Author Topic: Gin!  (Read 31174 times)

ian

Re: Gin!
« Reply #75 on: 16 October, 2016, 06:50:34 pm »
I haven't, but I am intrigued enough to try. I don't think I've ever seen it.

The offy in Sevenoaks had three gins from Sevenoaks or thereabouts, there's loads more in Kent I'm sure. I was busy dripping on the floor on account we had spent an hour walking through an absolute deluge. I may have actually been dissolving. You know you're wet when you feel your testicles actually floating in a puddle that has formed in your pants gusset. We were only in search of beery refreshment for the train home (earned, we'd just stomped 25-ish miles, and faced a long, damp journey*).

*Actually, if I recall, we decided we were probably going to die from pneumonia and got an Uber home instead. A wise decision.

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Gin!
« Reply #76 on: 22 October, 2016, 07:59:00 pm »
As mentioned in the Beer thread I visited our latest local micropub tonight. I was pleasantly surprised to see (since IME most micros don't do spirits) that they had about a dozen different gins on offer (no other spirits). I feel a session coming on.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Re: Gin!
« Reply #77 on: 23 October, 2016, 08:48:46 am »
The Shepard Purse cafe bar in Whitby has a fine selection of gins. Unfortunately I was driving so didnt get to sample any.
There selection of cakes and savouries looked lovely as well.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Gin!
« Reply #78 on: 23 October, 2016, 05:17:48 pm »
As mentioned in the Beer thread I visited our latest local micropub tonight. I was pleasantly surprised to see (since IME most micros don't do spirits) that they had about a dozen different gins on offer (no other spirits). I feel a session coming on.

If you're ever in Ely, the Draymans is a micropub with great beer, and also serves Ely gin, all good.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Gin!
« Reply #79 on: 23 October, 2016, 07:43:27 pm »
Yes! What a good idea! Just what the doctor ordered! A ginantonic! Without the tonic!

Re: Gin!
« Reply #80 on: 24 October, 2016, 04:42:02 pm »
I've just been in my local M&S food hall & they have greatly increased the size of their gin selection.  Silent Pool at £37, I don't know if that's good or not.
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Re: Gin!
« Reply #81 on: 24 October, 2016, 07:33:53 pm »
Is Miller's any good? My offie has it on special, and I note the bottle proclaims its award-winningness, but then so's Special Brew...

(I know it's a mid-range gin and fairly common, but then I usually drink Tanqueray...)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Gin!
« Reply #82 on: 25 October, 2016, 11:09:20 am »
Silent Pool at £37, I don't know if that's good or not.

Seems to be about the going rate in shops - it's the same price in my local Waitrose - but I found it a bit cheaper online.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Gin!
« Reply #83 on: 03 November, 2016, 11:52:51 pm »
Is Miller's any good? My offie has it on special, and I note the bottle proclaims its award-winningness, but then so's Special Brew...

(I know it's a mid-range gin and fairly common, but then I usually drink Tanqueray...)

I like Millers, nice and smooth.

Tonight, Anno

Slightly edgy, you can taste the hops and smell the lavender.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Gin!
« Reply #84 on: 12 November, 2016, 11:04:31 am »
Well, our local distillery opens for business today, Puddinstone distillery producing Campfire gin, based at the local farm shop.  I'll have to try some for Christmas.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Pingu

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ian

Re: Gin!
« Reply #86 on: 19 December, 2016, 09:37:54 pm »
Found some gin with a picture of a weasel on it (hopefully no weasels were harmed in the making of said gin) so that's the spousal Christmas present covered.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #87 on: 23 December, 2016, 07:30:41 pm »
First G&T of the holiday. One from Norway by Marius Egge.  It's OK.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #88 on: 23 December, 2016, 10:08:27 pm »
Found some gin with a picture of a weasel on it (hopefully no weasels were harmed in the making of said gin) so that's the spousal Christmas present covered.

Twist of lemming?

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Gin!
« Reply #89 on: 31 December, 2016, 02:04:15 pm »
My brother's festive Gin Bar:


Favourites were the Silent Pool, Maiden and Whitley Neill, all of which mixed very well with the Noilly Prat I brought along. The Bathtub and Monkey 47 were also good but the Lakes and Hendrick's seemed a bit lacking in the Oomph department in comparison.

Not so keen on the Opihr. Has a distinct flavour of coriander, which I felt doesn't really work, though others liked it. My dad garnished it with thinly sliced fresh ginger instead of lemon and seemed quite pleased with the results.

I have strong opinions on how to make a G&T, but my sis and sis-in-law both recoiled at the first sip of the first G&Ts I made for them and demanded extra tonic. Later, my sis mixed her own and offered me a sip, saying, 'This is what a G&T should taste like.' I literally couldn't taste the gin, it was totally overwhelmed. Really, she might has well have just left the gin out altogether. Lively debate over the correct proportions for a G&T ensued. I remain adamant that around 50:50 is the correct answer. (Good to have a family argument about something that really matters for a change.)

There was greater consensus on the matter of tonic. Bro had got in a selection including Schweppes, Fever Tree and Franklin's. I shared the opinion of "my friend off the internet who is a bit of a gin connoisseur (well, he drinks rather a lot of it)" on the subject of Fever Tree, and although the initial reaction was an almost Gove-like disdain for ian's expertise, on tasting it we pretty much all (except my mum) agreed that it's insipid stuff. The Franklin's is great though.

As an OT tangent to the G&T debate, there was also some discussion about how to make a Snowball. My method is: small measure of brandy, juice of half a lime, generous glug of advocaat, stir well then top up with well-chilled lemonade. My mum was slightly horrified at the idea of adding brandy (she'd been making them with just advocaat and lemonade), but I pointed out that the 'very good Snowball, thanks' that I'd made her earlier did in fact contain a decent slug of brandy.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #90 on: 31 December, 2016, 06:42:22 pm »
I was underwhelmed by the Silent Pool. My boss (with whom I appear to share similar taste in gin) has previously warned me off the Orphir. Never been excited by the Hendricks. I've never seen the Maiden before,  will look out for it.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #91 on: 31 December, 2016, 06:47:03 pm »
So, this year's Xmas gin haul:
The must have Eden hop gin
Avva
Spirit of Hven  (nomnomnom)
The Botanist
Electric Spirit Co Achroous (nomnomnom)
King of Soho
Dictador Aged in rum barrels (not too sure about that but we'll see what it tastes like.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Gin!
« Reply #92 on: 31 December, 2016, 07:05:57 pm »
Funny, I liked the Opihr, but ETHO.

I bought some plymouth gin for the Christmas cocktails.  Subtly different.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #93 on: 31 December, 2016, 07:09:47 pm »
I forgot to note that I bought some Pickerings Original 1947 https://shop.pickeringsgin.com/products/pickerings-original-1947 which is quite acceptable :P
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

ian

Re: Gin!
« Reply #94 on: 31 December, 2016, 08:11:22 pm »
I don't much care for Ophir, I find the pepper and coriander overpowering for my tastes. I'd not tried Maiden (I know, but really there's too much gin to keep up with).

The Forest Gin was very good (and it should be, I think it's the most expensive gin I've bought, but hey, it has a weasel on the label). The Victorian Pink Gin was fine, nothing super-special, and the Rhubarb and Custard gin (which was I ready to hate) actually wasn't so bad, if a bit vanilla heavy. I have some Old Simon Genever still to taste.

I still go with 50:50 for the perfect G&T but sometimes I'll go long and double it. I wouldn't squander a good gin, but I think the argument is to make a martini.

I've not tried a snowball with brandy but once I've reached a decision on quite how long a bottle of advocaat keeps opened in the fridge (seriously, what's the half-life of advocaat) I may be tempted.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Gin!
« Reply #95 on: 02 January, 2017, 01:40:11 pm »
I was underwhelmed by the Silent Pool. My boss (with whom I appear to share similar taste in gin) has previously warned me off the Orphir. Never been excited by the Hendricks. I've never seen the Maiden before,  will look out for it.

I came across Maiden in the local deli/cafe where my son worked until last summer. It's a local one, made in Maidstone, and doesn't appear to be distributed widely. I like it but I don't know how worthwhile it would be to make an effort to seek it out - as ian says, it's not like there's a shortage of other good gins available now.

Even characters on The Archers are getting in on the gin distilling act. I think this means we have passed peak gin.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Gin!
« Reply #96 on: 02 January, 2017, 01:53:35 pm »
Im not much of a gin connoisseur and Ive only tried a few of these new fangled gins. To be honest, some of them dont hang well together. One that did was Audemus Pink Pepper.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #97 on: 10 February, 2017, 10:45:10 pm »
Ian, were you allowed to taste the Forest (weasel) Gin?  (ETA - oh yes, you were, just found the post)
And has anyone had Wicked Wolf Exmoor gin, being as it's being stocked at our local whisky shop?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Gin!
« Reply #98 on: 10 February, 2017, 10:48:41 pm »
I'll just leave this here...


Mrs Pingu

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Re: Gin!
« Reply #99 on: 10 February, 2017, 11:04:09 pm »
Oliver Bonas, now that was a shop for the B Ark if ever there was one...
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.