Gin

[kbuzbee]

This article reminded me that the Quinine was used to fight malaria... Still is in doses way higher than they allow in US sodas.

Ken

[Gillman]

Quinine extract was used in British Colonial and other developing areas to counter certain diseases, as Ken noted malaria was one. In time it was added to spirits, maybe to reduce their adverse effects if taken to excess, or maybe to combine the "healthful" effects. In the 1800's alcohol was still viewed as something which could help the human body physically; this attitude continued in America through the Prohibition era with the concept of medicinal whiskey.

Gin and tonic was probably always a sweetish drink. Either the tonic water was sweetened early on to moderate the bitterness of the quinine (derived from the bark of certain trees) or the gin was sweet enough on its own. Old Tom was an early style of English gin which was lightly sweetened (and has practically died out although one or two brands may survive here or there). Gin and Tonic became the great drink of Empire, rivalling Scotch whisky. G&T perhaps was more associated than whisky with the hottest parts of Empire such as the Raj and Hong Kong. G&T is still popular in Britain although vodka drinks have probably impacted its popularity. Some have noted here an aversion to London Dry gin. I can't disagree when it is viewed neat but except in the martini, where it is taken almost unmixed, gin is meant to be mixed. A G&T is a great refresher. The variant with bitter lemon is good too. In the 1960's these drinks had great currency in Canada but today much less so. I doubt many people who drink regularly know what bitter lemon is, for example.

Here's Frederic Martin's typically consise and assured entry for Tonic Water in his Encyclopedia of Drinks and Drinking (circa late 1960's):

"The increasingly universal additive for gin. Its full title of 'Indian Quinine Tonic Water' indicates its semi-medicinal origins in the full flowering of the British Raj in the last century. The word 'tonic' may not be used in describing it in the U.S.A. Schweppes is the leading brand and the one which put tonic water on the map".

In his entry on Schweppes - a Swiss merchant who came to England and made his fortune in carbonated waters - Martin notes that the first manufacture of such waters was intended to duplicate the waters of spas, so that (one infers) the benefits available to the wealthy who could travel to and use spas would be available to all who could buy such waters in the small patent medicine bottles in which they were originally sold. Martin states that Scweppes' first shop (this is in the 1700's) was next to a chemist's - a pharmacy, that is. One may further infer that Scweppes sourced the quinine and other additives for his waters at this shop to create his Indian Quinine Tonic Water. Martin was an admirer of Schweppes Tonic, noting that its packaging was often imitated but its taste never was.

Gary

[jeff]

I remember taking Quinine as prophylaxis for Malaria when my unit was deployed to El Salvador. Every morning we lined up and our commander had to see us take it.

[Gillman]

I didn't know you were in the service Jeff, what branch, and what kind of unit? Were you infantry?

Gary

[jeff]

I was assigned to the 5010th US Army Hospital out of Louisville, KY. It was, is a M.A.S.H. unit of the US Army Reserve. I was lucky enough, not by design, to get in after the first Gulf war, and out before the second. Mostly we performed humanitarian missions in 3rd world countries of central and south America. I was a combat medic/pharmacy specialist.

[kbuzbee]

I doubt many people who drink regularly know what bitter lemon is, for example.

Gary, do you target me specifically? Or is it just "luck"??? ;-)

Anyway, okay, found bitter lemon at the store. Now, what do I do with it, oh wise mixologist ;-)

Ken

[ratcheer]

It doesn't take a wise mixologist. You make a highball with the bitter lemon, ice cubes, and gin.

If you are a heathen, you can make it with vodka. :grin:

Tim

[kbuzbee]

Thanks Tim... Well, as I was, I'm sure, Gary's example for the post (never heard of bitter lemon) in MY case, it does (and you also qualify! ;-). Thanks! Never really tried much Gin outside of a 'tini so highball and G&T are both on my 'it's summer, let's give it a try' - list. Got some Tanqueray Ten kicking around here somewhere....

Ken

[Gillman]

Tim's got it.

Lots of ice, easy on the bitter lemon one might add. Sip slowly.

Gary

[kbuzbee]

If you are a heathen, you can make it with vodka. :grin:

And Vodka is reserved for drinking in Red Square when is Vegas.... Just for the experience....

Red Square

Ken

[kbuzbee]

Tim's got it.

Lots of ice, easy on the bitter lemon one might add. Sip slowly.

Gary

So, like a martini, this is mostly gin??

Any Bourbon drinks??

Ken

[Gillman]

It's not like a martini Ken, it's a long drink. But I'm suggesting to add say three ounces or so of the bitter lemon to 1 1/2 ounce or 2 of gin. Some people would add 6 ounces of the mixer and that's too much IMO.

Do you mean does bitter lemon mix with bourbon? I think this would be problematic. Maybe in small quantity since lemon and orange go well with bourbon e.g. in an Old-Fashioned. But the two don't sound like natural companions..

gary

[kbuzbee]

Gott'cha, thanks. Ratio sounds good.

I may try some Bourbon experiments over the next few days. If anything 'clicks' I'll start a thread.

Ken

[gr8erdane]

Well then, that solves everything! Everyone knows there are no heathens in Vegas.....

[kbuzbee]

Tried the bitter lemon w/ Tanqueray last night. Very tasty and refreshing. Good advice on the ice, Gary.

Ken

[Gillman]

Glad you liked it! The bitter lemon is quite rich-tasting and needs the ice to match it and the gin. I guess the bitter lemon is a kind of concentrated lemonade (spiked with a little quinine if it is still used in these tonics). The bitter lemon might suit a mild whiskey such as 7 Crown or even some bourbon but I think it would go better in a mixture which includes Grenadine (or say Pama, now in our market), soda water or orange juice, something like that, a good shaken drink served up.

Gary

[BourbonJoe]

I like Gin and Bitter Lemon because, unlike a G&T where lime is needed, this drink does not. The simpler the better. Limes in the Northeast are expensive and do not last very long in the refrigerator.

Joe :usflag:

[ratcheer]

I like Gin and Bitter Lemon because, unlike a G&T where lime is needed, this drink does not. The simpler the better. Limes in the Northeast are expensive and do not last very long in the refrigerator.

Joe :usflag:

Well, I just had the opposite. I took that old bottle of Bombay from the freezer and poured all of it (probably an ounce or less) into a glass, intending to make a gin and tonic. At the last second, I decided not to open the tonic water and just squeezed in a small slice of lime. It was very tasty. I suppose it was a martini of sorts - mostly very cold gin with a small additional flavoring. :skep:

Tim

[JeffRenner]

I took that old bottle of Bombay from the freezer and poured all of it (probably an ounce or less) into a glass ... and just squeezed in a small slice of lime. It was very tasty. I suppose it was a martini of sorts - mostly very cold gin with a small additional flavoring.

That sounds more or less like a gimlet, although they are often made with Rose's lime juice rather than fresh lime juice, which I prefer.

Jeff

[ratcheer]

Thanks for reminding me, Jeff. I drank quite a few Rose's gimlets when I was in college (a long, long time ago) and I enjoyed them at the time. But, believe me, the drink I had this afternoon was nothing like that. The Rose's was very sweet and intensely flavored, while the very small squeeze of fresh lime today was very subdued. The result really was very like a martini.

Tim

[chperry]

I have different favorites depending on the drink. If I am making martinis (4 to 5 parts gin, 1 part dry vermouth, dash of Regans Orange Bitters), I want Plymouth, Bombay Saphire, or Tanquerey Ten, in that order. If I am drinking gin and tonics, I want Tanquerey or Bombay or Beefeaters. Also, and this may surprise you, cheap old Burnetts works great in a gin and tonic. Don't be tempted to try it in a martini though.

Charles Perry

[kbuzbee]

Just tried the Junipero.... Very tasty. Tried it with Bitter lemon and Tonic. Both were very good. I'm not sure it makes a MUCH better drink than T-10 but it is good enough I would switch to it if it were available local..... Pity it isn't..... Probably won't switch but glad to have tried it. There's a bottle of Hendricks (which IS available locally) waiting for the same trial. Results to follow.

Ken