Ingredients & Formulations

Juniper

Just as juniper trees stay the test of time and can live to be hundreds of years old, juniper berries have been an enduring flavor in the repertoire of distillers through the centuries. Liquids present challenges to archaeologists, as they...

Hunting the Black Cat

Spirit and cocktail history is a strange thing; it is rare that the definitive truth will ever be discovered, and the history at any one time just gives a snapshot of our understanding. Ask any drinks historian worth their...

Bush Gin

Anyone with a passing interest in gin will be well aware of the global renaissance in gin distillation, with the use of new locations, production methods and flavor profiles. As the quantity and range of gin increases, it is...

Making Sense of Sorghum Rum

Sorghum spirits are the shape-shifters of the distilling world. In the liquor aisle you can find sorghum rum, sorghum whiskey, and products labeled simply as “sorghum spirits.” Sorghum appears to be neither fish nor fowl, but some miracle plant...

Gin: One-Shot vs. Concentrate or Concentrating on Gin with a Single-Shot

There are many different ways to create gin, even before you switch on the still. Even after the distillate is produced, a whole range of different decisions and options exist. A simple way to produce gin is to put botanicals...

All About The Base

In the US, the renaissance in craft gin distilling has been underway for over a decade and, today, there are over 350 producers throughout America. The UK is starting to catch up (at least relative to its size) since...

Expressing your Bitter Side

Another night behind the bar, and in they drag themselves. Servers with bloodshot eyes, quivering hands, and groaning voices, shuffle around the restaurant. “Why did I slam those shots last night?” mumbles one not-so-plucky duckling. Chuckling as I make...

The Fuss Over Water

Water is an essential part of any spirit, and in many cases, a distiller’s chosen water will make up more than 50% of their final product. As such, many producers emphasize the source of their water, whether from glaciers,...

Juniper

GIN as a spirits category is unusual in that there is really only one main stipulation that defines it: juniper berries. Otherwise there is no particular raw material specified for use as the base spirit, no minimum maturation time...

Apples Make Delicious  Gin

Serious gin drinkers know that most gins begin with a neutral spirit of more than 180 proof. Working on the theory that neutral spirits are tasteless, most gins are also distilled from grains, such as corn or barely. Usually,...