Gin

[Minnesota Mike]

Ok - not really a 'cooking' question, but more of recipes for drinking question.

Have period bottle enroute to match with period gin label for nice period bottle of gin.

Question is HOW did they imbibed their gin back in the day? As much as I love gin and tonics, doubt that would fly as PC in camp.

Any suggestions or insights would be appreciated. Thanks.

r/
MM

[Mitch]

seems gin was the cheap drink of the lower classes(in my research)-I expect straight or watered down a bit....but, I wouldn't kick you out of camp for a gin and tonic in a period drinking vessel...

[R.M.]

How would anybody that cared know??

[Minnesota Mike]

Just was doing a slight bit of research on gin . . . WOW . . . has it gotten a PR overhaul since the days of Gin Alley. Sheesh.  

Maybe I don't want to be offering gin to anyone with the period reputation that gin had - uffda!! Quite an eye-opener to say the least.

r/
MM

[Loyalist Dave]

Serve the gin "neat".  You could also water it a bit.  The gin of the 18th century might also be closer to "Dutch Gin", than the modern stuff.  It was originaly called Genever, which is Dutch for Juniper.  Original gin was probably sweetened a bit, as opposed to London Dry Gin.  

LD

[RichW]

Genever was corrupted to Geneva by the English.  Which explains how Hollands and Geneva could be the same thing.

Gin Lane: they are drinking from standard wine glasses.

[hawkeye]

I've stuck to rum and beer.  Very popular in the colonies.

[sse]

Then of course there was the advent of the gin and tonic, borne of the regiments' need for quinine to ward off malaria in the colonies, specifically India.  And R.M., this is not to be forgotten in modern day quaffing...!  (Quaff, oh quaff nepenthe...) That's all I know, maybe someone else can fill in the gaps a little bit...

[sse]

Gin is wike muvver's milk ta me guv'nah...)

- Alfred P. Doolittle, Pygmalian

P.S.   :lol:

[Sir Michael]

My research on the the 1st quarter of the 19th c. indicates that Brandy, Rum, and wine were the beverages of choice or what was available.  I've never read anything that mentions Gin.  

My impression regarding Gin is that it was popular and used mostly used in India and mixed with quinine to treat malaria.  It masked the taste of the quinine.

[ManyVoices]

My research on the the 1st quarter of the 19th c. indicates that Brandy, Rum, and wine were the beverages of choice or what was available.  I've never read anything that mentions Gin.  

Aoh, gov'ner, ye've been stayin' wi' the toffs, ye 'ave.  Ye don't read about gin, ye drink it!  Come down 'ere wiffin the sound of the Bow Bells an' we'll show ye how it's done.

[Sir Michael]

:rotf  :rotf  :rotf

Nice Avitar ManyVoices.   :notworthy  You guna bring that outfit to the Frolic?  Huh Huh Huh :rt th

[Groundhog]

no better drink than GIN N TONIC
MM jus camo-flage it ina tin cup.

[ManyVoices]

Nice Avitar ManyVoices.   :notworthy  You guna bring that outfit to the Frolic?  Huh Huh Huh :rt th

Ah, merci, monsieur.  I tell Mme Whitman you like the daggeurotype.  But, mais non!  She and Monsieur le Docteur Whitman, they not shoot the guns, so Katherine, she be at the Frolic.

[Sir Michael]