Tired of drinking gin in the classic gin and tonic?
Gin is an alcoholic drink that can be enjoyed in many different ways, depending on how it is served and mixed.
Do you always drink your gin the same way? Gin is highly versatile and can be enjoyed in a wide range of styles, many of them still unfamiliar to most people.
We are going to show you other ways to drink gin: 11 recommended methods for enjoying your favourite brand, from shots and mixers to cocktails. Who knows, you might even change the way you usually drink gin.
Let’s discover new ways to drink gin
Gin basics
What is gin?
Gin was originally drunk as a medicinal spirit in the Netherlands. Many people enjoy gin for its clean flavour, but its alcohol content is high, above 40%.
Gin is a distilled spirit made from potatoes, rye, corn and barley. It is flavoured with botanicals such as herbs, spices and pericarp. This is why gin is known for its intense aroma and distinctive character. The botanicals used in gin are high-quality aromatic ingredients also found in essential oils and herbal infusions, and their profile varies depending on the producer.
Types of gin available
There are six main types of gin. Gin distillates include “London Dry Gin”, “Gin”, “Genever”, “Steinhager”, “Old Tom Gin” and “Plymouth”.
- London Dry gins cannot contain more than 0.1 g/litre of sugar, which gives them a distinctly dry character. Other ingredients such as colourings cannot be added either. Their production requires a minimum of 3 distillations, with juniper as the star botanical.
- “Gin” gins are gins that imitate the London Dry style but usually do not reach 3 distillations, or include colourings, flavourings and other variations outside the standard.
- Genever, also known as Jenever, Geneva Schnapps or Hollands, comes from Holland. This type of gin does not include juniper among its botanicals and is notable for a certain sweetness. There are two main styles of Genever: the young “jonge jenever” and the aged “oude jenever”.
- Steinhager gin is a type of German gin produced exclusively in the village of Steinhagen, Westphalia. It is made from grain and fermented mash from the many juniper bushes that grow on the slopes of the Teutoburg Forest.
- Old Tom gin is sweeter than London Dry Gin but less sweet than Genever. Its origins go back to low-quality “homemade” gins, where sugar was used to hide defects. During the 18th-century gin craze, wooden plaques shaped like cats — the old Tom cat — were mounted on the doors of some speakeasies. When passers-by placed a coin in the cat’s mouth, they put their lips around a small tube between the cat’s paws and the bartender served a shot of gin from inside. This is where the name “Old Tom” comes from. The recipe was eventually lost over time, as the British government regulated the method for making gin. In 1930, the original recipe was recovered and refined, creating a less sweet, high-quality gin that is now essential in many cocktails.
- Plymouth: Originally from the town of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, its recipe and characteristics allow it to hold a designation of origin. It contains juniper in its recipe, but it is much softer than London Dry Gin.
How to choose a gin
Every gin has its own personality, so if you choose one without knowing anything about it, you may find it does not suit the way you plan to drink it.
First of all, it is best to choose something that matches your taste and the way you like to drink gin. For example, Dry Gin or Gin is recommended for those who want to enjoy gin in different ways, such as in cocktails or with tonic.
Choose a gin that matches the way you like to drink gin
Steinheger and Genever are good choices for enjoying gin neat. They are neither too refreshing nor too powerful, and they are direct and easy to drink.
For those who enjoy herbal pomace spirits, we recommend Old Tom Gin, also to drink neat. It is sweet and easy to enjoy, making it perfect for first-time gin drinkers and for anyone who does not like dry gin.
Alcohol strength
The alcohol content of gin varies depending on the type.The alcohol content changes according to the amount of water added during distillation in the gin-making process. It is worth bearing in mind that gin itself is usually around 40% ABV. There are gins with a high alcohol content close to 50%, and gins with a lower alcohol content below 40%, but not below 37.5%.
Does more alcohol mean a gin is simply stronger? Not exactly. A higher alcohol content means that the botanical characteristics that make up this “perfume” that is gin are more “powerful”. If you have a 47% gin, you can add less gin to your gin and tonic or cocktail and achieve aromas equal to or greater than those of a 40% gin.
When drinking higher-strength gins, we should adapt the way we serve them. Using a smaller amount is the best option, and the result is better.
11 Ways to Drink Gin
Neat
The recommended way to drink gin is neat. Gin, with its distinctive aroma, is delicious even when enjoyed on its own.If you want to drink it neat, chill it in the freezer to soften the flavour and make it easier to drink. Even if you freeze it, you can enjoy it without losing gin’s unique aroma. Drinking it in a shot glass is now in fashion.
Gin neat
On the rocks
The second recommended way to drink gin is on the rocks.If you think neat gin is a little strong, how about serving it over ice? To do it, chill the bottle of gin in the freezer, just as you would for drinking it neat.
Fill a shot glass with ice and pour the chilled gin over it. At this point, it is even more delicious if you chill the glass as well.
As the ice melts, the gin becomes more diluted, so it is easier to drink than neat.
Gin on the rocks
Gin and tonic
The third recommended way to drink gin is a gin and tonic.It is said that 90% of gin is drunk as a gin and tonic. To make one, put ice in a glass and add around 50 ml of gin. Then add your desired amount of tonic water and finish with a lime peel.
The gin and tonic ratio should be 1:3: 5 ml of gin and 20 cl of tonic.
Gin and tonic
Gimlet
The fourth recommended way to drink gin is the Gimlet.The Gimlet is a refreshing way to drink gin and is also popular as a summer cocktail. It has a good balance of acidity and sweetness, and it is the kind of drink that goes down very easily. Plymouth Gin is recommended for a Gimlet.
Although there are many ways to make a Gimlet, here we recommend a more refreshing variation.
Put ice in a glass and add 50 ml of gin and 25 ml of lemon juice. Finally, add ginger ale to taste and garnish with a slice of lime or lemon.
Gimlet
Gin Lime
Recommended way to drink gin no. 5 is Gin Lime.Gin Lime is a popular cocktail that is easy to mix and simple to prepare at home. The aroma of gin and the freshness of lime are a perfect match, making it a standard cocktail even in bars.
To make it, fill a glass with ice and add gin and plenty of sliced lime or lime juice. It is also very good if you use lemon juice instead of lime juice.
Gin Lime
Dry Martini
The sixth recommended way to drink gin is a Dry Martini.The Dry Martini is a popular cocktail that often appears in film scenes. It is a cocktail made with dry vermouth. Mix 50 ml of gin and 10 ml of vermouth in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and do not shake; stir everything well so the ice chills the mixture properly. Pour into a glass through a strainer to keep the ice out, and finish with a few olives skewered on a cocktail pick.
Dry Martini
Orange Blossom
Recommended way to drink gin no. 7 is the Orange Blossom.The Orange Blossom is a popular cocktail that is very simple yet delicious. It is also known as orange gin. To make it, put ice in a tall glass. Add 50 ml of gin and your preferred amount of orange juice, then garnish with an orange slice. It is quick and easy to mix.
Orange Blossom
Gin Fizz
Recommended way to drink gin no. 8 is the Gin Fizz.The Gin Fizz is a little dry, but sugar is added, making it a popular and easy-to-drink cocktail.
Put 50 ml of gin, 25 ml of lemon juice and 10 g of sugar (or sugar syrup) in a cocktail shaker and mix well. Pour into a glass, add soda water and stir gently to finish.
Gin Fizz
French 75
Recommended way to drink gin no. 9 is the French 75.French 75 is a slightly sweet cocktail.
Put 50 ml of gin, 20 ml of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar (or sugar syrup) and ice in a cocktail shaker and mix well. Pour into a glass through a strainer to discard the ice, then add champagne, cava or prosecco to finish. It is best served in a flute glass.
French 75
Pink Lady
The tenth recommended way to drink gin is the Pink Lady.This cocktail is named after the play Pink Lady, which was a great success in London. It is visually very appealing.
To make it, put 50 ml of gin, 20 ml of grenadine syrup, 1 egg white and ice into a cocktail shaker and mix well. Pour through a strainer and serve in a champagne glass. There is also a variation using 20 ml of cream instead of egg white.
Pink Lady
Hot
The eleventh recommended way to drink gin is hot.A very little-known way to enjoy gin is to serve it hot. It is wonderfully comforting in winter.
Add 50 ml of gin, 10 ml of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 50 ml of hot water. Put the gin, lemon and sugar into a brandy glass or a teacup and stir until the sugar dissolves. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Hot gin