Gin and Tonic Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the correct ratio of gin to tonic? ›

In short, the general answer is 1:3 – so one part gin to three parts tonic water. This is a good amount of tonic water to bring out the best of the botanicals in the gin without diluting it too much.

To craft the perfect G&T at home, simply fill a highball glass up to the top with ice cubes (a pre-chilled glass is an added bonus). Then, pour in your gin, top with tonic water and lift with drinks stirrer or long spoon from the bottom to mix without disrupting the fizz. Garnish with a wedge or twist of fresh lime.

The most classic combination of gin and tonic is the perfect example of this: tonic's sweetness enhances gin's herbaceous flavor and its bitterness calms its alcoholic kick. Anything mixed with tonic can easily be mixed with club soda, and vice versa, but club soda offers a subtle flavor desired in many situations.

The ratio of gin to tonic is dependent on the strength of alcohol in your selected gin; we generally recommend 1 part gin to 3 parts tonic (50ml, or a double measure, to 150ml tonic). Measuring your gin in a jigger will help with accuracy and achieving balance in your drink.

The quinine was drunk in tonic water but the bitter taste was unpleasant. Presidency armies officers in India in the early 19th century took to adding a mixture of water, sugar, lime and gin to the quinine in order to make the drink more palatable, and thus the gin and tonic co*cktail was born.

“Pouring your tonic too quickly causes the tonic to fizz up at the top of your drink, releasing lots of CO2 which means less fizz in your glass,” he told Good Housekeeping. And not only should we be taking a little extra time when we prepare our drink, we need to make sure we have plenty of ice too.

Tonic water is then used to fill the rest of the glass (which is why there's an ounce difference in the tonic water addition). The co*cktail should be stirred and then garnished with a wedge of lime. Realistically it is a good idea to avoid shaking this co*cktail.

Tonic water contains quinine, a bitter compound that adds character to co*cktails. With a pinch of salt, you'll see how easy it is to take that bitter edge off. Remember, this trick will work with bitter foods, too. But don't go overboard: Too salty is almost as bad as too bitter.

In conclusion: a gin and tonic is lower in calories than other alcoholic drinks, contains fewer units of alcohol, is less likely to cause you a bad hangover than other booze, and has some potential small side benefits in the form of its natural botanicals and added fruit garnishes.

Is quinine good or bad for you? ›

Why is quinine banned? The FDA does not approve or recommend quinine as a treatment for certain health conditions, such as nocturnal leg cramps, due to the risk of adverse health complications, including: heart arrhythmias. acute kidney injury.

If you like a dry drink, ginger ale or ginger beer makes an ideal gin mixer. It works especially well with big-flavoured gins that you'd like to tone down a little. Because it's spicy rather than floral, it can stand up to bold flavours often found in gin.

For a gin to be a gin, there must be at least 37.5% of pure alcohol in the total volume of liquid. Look for the ABV percentage on the next bottle you pick up. Sing Gin sits at a nicely-rounded 40%. Vodka's minimum alcohol content is the same – around 35% – but note the word 'minimum'!

Gin goes fantastically well with citrus (as we know from the classic garnishes of lime or lemon). Bitter lemon is a popular alternative among those who don't particularly enjoy the taste of tonic, and it's handy to have in the cupboard as it goes well with most gins, particularly, of course, the citrus-led ones.