Top 5 Galentine’s Day Cocktails
By Andrew Tardif
As Valentine’s Day approaches we wanted to highlight a day that is important to the gals out there. If you’re looking to spend some time cherishing friendships over some cocktails, we at Chemist Spirits wanted to provide 5 Galentine’s Day cocktails that are easy to make but still have a Valentine’s Day flair.
What is Galentine’s Day?
Galentine’s Day was made famous by the fictional character Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. The day before Valentine’s Day (February 13th) the ladies celebrate their friendship with each other. It’s about, “Ladies celebrating ladies.”
Although Leslie Knope likes to celebrate her friendships at JJ’s Diner, alongside their famous waffles, we thought some Galentine’s Day cocktails would be a great way to celebrate.
“It’s like Lilith Fair minus the angst…plus frittatas”
- Leslie Knope
This day focuses on the ladies, but we believe it can also be a time where all folks celebrate their friendships. So get those cocktail shakers and Chemist spirits ready and enjoy these 5 Galentine’s Day cocktails the way they should be enjoyed – with friends.
Strawberry French 75
The French 75 is a classic cocktail that includes gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and champagne. Its origins are murky, but many sources claim the name is related to a piece of artillery used by the French during WWI. This 75mm weapon was encountered by American soldiers and was referred to as the “French 75.”
Many renditions of the cocktail can be found throughout the early 20th century, but the recipe that most bars follow is a take on the Tom Collins. The Tom Collins is gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup topped with soda water. The simple change from soda to champagne made the classic French 75.
Strawberry French 75 Recipe
A piece of French artillery is not very Galentine’s Day, if you ask us, but this is the perfect Galentine’s Day cocktail to enjoy with the ladies. Although the classic cocktail is perfect for any occasion, we think the addition of a strawberry syrup adds much desired color and fruitiness, especially paired with our Chemist American Gin.
Strawberry Syrup Recipe:
Take 180 grams of strawberries and gently mash them with a muddler, or with whatever you can mash them with. Add 180 grams of granulated sugar and stir to make sure all of the sugar makes contact with the strawberries. Let this mixture sit for up to 2 hours.
The sugars will draw out the natural juices and will result in a beautiful red syrup. You can then blend the mixture and strain. Now you have a lovely strawberry syrup for a nice strawberry lemonade, strawberry soda, or the fanciest of these Galentine’s Day cocktails.
Strawberry French 75 Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Strawberry Syrup
¾ oz Lemon Juice
Champagne to Top
Strawberry French 75 Instructions:
Pour gin, strawberry syrup, and lemon juice into a shaker tin with ice
Shake for 10-15 seconds, or until ingredients are thoroughly chilled.
Strain into a champagne flute
Top with champagne
Express lemon oil over top and garnish with the lemon peel.
Red Snapper - A Perfect Galentine’s Day Brunch Cocktail
If you want to recreate the JJ’s Diner experience with some brunch Galentine’s Day cocktails, you may want to reach for a Mimosa or Bloody Mary. But how about a Red Snapper? This rendition of a Bloody Mary uses gin instead of Vodka to add some botanicals while maintaining the tomato-based mix that made it popular.
The name Red Snapper was originally intended to give the Bloody Mary cocktail a less vulgar title. Post prohibition, gin was more common than vodka and the name Red Snapper eventually became associated with the gin version.
Red Snapper Recipe:
Like a Bloody Mary, the Red Snapper recipe is made with a tomato juice base which can be played with in myriad ways. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your spice level and liking, but this recipe is a nice start. We also like to use our Barrel-Rested Gin since it smooths out any possible bite from the gin.
Red Snapper Ingredients:
2 oz Chemist Barrel Rested Gin
4 oz Tomato Juice
¾ oz Lemon Juice
4 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
3 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
2 Pinches Celery Salt
2 Pinches Ground Black Pepper
Red Snapper Cocktail Instructions:
Rim a highball glass with celery salt and ground black pepper
Pour all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice
Roll the cocktail shaker to mix the ingredients
Fill highball glass with ice
Strain ingredients over ice
Garnish with a celery stalk, lime wedge, and whatever extra garnishes you typically enjoy with a Bloody Mary.
Galentine’s Day Punch
The punch is the first true cocktail and many of the cocktails we know today originated from this primordial recipe of spirit (aquae vitae), sugar, juice, spices and water.
The history of punch goes back centuries with one of the first mentions of it found in the 17th century in a letter from a fellow working for the British East India Company. Its origins can be traced back to India where the spirit arrack was mixed with sugar, citrus, and water, but it was the English that made the punch what it is today.
The origin of the name is debated, but it can come from the Hindi term for five, paanch, or, most likely, it comes from what the English term for the stout barrel it was served from, punch.
Punch is great for a Galentine’s Day gathering since it gives you an excuse to buy a beautiful punch bowl, and because it can be prepped ahead of time so you are ready for any gathering.
Galentine’s Day Punch Recipe:
Luckily, like cocktails, a punch is limitless in its possibilities. You can mix a wide array of citrus, fruit, spices, and spirits to make your punch. Don’t feel limited by this recipe and instead let it be a starting point for your own punch. First we start with an oleo saccharum, a sugar syrup made with citrus peels.
We suggest using a Navy Strength Gin for this recipe since over time the punch will dilute more from the ice block, and therefore will lose strength.
Oleo Saccharum Recipe:
Put 150 grams of lemon peels and 150 grams of sugar into a mason jar and let it sit for 24 hours stirring occasionally so that the sugar crystals can come into contact with the lemon oils. After 24 hours, add 150 grams of lemon juice and shake. Set aside.
Galentine’s Day Punch Ingredients:
Bottle of Chemist Navy Strength Gin (750 ml)
Oleo Saccharum Mixture
Slices of Lemon
Mint
Water (750 ml)
Block of ice (750 ml)
Galentines’ Day Punch Instructions:
Take a bread mold (or any mold that can fit inside your punch bowl) and fill it with water.
Freeze the mold.
When fully frozen, place the resulting giant ice block into your punch bowl.
Pour the gin, water, oleo saccharum mix, slices of lemon, and mint into your punch bowl.
Use a ladle to serve your punch into cups for your Galentines
For a more in-depth exploration of punches, we want to refer you to the Difford’s Guide for punch, which really breaks it down.
The Italian Greyhound
The Greyhound is a classic cocktail that can be found in Henry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book from the 1930s. Originally called the Grapefruit Cocktail, this originally called for grapefruit jelly and lemon juice. The alternative used grapefruit juice and simple syrup, the recipe common today.
As with the Red Snapper, gin was the common ingredient until vodka took over and became more accessible. The Italian Greyhound, however, embraces more grapefruit flavors with the addition of Campari or Aperol. And, I mean, look at that color.
Italian Greyhound Cocktail Recipe
This is the more bitter of the Galentine’s Day cocktails, but is still a refreshing option that embraces the bright citrus of our American Gin. You can use either Aperol or Campari, or you can mix them together. In our recipe, we like to stick with the Campari since the color is brighter and since it balances out the grapefruit juice.
This cocktail is also easy since all you need to do is build it in the glass.
Italian Greyhound Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Campari (or Aperol)
4 oz Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
Soda Water to top
Italian Greyhound Cocktail Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with ice
Pour gin, campari, simple syrup, and grapefruit juice into glass
Top with soda water
Garnish with a rosemary sprig and grapefruit wedge.
Gimlets With the Gals
The origin of this cocktail isn’t so Galentine’s Day, unless the Gals were gathering on a British Royal Navy ship. During the 19th century, rum became a common ration at sea for many sailors while gin became a common staple for naval officers.
In order to fight scurvy, officers were ordered to add lime juice to their gin and in many cases they would acquire rations of sugar to mix in in order to make the beverage more palatable. Regardless of its origins, the Gimlet is one of our top choices for Galentine’s Day cocktails, especially since it is light, refreshing, and simple.
Gin Gimlet Recipe:
The original Gimlet recipe was made with a lime cordial, which combined the lime juice and sugar. You can certainly make your own lime cordial, but really you can just use fresh lime juice and a simple syrup, which is less labor intensive.
At the Antidote Cocktail Lounge, we like to use our Chemist Barrel-Rested Gin to add extra depth. However, the Chemist American Gin makes for a light and refreshing Gimlet as well. Tired of gin? That’s okay, why not try it with our Chemist Vodka?
Gin Gimlet Ingredients:
2 oz Barrel-Rested Gin
¾ oz Lime Juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup
Gin Gimlet Instructions:
Place ingredients into a shaker tin with ice.
Shake ingredients until fully chilled
Strain into a chilled coupe or gimlet glass.
Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.
Here’s to Cocktails with Friends and Loved Ones
This Galentine’s Day, we at Chemist recommend getting the ladies together for a nice meal and indulging in one of these Galentine’s Day cocktails. The classics and twists on the classics are a great chance to have some laughs and conversations.
Don’t feel limited by these recipes, after all you are the chemist in your laboratory. One thing is for sure, if you use Chemist spirits, anything Galentine’s Day cocktail you make will be a cure for the common cocktail.
5 Easy Valentine’s Day Cocktails to Make For That Special Someone
By Andrew Tardif
Valentine’s day is here again, promising many subpar chocolates, hokey valentines’s day cards, and expensive dinners out. But what happened to a romantic Valentine’s Day at home with a nice meal and, of course, sexy valentine’s day cocktails?
Whether your heartthrob loves gin, whisky, or vodka, Chemist Spirits has the bottle for you and the cocktail. There’s no better way to impress your date than with these 5 easy Valentine’s Day cocktails, which emphasize our Chemist Spirits. After all, love is a sort of alchemy, isn’t it?
Clover Club
This pink-hued, foamy gin cocktail has its roots in the late 1800s at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. The hotel was frequented by many intellectuals and well-to-do folks who would gather to discuss the hot topics of the day, including politics.
Prohibition spelled the death of the cocktail as it fell out of favor. This is possibly due to the fact that an egg-white cocktail with raspberry syrup was labor intensive and speakeasies were always at risk of getting raided. This meant the quicker the drink the better.
In 2008, Julie Reiner opened the Clover Club bar where she served this lovely cocktail. We have her to thank for the resurgence of this luscious and eye-catching valentine’s day cocktail.
Clover Club Cocktail Recipe
Although this Valentine’s Day drink recipe calls for raspberry syrup (which is very easy to make), you can replace that with Chambord, or you can simply muddle and shake fresh raspberries with ½ oz of simple syrup. The raspberries give it a better color, in our opinion.
We also like to use our Chemist American Gin to add a floral essence and emphasise the notes of citrus.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Raspberry Syrup (or Chambord)
¾ oz Lemon Juice
Egg White*
Instructions:
Place Chemist Navy Gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup (or Chambord), and egg white into shaker tin.
Dry Shake ingredients for 10 seconds to foam the egg white.
Add ice to the shaker tin and shake ingredients again for 10-15 seconds to chill.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish with fresh raspberries.
*Technique Tip: Dry Shaking
Out of these Valentine’s Day cocktails, this one is the most labor intensive at home due to the Dry Shaking required.
There are some different modes of thought surrounding dry shaking. Some bartenders will shake the cocktail with egg white but without any ice first to create foam without diluting it.
After “dry shaking,” ice is added and you can shake it for another 10 seconds to chill. An alternative way that some bartenders may use, including some at Chemist’s Antidote Cocktail Lounge, is to shake with ice the first time and then strain it, discard the ice, and then dry shake it.
The cold egg white will be able to foam better, like chilling heavy cream, the bowl, and whisk before whipping it. The colder it is, the more structure you can form.
Hot Buttered Single Malt
For those who share a deep, warm, and cozy love, this riff on the Hot Buttered Rum is for you. The Hot Buttered Rum cocktail is a hot cocktail typically served with rum and a batter typically made of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
This cocktail originated in the colonial era when rum had become popular, but a written recipe emerged as early as 1594 in Thomas Dawson’s The Good Huswifes Handmaid. This recipe used beer instead of rum, but otherwise looks similar.
This Valentine’s Day cocktail is perfect for the cold February weather, and we simply swap out the rum for our American Single Malt, which is well rounded with toasty notes of chocolate. Of the Valentine’s Day cocktails, this one is the best to prepare ahead of time.
Once dinner is finished, the dishes are cleaned, the candles are lit, and you’re ready to settle into each other’s arms, you can simply boil up some water, take out the premade batter and your Chemist American Single Malt Whiskey and get to Hot Buttering.
Hot Buttered Single Malt Recipe
Although we use our American Single Malt in this recipe, you can always swap that out for whatever spirit floats your boat. Rum is the typical spirit used, but this can range from a Jamaican Rum which has a grassier profile, to a Black Strap Rum, which is darker more molasses profile.
Ingredients for Batter:
1 cup of unsalted butter
2 cups of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of grated cinnamon
1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg.
Allow the butter to soften in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the butter and stir until completely combined. Put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Ingredients for Cocktail:
1 teaspoon of batter (Or tablespoon, you’re the chemist, after all)
1 ½ oz of Chemist American Single Malt Whiskey
Hot Water
Instructions:
Place teaspoon of batter into a 8oz heat-safe glass or coffee mug
Add Whiskey
Fill the glass with hot water and mix to combine
Garnish with grated nutmeg and serve.
Chambord 75
This take on the French 75 gets its color from Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur. A small addition turns this French 75 from a simple champagne cocktail into something with more class and color.
The French 75 itself doesn’t have romantic origins and is possibly named from a French artillery piece the Americans encountered during WWI. It has also gone through a variety of adaptations.
The one that is most popular today is, as Jeffey Morgenthaler states, an evolution of the Tom Collins and uses gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice which is shaken, strained into a champagne flute, and topped with champagne.
The Chambord 75 Recipe
This cocktail can be altered in many ways. You can substitute the Chambord for a completely other liquor, say a passionfruit liquor, creme de cassis, or creme de mure, if you have some of that lying around.
You can also just switch it out for a fruit puree, but then you’re certainly entering Bellini territory. Then you’re talking brunch, but that’s a different conversation altogether. If you want a weightier gin, we also recommend a Navy Strength Gin, like our own that uses Thai ginger for a little more heat and spice.
Ingredients:
1 oz Chemist Navy Strength Gin
½ oz Chambord
½ oz Lemon Juice
Top with Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Instructions:
Pour gin, lemon juice, and Chambord into a shaker tin.
Shake with ice for 10-15 seconds or until thoroughly chilled.*
Strain into a flute and top with champagne.
Express lemon oil over the top and garnish with lemon peel.
*If you don’t want to shake all of the ingredients, this cocktail can also be built in the glass.
The Hanky Panky
No, not that kind of hanky panky, but hopefully that is in your future as well. This cocktail’s name is more likely associated with magic and trickery as it’s believed to be related to the term, “hocus pocus.” I mean, isn’t love a kind of magic?
It is said that in the 1920s Ada Coleman, the head bartender at London’s Savoy Hotel, made this cocktail for Sir Charles Hawtrey, an actor who was looking for a sort of pick-me-up. Some tales say that Hawtrey himself referred to it as “the real hanky panky” after downing it, and others state that Coleman named it.
Regardless, this cocktail is perfect for those who enjoy a Martini or Manhattan.
Hanky Panky Cocktail Recipe
This cocktail can be delicate or difficult depending on the type of spirits you use. We like to go with a floral and citrusy gin, like our Chemist America Gin, and a rich sweet vermouth, like Carpano Antica.
As for the Fernet, the recipe typically calls for Fernet Branca, but we like local, so we always reach for Eda Rhyne’s Appalachian Fernet. We find that the rich and complex botanicals match well with the florality of our gins, both sharing the botanicals of the region. It also can be nice to add a couple of dashes of orange bitters, although, then you’re entering Martinez territory.
But, we all do hanky panky in our own way, so, you know…you do you.
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
1 ½ oz Sweet Vermouth
2 Dashes of Eda Rhyne Appalachian Fernet
Orange peel
Instructions:
Put the American Gin. Sweet Vermouth, and Fernet into a mixing glass with ice*
Stir for 30 seconds or until thoroughly chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Express orange oil over top and throw the garnish away.
*Technique Tip: Ice
If you want to properly chill a stirred drink, you want to make sure you have plenty of ice in the glass. Stirring the cocktail won’t dilute it as much since there is far less agitation than shaking, but that also means you need plenty of ice. If liquid comes above the ice in a mixing glass, you need more ice.
Chemist Alexander- A Before-Bed Libation
The Chemist Alexander is a riff on the Alexander cocktail which uses equal parts gin, creme de cacao, and heavy cream for a decadent drink. It originated in the early 20th century, although the origins are contested.
The story that seems to be the most likely is that Troy Alexander, the bar manager of New York City’s Rector, made the cocktail for officials of the Lackawanna Railroad. The result was a white cocktail as a nod to the new smokeless coal used in train travel.
The most popular rendition of this cocktail, and what people typically think of, is the Brandy Alexander, which traded out the Gin for Brandy.
Chemist Alexander Recipe:
Since the Alexander’s inception it has branched off into several renditions other than the Brandy Alexander, Vodka, Sherry, and Triple Sec have all hopped in to add variety to the name. For this, we use our Chocolate Orange Liqueur for a more luscious mouth feel and our American Single Malt to add a level of depth and heat.
The other change you can make is to use egg white instead of cream. Many find that egg white is the real way to make an Alexander, although the first printed recipe for the cocktail (appearing in Hugo Enslin’s Recipe’s for Mixed Drinks used cream.
That being said, allow this cocktail to be a starter template for your own ideas and creations.
Ingredients:
½ oz Chemist Chocolate Orange Gin Liqueur
½ oz American Single Malt
1 oz Heavy Cream
1 oz Creme de Cacao
Nutmeg for garnish.
Instructions:
Pour ingredients, except nutmeg, into a shaker tin with ice.
Shake for 10-15 seconds or until chilled thoroughly.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish with fresh nutmeg.
Give the Gift of Gin this Valentine’s Day
Hopefully these easy Valentine’s Day cocktails make it to your special dinner or date night this Valentine’s Day. And if you’re still looking for a gift to get that special someone, take a look at our lineup of Chemist Spirits. With gins, whiskeys, and liqueur, we have something for everyone.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to us. Or visit our cocktail bar and try our spirits in some seasonal concoctions, curated by our own creative chemists.
How is Gin Made? A Brief Guide of How to Make Gin
By Andrew Tardif
There’s something mysterious about a clear liquor with luscious and pronounced flavors. How can something so serene and simple taste so profound? At Chemist we are drawn into the mystery since we confront it everyday.
Tinkering in our lab with gin has taught us a lot, from the inception of the Chemist American Gin made by Debbie and Danielle Donaldson and James Donaldson, to the creation of spirits like our Chocolate Orange Gin Liqueur and Herbal Revenge, the gin making process has remained the foundation of our work.
So, how is gin made to be that juniper based spirit the world loves? A lot of it comes down to great ingredients and a perfected process, not to mention the passion that those of us at Chemist Spirits share for our gins and other spirits.
So what is gin made from and how is gin made? Let’s take a look.
What is Gin Made From?
Gin is made from three main ingredients, the neutral spirit; the botanicals, most notably juniper berries; and water. Since the ingredients are minimal, their quality and the balance between them is crucial in creating gin. The intricacies of how gin is made depend on the varying ingredients used and the distillation process.
The Neutral Spirit
First, in order to make gin you need a neutral spirit to serve as your base. For gin, this spirit is typically grain based, but technically it can be made with any neutral spirit. Genever, gin’s predecessor, was made with malted grain before it was then flavored with juniper berries.
The base will provide for the base flavor and mouthfeel. There is a reason something like a Vodka made from potatoes has a different mouthfeel than a Vodka made from grain. And then there are variations between the grains themselves.
At Chemist, we begin our gin-making process with smooth and creamy distilled wheat, which we also produce as our Chemist Vodka. It makes for a smoother finish and works well with our method of vapor infusion (more on that later).
These neutral spirits are of an extremely high ABV to start (higher than 90%), while the ABV of the final spirit will be between 40%-60%.
The Botanicals
Gin has typically been made with the same type of botanicals for centuries, but with the advent of American/Contemporary Gins, the range of botanicals, spices, herbs, etc. has expanded.
The main botanical that is necessary for a gin to be labeled as such is juniper berries. This lends to gin’s dry, pine flavor, but is also a necessary ingredient and flavor for it to legally be called gin. Gin is made from not only juniper berries, but also commonly includes orris root, angelica root, coriander, cardamom, and citrus peels.
The balance of these botanicals is what sets apart the different types of gins. A London Dry Gin is typically going to use a higher ratio of juniper berries to achieve the dryness it’s known for. Plymouth Gin will increase the amount of citrus and roots to achieve the earthy quality.
Old Tom Gin will have the addition of sugar to sweeten the final product. Meanwhile our American Gin balances the flavor of juniper with that of rose, citrus, and the introduction of our own local botanicals from the Western North Carolina mountains.
Water
An overlooked ingredient in the making of gin, and all other spirits, water can serve as nearly half the volume of the gin since the end of the distillation process results in a liquor that has a high proof and must be diluted. This means the quality of the water matters.
How Is Gin Made? - The Distillation Process
The distillation process is where the fermented substance (neutral spirit) is heated and cooled in stills to extract the ethanol. For gin, this is generally when the botanicals are introduced either via direct contact with the spirit or infusion. Before distillation, water is added to dilute the spirit.
Steeping
The botanicals can be steeped in two ways. One is to simply let it macerate or steep in the neutral spirit for a period of time and then to distill it (commonly referred to as “Steep and Boil”). The other option is to just heat the liquid immediately after the botanicals have been added.
Vapor Infusion
During vapor infusion the botanicals never make contact with the neutral spirit and are instead held in a basket in the Lyne Arm. When the spirit is heated and the alcohol turns to vapor, it is then sent into the Lyne Arm and through the basket of botanicals.
This vapor then extracts the oils and aromas in the botanicals. At Chemist, we use vapor infusion for our gins, using our Portuguese Copper Pot Stills. This method of extracting flavor is what gives gins like our Navy-Strength Gin its bright yet smooth flavors.
Compounding
As opposed to the first two forms of flavor extractions, compounding is typically done after the distillation process. This is either by adding ingredients to the distilled spirit to allow it to steep and extract the flavors or through the addition of essences. This method was typical in the “bathtub gin” of the prohibition era.
The Types of Stills
The vessel in which the neutral spirit is heated for the distillation process is the still. The two main types of stills that you will find in gin making are copper pot stills and column stills, although these can also be combined to make a hybrid still.
Pot Stills
Pot stills have been in use for centuries and were adopted by monks who had a knack for distilling. This still is simple: The spirit or mash is placed in a still the shape of a pot where it is heated. The alcohol turns to vapor and travels up to the Still Head where an exit pipe is located.
This exit pipe is called the Lyne Arm, and it travels to the Condenser, a cylindrical copper structure that is pumped with cold water. This causes the vapor to condense back to liquid which then drips down and out a pipe in the form of the finished spirit and nonpotable spirit, which are kept separate.
We use these types of stills for our distilling process with the addition of a botanical basket in the Lyne Arm.
Column Stills
A slightly more complicated still, the column still typically includes two tall copper columns that allow for continuous distillation.This means the mash or the neutral spirit can continually be pumped in resulting in a constant flow of spirit whereas a pot still requires cleaning and a new neutral spirit after each distillation.
The column still is heated at the bottom and is divided into different sections by trays that make sure there is consistent condensation as the vapor rises up the column.
Hybrid Stills
A hybrid still combines both of these ideas but allows the distiller some versatility, opening the door for distillers to produce a wide array of spirits including whiskey, gin, rum and vodka. While the flexibility is tempting, nothing beats the flavor of a classic pot still for a single malt whiskey.
Other Stills
Those are the typical stills used in gin making but there are some other stills that are rare and intriguing. The Bennett Still is common with Hendrick’s Gin which uses the still for a “steep and boil” method.
The Carterhead Still is a rare still that uses vapor infusion. Instead of having the botanical basket located in the Lyne Arm, the Carterhead Still has a basket for botanicals placed at the top of the column still.
Why Copper?
Copper is the common choice for still material because of how it conducts heat and purifies the spirit. Its antimicrobial qualities as well as its ability to strip the liquid of sulphuric compounds make it a prime choice for making gin.
Taking the Heads and Tails
In the beginning of the distillation process, the run off will include some dangerous compounds like methanol called the “heads” or “foreshots”, which are not safe to drink but can be reused in future batches for redistillation. Keeping this in the finished product is not only dangerous but also unpleasant.
The ‘heart’ of the gin comes after the heads and is what ends up being used in the final product. This is where the cleanest and highest quality contents are. At the end of the distillation are the “tails" which have less alcohol - since by now what is vaporizing is the water that is still left in the still. Although not as dangerous as the heads, the tails have unpleasant compounds that make it unpalatable, so they are typically tossed or redistilled.
Diluting and Bottling the Gin
After the gin has been distilled, the resulting product is going to have a high ABV and therefore must be diluted. This is where at Chemist we use clean and crisp filtered Appalachian Mountain water to proof our spirits down. We find that this adds to the crisp and clean flavor of our Chemist American Gin and our other gins.
Dilution also helps the distiller bring it to a desired proof. For instance, we bring our Navy-Strength Gin down to a high proof of 114, or 57% ABV, maintaining a strong gin profile while being drinkable.
Once diluted, the gin is ready to be bottled. But the process doesn’t end with bottling, since while in the bottle the gin has the opportunity to mellow and blend over time.
Barrel Resting Gin - An Optional Step
How is gin made to be a smoother and richer liquor? This is where the optional step of barrel resting comes in. After dilution, a gin can be put in a barrel to rest or finish. This imparts deeper flavors while mellowing out the intensity of the botanicals.
We make our Chemist Barrel-Rested Gin by aging our American Gin in oak barrels for 6 to 8 months. It creates a notable difference, adding hints of vanilla and caramel, and making it smooth for a Gimlet cocktail that is complex yet refreshing.
Conclusion
The gin making process can be boiled down to a few steps, but these steps have their own intricacies and variables that alter the flavor, texture, and finish of the gin. This leads to a wide array of flavors that we at Chemist love to play with.
If you want to see how we make gin at Chemist Spirits, come down to Asheville, North Carolina and take a tour of our distillery. Stop by our cocktail lounge next door, Antidote, to sample our spirits in classic elixirs and modern remedies. Or taste the results of our process from the comfort of your own home with a bottle of one of our gins.
The Different Types of Gin and How To Use Them
By Andrew Tardif
The world of gin is vast and expands beyond what many think of as gin. The dry juniper taste, which has held many back from the spirit, has been expanded into an ever-growing diversity of flavors.
We at Chemist Distillery love to experiment and play with many types of gin with our particular taste and vision. Here are the main types of gin you’ll run into and a couple of ways you can experiment with them in your lab.
What is Gin?
Simply put, gin is a distilled spirit flavored with juniper. The juniper must be a dominant ingredient and flavor in order for it to be considered gin, but it can include citrus, spices, and roots.
Typically, a standard gin will be made with a neutral spirit that is grain based and then flavored through distillation, infusion, or compounding with juniper berries, angelica root, lemon peel, coriander, orris root, and more.
Genever (Jenever) - Gin’s Granddaddy
Genever, or more accurately Jenever, is a Dutch spirit distilled from grain and flavored with juniper berries. Now, just to be clear, this is not technically a gin, but without it, gin wouldn’t exist today. This spirit was brought back to Britain after British soldiers witnessed its vigorous effects on Dutch soldiers who would drink it before they entered battle.
As Britain acquired a taste for what they called “Dutch Courage”, they went on to make their own Genever. Using different bases, adding different botanicals, and taking it through a different distillation, this spirit became its own class: gin. The name derives from the word “Genever.”
In terms of taste, because Genever typically has a base of malted grain, the flavor profile leans more towards a whiskey than a gin, especially since the base spirit isn’t covered up or overlooked by more botanicals.
How to Drink Genever
Although you may find Genever in some cocktails these days, the most traditional way is to drink it straight, chilled, and possibly alongside a beer, something very few would do with, say, a London Dry Gin.
One popular cocktail you will find Genever in is the Flying Dutchman. This recipe calls for Yellow Chartreuse, Benedictine, lemon juice, and Genever. We like to switch out the Genever for the Chemist Navy-Stength Gin and we use Liquor Strega when it’s tough to find Yellow Chartreuse:
The Flying Dutchman Cocktail Recipe
1 ½ oz Genever or Chemist Navy-Strength Gin*
½ oz Strega
½ oz Benedictine
¾ oz Lemon Juice
Put ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and shake for 10 - 15 seconds.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Express lemon oil over top and garnish with the lemon peel.
*Another option we enjoyed was an idea from Paulina, one of the many chemists at Antidote Cocktail Lounge. This involves doing a split base: ¾ oz Genever and ¾ Chemist Navy Strength Gin and then the same amount of Strega, Benedictine, and Lemon Juice.
London Dry Gin
When people think of gin, London Dry is typically what they’re thinking of. Sadly, the market of London Dries has become synonymous with the many cheap gins imbibed at college parties and added to store brand tonic. I mean, in that case, no wonder people get an aversion to it.
But London Dry Gin, which doesn’t have to be made in London, is the main type of gin that has a dominant juniper flavor and is therefore dry on the palate. This gin is traditionally crisp and clean, and plenty of gin brands out there produce a quality London Dry that makes for a spirituous elixir as opposed to a red solo cup of debauchery and regret.
This is one of the types of gin that is still as popular today as it was in nineteenth century Britain.
How to Drink London Dry Gin
London Dry Gin can generally be used in many cocktails, especially if you prefer that dry, juniper-forward quality. It goes especially well with a quality tonic water. Otherwise, you can use it in a citrus forward drink to accentuate the dryness or offset that flavor in something a bit sweeter, like a Bee’s Knees.
For those looking for something dryer than our floral and citrusy American Gin, this cocktail may be a great choice. Be warned, these get pretty piney…
Bee’s Knees Recipe
1 ½ oz London Dry Gin or Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Honey Syrup
¾ oz Lemon Juice
Place ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and shake for 10-15 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Express lemon oil over the top and garnish a lemon peel.
Old Tom Gin
This sweeter take on the London Dry came into prominence as a cordial gin since it was cut with water and sweetened with sugar. This process was done by retailers who bought gin at a stronger proof from rectifiers. Old Tom Gin had the highest proof of these cordial gins and therefore was the least sweet.
This gin still meets the minimum alcohol required to be considered a gin, while many cordial gins today don’t meet the minimum and are instead labeled as “gin liqueurs.”
Of the different types of gin, Old Tom is considered to be on the sweeter side and therefore is best for those who like the flavor of juniper but don’t want it so dry. There are over a dozen brands of Old Tom Gin that are in production today.
How to Drink Old Tom Gin
On the opposite end of the spectrum from London Dry Gin is the Old Tom Gin, so if you want to balance the Old Tom Gin, a citrus forward cocktail isn’t a bad idea, or even one that uses the addition of a dry bubbly buddy.
This means cocktails like the French 75 and Gin Fizz can benefit from its smooth and sweet taste.
The cocktail that is believed to have gained its name from Old Tom Gin is the Tom Collins. Originally called the “John Collins” since it was served in a Collins glass, it underwent a name change either from a barroom gag or due to its typical usage of Old Tom Gin.
Tom Collins Recipe:
2 oz Old Tom Gin or Chemist Conservatory Rose Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
½ - ¾ oz Simple Syrup
Soda Water
Place gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a shaker tin with ice.
Shake for 10 seconds
Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
Top with soda water
Garnish with a lemon wedge
Plymouth Gin
This is not only a type of gin but also a brand that has lasted centuries. In order to be considered Plymouth Gin, the gin must be made in Plymouth, England. This was a popular gin for naval officers who were allowed money for gin rations, especially since Plymouth served as a major naval port.
The juniper flavor of this gin is toned down while other flavors like lemon peel, sweet orange peel, green cardamom, and coriander become more pronounced. This gin will have an earthier flavor also because of the orris and angelica root.
How to Drink Plymouth Gin
Since Plymouth Gin has been around for so long, it is one of the main types of gins that has served as the base for many popular classic cocktails. It’s mentioned with frequency in The Savoy Cocktail Book by Henry Craddock. Because the juniper profile on Plymouth Gin is softened, this Gin is great in cocktails that have gin as the star.
What better cocktail is there to showcase a gin than a martini? Although the Martini is a cocktail that’s hard to pin down, with its complicated history and ever-changing nature, here’s a Gin Martini recipe we find to be standard and balanced.
Plymouth also makes a Navy Strength Gin and we find that our Chemist Navy-Strength Gin serves as a great substitute, providing more earthy spice and citrus notes.
Gin Martini Recipe*:
2 oz Plymouth Gin or Chemist Navy-Strength Gin
1 oz Cocchi Americano Vermouth
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
Lemon Peel
Pour the gin, vermouth, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice.
Stir for at least 30 seconds to chill.
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass.
Express lemon oil over top and garnish with lemon peel. Another option is to garnish with an olive.
*Like your martini a little dirty? Instead of 1oz vermouth, do ¾ oz olive brine and a bar spoon of vermouth. After all, you’re the chemist.
Barrel-Rested Gin
One method to mellow out the flavor of a gin and impart a deeper quality is to rest gin in barrels, typically oak. This practice of resting or finishing the gin in barrels adds extra depth and can soften some of the sharp flavors from the botanicals.
Barrel resting came about by accident, at least the results. In order to transport gin at sea, gin makers in the 19th century would store the spirit in barrels so it could safely make it to its destination. The gin would sit in barrels for extended periods of time, sloshing around.
This prolonged time resting and added agitation imparted many of the elements of the wood barrel itself resulting in this type of gin. Now the gin is purposely put in barrels, not for transportation but for the resulting flavor profile: we rest our Barrel-Rested Gin in oak barrels for 6 to 8 weeks to achieve a smooth finish with notes of caramel and vanilla.
Out of the different types of gin, this one is going to be closest to a whiskey. For whiskey lovers who are cautious about trying gin, this is the type to reach for. In the US, because the TTB defines gin as an “unaged spirit,” you legally cannot say a gin is “barrel-aged.”
How to Drink Barrel-Rested Gin
Since the botanicals are slightly mellowed, the finish is smoother, and the flavor is deeper, a barrel-rested gin can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks like a whiskey. An oaky finish can make it an easy sipper, or you can use it instead in a whiskey cocktail.
A Barrel-Rested Gin Old Fashioned can be a lighter take on the classic while adding a whole other range of flavors. However, if you want a cocktail that the Barrel-Rested Gin is meant to be in, it would have to be the Martinez. The Martinez is considered one of the predecessors to the classic martini. Look at that recipe, and you’ll see the similarities.
Martinez Cocktail Recipe:
2oz Chemist Barrel-Rested Gin
¾ oz Sweet Vermouth
¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
Put ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir for at least 30 seconds to chill.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Express lemon or orange oil over the top
Garnish with a maraschino cherry. *
*You can garnish with the citrus peel, but the cherry is a nod to the Martinez as an adaptation of the Manhattan.
Navy-Strength Gin
Back in the 19th century, gin was a possible ration for officers of the British Royal Navy. Rum was already a popular ration for the average sailor, but initially it was a problem to transport.
Because the high seas could cause a barrel of rum or gin to spill on the gunpowder, it was important that the spirit didn’t hinder its ability to ignite, lest the ship would have limited defenses in the event of a battle.
The solution? Make the spirit high enough in alcohol content that it can ignite. Thus was born Navy-Strength. Both Navy Strength Rum and Gin provide a high proof and therefore a very strong flavor.
Although Navy Strength Gins back in the Royal Navy mostly had an ABV of 54.5%, many Navy Strength Gins including our own Chemist Navy-Strength Gin have a minimum of 57%, making it the strongest of the different types of gin.
How to Drink Navy-Strength Gin
Navy-Strength is a potent brew and therefore serves well in cocktails that may have other ingredients that could overtake the gin’s flavor. The strength in flavor can stand up against other ingredients so you can still taste the gin.
Keep in mind, it is strong, so whenever replacing it in a cocktail with a standard gin, be prepared for the results. We love to put it in a Last Word, where the Maraschino Liqueur and Chartreuse risk overpowering the gin.
Last Word Recipe:
¾ oz Chemist Navy-Strength Gin
¾ oz Green Chartreuse (Faccia Brutto Centebre, Genepy le Chamoise or Luxardo Del Santo to substitute)
¾ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
¾ oz Lime Juice
Place ingredients into a shaker tin with ice and shake for 10-15 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe
Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.
American or New World Gins
Also referred to as New Style, Contemporary, and Western Gin, these types of gin essentially does what the British did to Genever, adding more botanicals and experimenting with new ways of distilling the spirit.
Different types of citrus, different flavors, and a new use of local ingredients are the hallmark of this type of gin, although in some ways the flavors may journey further and further from its primordial essence of juniper.
What kind of flavors? Well, Aviation is known for having a predominantly lavender flavor, Hendrick’s has a cucumber and rose flavor, and our own American Gin has flavors of mountain botanicals foraged from the Western North Carolina highlands.
How to Drink New World and American Gins
With such a wide variety out there, it’s hard to pinpoint the perfect way to drink a New World or American Gin. This category is so diverse, and some of these gins may steer so far from juniper that it may be difficult to consider them gins.
This being said, different cocktails may work with different types of gins from this category. We find that our American Gin is very versatile and can mix well in a variety of cocktails from a Vesper Martini to a Gin Mule. Oh, that sounds good. How about a recipe?
Gin Mule Recipe:
2 oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
¾ oz Ginger Syrup
Soda Water
Place gin, lime juice, and ginger syrup in a shaker tin with ice and shake for 10 - 15 seconds.
Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
Top with soda water.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Flavored or Cordial Gins
Many gins at the eve of the Gin Craze in London were cut with sugar making them sweeter and a lower proof. This made them more comparable to a cordial gin which is typically sweeter and can be flavored with various fruits or other berries.
Since many of these types of gin have a lower alcohol content, they don’t always meet the minimum alcohol requirements to be considered “gins.” Of the different types of gin, this category is one of the most vast, resulting in a wide range of flavors, similar to contemporary gins.
How to Drink Cordial and Flavored Gins
How you drink your cordial or flavored gins depends greatly on the type of gin it is. Sloe gin is a popular cordial gin that is flavored with sloe berries and sweetened. It is famous for being in the Sloe Gin Fizz which is simply Sloe Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda.
For something on the sweeter and more voluptuous side like our Chocolate Orange Liqueur, we recommend sipping it straight or on the rocks with an orange peel. If you want to get a little fancy, you can toss it in your Negroni for a sweet concoction after dinner.
Ingredients:
1 oz Chemist Spirits Chocolate Orange Gin Liqueur
1 oz Eda Rhyne Bitter Tooth
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi Di Torino)
2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
Garnish: Orange Peel
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail stirrer with ice.
Stir ingredients until chilled.
Strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish with an orange peel expression. Enjoy!
Conclusion
Many of these types of gin have been around for centuries while others have gained popularity over the last couple of decades. Regardless, they have a special place in cocktails or on the rocks.
If you want to taste high-quality takes on these types of gin, visit Chemist Spirits in person or online and order a bottle of gin or one of our Single Malt Whiskeys. We concoct each one of our spirits in our laboratory with precision and passion.
Hopefully you found this article a helpful guide to the different types of gin, and we hope you get to try them as well as the listed cocktails in your own lab.
What is Gin? A Brief History and Quick Overview of the Botanical Beverage
By Andrew Tardif
Whether it’s in a gin and tonic, the base of a Last Word, or just on the rocks, gin is a spirit that stands out with its distinct juniper flavor. At Chemist Spirits, we’re known for our gin, especially as the spirit that got us started.
But what is gin? Where did it come from? What are the different types, and why don’t I have a Gin and Tonic in my hand right now?
In this article, we’ll break down what gin is, its history, and some of the main types you can choose from.
What Is Gin?
To put it simply, gin is a distilled grain spirit that is flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals. In order for a spirit to be considered gin it must follow these rules:
Juniper (juniperus communis) must be the main characteristic or flavor
Must meet a minimum Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of 40% in the US and 37.5% in the UK/EU (80 proof and 75 proof respectively).
The juniper flavor can be imparted through distillation, infusion, or compounding.
Since those rules aren’t so restrictive, there can be, and are, a wide variety of types of gins that result in different flavors, colors, and potencies. To understand gin a little bit more, let’s delve into the history and different types:
How is Gin Made?
The process of making gin is simple but not easy.
Step 1: The Neutral Spirit
First, a neutral spirit must be made to form the base of the gin. This neutral spirit is most commonly made from grains like wheat, rye, corn, or barley. The fermented liquid is distilled to separate and purify the alcohol and make a spirit that is clear, similar to vodka.
Our neutral spirit is made from wheat, which, after the final distillation process, results in a creamy mouth feel and smooth finish.
Step 2: The Botanicals
The next step is to infuse the gin with botanicals, mostly juniper berries. This process is typically done through vapor infusion or steeping.
Our gin is vapor infused, meaning the botanicals are placed in a basket outside of the main still which the vapor passes through. This imparts a smoother finish since the neutral spirit isn’t in direct contact with the botanicals, a method which can draw out more intense flavors.
Other spices or botanicals that are typically added include coriander, citrus peels, and angelica root. In our Navy-Strength Gin, we use Thai Ginger and Spanish Sweet Orange to give it a smooth yet distinctive spice.
Step 3: Final Bottling
Once the gin has been flavored with the botanicals it is then diluted to an ABV of 40% at the least and is bottled. Some gins, like our Barrel-Rested Gin, spend time in a barrel, typically Oak, to create a smoother finish.
A Brief History of Gin
Alcohol had been distilled centuries before the time of gin, and even juniper berries were known for their medicinal purposes, being used to cure Jaundice in Egypt and Colic in Ancient Greece. The first spirit to resemble modern day gin, however, was a Dutch spirit named Genever.
The Original Gin
The main predecessor to gin is a spirit called Genever, or Jenever (YE-NE-VEAR) in Dutch. It’s a Dutch spirit using malted grains, more comparable to whiskey. The flavor was abrasive, so the Dutch added juniper berries to make the spirit palatable.
Genever was used medicinally for years and caught the eyes of British troops when they encountered Dutch soldiers drinking it before engaging in battle. This led to Genever gaining the nickname “Dutch Courage.” The Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudley, brought the spirit back home to England after witnessing its impassioned effects.
Britain Turns Genever to Gin
When William of Orange took the throne in 1689, he encouraged the distillation of the spirit domestically while also placing a tax on French imports. This stuck it to the French and also made gin more accessible and widespread.
By now, gin was being made with English grain and, with no regulation, was being made by anyone. Either from pure ignorance or attempting to cut corners in the distilling process, much gin at the time was dangerous to drink, sometimes resulting in blindness or death.
“Mother’s Ruin” and the London Gin Craze
Would you rather be drinking gin or water from the River Thames? For many London residents the former was the preferred beverage, and many Londoners were drinking the stuff to the point of ruin.
The first half of the 18th century was characterized by the “Gin Craze,” a time in London where heavy gin consumption led to lawlessness and gin dependency. The high gin consumption and lack of regulation led to The Gin Acts: one in 1736, another in 1743, and the final in 1751.
The final Gin Act limited consumption of the spirit by making it illegal for distillers to sell directly to the consumer and limiting access to low-quality gins.
Prohibition and Bathtub Gin
On January 17th, 1920 the U.S. bans alcohol nationwide, the beginning of a legislation termed Prohibition that would last for the next thirteen years. The distilling or consumption of any spirit was deemed illegal, leading many, even those with little to no experience, to make gin in their own home - hence the term “Bathtub Gin.”
This period also saw the popularization of the cocktail. Since alcohol was being produced under cover in guerilla operations, many times by amateurs, spirits were hard to drink on their own. This meant mixing cocktails with other spirits, sweeteners, citruses, and more.
This underground cocktail culture gave way to the Speakeasy, bars designed with tunnels to illegally transport alcohol and architectural add-ons to hide the true intentions of the establishment.
Thankfully, Prohibition ended in 1933, and we no longer have to endure the flavor of bathtub gin.
The Modern Cocktail Renaissance and The Gin Revival
In the early 2000s, cocktails experienced a resurgence in popularity with classic cocktail bars opening in places like Chicago and New York City. The cocktail became cool again and therefore gin took the spotlight.
Classic gin cocktails like The Last Word, Negroni, and French 75 became bar staples and new gin distilleries emerged focusing mainly on American or New World style gins.
The exploration of gin was taken on by people with no distilling experience like Debbie Word, her daughter Danielle, and James Donaldson, who had a passion for the spirit and the vision to create Chemist American Gin. This gin uses local ingredients from North Carolina and, like many American gins, softens the juniper flavor.
As you can see, gin isn’t sequestered to one flavor profile; there are plenty of gins out there and each type is geared toward a different palate.
Types of Gin
There are many different types of gin and different gins are being made all of the time, but there are some main types you should familiarize yourself with. This will come in handy when you’re shopping for a gin at the liquor store or trying to discover which gin is right for your palate.
Genever (Gin’s Ancestor)
As mentioned earlier, this spirit is considered the predecessor to gin, and the name “gin” comes from Genever. This spirit uses distilled malt and juniper berries and is actually more similar to whiskey in its base than gin.
Although not commonly used in America in cocktails, it has been known to show up in cocktail bars more recently. You can use it to replace gin in many cocktails like a Tom Collins or Gimlet, but a popular modern cocktail that uses Genever is the Flying Dutchman.
London Dry
This gin is going to be crisp and dry, using juniper as its dominant ingredient and flavor. The resulting spirit has no added coloring or flavors after the distillation process. The heavy use of juniper gives this the signature pine flavor that many associate with gin.
A London Dry Gin is great for those who love a dryer Martini or enjoy a Gin and Tonic that crisp and pine forward.
Old Tom Gin
In order to cut the dryness common in a London Dry gin, many distillers would add sugar to the distilled product. This resulted in a sweeter gin, called Old Tom Gin, that was easier to drink and perfect for, most popularly, the Tom Collins.
Plymouth Gin
This gin is only produced in Plymouth, England and has a softer flavor compared to a London Dry. This is thanks to the addition of lemon, orange, and roots like angelica and orris that provide an earthy layer.
The juniper flavor is toned down in Plymouth Gin since it uses a higher proportion of roots and citrus to juniper berries. Plymouth-style gin can only be found from one brand, Plymouth, distilled at the Black Friars Distillery in Devon,
Navy-Strength Gin
The British Royal Navy in the mid-18th century faced a big issue: what if you’re out at sea, hit turbulent waters, and your gin rations topple and spill all over your gunpowder? Well, you’re in trouble if you come across an enemy ship and your gunpowder is now soaking wet and useless.
So what do you do? Get rid of your gin rations altogether? You’d have a mutiny on your hands after telling your sailors the gin rations are over for the good of the Queen. Instead, you make Navy Strength gin. This gin was distilled and left at a higher proof so that in the case it spilled on gunpowder, its proof was high enough to still ignite.
Fun Fact: The benefit of its combustibility was also the ability to show “proof” of its potency. Back in the 16th century, the best way to show that a spirit had the strength promised, was to mix it with gunpowder and attempt to ignite it. If it was successful, it was “proof” of the spirit’s potency, hence the term’s use today.
We love to use our Chemist Navy-Strength Gin in cocktails when the gin flavor has to stand out next to other bold ingredients, i.e. a Gin and Tonic or a Negroni.
Barrel-Rested Gin
In order to achieve a smoother and deeper flavor, some gins were left to rest or finish in barrels. The result is a gin perfect for beginner gin drinkers who are partial to whiskey. Because gin is considered an unaged spirit by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), gin can only be called barrel-rested, barrel-finished, barreled gin, or oak-rested.
We like using our Barrel-Rested Gin in cocktails like a Martinez or Gimlet since it adds a depth of flavor with notes of Oak. Since the botanicals don’t bite so hard, barrel-rested gin creates a rounder mouth feel and smoother finish.
American (New World) Gin
American, or New World, Gins tend to dial down the juniper flavor and introduce different botanicals, fruits, flowers, spices, and other ingredients for a more complex flavor profile. This results in more complex gins that can range anywhere from sweet to dry.
Our American Gin uses many botanicals local to Western North Carolina and can be used in a wide range of cocktails since it’s floral, citrusy, and slightly dry. Since American Gins range in flavor so much, it’s tough to pinpoint any particular cocktail that they’re most appropriate for, but we love to put our American Gin in something like a Bee’s Knees or Vesper Martini.
Gin Liqueurs
Gin Liqueurs are more cordial versions of gin, typically using additional sugars and flavors to add sweetness and a rounder mouth feel. Gin Liqueurs are typically not classified as gin since many don’t meet the minimum ABV requirements.
A common gin liqueur is Sloe Gin which uses gin as a base but adds sugar and sloe berries and also lowers the ABV below the necessary minimum for gin. Another example of a gin liqueur is our Chocolate Orange Liqueur which uses Spanish Orange peels and cacao husks for a luxuriant mouth feel and flavor.
Sloe Gin is commonly found in a Sloe Gin Fizz while something like our Chocolate Orange Liqueur can be used in something like a White Russian or even a Negroni or Old Fashion to give it dessert vibes.
Conclusion
From a malty Dutch spirit to one that is now hard to define, since its flavors range so much, gin now dominates much of the spirit and cocktail world.
It’s definitely dominated our passion over the years, and we at Chemist continue to experiment with new flavors and ideas with the same fervor that put our American Gin and our single malt whiskeys on the map
So, go to your liquor store and buy a new bottle, ask the bartender to make you their favorite gin cocktail, or invite a Chemist gin to a gin-tasting party.
After all, it’s only by tasting gin that you can really answer the question, what is gin?
Frequently Asked Questions About Gin
Can You Make Gin from Vodka?
Yes, you can make gin from vodka. Since vodka is a neutral spirit that can be made from a variety of bases, many gins are made from some kind of Vodka. Our Vodka uses wheat, which can add a smooth finish to a gin.
What Does Gin Taste Like?
Since gin is made primarily from juniper berries, the flavor of gin will be piney and slightly dry. Different types of gin will have different flavor profiles. With the advent of new world gins, like those from Chemist, gin can also have more citrus or ginger spicy notes or can even be floral, sweet, and more.
Top 4 Easy Gin Cocktails to Make at Home
by Andrew Tardif
Mixology can be a daunting task, luckily you have some Chemists here who have done the necessary experimentation to bring you 4 easy gin cocktails you can make at home. These cocktails are simple and have survived for at least a century, holding up as some of the most popular gin cocktails.
And remember, these recipes are guides, never rules. At your laboratory you’re the chemist, so you can adjust the ratios to your liking. Just because that’s the way they made it in 1919, or something, doesn’t mean that’s the way you have to make it to enjoy it!
What Barware You’ll Need to Make Your Own Gin Drinks
To us, easy gin cocktails use ingredients that are easy to get, but are more involved than something like a Gin Rickey or Gin and Tonic. That means they will require some tools. Here’s what you need to make these easy gin cocktails at home:
Shaker Tin
Jigger
Strainer
Mixing Glass
Stirring Spoon
Ice
Glassware: Coupe, Rocks Glass, Collins Glass, and/or Champagne Flute
What Type of Gin To Use
The type of gin you use is dependent on your own personal tastes, but can be defined by the specific cocktail. For instance, dry gin is very common in a Martini, but if you prefer something sweeter, an Old Tom Gin will be better suited for you, while a Plymouth Gin will give an earthier more rounded Martini.
For the more spirit-forward Negroni, we recommend experimenting with a barrel-rested gin, which can impart more depth to the cocktail. If not, a more potent, spicy, and citrus forward gin like our Navy Strength can keep up with the bitterness of the Campari.
For a gin cocktail with lemon or other citrus, like the Gimlet and French 75, you may want a drier gin to stand out against the sweetness from the simple syrup and the bitterness from the citrus. More floral and citrusy New World Gins can really meld well with the citrus as well.
The Gin Martini and Some Variations
Made popular by Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, the Martini has been a favorite gin cocktail for gin drinkers because the spirit is the main star. The word “martini” can also serve as a blanket term for a sea of different cocktails, but we’ll just be discussing a standard martini, while mentioning some common variations.
The History of the Gin Martini
The history of the Martini, like many cocktails, is a little murky, but it seems to have evolved from the Martinez cocktail, which evolved from the Manhattan. While a Manhattan is Whisky (Rye), Sweet Vermouth, and Bitters, the Martinez swapped out the Whiskey for Gin and added in some Maraschino Liqueur.
The Martini we know today is closer to a Marguerite cocktail, which uses equal parts Gin (Plymouth, to be exact), French Vermouth (Dry), orange bitters, and anisette, but it seems many of these variations were existing around the same time with the first iterations emerging in the 1880s and 1890s.
The original written recipe for the Martini can be first found in the Bartender Manual by Harry Johnson and included gum syrup, a sweet syrup made of gum arabic, curacao, bitters, Old Tom Gin, sweet vermouth, and a lemon peel garnish.
Over time the Martini switched out the sweet vermouth for dry, and got rid of other ingredients like the bitters and anisette. The equal parts gin and vermouth changed to two parts gin and one part vermouth, and then continued to lessen the vermouth ratio until it was up to nine parts gin to one part vermouth.
At this moment in time, the ratios for the Martini are as varied as the people that drink them. When people order a Dirty Martini it’s always important to qualify just how “dirty” someone likes it. When people order a Dry Martini you have to know how dry they want it. Some folks want a Martini with no vermouth at all, known as an Extra Dry Martini.
There are many intricacies to the history of the drink, too much to properly put into a blurb, but one final thing to note is its popularity thanks to Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel, Casino Royal, which includes a recipe for a Vesper Martini. The recipe calls for three parts Gordon’s Gin to one part vodka and and half of Kina Lillet shaken, strained, and garnished with a lemon peel.
The Recipe
A Gin Martini*:
2 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Dry Vermouth
Place ingredients in a mixing glass.
Fill the mixing glass with ice.
Stir for at least 30 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora
Garnish with a lemon peel, olive, or both. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The Vesper Martini*:
1 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
1 oz Chemist Vodka
½ oz Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano
Lemon Peel for garnish
Place ingredients in a mixing glass.
Fill the mixing glass with ice.
Stir for at least 30 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora
Express lemon oil and garnish with a lemon peel
A Dirty Martini*:
2 ½ oz Chemist American Gin
¾ oz Olive Brine
Barspoon Dry Vermouth
Olive(s) for garnish
Place ingredients in a shaker tin
Shake with ice for 10 - 15 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora
Garnish with an olive.
*These recipes are always starting points. Feel free to adjust ratios according to your own palette.
Negroni - A Popular Italian Gin Cocktail
This cocktail has regained popularity since the cocktail renaissance at the turn of the millenium, and many distilleries and cocktail bars celebrate Negroni week in September with their own renditions of the cocktail, but the basic Negroni is simple and can easily be batched for big parties.
The History
Although the origins of the cocktail are disputed, the main story has the Negroni being made in Italy as an evolution of a Milano-Torino, also called an Americano, a cocktail made of Italian Sweet Vermouth (from Torino) and Campari (from Milan) and then topped with sparkling water. The Negroni simply switches out the soda water for Gin, although in Italy the Negroni is typically served with a splash of soda water.
Two main stories circulate referencing the beverage. The first is the story of Count Camillo Negroni in 1919 who apparently asked Fosco Scarselli, bartender at the Caffe Casoni in Florence, to make him a stronger version of the Milano-Torino cocktail. This gave birth to the Negroni and resulted in the Negroni family founding their own distillery which still stands today.
However, this story is believed to have been a marketing ploy and another story involves a Count Pascal Olivier de Negroni, a French brigadier general stationed in Senegal creating the cocktail for his wife.
Regardless of its origins, the Negroni saw a boom in popularity in France and survived through the decades, then to be rejuvenated in the early 2000s. Multiple iterations exist of the cocktail including a Mezcal Negroni, switching out the Gin for Mezcal.
The Recipe
Chemist Negroni:
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica, Cocchi de Torino, etc.)
Soda Water (optional)
Orange peel
Place the gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass
Fill mixing glass with ice
Stir for at least 30 seconds
Strain over ice in a rocks glass
Express orange oil and garnish with orange peel
French 75 - Add Bubbles for One of the Most Popular Fancy Gin Drinks
The French 75 is one of those fancy gin drinks you may see at parties, a champagne flute adorned with a lemon twist, but it has gone through many iterations, and in many ways can just be considered a Tom Collins with Champagne instead of soda water.
The History
Most research points to the French 75 getting its name from a French artillery gun during World War I, the Soixante-Quinze (75-millimeter), which American soldiers preferred over their own weaker artillery guns.
Since it was of French origin, the soldiers would call it the French 75, so there is speculation and stories related to American soldiers making a gin and champagne concoction in empty shells.
The first written version of the French 75 was in The Washington Herald in 1915. Called “Soixante-Quinze,” the cocktail had London Dry Gin, Applejack (Apple Brandy), Grenadine, and lemon juice, and was served up in a Nick & Nora glass.
From there you have the 75 Cocktail, which used more gin and grenadine, MacElhone’s 75 Cocktail, which added absinthe, and then Judge Jr’s French 75, which is the predecessor to the gin cocktail with lemon and champagne we know today. This was a Tom Collins that swapped out the soda water for champagne. This was also served in a champagne glass
With the high variety in drinks with gin with some variation of the name, it seems that these gin cocktails weren’t necessarily related and could have all been birthed separately with many bartenders having known of or heard tales of the French artillery.
The French 75 took off in America during the prohibition era. It’s possible that it was simply built in the glass so it could be made and imbibed quickly in the event the police came knocking, and since champagne was a popular drink, it would make sense that many wanted to strengthen the cocktail with something like gin.
The Recipe
Chemist French 75:
1 ½ oz Gin (The floral and citrus present in our Chemist American Gin makes it great compliment with champagne)
¾ oz lemon juice
¾ oz simple syrup
~ 3 oz Champagne
Lemon twist
Place gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake for about 10 - 15 seconds
Strain into a Champagne Flute
Top with Champagne*
Express lemon oil and garnish with a lemon peel.
*Although it’s been common since the 1980s to serve the French 75 in a flute, for many years it was served on ice in a Collins glass. Try both variations to see what you like! I personally enjoy serving it on ice in a white wine glass, to keep it fancy but keep it cool.
Gimlet - A Gin Cocktail Fighting Scurvy Since 1867
The Gimlet is a one of many gin drinks with a history attached to the sea, alongside the Gin and Tonic and the Grog. The Gimlet is an easy gin cocktail with simple ingredients, and we’ll tell you how we prefer to make it.
The History
The eve of the Gimlet came in 1867 when lime juice was required on British merchant ships to help its crew fight off scurvy. Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette suggested the lime juice be added to gin rations, and thus was born this easy gin cocktail.
At the same time, lime cordial was developed, using sugar to preserve the lime juice for travel at sea. Rose’s Lime Cordial by Lauchlin Rose became the main cordial used for a century and the cocktail was typically cut with soda water. Rose’s dropped out of popularity since it became viewed as a low-quality ingredient for most cocktail bars.
Now, many bartenders will typically make their own lime cordial or just use fresh lime juice and simple syrup for their Gimlets.
The origin of the name is still up for debate with two main possibilities. The first is that it was named after Admiral Thomas Gimlette while the second is that it was named after a Gimlet, a tool used on ships to bore into spirit barrels.
The Recipe
Chemist Gimlet:
¾ oz Simple Syrup
¾ oz Lime Juice
Place ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice
Shake for 10-15 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe
Garnish with a lime wedge or lime peel.
*At Chemist’s Antidote Cocktail Lounge, we like to use the Chemist Barrel-Rested Gin to add more body and depth. However, the Navy Strength Gin really matches its maritime origins.
Conclusion
With so many easy gin cocktails out there, it seems strange to only stick to 4, but these gin cocktails have a rich history, with many surviving at least a century.
And of course, no gin cocktail is at its best without a well-crafted gin. So when you go to stir up your favorite concoction, make sure to elevate it with quality gin like those from Chemist Distillery. We can’t imagine indulging in a gimlet without our Barrel-Rested Gin, and we think you’ll feel the same.
We hope you found this article helpful and that you get a chance to throw on your lab coat and concoct one of these 4 easy gin cocktails!
References:
The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails
Difford’s Guide
3 Patriotic 4th of July Cocktails: White Negroni, Blue Bayou & Blushing Ambrosia
The fireworks won’t be the only things lighting up your Fourth of July. This year, celebrate America’s birthday with a trio of bold, beautiful cocktails that bring the red, white, and blue to your bar cart. Featuring handcrafted spirits from Chemist Spirits in Asheville, these drinks are made for backyard gatherings, rooftop fireworks, and porch-sippin’ in the summer sun.
The fireworks won’t be the only things lighting up your Fourth of July. This year, celebrate America’s birthday with a trio of bold, beautiful cocktails that bring the red, white, and blue to your bar cart. Featuring handcrafted spirits from Chemist Spirits in Asheville, these drinks are made for backyard gatherings, rooftop fireworks, and porch-sippin’ in the summer sun.
Meet the stars of the show: White Negroni, Blue Bayou, and the blushing beauty herself, Blushing Ambrosia. Let’s raise a glass to flavor, freedom, and a little Southern mischief.
Discover How Chemist Spirits Turned Adversity Into Community Connection
Chemist Spirits’ Antidote Cocktail Lounge in Asheville has transformed its business after Tropical Storm Helene, expanding from a renowned cocktail bar into a vibrant community hub with a full coffee, tea, and mocktail menu.
Asheville’s vibrant beverage scene is no stranger to innovation, but few stories capture the city’s spirit quite like the recent evolution of Chemist Spirits and their Antidote Cocktail Lounge. After Tropical Storm Helene brought severe flooding and left much of Asheville without potable water, the team at Antidote stepped up in a big way—offering free water, coffee, and even Wi-Fi to neighbors in need.
This act of service did more than help the community recover; it inspired a fresh direction for the business. Antidote now boasts a full cafe menu, featuring coffee, tea, pastries, and creative zero-proof mocktails like the Cold Brew Old Fashioned and Cold Brew Mojito. As General Manager Philip Szobody put it, “A part of what inspired me in this journey was creating a space where anyone in our community could stop in and find a beverage that they enjoy and suitable for their lifestyle.”
As the article by Tiana Kennell notes:
“Antidote, a three-story Prohibition Era-style cocktail bar inspired by a turn-of-the-20th century apothecary, opened in 2018. It has contributed to the diversification of the downtown area, known as the South Slope brewing district, due to its high volume of craft beer breweries.”
The article also highlights Chemist Spirits’ upcoming expansion to a second location in historic Biltmore Village, their commitment to local partnerships, and the way adversity has strengthened their resolve to serve Asheville with creativity and heart.
Want to read the full story? Visit the Asheville Citizen Times for the complete article by Tiana Kennell.
A Cuban-inspired Cortado sits on the bar at Antidote Cocktail Lounge at Chemist in downtown Asheville, June 25, 2025. Credit: Josh Bell/Asheville Citizen Times
A Bold History of American Single Malt Whiskey
Hey Scotch! Make room at the bar—America is making a single malt with swagger, and it’s shaking up the industry faster than a bartender making a whiskey sour.
From Bootleggers to Barrel Aged Craft Spirits
Hey Scotch! Make room at the bar—America is making a single malt with swagger, and it’s shaking up the industry faster than a bartender making a whiskey sour. While the term American Single Malt Whiskey might sound like something a distilling industry association brainstormed in a busy boardroom, its history is as rebellious, spirited, and slightly unhinged as the country that birthed it.
Once Upon a Time in a Land of Whiskey and Wild Men & Women
The history of whiskey in America isn’t a polished fairy tale. It’s more like a bare-knuckle bar brawl that turned into a revolution. The first whiskey-makers—mostly Scottish and Irish immigrants—weren’t the suit-and-tie type. They were bootlegging badasses who brought their distilling traditions to the New World, setting up shop in the backwoods and hollers where the taxman feared to venture.
While their European ancestors were busy perfecting the art of single malt in Scotland, American distillers had other priorities—primarily pumping out whiskey fast and cheap. This led to the dawn of bourbon and rye, which became America’s go-to spirits while single malt was left to age in the barrels of history.
Prohibition: The Party Foul of the Century
Just as whiskey was settling into its bottle per se, the U.S. government slammed a shotglass of buzzkill—Prohibition. Distilleries shut down, bootleggers ran wild, and the country pretended it wasn’t drinking while secretly drinking more than ever. American single malt whiskey? It was left to gather dust, forgotten in favor of corn-heavy spirits that could be churned out quicker than backroom blackjack.
By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, bourbon and rye were back in business, but single malt whiskey was about as relevant as a telegram. The Scots kept doing their thing across the pond, while American distillers doubled down on the corn-based stuff.
The Great American Single Malt Revival
Fast-forward to the 21st century. Craft distilling is booming, hipsters are discovering they actually like whiskey, and suddenly, American Single Malt is the new darling of the craft whiskey world. It turns out that some distillers, tired of being in bourbon’s shadow, decided to bring single malt back with a vengeance—only this time, with an American twist.
Instead of sticking to Scotland’s rulebook, American distillers are doing what they do best: breaking the rules. Using unique grains, experimenting with different barrels, and aging in unpredictable climates, they’re crafting single malts that are bold, complex, and distinctly not Scotch.
What Actually Is American Single Malt?
Glad you asked! While there’s no centuries-old royal decree defining it (we like our independence, thank you very much), the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and TTB laid out some basic rules that were finally ratified by the U.S. government on January 19th, 2025.
100% malted barley (no corn, no rye—just the good stuff)
Distilled at one distillery (hence the single part)
Aged in oak barrels (new or used, dealer’s choice, barrel aged perfection)
Distilled in the U.S. (because ‘Merica)
At least 40% ABV (anything weaker is just an insult)
Why You Should Care (And Drink Up)
American Single Malt whiskey is proof that history doesn’t have to repeat itself—it can evolve, innovate, and get a little rowdy along the way. Whether you’re a die-hard Scotch fan looking to branch out or a bourbon lover ready to flirt with cheeky American sophistication, there’s never been a better time to sip on some rebellious, homegrown single malt.
So, pour yourself a dram (preferably our small batch Chemist American Single Malt), raise a glass to the whiskey makers who refused to fall in line, and remember: history tastes better with a whole lot of malted barley and a little irreverence.
Proudly distilled in North Carolina, our American Single-Malt Whiskey embodies the spirit of local craftsmanship.
Recipe Suggestions
