Alexander Gordon, the founder of Gordon’s Dry London Gin, opened his first distillery in 1769.

Some records say that around a quarter of London households in the 1700s were involved in homemade gin production on a regular basis. Monday-Friday 9am-5.30pmSaturday: Post Office 9am-1pm, shop 9am-5.30pmSunday closed. This coincided with the introduction of tax concessions for spirit producers in England. Mirrors were also put within reach from 1835, when the silvered-glass mirror was invented. Copious amounts of sugar would be added to mask its base flavour. So, with innovations in gin’s production and the appearance of its environment, gin moved from being a deadly and foul drink to something sophisticated that was quaffed in sparkling surroundings.

By prohibiting gin distillers from selling to unlicensed merchants and charging higher fees for licenses, it eliminated small gin shops, which helped curb consumption. Consumed in large enough quantities, it likely did help ameliorate perception of the symptoms associated these issues and many others, such as “Coward’s Fist,” though only for a few hours at a time. Other gins are perfectly suited for blending in cocktails. The gin craze was brought to a halt largely by the Gin Act of 1751. How do you know his name but not know that? Enter your email address below to get all the latest news and offers surrounding red.h. Sawdust, turps, even sulphuric acid would frequently make its way into English gin. Too often these days, ask for a martini and you’ll be served a vodka drink. But how did gin reinvent itself from being something drunk by children in slums just 80 years prior? Our child and dog-friendly bar truly makes us a place for the whole family. The aesthetic of the gin palace was aided by numerous recent innovations. As a cocktail base, or simply poured on the rocks, gin drinking has become a seriously classy part of British culture, losing the bad reputation of its earlier years. An early Gordon’s gin bottle. More importantly, they were far more glamorous and exciting than the competing beer shops. The late 1600s were pivotal for the upswing of gin in England, and not in a good way. You can also check out one of London’s last gin palaces on our History of Drinking Tour. Here’s a quick overview of the long and often tempestuous history of English gin. Certain types of gin can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks, such as Bombay Sapphire, a variety produced with no fewer than 10 “botanicals,” including juniper and lemongrass. Gin, in its most basic terms, is a liquor of approximately 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof) or greater that is derived from grain distillation and primarily flavored with juniper berries (or juniper extract). Anyway, since you sort of asked, the device’s name is derived from a shortening of the word ‘engine’ and was first patented in the 1790s.”. It became a reason to drown sorrows and a go-to for those seeking refuge from the hardships of life. *There’s lots to say about the gin craze and gin palaces, but unfortunately we don’t have space here. The story of English gin reads like proof that creative and inspiring things can come from difficult and turbulent beginnings. One being that the gin craze raged in London between 1720 and 1751, during which time adults would drink an average of half a pint of gin a day.

Gin migration to England and Dutch Courage The story goes that the Dutch fought alongside the English during the Thirty Years War between 1618 and 1648. In 1786 he relocated his factory to Clerkenwell in order to take advantage of the purer water bubbling up at the natural spring of Clerk’s Well.**. So, the term “Dutch Courage” came into it’s place of … The Post Office, 3 West Street, Haslemere, If you are new to Red.h, simply click register and we'll ask you for a few details. When you think gin, do you think English? The 18th-century craze for gin Inspiring oddities from mass public nudity to a mechanical gin-selling cat, the craze for gin swept across London and much of England during the first half of the 18th century. As a cocktail base, or simply poured on the rocks, gin drinking has become a seriously classy part of British culture, losing the bad reputation of its earlier years. The gin history records a gin Act at midnight on 29th September 1739, when gin was made prohibitively expensive.

All of these innovations meant that gin palaces could supply glorious amounts of light, day or night. Writing for History Extra, Mark Forsyth, author of A Short History of Drunkenness, explores the history behind this alcoholic spirit