ALL ABOUT PINK GIN

LEARN MORE ABOUT COCKTAILING

 

ALL ABOUT PINK GIN

What is pink gin?

Traditional pink gin is not the same as the one we know today. The original recipe consisted of Angostura bitters and Plymouth gin. I mean, pink gin was a cocktail.

 Pink gin was invented by the British Royal Navy in the 1800s. Sailors drank Angostura bitters as a remedy for seasickness. It was similar, although not exactly the same as today. It had such an extremely bitter and unpleasant taste that it was unpalatable. Therefore, in order to take anti-sickness medicine, sailors mixed bitters with gin. This is how pink gin came about.

How is gin made?

Let's start at the beginning: distilled gin is made by macerating juniper berries and other botanical extracts in a neutral spirit distilled in a column still. The first gin is said to have been created in the 17th century in the small Dutch city of Leiden. It was a mixture of juniper berries and wine that was used as medicine.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COCKTAILING

Why all the fuss about pink gin?

Currently, pink gin is experiencing a real boom. And, no, we are not referring to the Pink Gin cocktail made with gin and Angostura bitters, which, by the way, is very delicious! We are referring to the liquor that is on the lips of all gin fans.

 

According to Taavi Tenso, brand ambassador of Crafters (Liviko), the reason why pink gin has become so fashionable is that there are actually many people who don't like the taste of gin that much. Many find it too dry and even more so when mixed with tonic.

 

"We started using Fentimans Rose Lemonade with London Dry. It occurred to us to make a gin that would combine well with all the tonics."

What does pink gin taste like?

Today's pink gin is nothing more than regular gin with fruits that give it flavor. It is very similar to normal gin since it has no added sugar and contains the same alcohol by volume. But, red or pink fruits such as strawberries, raspberries or currants are added. It is what gives it that pretty pink color that makes it so attractive and pleasing to the eye and makes it so photogenic on Instagram. In addition to giving it color, the fruit also gives it a delicious sweet and fruity flavor.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COCKTAILING

Cocktails with pink gin

Of course, the classic and refreshing Gin and tonic can also be made with pink gin! But if you want a more novel alternative, try Gordon's Pink Spritz. It's like the Aperol Spritz, but with pink gin. To make this cocktail, we put ice in a large wine glass and add 50 ml of Gordon's pink gin, 50 ml of soda and 25 ml of Prosecco. Much better, right?

 Taavi Tenso knows very well that, when it comes to drinks, trends come and go, so time will tell if pink gin is here to stay or if it is a passing fad. But Taavi has noticed that there is more demand for sweet drinks rather than dry ones, which is certainly good news for pink gin.

 According to Taavi: “Pink gin has many fans. "Only they don't know it yet."