a new form: gin.
In the 17th century, Dutch troops fought alongside the English. The Dutch troops drank Genever heavily before going into battle, displaying strength & bravery. The English troops decided to follow suit before going into battle and noted they had imbibed the Dutch’s courage hence the term “Dutch Courage”. It's thought that the British, too drunk to pronounce ‘Genever,’ abbreviated the word to ‘Gen.’
Eventually the British brought it back home with them. They improved the quality of gin, lifting its image, and by using surplus corn and barley also boosted English agriculture. Sometimes gin was distributed to workers as part of their wages and it soon exceeded the sales of beer and ale. It was cheap, easily obtained and strong. Realising they had a problem, the British government increased the tax on Gin, which led to bootlegging under names such as Ladies Delight.
For over a century, England became a nation of beer drinkers, and it wasn’t until 1830 that things started looking up for the gin scene. A French-born Irishman introduced a new still that revolutionised liquor production around the world – it produced a much cleaner, purer spirit than before.
Gin, in its most basic terms, is a liquor of approximately 40% alcohol by volume or greater that is derived from grain distillation and primarily flavored with juniper berries (or juniper extract).
It was favoured by sailors in the British Navy – who even came up with the classic G&T - quinine was brought along on voyages and rationed to prevent malaria and limes were added due to their anti-scurvy properties.
Things really calmed down throughout the 20th century, and through to modern times where Gin is celebrated as a cult and craft cocktail ingredient.
World Gin Day is always the second Saturday in June - a day for anyone and everyone to celebrate and enjoy gin. The idea is simple for World Gin Day: get people together with a legitimate excuse to drink some gin, whether it's in a cocktail, G&T or neat. Whether you're already a fan of the juniper spirit, or looking for an intro, World Gin Day is the perfect opportunity to get involved.
