Why is gin always labeled with juniper? Throughout the development of gin, it is inextricably linked to juniper berries.
1. The Origin of Gin
Gin originated from the alchemical and religious concepts in the alchemical works of Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber in Latin), and first appeared on the historical stage in the late 8th century, an era of exploration and turmoil. Fractional distillation was born in Persia at this time. The key steps of fractional distillation evolved from alchemy, which was a secret art in the past, but Jabir made it go to the world and spread the method and equipment of distillation. The magical spirit obtained through distillation created unlimited possibilities for explorers at the time, and pharmaceutical production was the ultimate use of spirits.
2. Development History
The Mediterranean region draws the curtain
The first gin distilled liquor may have come from Italy. The Salerno Medical School, an important Italian medical school, had close contacts with Arab countries, which led to the influx of distillation techniques and promoted the spread of distillation techniques in the West.
Around 1000 AD, Benedictine monks living in Salerno tried to distill a spirit mixed with juniper berries, and the Salerno School of Medicine recorded that juniper berry anointment could be used to treat tertian fever, a fever that recurred every three days and was a typical form of malaria. Since then, malaria and the history of gin have been inseparable.
At that time, the basic raw material of most alcoholic beverages was grapes, and the final product was likely to have a similar aroma to gin. The story of gin began with juniper distillation.
Development in the Netherlands
In the 13th century, the Black Death appeared. At that time, juniper berries were used as medicine to fight the rampant Black Death. The strong aroma of juniper was used to fumigate the room. With the promotion of juniper aromatherapy and juniper berry distilled liquor, gin spread to the Netherlands.
At this time, the Netherlands was the center of a large commercial network and a cultural movement was underway that not only promoted the renaming and popularity of gin, but also changed the flavor of gin. Gin was no longer just a medical tool. In 1351, Johannes de Aer wrote in his treatise on the water of life: "It (gin) makes us forget our sorrows, brings us joy and courage." At this point, gin was no longer just a medicine.
In the Netherlands, gin met ale and acquired another essential characteristic - the ability to combine with a base spirit, which is the essence of gin: combining the base spirit with herbs, roots and juniper berries and then distilling it. In 1552, Philippus Hermany created a manual detailing the distillation method, the "Constrick's Distilling Book".
In 1568, a decade-long war with Spain broke out for religious reasons. The war led to a shortage of wine, and grain was added to the production of gin. A large number of Dutch citizens took refuge in England with distilling technology.
The Pors family had been producing spirits since 1575, and included Dutch Gin in their range. To ensure an adequate supply of spices, they became shareholders of the East India Company. As the Dutch East India Company became active in trade, herbs, spices and luxury goods became widely available, which changed the characteristics of alcoholic beverages. The emergence of Dutch Gin was the first step on the journey to modern gin.
Until 1606, Flemish spirits were collectively known as "brandy." The Dutch Republic passed a law that called for the juniper spirit "Dutch gin" and taxed it like brandy. Gin became popular and gradually developed its own distinct identity.
In the 19th century, the invention of the column still greatly promoted the production of malt liquor in the Netherlands, laying the foundation for the development of gin. Today, this spirit is still sold in the market under the original name of "Dutch Gin" (Genever) or "Dutch Gin" (Jenever), and is one of the "ancestors" of today's popular mixed gin.
British Gin
Gin spread to the British Isles along with the continuous wars, fierce changes of thrones and conquests, and arrived in London to continue its journey.
In 1688, William III became King of England and lifted the regulation of distilled spirits. A winemaking boom and a drinking boom occurred.
In 1751, the British government introduced the Gin Act, and with the sharp decline in gin consumption, the first large family business began to be established. In 1769, Alex Gordon began to produce gin in South London; James Stein produced Dutch gin in Scotland; and the Coates family established a company in Plymouth.
In 1825, the British government reduced taxes on gin, which caused the price of gin to fall. Although the quality was still poor, consumption doubled to over 7 million gallons.
Initially used as a medicinal drink, gin became a popular drink. The distillery industry flourished, and herbs such as cardamom and coriander, which are still used today, were added to gin during this period, gradually showing the outline of modern gin.
Turning point
The birth of Gin and Tonic: Trade accelerated the spread of malaria, and people discovered a cure for malaria in South America, which was made into an extremely bitter drink. People began mixing "tonic water" made of quinine with gin, and Gin and Tonic was born.
The invention of the column still: In 1827, Robert Stein invented the column still; in 1832, Aeneas Coffey, the Irish tax and customs inspector, perfected the column still and applied for a patent.
The invention of the column still distinguished various types of gin from each other, and dry gin and Old Tom gin formed their own characteristics. The emergence of new distillation technology ushered in the heyday of gin development. Famous gin brands were established one after another.
1919-1930: Prohibition of alcohol in the United States
After World War II, gin was hit by vodka and faced a crisis
Gin is experiencing a renaissance
In the late 20th century and early 21st century, gin experienced a renaissance. Bombay Sapphire became popular; in 1999, Henley's Gin adopted new distillation technology and added new ingredients such as rose and cucumber; in 2002, Tanqueray No. 10 was born, adding fresh citrus fruits to the recipe. People began to pay attention to the location and recipe of gin distilleries.
In 2008, the European Union formulated gin production rules. This regulation facilitated gin production. Gin began to spread all over the world.
