“An absorbing popular history of one of history’s most popular drinks.” —Booklist Gin has been a drink of kings infused with crushed pearls and rose petals, and a drink of the poor flavored with turpentine and sulfuric acid. Born in alchemists’ stills and monastery kitchens, its earliest incarnations were juniper flavored medicines used to prevent plague, ease the pains of childbirth, and even to treat a lack of courage. In The Book of Gin, Richard Barnett traces the life of this beguiling spirit, once believed to cause a “new kind of drunkenness.” In the eighteenth century, gin-crazed debauchery (and class conflict) inspired Hogarth’s satirical masterpieces “Beer Street” and “Gin Lane.” In the nineteenth century, gin was drunk by Napoleonic War naval heroes, at lavish gin palaces, and by homesick colonials, who mixed it with their bitter anti-malarial tonics. In the early twentieth century, the illicit cocktail culture of Prohibition made gin—often dangerous bathtub gin—fashionable again. And today, with the growth of small-batch distilling, gin has once-again made a comeback. Wide-ranging, impeccably researched, and packed with illuminating stories, The Book of Gin is lively and fascinating, an indispensable history of a complex and notorious drink. “The Book of Gin is full of history that will make you grin . . . An enchanting read.” —Cooking by the Book

The ultimate guide to today’s exciting gin revival with a nod to the spirit’s rich history, featuring a comprehensive review of gin distilleries, ingredients and accoutrements, distilling methods, cocktail recipes, international bar guide, and creative contributions from industry leaders. The Spirit of Gin is a comprehensive and entertaining illustrated guide to the classic spirit, with a sharp focus on the modern gin revival led by innovative craft-gin distillers, new ingredients and infusions, and growing interest in bars across the United States and overseas. The book details the colorful history of gin from its invention in eighteenth century London to today’s worldwide resurgence; provides detailed coverage of the methods, ingredients, and accoutrements of modern makers and purveyors; gives coverage to popular gin bars and classic cocktails with eclectic sidebars and interviews; and provides a complete catalog of commercial and craft distilleries worldwide.

With Gin making record sales across Britain and the rest of the world, there’s been a boom in new distilleries and a thirst for new ways to enjoy this juniper-based spirit. Enter Dan Jones, bestselling gin author and cocktail enthusiast, who will make you love this tasty drink even more. Starting with the history of gin, Dan reveals how the first distilleries opened in the UK in the 1600s, explains the nuts and bolts of making the beverage, as well as all the different trends it has experienced. He’ll take imbibers on a journey around the world to some of the top producers, uncovers new trends, and shares over 100 tasty recipes, from classic cocktails, batch drinks, new concoctions, homemade syrups and more, and answers all the gin questions you were afraid to ask. Featuring stylish photography and illustrations throughout, The Big Book of Gin is a comprehensive guide to the renaissance of one of the world’s most celebrated spirits.

The Craft of Gin explores the history of Gin production from its crude origins in medieval Europe to the finely honed spirits of twenty-first century craft distillers. The book describes how gin is made, the primary botanicals used in its production, tasting notes for fifty craft gins from around the world, and five interviews of leading craft gin distillers. The book is rounded out with two chapters dedicated to timeless gin cocktails, their background, how they are made and the best gins and ingredients that allows them to sing.

Gin introduces the reader to the global artisan gin revolution, highlighting the spirit’s history and the ways that today’s craft drinks-makers have transformed the notion of what a gin can and should be. New Gins are hitting the market seemingly every day. This book will help the reader make sense of this rapid expansion, and contextualize them within gin’s illustrious history from the Renaissance apothecaries of Europe, to the streets of London, to the small local distilleries and cocktail bars of the United States, Canada, England, Spain, Australia and beyond. This is the first book to take a closer look at the emerging new categories of gin and to place it within context alongside the old guard. It includes profiles of key players in the distilling world and hundreds of ideas for how to drink gin – as a cocktail, in a classic gin & tonic or neat, as an aperitif or a liqueur.

Mother’s Milk, Mother’s Ruin, and Ladies’ Delight. Dutch Courage and Cuckold’s Comfort. These evocative nicknames for gin hint that it has a far livelier history than the simple and classic martini would lead you to believe. In this book, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson journeys into gin’s past, revealing that this spirit has played the role of both hero and villain throughout history. Taking us back to gin’s origins as a medicine derived from the aromatic juniper berry, Solmonson describes how the Dutch recognized the berry’s alcoholic possibilities and distilled it into the whiskey-like genever. She then follows the drink to Britain, where cheap imitations laced with turpentine and other caustic fillers made it the drink of choice for poor eighteenth-century Londoners. Eventually replaced by the sweetened Old Tom style and later by London Dry gin, its popularity spread along with the British Empire. As people today once again embrace classic cocktails like the gimlet and the negroni, gin has reclaimed its place in the world of mixology. Featuring many enticing recipes, Gin is the perfect gift for cocktail aficionados and anyone who wants to know whether it should be shaken or stirred.

Craft Gin Making is a detailed guide to entering the world of gin production. For beginners and experienced producers alike, it offers key insights and practical advice on what you need to get started and how to progress in this fascinating and growing craft. It covers both distilling and cold compounding, providing advice on equipment and detailing step-by-step processes, whilst discussing a wide variety of gin production issues. Topics covered include a brief history of gin and gin making; the tools, equipment and ingredients needed for the different methods of producing gin; the most common methods and how to achieve success in them; the practicalities of filtration, bottling, sealing and labelling; making flavoured gins; why things might go wrong and how to correct them and, finally, the legal aspects of gin production.