{"id":5909,"date":"2021-01-12T21:06:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T21:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theconnaught.co.uk\/?p=5909"},"modified":"2023-04-05T15:01:42","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T14:01:42","slug":"gin-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theconnaught.co.uk\/blog\/gin-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about gin"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In this article<\/h2>\n

– What is gin?<\/a>
\n– What is gin made from?<\/a>
\n– Types of gin<\/a>
\n– History of gin<\/a>
\n– Is gin gluten-free?<\/a>
\n– What is pink gin?<\/a>
\n– Is gin vegan?<\/a>
\n– Does gin go off?<\/a>
\n– Why is gin called mother\u2019s ruin?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Let\u2019s be honest, who doesn\u2019t love a G&T after a long day?<\/p>\n

Cool, refreshing, crisp, and super-delicious, gin is enjoying a huge popularity comeback, with countless new flavours to try! It\u2019s the perfect beverage for kicking away your cares and worries and experimenting with different tastes and ingredients at the same time.<\/p>\n

Whilst chilling out and enjoying your stay at The Connaught Hotel and Spa Bournemouth, why not sample a few glasses of your favourite tipple in The Connaught Gin Bar<\/a>? Even the most experienced gin connoisseurs will find something new amongst our 200 different gin varieties!<\/p>\n

Of course, you might also want to know a bit more about gin and where it actually came from. It\u2019s interesting to learn about, especially when gin is so in demand these days.<\/p>\n

This gin guide has been put together by the experienced team who work in our gin bar; we know our stuff when it comes to the modern-day drink of choice. So sit back, relax and prepare to be enlightened on everything gin-related.
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What is gin?<\/h2>\n

Gin is a spirit type of alcoholic beverage that is made from juniper berries and is distilled to create the crisp and sharp taste that we all know and love.<\/p>\n

There are countless different gin flavours these days, thanks to the huge popularity boom we\u2019ve been experiencing over the last few years.<\/p>\n

\"Gin<\/p>\n

From unicorn glitter gin to pink gin and everything in-between, you\u2019ll find it all, so gin is certainly a beverage that covers a huge range of tastes!<\/p>\n

Our gin bar caters for every gin preference, so if you like sweet, dry, sharp, crisp, or something completely different, you\u2019ll find it at The Connaught Hotel and Spa Bournemouth.<\/p>\n

Our experienced colleagues can also give you a heads up on the best way to drink gin and what to pair it with. If you want to enjoy gin in the way it is meant to be enjoyed, you have to take the drinking side of it very seriously indeed!
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What is gin made from?<\/h2>\n

Gin is made from juniper berries and other herbs, plants and spices. It\u2019s essentially created by adding flavour to pure alcohol using a process called distillation.<\/p>\n

That was the simple answer, but if you\u2019re wondering \u2018where does gin come from<\/strong>\u2019 and \u2018how is gin made<\/strong>\u2019, it\u2019s gonna get a little technical so bear with us!<\/p>\n

For a drink to be called a true gin, no matter what type it is, it has to have a taste that is predominantly of juniper berries. No matter what else is added to it flavour-wise, you should always be able to taste hints of juniper, otherwise it\u2019s not a high-class gin.<\/p>\n

Gin, in its basic origins, is a spirit, and that means it is pure ethanol. That sounds a bit worrying, but fear not, as this is how most spirits are made! From there, different flavours are added to the ethanol via distillation.<\/p>\n

Distillation can be done in a few different ways, but the most common method is to place the spirit (the ethanol) into a large pot and add the juniper berries and other flavours you want to include.<\/p>\n

\"Juniper<\/p>\n

So if you wanted the gin to be strawberry flavoured, you would add the particular botanical of choice. The process from this point is called \u2018steeping\u2019 and takes up to 48 hours.<\/p>\n

Once the steeping process is complete, water is added to the gin to bring the alcohol level down to an acceptable level.<\/p>\n

Another method is vapour infusion<\/strong>. In this case, the flavours you\u2019re adding in don\u2019t actually come into real contact with the spirit itself, they\u2019re placed in pots which hover above it.<\/p>\n

When heat is added, the spirit turns to vapour and travels upwards to infuse with the fruits or other botanicals that you\u2019ve added. This then turns into a liquid, and when you add water to it you get the same kind of effect as if you were using the steeping method.<\/p>\n

Vapour infusion is said to give the gin a lighter flavour, but you\u2019ll find both methods used very commonly.
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Types of gin<\/h2>\n

There are four main types of gin:<\/p>\n