Gin Courage The Apocryphal Story
Well it is “Dutch Courage” that is behind the gin predecessor Genevar that was first made in Holland. Most of the beverages and spirits have evolved as digestive or medicinal concoctions a good alternate to future development as spirit.
The advent of Genevar happened in sixteenth century whence a monk used juniper in wine a tipple created to accord salubrious properties. It eventually ended up as Jenevar or as the English called it “Genevar”. They drank this before the wars and lost all fear whence tipsy. Thus the newly born gin became Dutch Courage probably a beating down memory of war with the Dutch. In those days there were frequent wars especially between the colonizers and the apocryphal stories do reek of some truth as fa as savagery and brutality is concerned.
But in truth this mixing of juniper extract with wine had been in use much earlier in Greece, Italy and elsewhere. Hence whence modern day gin or rather craft gin came into the vogue juniper became central to the spirit. Nowadays without the juniper botanical infusion the spirit is not classified as such name it whatever you wish but not gin.
For courage, fitness of fun the tipple became immensely popular in Great Britain or UK as it is called. The English really took fancy for this spirit in a big way somewhere after after the eight years war with the Dutch.
Described as liqueur of juniper berry extract the reference changed from genevar to gen and then to gin and here it has stayed put. Eventually during the renaissance when the popularity exploded for many reasons but perhaps more so for patronage provided to common man by the Government.
Then G&T came into picture this invention was out of sheer necessity. The bitter quinine was difficult to ingest and what better if one added lemon flavored tonic and potent gin to it. It became a classic drink with a short time among the British officers and soldiers alike. The survival became a style and later on with due moderation of bitter quinine it became an upper class classic.
Upper Class American in the new World too began to patronize G&T whence it reached them during the renaissance in 19th Century. Although there was a period of lull, the gin bloom has reignited passions in the contemporary Era and the drink is once again popular not only in Americas and UK but all over Europe and APAC region as well.
Gin evolved continuously the dry gin came into being containing less sugar and this is called London Dry Gin a style not necessary distilled in London. Plymouth became popular in USA which is sweeter. Many more variants came in recent time and the World it seems has stuck to craft gin like Osel Gin from Estonia.
The first to arrive was craft beer and then gin followed as handcrafted and small batch production. Osel Gin from Estonia is not alone the produce now stretches as far as India with exotic botanical like betel leaf becoming popular infusions.
Well another story has begun now with Flaneur and Flaneuse from Lahhentagge Distillery in Estonia. The world is accepting non alcoholic gin with aplomb. Will we witness another revolution?