By: Molly Cummings
WildGins Founder & Biology Professor at the University of Texas at Austin
Gin and Christmas – A Surprisingly Ginful Holiday
As an American, you might find it surprising to hear that December is a big gin drinking month in the UK. The Brits are so fond of their gin that it is one of their most common gifts during the holiday season. So where does this tradition of drinking gin during the winter holidays come from?
The History of Winter Gin Drinking
It all began as a means to stay warm. Back before there were heated homes, there were warming drinks and gin was at the top of that list. In the 1700s, the Brits would pair a hot steaming cup of gin with gingerbreaf to warm their bones with spirits and spices. Later in the 1800s, they introduced the Hot Gin Twist which seems like an early version of the hot toddy with a mix of gin, tea, and simple syrup with a lemon twist.
Modern Holiday Gin Cocktails
Modern times have brought a whole new range of winter gin drinks. Now that we can keep ourselves warm from the outside in, the options for drinking gin during the holidays are endless. Take the Holiday Martini. You can festive-ize this classic gin drink by simply adding garnish to match the colors of the season, such as rosemary or pomegranate ariels.
Wild Cranberry Mule
Another means to put a holiday twist on a classic is to turn your moscow mule into a yuletide mule. We love our WildJune Cranberry Mule that is a simple combination of WildJune Gin, Cranberry Juice, and Ginger Beer poured over ice and garnished with pomegranate ariels.
Winter Rosemary Paloma
We’ve also got a festive twist on another classic, as we like to turn a typical Paloma into a WildBark Rosemary Paloma. Our WildBark West Texas Dry gin pairs so nicely with grapefruit that it is a perfect match. We suggest combining 1.5 oz of WildBark Gin, 0.5 oz lime, 0.5 oz simple syrup (make it Rosemary simple syrup if you can), 2 oz of Soda water with a splash of grapefruit juice. Add rosemary as a garnish and you are golden.
Holiday Drinking Comes to America
And we are excited to report that according to Forbes Magazine, it looks like the trend to drink Gin during the holidays has made its way across the Atlantic. Even more exciting, our WildGins are the top of Forbes’ list for Unique Gins for the Holiday Season! We’re thrilled to be featured so prominently in this world-renowned publication, and we think anyone on your list will be thrilled to receive our gins as a gift this holiday season! Please feel free to stop into various retail stores (if you live in Texas), or shop online and we’ll ship them to your favorites across the US this holiday!
