When you think of all the intricate cocktails that a super-skilled and knowledgeable mixologist or bartender has served you over the years, perhaps you’ve come to consider a ‘simple’ gin and tonic a concoction everyone can make. It’s just a mixture of gin and tonic, right? Wrong. There are plenty of dos and don’ts when it comes to making this delicious and refreshing summer staple drink, so before you even think of throwing an outdoor party or make a drink for yourself after a long day at the office, take the time to learn a thing or two about mixing and matching, because believe it or not, making this drink is an art form in its own right.
The perfect glass
When you set out to make what is soon to be your very favorite drink, the choice of glass is crucial. You wouldn’t drink whiskey from a wine glass, so don’t ruin your cocktail experience with a wrong glass. Now, there are several suitable glasses, each one with its own set of ‘perks’. A highball glass is a classic choice, and perfect for casual nights, but if you want to class it up, you’ll go with a Copa glass. One of the perks of it is that the stem will keep the drink cooler for longer as your hand won’t warm it up. Then there’s the tumbler glass, chunky and whimsical, and if you’re feeling super fancy and want to ‘release the gin aroma across a larger surface’ go with a chic martini glass.
Not all are equal
Just like wine or whiskey – not all gins are made equal, and since it’s the crucial ingredient, it’s plain and simple – perfect gin equals perfect cocktail. If you’re not really a gin connoisseur, so browsing through the shops isn’t helpful, try looking for the best gin online. There, you can get all the info on the quality and consistency, and you’ll know you’ve got the best bottle there is.
The perfect ratio
This is where things get interesting. You see, certain tonics have highly strong flavors, so you have to be quite careful here as too much of a strong-flavored tonic can overpower and dilute the gin. Therefore, it’s best to go for a tonic of medium-strength flavor, or you can play with different flavors for some extra pizzazz if the regular tonic just doesn’t cut it for you. Now, depending on just how strong you want your cocktail to be, the perfect ratio should be either 1:2 or 1:3. For some, the first one can be quite strong, but if you’re using sweeter tonics such as floral aromatics, you can definitely go for it. Once you’re done pouring it into the glass, mix it briefly and prepare for the finishing touches.
Seal the deal
When it comes to garnishes, there are many contrasting opinions. Some experts believe that lemon does very little for the drink while others dispute this claim stating that thickly cut slices will only bring out the already present citrus notes of the gin without overpowering the original flavor – so we’ll leave the decision of ‘to lemon or not to lemon’ up to you. When it comes to other garnishes, some mixologists are in favor of a little lime, while some of the new trends include mango and even pepper. Before you dive into the experimentation with garnishes you should keep in mind that the goal is to enhance the zest of the drink, not make it sweeter, so perhaps the classics – lemon or lime is your safest, most classic bet.
More ice, more fun
Use large ice-cubes and plenty of them. No, contrary to popular belief, ice will not dilute the drink – it will help keep it cold – the way gin and tonic is supposed to be. The more ice you put in the slower it will melt, and that’s why the size of the ice-cubes matters as well.
And there you have it, follow these simple rules, have some fun with it, but remember the basic rules and never let them slip your mind. Cheers!
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