Today’s topic, Gin - is a big favorite around here and you can read this previous post for a brief history of Gin.

On a recent visit to the best liquor store on the East Coast, I wandered over to the gin section looking for a brand to review or use in a recipe for todays MixMo. One particular, pale yellow gin stood out from the rest - maybe because it’s price tag was $70! If you’re a gin aficionado or you’ve probably guessed that I’m referring to Old Raj. It was hands down the most expensive gin in the store. I love you readers - but not that much, so at the suggestion of the store owner I settled for Broker’s Gin instead. An excellent choice, but that post is for another day.

The pale yellow color in Old Raj comes from the addition of saffron (probably why it’s so expensive) - but that got me thinking - instead of reviewing a brand why not “make” my own gin instead? Gin is a neutral grain spirit flavored at least in part by juniper berries. The juniper berries give Gin it’s distinct “twang” or profile. All brands have the juniper berry in common, and what differentiates one brand from another are in the botanicals used - Old Raj sets itself apart by using saffron, Hendrick’s uses cucumber, G’vine Gin uses a grapevine flower. Guess what? We’re going to make us some Bathtub Gin?!

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During Prohibition bootleggers found it relatively easy to add juniper and other flavorings to raw grain alcohol as opposed to finding a place to hide and age whiskey - gin doesn’t need aging which made it all the more appealing. The 18th amendment specifically prohibited the sale or manufacture of distilled alcohol, so bootleggers were forced to use grain alcohol which might have contained a number of impurities. The illegal mixing of these inexpensive grain spirits gave rise to the term “bathtub gin.” Reportedly a great number of people died from the consumption of bathtub gin - the process of converting the grain alcohol into a drinkable form wasn’t always reliable and contamination was common.

Contrary to popular opinion, bathtub gin wasn’t really made in bathtubs - the preferred bottle the Bootleggers used was too tall to be topped off with water from a sink, so they used water from a bathtub tap instead. Bathtub gin declined after the repeal of the 18th amendment in 1933.

What differentiates Bathtub Gin from the Gin you’re used to drinking is in the distillation, store bought gin is distilled and Bathtub Gin is not. I don’t have any distillers at home or know anyone who does, so here’s where I make my disclaimer - we’re not really going to make Bathtub Gin, we’re just going to flavor some store bought gin. In a sense, that should qualify it as Bathtub Gin - don’t you think?

To make my “bathtub gin” I’m simply going to steep a few fruits (mango & lime) in the gin - which I’m going to cover and leave undisturbed for 48 - 72 hours. Stay tuned ….