Slog News & Arts

Line Out

Music & Nightlife

« Oly Outrage Pt. 2 | Lifestyles of a Formerly Rich ... »

Friday, February 22, 2008

Gin and Tonic

posted by on February 22 at 13:27 PM

Midday is sliding out of sight, and it’s officially time to look forward to the evening. Perhaps a perfect gin and tonic among friends, a relieved rehash of the week, a sunset viewing party?

According to various sources, the gin and tonic was an invention of the British East India company, who were quaffing bitter tonic water as a prophylactic against malaria. Quinine—an alkaloid derived from the bark of the South American cinchona tree—was the first effective treatment for malaria, used as early as 1631 in Rome, and is still prescribed in some cases. The story goes that gin—a Dutch medicinal invention of grain spirits flavored with juniper berries—was add to the tonic water to improve the taste (!?). Perhaps the lime was added to ward off scurvy.

Today’s major tonic-water brands are carbonated mixtures of water, high-fructose corn syrup, citric acid, preservatives, and a very low dose of quinine. Cadbury-Schweppes makes both Canada Dry and Schweppes brands, and we can thank German watchmaker Johann Jacob Schweppe for inventing carbonated water in 1783. Whole Foods’ 365 label tonic is sweetened with cane sugar. There is also an emerging market for premium mixers: see the U.K.’s Fever Tree, Stirrings, and Q Tonic. Before you consider the DIY route, look at this guy’s less-than superior results.

Other trivial bits that seem to warrant their own paragraph: Too much quinine can cause something called “cinchoism” (after the tree), symptoms of which include temporary deafness, blurred vision, nausea, ringing in the ears, stomach cramps, and eventually circulatory collapse, kidney failure, and coma. Quinine is an antipyretic, that is, it lowers body temperature. It is commonly prescribed to treat night-time leg crams. And quinine fluoresces under a black light (that’s why your G&Ts glow at the club).

Anyhow, a good gin and tonic is refreshing and simple:

gin-tonic.jpg

• Add 4-6 ice cubes to a chilled highball glass.

• Pour 2 oz. of a good dry gin over the ice.

• Fill glass almost to the top with tonic.

• Squeeze one wedge of a washed lime into the glass. Drop the squeezed lime into the drink.

If you have the time, ice cubes made from tonic water prevent dilution.

Happy Friday.

UPDATE: Bethany’s Bar Exam column on Six Seven provides more fascinating details on quinine and the cocktail, including the fact that Six Seven (in the Edgewater) serves a terrific and truly homemade G&T.

RSS icon Comments

1

Switch that shit to soda! No amount of quinine is good for you.

Posted by Dougsf | February 22, 2008 1:37 PM
2

There was a really hot guy who got me hooked on these at Manray back in the day....

I have one and still think of him (sigh)

Posted by Andrew | February 22, 2008 1:37 PM
3

The tonic-water ice cube idea is brilliant.

Posted by David Schmader | February 22, 2008 1:37 PM
4

G&T's are my drink of choice. I'm really disappointed in myself for not thinking of the tonic ice cubes before, but will certainly implement them at my next party!

Thanks for the heads up about the 365 tonic water - I've had trouble finding a brand without HFCS. If only there was a bar that served the cane sugar version...

Posted by Aislinn | February 22, 2008 1:39 PM
5

Gin and tonics are great. Plus, it's a "real" drink that you don't have to feel embarrassed ordering. Not that I have any shame about ordering a pink cocktail with fruit and some vending-machine plastic toy hanging off the edge, but sometimes it's nice to order "A Drink".

Posted by JC | February 22, 2008 1:43 PM
6

In all those steps, the important one is missing. Get some Bombay Sahphire, don't ruin it with Gilbey's. Feel free to sub in Stoli for a delightful change of pace.

Posted by left coast | February 22, 2008 1:46 PM
7

The best G&T is made with Hendrick's Gin, and served with a cucumber slice instead of a lime - as Hendricks suggests.

Posted by raindrop | February 22, 2008 1:47 PM
8

The only downside to Whole Food's tonic is that it comes in a can, which means somewhat less carbonation than if it were bottled.

Dougsf, sources? Since when is a small amount of quinine unhealthy?

I second the Bombay Sapphire suggestion.

Posted by Amy Kate Horn | February 22, 2008 1:49 PM
9

Mmm... Ms. Amy, you totally made my Friday. I'm craving a gin and tonic soo bad now.

Posted by Travis | February 22, 2008 1:54 PM
10

more etymology please

gin

geneva
ginebra
juniper??

Posted by unPC | February 22, 2008 1:54 PM
11

i would have to stay true to my parents' convention and go with tanqueray. now when i'm feeling like a splurge, tanqueray 10. so smooth... and the floral aspects of gin can really be appreciated. oh gin. gin gin gin.

Posted by kate | February 22, 2008 1:55 PM
12

I've never liked gin. Juniper is only good for herbaceous borders, and not very good at that.

Gimme a scotch neat, or a Cuba Libra.

Posted by NaFun | February 22, 2008 1:56 PM
13

Cinchona. Hmmm. Do chinchillas count?

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | February 22, 2008 1:57 PM
14

Speaking of festive, pretty drinks, Original Monique and I are wondering if there's going to be a Slog Oscar Liveblog? I've already bought the champagne, our plan is to sit on my couch and get tanked while liveblogging with y'all... if there's going to be a live blog. I'll even get some good gin and tonic water for the occasion.

Posted by Jessica | February 22, 2008 1:58 PM
15

Yes, indeed, Jessica. I believe Mr. David Schmader will be your host.

Posted by Amy Kate Horn | February 22, 2008 2:01 PM
16

gin & tonics are not wintertime cocktails.

Posted by max solomon | February 22, 2008 2:01 PM
17

a beautiful truly beautiful drink. i think i have a reward to make me finish the report i'm working on. and since i can feel spring and summer coming on i think this is another drink the g&t crew might appreciate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm's_Cup_(cocktail)

another truly gorgeous drink of summer.

Posted by Jiberish | February 22, 2008 2:02 PM
18

Oo, a Schmader liveblog. If my original plan can't get off of work, that sounds like a very viable alternative.

Posted by Abby | February 22, 2008 2:03 PM
19

@16 damn the rules, full speed ahead! like wine go with what you like...i always felt the no G&T after 6pm convention quite constraining.

Posted by Jiberish | February 22, 2008 2:08 PM
20

Try the house-made tonic water at the Edgewater. Seriously!

Posted by drinky | February 22, 2008 2:13 PM
21

@17: The White Horse in Post Alley makes the best Pimm's Cups... yummmmmmmmmm.

Posted by Aislinn | February 22, 2008 2:18 PM
22

#8 - IT FLUORESCES! THAT'S MY SOURCE! It just kinda scars me, really. Large doses are deadly, but I think that's pretty rare (was slog where I saw the "Two Fat Ladies" article?)

Kinda got ahead of myself there... It's actually probably not a big deal, especially since we suspend a few health worries by drinking to begin with. I've read pregnant women should stay away from it, so I guess those woman should probably switch to gin and sodas.

Posted by Dougsf | February 22, 2008 2:18 PM
23

@1 - no, actually, if you have malaria, quinine is very good for you, it's even part of the new drug targets ...

But if you don't have it, or live in a country where you're likely to get it, you should stay away from it.

I don't really like it much, or vodka, a good Bacardi Rum is a nice choice, and go from there.

See you at the Obama get together at the Contour, 807 First Ave, at 5:30-6:30!

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 22, 2008 2:19 PM
24

and Oscar Liveslog - I am so there! Bailey's for me ... on ice!

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 22, 2008 2:21 PM
25

G&T is my favorite, usually with Sapphire but Hendrick's is mighty tasty.

I actually squeeze the lime wedge after putting the ice cubes in. I find the lime juice mixes better that way.

Posted by brad | February 22, 2008 2:26 PM
26

Schweppes makes a diet tonic, which is what I usually use (made with saccharin). I wish that you could actually get it at a bar, though.

I am currently loving Tanqueray's Rangpur gin (it's lime flavored). My dad ran a distillery that made gin and vodka, and I remember some very interesting gin flavors (e.g., grapefruit) that they used to make, but the lime one hits it spot on for me.

Also, @22, just because something flouresces, doesn't mean it's bad for you. That just means it has a certain chemical structure. For example, semen also flouresces.....

Posted by Julie | February 22, 2008 2:30 PM
27

whee, an ode to my favorite summer drink. I'm a Tanqueray gal myself. I bought Bombay Sapphire once time and was thoroughly disappointed. I never thought about the HFCS though. i'll have to give Whole Foods' cane sugar one a go.

YAY got G&T season weather!!

Posted by genevieve | February 22, 2008 2:30 PM
28

I'm feeling supersonic
give me gin & tonic
You can have it all

Posted by but how much do you want it? | February 22, 2008 2:43 PM
29

I miss G&T so much now that I don't drink hard alcohol anymore. But Albertson's has diet tonic for nintey nine cents. That with bitter and lime....lovely.....and cheap.

Posted by Gidget | February 22, 2008 2:43 PM
30

As a life long gin addict… I’ve recently renewed my love of the stuff with the discovery of Old Raj gin… makes all the rest meaningless. To drink it is to gaze into the face of God and know that all is well.

@19…

What you need to do is just slowly add less and less tonic until 6pm, and then replace it with a drop or two of vermouth and a twist…

Posted by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me | February 22, 2008 2:45 PM
31

I've never had a G&T... does that make me a bad drinker? These days I prefer whiskey with bitters, on the rocks. Yes sir. Bitters. It takes away the bubblegum taste of cheap whiskey.

Maybe a G&T at the next Slog Happy Hour, though.

Posted by Katelyn | February 22, 2008 2:47 PM
32

thanks Aislinn! knowing where to go for pimms is of great import as the summer comes along...warm summer late afternoons and pimms is...transcendent

Posted by Jiberish | February 22, 2008 2:48 PM
33

Bombay Sapphire is all marketing. It's not even as good as regular Bombay. But Tanqueray beats them both, in my HO. White liquor and soda is just wrong. I'd drink G&Ts in summer if the tonic wasn't so nasty with HFCS; I prefer my gin in a very wet martini, about 2:1.

Vodka is for euthanizing fish with.

But the best liquor is brown. Rum, whisky, whiskey, brandy, it's all good as long as it's spent time in a wood barrel, preferably one that used to have something like sherry in it.

Posted by Fnarf | February 22, 2008 2:59 PM
34

The best tonic you can get around here easily is Stirrings. They have it at QFC and possibly Whole Foods. It uses real sugar and real bark. I haven't had Q tonic yet, so I can't compare.

Posted by Andrew | February 22, 2008 3:03 PM
35

Enjoying the taste of gin is also a sign that you're an alcoholic.

Posted by Gitai | February 22, 2008 3:08 PM
36

I agree, love the Tanqueray commercials ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 22, 2008 3:17 PM
37

@1, quinine (in tonic water) was just recommended to me to stop muscle cramps while exercising. Anything, including aspirin, will hurt you if you overdose, but that doesn't mean it should be avoided altogether. There's a reason people still consume this stuff: it works.

AKH, thanks for reminding me of how much I fucking love G&Ts.

Posted by Emily | February 22, 2008 3:37 PM
38

Probably 90% of the hard-core alkier I have known, and 99% of the truly nasty, ugly drunks I have known, have been gin drinkers. Just sayin'.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | February 22, 2008 3:47 PM
39

Re: flavor of gin

The juniper-flavored 17th century version of gin was jenever (gin as we know it came later)... jenever's much fruitier than standard gin, so it might have offset the quinine bitterness.

Posted by JME | February 22, 2008 4:06 PM

Comments Closed

In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).