Ranson's Gin

We've discussed the "gin gene" my family possesses before right? We LOVE gin. Every time we hear about a new interesting one we've just got to try it!

My man heard about this one a few months ago and we've been searching ever since. It's styled after the gins that were made in the mid-1800's. They were used in all sorts of cocktails.

Please notice it's unusual color! It's sort of honey toned! Not as dark as bourbon or whiskey but definitely not a classic clear colorless liquid.

Now all gins are flavored with juniper berries. It gives them an unusual piney aroma and makes them quite "refreshing." Most have some other flavor that makes them stand out. They use anything from coriander to cucumbers to roses in gin!

Hubby gave me a little sip of it straight. I almost DIED! It's like 88 proof for goodness sake! It literally evaporates on your tongue. That evaporation is unusually fragrant though. Once you're over the pain that is. It really does have many notes that are similar to a fine bourbon or whiskey. A maltiness to it. I tasted a hint of gingeryness in it.

I thought it might be nice to enhance that ginger flavor.

So I started to make a cocktail.

Beautiful fresh ginger! I need a ginger syrup. A few slices will do. I'm making a "tall" cocktail for myself.

A teaspoon of sugar will do. The only sparkling water I have around is tonic water and it has sugar in it already!

Throw them in a nice deep cup.

Smash them together! It'll bring out all the delicious ginger juices. I used the wrong end of a wooden spoon for this. This is called "muddling" amongst professionals.

Ginger is good for you! Full of vitamin C. Good for colds and other virus's or so say the homeopathy people. I want to add some heat to bring out the flavor and dissolve the sugar but I don't really want to heat up my ginger. It has a natural spiciness that is easily destroyed. So I microwaved a 1/4 cup of water until it was boiling.

I poured it over the ginger and let it sit for a full minute. I even timed it! I actually didn't just let it sit. I stirred it a little. I have trouble leaving things be . . .

Now for the Ranson's! I want it to hit the ginger too. It's astringency will suck even more flavor out of the ginger. I let it mingle for a minute too. I imagine the conversation went somewhat like this.

Ginger: Whoa! Baby you come on too strong!

Gin: What? You're the one being fresh!

Sugar: Can't we all just get along?

Time to break this party up!

I wanted to use the deep cup for my cocktail so I dumped my new ginger-gin syrup out into the cup I boiled water in. Less dishes, it's a value I cherish.

Fill your cup with ice and tonic water! Now this is the height of bitter and sweet.

Pour your ginger-gin syrup through a wire strainer into the cocktail. The strainer will capture all those ginger chunks.

This is the point where the hubby walks in and says "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY GIN!"

It makes for a slightly cloudy cocktail with a gingery, peppery, junipery, sweetness. Quite unusual. Quite refreshing. It's a gingery gin and tonic! A Ginger GT for short. It really is only for people who enjoy bitter!

This is the point where your husband says "THAT is GOOD!"