All you ever wanted to know about gin

Is it the weekend yet?

I like gin and so was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Plymouth Gin on a recent visit to Devon.  I discovered everything I ever wanted to know about gin.

The Plymouth Gin Distillery
Plymouth Gin Distillery

A visit to Plymouth Gin Distillery

The cost of a tour of Plymouth Gin http://plymouthgin.com/ is £7 (no concessions) and it is worth every penny.  There were about 18 others on the tour too.  We were asked to lock away our bags and cameras and switch off our phones.  A strict ‘no photography allowed’ policy is observed. Which is a shame, I  would like to have iincluded an image or two of a Victorian copper vat or perhaps a few ‘botanicals’. 

Good value

The tour lasts for forty minutes and is finished off in the bar with either a complimentary gin and tonic or a miniature gin or sloe gin to take away with you.  

The oldest distillery in England

Plymouth Gin has been on the Barbican near the famous harbour since 1793.  Parts of the building date back to the 1400s when it was a monastery inhabited by the Black Friars… and their distillery – it is now the oldest working gin distillery in England.  

The entrance to Plymouth Gin
The entrance to Plymouth Gin

A link with the Pilgrim Fathers

Plymouth is renowned for its associations with the navy.  One of its most famous sons being Sir Francis Drake.   It was also the last port of call for the Pilgrim Fathers before they set sail for the New World in 1620 https://www.mayflower400uk.org/visit/scrooby-babworth/notts-attractions/mayflower-pilgrim-visitor-centre/.   A wooden plaque in the upstairs cocktail bar lists some of those who boarded the Mayflower on their way to lay down the foundations of what we know today as the United States of America.  An image of the Mayflower, the ship on which the Pilgrims departed these shores, is on every bottle of Plymouth Gin.

A wooden plaque with the names of some of those who boarded the Mayflower in 1620 on their way to the New World
A list of some of those who boarded the Mayflower in 1620

Dutch origins

From its earliest origins in the Middle Ages, gin has developed from a herbal remedy to a major player in the spirit industry. Gin was based on the Dutch drink known as jenever.  It became popular in Britain when William of Orange became King William III of England.  English soldiers who fought in Holland in the 17th century, drank jenever to calm themselves before battle.  It soon became known as ‘Dutch Courage’ which we know today as drinking alcohol in order to steady the nerves.

Mother’s ruin

Gin was also known as ‘Mother’s Ruin’.  In the mid eighteenth century the effects of gin on the family and economy were disastrous. Gin was the poor man’s drink because of its affordability.  Drinking it had started out as a medicine but as it was cheap and readily available, men became impotent and women became sterile.  This caused the London birth rate to drop.  Also, drinking a pint of gin and having an extremely hot bath was recommended as a way to induce a miscarriage during the 1950s and 60s.

Botanicals

Botanicals are the core flavouring agents for gin.  They can be roots, fruits, herbs or spices.  The botanicals used vary but all must contain juniper berries by law.   

Juniper

Juniper is the most important botanical in gin. In the 16th century it was used as a remedy for indigestion. The juniper is a hardy bush and grows wild all around the globe. And it is juniper that gives gin its pine aroma and bitter(ish) taste. 

Coriander

When dried the essential oils obtained from coriander seeds provide an unexpected citrus top note to gin.

Cardamom 

Cardamom is one of the world’s most expensive spices.  It is from the ginger family and is often found in the rice portion of your Indian takeaway.  Not much cardamom is needed.  It can provide gin with a distinctive, spicy flavour that works with juniper and coriander.

Orris root

Orris root is from the rhizomes of the Iris plant and has a faint, sweet aroma.  If you are old enough to remember Parma Violet, then it is very similar to that.  However, it is not used for its scent but for it’s fixative powers. 

Angelica root

Angelica root, which we know as the crystallised green streams used in cake-decorating and trifles, adds another earthy note to the gin and marries the other botanical ingredients together.

Citrus peels

The oil derived from lemon and orange peels is used as flavouring in gin.  Different brands of gin use varying blends of botanicals which gives them their individuality.

Wheat-based alcohol

The alcohol that carries the botanicals in Plymouth Gin is wheat-based and comes from Yorkshire.

Exit through the shop

Three types of gin are on sale in the shop at the end of the tour: Regular Plymouth Gin is 41% and is generally used for a standard gin and tonic. (Tonic water originally contained quinine which was used to protect against malaria in the tropics.  The gin was added to disguise the bitter taste of the quinine).

And Navy Strength

Navy Strength Plymouth Gin which is 57%.  It seems that ordinary strength gin – if leaked onto the gunpowder on board ship – would render the gunpowder useless.  But they found that the higher proof gin, if accidentally spilled onto gunpowder, would enhance the properties of the powder.  And so Navy Strength was provided for officers of the Royal Navy, which they drank with water.  Ratings, however were still issued with their rum ration.

Plymouth Gin Navy Strength
Plymouth Gin Navy Strength

And Sloe Gin

Sloes are harvested locally from Dartmoor.  They are stored in sugar and gin for four months to make a delightful, slightly almond-flavoured liquer.  It goes well with Stilton as an alternative to port.

Copa Balloon Glass

I also purchased a Copa glass.  This is the type of balloon glass that has a stem, a bit like a red wine glass.  The Copa de Balon glass dates back to the 1700s – so not as modern as I imagined.

The distinctive navy blue packaging of Plymouth Gin Navy Strength
Plymouth Gin Nay Strength and Copa glass

Cocktails

A Gimlet is gin mixed with lime cordial.  Again, this has its roots in the Royal Navy, the lime provided the vitamin C and is where English sailors got their name ‘Limeys’ (from the Yankees).

A Pink Gin is again thought to have originated from the Royal Navy. Plymouth gin is a ‘sweet’ gin, as opposed to London gin which is ‘dry’, and had angostura bitters added as an antidote for sea sickness.

A typical pink gin is one part gin and one dash of angostura bitters.

A classic gin and tonic with a slice of lemon
A classic gin and tonic

So there you have it, everything you ever wanted to know about gin.  Drink anyone?

Santa Monica – you were amazing!

Visit Santa Monica?

…yes please, I don’t mind if I do!  When presented with an opportunity to visit a place not normally on our radar, we leapt at the chance.  Santa Monica here we come.

Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica Boulevard

A short break

Just four days – a mere snapshot in time – Santa Monica, a place of iconic signs, dreams and sunshine.  And we crammed it all in.  On a visit to family in New Jersey, USA we organised an internal flight from Newark EWR to Los Angeles LAX, it took five and a half hours but it was worth it.  An economy flight with United Airlines got us there.  We arrived in LA at 1.30pm  and hit the ground running.

The climate is warm and sunny almost all the time.   It is difficult not to fall in love with this place

Sunshade, palm trees and blue skies in Santa Monica

Use the bus

The bags were stashed in the hotel lobby and we caught the Big Blue Bus https://www.bigbluebus.com/ down ‘Santa Monica Boulevard’.  Now you’ve heard that name you know you really want to sing the Sheryl Crow song:

‘All I wanna do is have some fun
I got a feelin’ I’m not the only one
All I wanna do is have some fun
Until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard’

Ocean Park Beach, Santa Monica
Ocean Park Beach

We arrived at the beach on Ocean Avenue.  Breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and shoreline – and life on the beach.  A couple of miles walk in the glorious sunshine and it’s time to turn around.  I know it’s not really appropriate but we had heard that the ‘British Pub’ was a good place to go http://www.yeoldekingshead.com/ So we did!  The Olde Kings Head was the perfect place to go for great value for money.  Good quality food and drink, especially during ‘happy hour’. We returned a further couple of times for the Californian wine.

Pacific Park Pier

Pacific Park Pier is the end of Route 66.  A constant stream of visitors take selfies on this spot.  Here too are souvenirs and local delicacies such as funnel cake and shrimp.  There is all the fun of the fair with the rollercoaster and ‘ferris’ wheel too.  Live music,  buskers, fishing and ‘illusionists’ add the addictive vibrancy and colour.

Route 66, Santa Monica
The end of Route 66 is on Pier Park, Santa Monica

Hooray for Hollywood!

Hollywood sightseeing tours run from the Pier too.  All those iconic sites and signs can be bagged in half a day.  Worth it too, it’s the only way to tick everything off in a such a short period of time.

Walk of fame, Hollywood
Avenue of the stars

At the end of the day

There is no finer way to end the day than watch the sun go down over Santa Monica Pier.  California Dreamin’ will keep me warm though the British Winter.

 

Santa Monica Sunset
The sun sets over Pier Park, Santa Monica, Los Angeles

Thank you Santa Monica, you really were amazing.