Gin

:This article concerns the beverage. For other uses see Gin (disambiguation).

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Gin is a spirit, or strong alcoholic beverage. It is made from the distillation of white grain spirit and juniper berries, which provide its distinctive flavour. The taste of ordinary gin is very dry, and as such it is rarely drunk neat. It should not be confused with sloe gin, a sweet liqueur traditionally made from sloe berries (blackthorn fruit) infused in gin.

Related Topics:
Spirit - Alcoholic beverage - Juniper - Dry - Neat - Sloe gin - Sloe

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The most common type of gin, typically used for mixed drinks, is "London dry gin", which refers not to appellation or origin, but to style and distillation process. London dry gin refers to a high proof spirit, usually produced in a column still and redistilled after the botanicals are added to the base spirit. In addition to juniper, it is usually made with a small amount citrus botanicals like lemon and bitter orange peel. Other botanicals that may be used include anise, angelica root, orris root, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia bark.

Related Topics:
Appellation - Column still - Bitter orange - Anise - Angelica - Orris - Cinnamon - Coriander - Cassia

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A well made gin will be very dry with a smooth texture lacking in harshness. The flavor will be harmonious yet have a crisp character with a pronounced Juniper flavor.

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Other types of gin include jenever (Dutch gin), Plymouth gin, and Old Tom gin (said to approximate the pot-distilled 18th century spirit).

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In Hasselt, Belgium you can find a National Gin Museum.

Related Topics:
Hasselt - Belgium

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