Comments on: The Ultimate Summer Drink: Gin & Tonic

By: Andy Romine

Andy Romine — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 02:04:24 +0000

You’re welcome, Darin — I had a lot of fun “researching” this drink
And thanks for the tip on the Cascade Mountain Gin – you’re the second person in the last few weeks to give it a strong recommendation. I am definitely on the lookout for a bottle.

Cheers!

By: Darin Ramsey

Darin Ramsey — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:48:47 +0000

Thanks for the history on what has always been my favorite cocktail (mostly because single malts don’t have any business being mixed with something else). If I can make a recommendations, Cascade Mountain gin, from the Bendistillery in Bend, Oregon is remarkable. Layers roll out on the palate, like you usually get from wine or great coffee. As Ferris advised, “if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:44:47 +0000

A Tanqueray man. Yes, that’s the way to go. Great post Andy. It’s my fav too.

By: Andy Romine

Andy Romine — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:38:14 +0000

yeah! so cool. I wanted to do that with my G&T, but I don’t have a black light at home.

By: Andy Romine

Andy Romine — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:37:25 +0000

yeah, I don’t quite get how that doesn’t kill you straight out. small quantities? For flavoring?

By: Wendy Wagner

Wendy Wagner — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:12:09 +0000

Something I love about tonic water is that it fluoresces under a black light. That makes a G&T the sexiest drink in the club!

By: Dallas Taylor

Dallas Taylor — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:53:42 +0000

That it is. We have so much to thank the British Navy for besides rum, sodomy, and the lash.

By: Tracie W.

Tracie W. — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:13:39 +0000

Holy cow, cut with “sulphuric acid and turpentine”? That sounds pretty deadly.

By: Andy Romine

Andy Romine — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:32:14 +0000

I was going to save that for the “rum” entry Dallas, but fantastic to bring it up here too
Fascinating how the history of drinking and the history of sailing coincide, eh?

By: Dallas Taylor

Dallas Taylor — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:51:01 +0000

Another fun gin fact: it is the origin of the proof system. The British Navy kept rum for its sailors, and reserved its gin for the officers. As such, it was considered one of the most valuable things on British warships, and was locked in the deepest part of the hold with the gunpowder. However, in battle, the gin casks would often be broken, and soak the powder. If the gin were insufficiently alcoholic, the powder would not fire. After a bit of experimentation, it was determined that if the gin were at least 50% ethanol, the soaked powder would still fire, and the ship could fight on. Such gin was referred to as 100 proof, a measure of alcohol by volume still in widespread use today.