Gin makes me cry.
I do bad, bad things when I drink gin.
We’ve probably all heard these complaints about gin a time or two, right? How true are they? Tipsy Totes investigates. Since neither of us is a regular gin drinker, research is done both in the bar and through reputable gin resources…but the bar is so much more fun, right? You have to love this kind of investigative journalism, if you can really call it that.
We’ll start with the Christmas Tree claim. This scent/flavor is mostly present in cheaper gins and should not be overbearing in high end gins. Love the tree’s holiday cheer or hate the brittle, falling needles, pine trees are kinda what makes gin, gin.
Gin is a basic alcohol distilled with Juniper Berries or sometimes the flavor is added after. These berries are actually the female seed cone (female version of pine cones) and hence the Christmas Tree vibe.
This brings us to our next interesting fun fact…Gin is kinda just a vodka with Juniper flavor.
While many of the other spirits are highly regulated to make sure they all have a certain consistency in calling themselves whiskey or bourbon and so on, gin is not so controlled. Some makers of gin buy a neutral spirit and distill the juniper flavor in or just add it to the neutral spirit and bottle it.
The only criteria for calling your spirit “Gin” is a predominance of juniper berry flavor. Some brands add other botanical flavors and aromatics to give themselves a differentiator in the marketplace, but juniper is the only must have.
Gin makes you cry? This may just be about perceptions and moods. Although there isn’t much hard evidence on the topic of which spirit, beer, wine, or drink will get you the drunkest, researchers in the 1970’s came to the conclusion that alcohol is alcohol. The effects are basically the same given equal consumption. Perceptions, moods and external factors they surmised must have perpetrated these myths that certain types of alcohol made you cry or act crazy and so on.
Interestingly, you can’t find any info on gin without running into the history of the Gin and Tonic. Delicious, by the way. Research doesn’t lie!
We’ll stop here while you go sample some gin drinks or a gin and tonic. Let us know your favorite brand and remember to sample responsibly! We’ll pick up next time with the love affair of gin and how it saved the day.
