Gin & Tonic is not just classic and easy but is light and refreshing as well. This simple drink requires mixing just two ingredients along with a hint of lime.
Moreover, all of these ingredients are natural flavor companions. Gin & Tonic is an excellent exhilarating choice for dinner, happy hours, or anytime you feel like uplifting your spirit.
Gin is a classic take, and very complex. So, we will talk about it in detail later, let us first understand what makes Tonic Water.
Explaining Tonic Water
Typically, tonic water is a carbonated soft drink with added quinine. This combo essentially creates a slightly bitter taste to the damp. Another use of tonic water is to help with digestion. Eventually, it helps kick-start your appetite. However, tonic water nutritionally fails to provide much value.
Just like any other soft drink that generally includes sugar or another sweetener. Nevertheless, this amount varies by brand name and will decidedly affect the calorie count.
So, let us scrutinize some of the great tonic waters that have bounced upon the market. Thanks to the resurgence in popularity of this ingredient, brand names like Fever-Tree and Q Drinks are two soda brands worth checking out. They were specifically designed for mixed drinks like Gin and Tonic.
Basic Tips for the Most Exhilarating Gin & Tonic
A lime wedge is yet another component of this stirring drink. It Is almost always served along with Gin and Tonic. It has proved to be a fantastic way to add a hint of citrus to the drink. Nonetheless, you can get the most out of it by running the wedge around the rim of the glass. Following this you can squeeze the juice into the drink before dropping the wedge in.
You can also squeeze in the juice from a second wedge to add even more lime flavor. Or simply choose to add a splash of lime cordial before topping the drink with a tonic.
Choosing the gin brand to go into the drink is another important aspect. Nowadays, there is a fantastic array of gins to choose from. You can ensure that your Gin & Tonic is an entirely new experience with each peg you pour.
Going About Your Gin & Tonic
Right on, if you can say it, you can do it right! Nevertheless, this two-ingredient cocktail drink requires your absorbed attention. Beginning from glassware to garnishing, and to style of gin. Or minus the spirit, everything is required to be carefully considered when mixing a Gin &Tonic.
Your spirited G&T cocktail can be made with a potent base, 45 percent ABV or more when you mean business. It can effectively be configured with two parts tonic to one part gin within a highball of balance. Too much gin may not shine, as the botanical spirit will overshadow the unique qualities of the mix. Moreover, too much tonic will eventually drown the gin.
These two ingredients provide endless room for experimentation. Then there are hundreds of gins in the market to choose from and plenty of tonics. A good Gin &Tonic is a mix-and-match exercise.
You are required to find the right combination that unequivocally suits the palate. London dry gins are generally characterized by their juniper-forward flavor profile. And then modern-style gins dial down the juniper and ramp up the citrus alongside florals.
Moreover, some tonics are absolutely dry and straightforward. They come with prominent notes of bitter quinine. While many others are sweet and syrupy. You will have to find the right tonics in between that feature everything from aromatics to citrus and herbs to spice. Then there is the garnishing part.
Several people swear by the lime, while many others choose a lemon. Then there are others who prefer a grapefruit slice or a rosemary sprig. Seasonal garnishing styles also include blood orange and thyme.
All these alterations result in a party of Gin & Tonics. This cocktail itself leads to creativity. You can think of muddled cucumbers or fruits to provide an extra dose of refreshment. Then add a measure of dry vermouth to soften the drink. Fresh herbs and even barrel-aged gins along with liqueurs are all fair game.
Your G&T represents an impressive résumé for a cocktail tracing its roots to quinine powder that was initially used in the 1840s. It was then an antimalarial remedy for British soldiers in India.
The tart quinine powder in those times was mixed with soda and sugar. It made the drink palatable. However, it was not long before enterprising people decided to bottle the elixir for economic purposes. Sooner or later, the tonic anyway had to make its entry into the gin.
The tonic nowadays features less quinine than it did in the past. It now has a sweeter taste and ably complements gin. Putting the two together in a glass is more or less an art now. You can taste one of the best cocktail pairings and cheer by raising your glass.
Here is How Your Gin & Tonic Cocktails Go
Ingredients
- 2 oz. gin of your liking
- 4 oz. of tonic water (choose brand)
- 2 lime wheels for garnishing
- Or any other seasonal garnish (if you prefer)
Fill a highball glass with ice as the first step. Then add the gin you like. Top it with tonic water and gently stir before garnishing with a lime wheel. Or choose a seasonal garnishing if you like.
7 Great Gin & Tonic Twists to Try
The Gin & Tonic cocktail is only the beginning. However, beyond doubt, it is one of the most popular cocktails across the world. The G&T is particularly popular in Spain, where the botanicals going into gin are specifically paired with tonic water along with an array of aromatic garnishes. Moreover, the resulting drink is generally served in a goblet.
The G&T cocktail is an at-home staple in the United Kingdom. This is where the number of craft tonic waters on the market is almost endless. And so are craft gins that have simultaneously boomed.
The G&T is also a summer staple for many Americans. However, they just keep it simple with whatever gin and tonic water is available. Nevertheless, bartenders nowadays have begun to elevate the refreshing classic with high-end tonic waters that have been carefully selected to complement the gin.
However, a few factors are vital for ensuring that the cocktail is delicious and refreshing regardless of where in the world you are having one. Firstly, you would want to use a high-quality gin. And then, an impartially high-quality tonic water. Nonetheless, make sure that the drink is as chilled as possible. See that you chill the glass and the tonic water alongside making sure that the ice is dense and freshly made. Remember that you are in for a boozer or a cocktail.
These seven variations of the popular G&T cocktail are worth trying at home.
- Apple Chai G & T: This spin on the G&T cocktail adds an apple chai syrup to the common formulation. This variation gives the drink an apple pie note without leaning onto the too-sweet side. Moreover, this twist is spicy and warming. It is also approved to be an impeccable Gin & Tonic variation for the seasonal transition from summer to fall.
- Coffee & Cigarettes: This cocktail recipe hails from ‘Ultreia’, the Spanish-influenced restaurant located in Denver. This is where the Gin & Tonic is a staple on the cocktail menu. Alan Berger here chooses to add a coffee liqueur to Q tonic water. And the final drink comes along with Colorado gin with notes of cardamom and cinnamon. Eventually, it creates a body-warming winter-friendly tipple with notes of baking spices. This cocktail twist is finally garnished with cacao nibs and coffee beans.
- Garden Gin & Tonic: This G&T variation draws inspiration from the garnish-heavy Spanish-style Garden Gin & Tonic. It uses both, gin and dry vermouth, essentially paired with a couple of dashes of orange bitters. This cocktail twist also happens to come along with a bouquet of summery garnishes that include cucumber slices, a grapefruit, a lavender sprig, lemon wheels, and strawberries. All of these elements are served in a goblet.
- Gin Sonic: You typically do not fancy G&T because you are scared by the overly sweet old tonic waters. Then this simple variation takes on the classic drink head-on. This twist is the perfect riff to reintroduce you to the cocktail. It also happens to be a style that has come into vogue among bartenders across the world. The Gin Sonic variation is especially a favorite in Japan and the United States. And for good reason as the spirit receives a complimentary split of both, soda and tonic water. This twist is a dry yet balanced and effervescent cocktail that effectively highlights the botanical content of the gin. Give Gin Sonic a try if you have a quality gin and are short of craft tonic waters.
- M Gin & Tonic: This G&T riff provides an awesome example of just how far this cocktail can stray from the standard template. However, it still retains the balanced flavors of the drink. This twist leans on the bitter side with a base of barrel-aged gin. It adds herbaceous menthol-driven Fernet-Branca and sweet vermouth before getting topped off with Fever-Tree tonic water. M Gin & Tonic is garnished with a cinnamon stick and star anise pods along with dehydrated lemon wheels and a dispatched orange peel.
- Pink Gin & Tonic: Many tonic waters are crafted with a touch of aromatic bitters. Fever-Tree’s aromatic tonic water is a good take. The Pink G&T twist is named after its parent cocktail, the Pink Gin. It calls for a few dashes of Angostura bitters that are added to the spirit. However, this variation uses plain tonic water but makes it a point to add a small dose of the deep red Angostura aromatic bitters to the mix. This lends the drink a dark pink hue while amplifying the bitterness of the cocktail. This G&T variation also includes a bit of lime juice for acidity and freshness. It is meant to add visual appeal alongside the taste on the palate.
- Spanish Gin & Tonic: This G&T twist is a must-try cocktail for you if you have never had it the Spanish way. It is often said that almost 90 percent of what is recognized as taste actually comes from the smell. This Gin & Tonic variation focuses on the aromatic aspect. This style displays just how creative garnishing pairings can mean to a drink. This version of G&T employs a London dry gin and craft tonic waters. It is then paired with a menagerie of garnishes that include juniper berries, a lemon wheel, and thyme.
FAQs
Is Gin & Tonic a highball cocktail drink?
A Gin & Tonic cocktail is made with a potent base of 45 percent ABV and above. This drink is also composed of one part gin to two parts tonic water. It is a highball drink of balance and delicacy. Too much of each can ruin the combination. Excessive botanical spirit will overshadow the exclusive qualities of the tonic. Similarly, too much tonic will drown the spirited qualities of gin.
What is the ratio of gin to tonic water in the cocktail?
The ratio of gin to tonic usually varies according to the taste and strength of the gin alongside other drink mixers like lime. However, most recipes call for a ratio ranging between 1:1 and 1:3. Moreover, this cocktail is normally garnished with a lime wedge or slice. The tonic then can be poured down a bar spoon to preserve effervescence.
How are gin and tonic water combined?
Two ounces of gin are added to four ounces of chilled tonic water. This mix is gently stirred with a spoon to combine them. However, you need to be careful not to lose too much of the carbonation during the process of mixing. After which you can run a citrus wedge around the rim of the glass before gently squeezing the juice from the wedge into the cocktail. You may then drop the wedge into the drink.
Why was a Gin & Tonic cocktail initially made?
Early in the 19th century, the Presidency Army officers in India took to adding a mixture of gin, lime, sugar, and water to the quinine. This was a common practice to save them from contracting Malaria. Sugar was utilized to make the drink more palatable. Eventually, this is exactly how the Gin & Tonic cocktail came into existence. Moreover, these officers were given gin as part of their rations. Subsequently, the sweet concoction made sense.
What type of gin should be used in the cocktail?
Most Gin & Tonic cocktails are made with good quality gin. Especially the ones with a slight citrus flavor alongside an excellent blend of botanicals. Both Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray are two gin brands that stand out. They will always be great G&T favorites. Moreover, G&T also stands up to many other less expensive gins if you want to save on costs. This is why G&T is an excellent cocktail to turn to when you want to save on both, a little money and time.
Is it safe to consume Tonic Water every day?
Tonic water is generally considered harmless for most people in moderation. The alkaloid ‘Quinine’ is derived from cinchona bark. However, in high doses, it can lead to Cinchonism (quinine toxicity). Most often this is a medical concern for people with certain conditions as it can also interact with some drugs. The FDA therefore limits how much quinine can be present in tonic water to ensure that tonic water sold in the United States is safe.
Can we make Tonic Water at home?
There are many types of sodas we can make at home. They are fun as well. However, tonic water should always be purchased from a reputable company as it can have serious side effects of cinchonism. It can therefore be harmful to make your own tonic water from cinchona bark. Simply because it is impossible to control the amount of quinine that should go in the syrup. Nevertheless, it is generally safe to purchase premade tonic water from a reputable brand. However, make it a point to follow the recommended dilution instructions to make tonic water. Moreover, you can also make quinine-free tonic syrup at home as an alternative.
