When people think of Queensland, they think of great weather, sandy beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, and the Great Barrier Reef. Gin likely doesn’t get much of a look in. But Queensland is actually very good at producing gin, and they have some of the best gin bars and distilleries in Australia. Pair great gin with fantastic […]
Category Archives: Blog
You may have noticed that there are little signs popping up here and there that Christmas is on it’s way. “Pffft” could be what comes to mind when you think of prepping for Christmas now, but remember last year? How you thought you had plenty of time and then all of a sudden it was […]
Spring is a feel-good time of the year. The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer and the flowers are blooming. But there’s one thing that’s not so good about spring – yep, the watery eyes, itchy nose and scratchy throat that comes with spring-time’s hay fever. But according to a recent study, […]
As the popularity of gin grows, so does the number of bars and distilleries specialising in this spirit. In Tasmania in particular, there are some great gin bars and distilleries that are worth checking out. So if you’re looking for a night out on the town with some delicious gin drinks, or are after a […]
Stocking fillers are simple little gifts that you give at Christmas time. Traditionally they are small enough to pop in a Christmas stocking and are seen as a little added extra on the day. How did the stocking filler come about? The idea of the Christmas stocking comes from a legend concerning St. Nicholas. In […]
Gin is one of Australia’s most adored white spirit. It is complex by nature yet can be so simple and refreshing when paired with a good tonic. It is also the single most popular ingredient in a cocktail. But what exactly is gin? Gin is created when you take a spirit and incorporate botanicals, and […]
How often have you found yourself standing in the gin aisle at the bottle shop wondering which gin to pick? Do you stand there for way too long contemplating the style, then the botanicals, then the price? Do you read the labels trying to work out how it would taste and it if is worth […]
If you are planning a wedding or a special event you may be wondering whether you should include guest favours. Are wedding favours still a thing these days? The answer to that is a resounding, YES! In fact, not only are wedding favours a special part of a wedding, they are now included at other […]
We have great news for anyone who loves a bit of Christmas spirit – our Christmas selection has landed and it’s bigger & better than ever! Included is our Gin Boozy Bon Bons, which are sure to take every festive celebration to the next level. Each pack of six bonbons features a 30ml bottle of […]
Gin is without doubt experiencing a surge in popularity of late. From the increasing numbers of uber cool gin bars popping up all over the cities, to the ever expanding section of the gin aisle at the liquor store it is obvious that more and more people are choosing gin as their drink of choice. […]
Advent calendars have become one of those super fun traditions of Christmas that help us to count down the days from the 1st of December to Christmas Eve. They can be traced back to the 19th century when families would mark every day in December until Christmas Eve with a chalk line. Then in the early 1900’s […]
The Negroni is, quite simply, a perfect cocktail. Maybe it’s the perfect cocktail. In fact, it is the most popular gin cocktail in the world so you could say it is perfectly popular. How did this perfectly popular cocktail come about? Legend has it that it was first mixed in Florence in 1919 when General […]
The Martini is one of the most popular gin cocktails. It is refreshing, timeless and looks so very stylish in that beautifully shaped martini glass. It’s the perfect pre-dinner drink, or classy party starter. But there seems to be so many different yet subtle variations on a Martini. How do you know which one to […]
This cocktail is a variation of the whisky sour. Rather than using whisky, we have used the multi award winning shiraz gin from Seppeltsfield Road Distillers. It is the perfect winter cocktail as is contains the wonderfully warm shiraz gin, the tang of the lemon juice and the lovely fluffiness of the egg white Ingredients: […]
This cocktail comes to you courtesy of Seppeltsfield Road Distillers in South Australia. They created this cocktail using their multi award winning shiraz gin. It is the perfect winter cocktail as is contains the wonderfully warm shiraz gin and the tang of the grapefruit juice. Ingredients: 50 ml Seppeltsfield Road Shiraz Gin40 ml Yellow Grapefruit […]
These warm olives with citrusy flavours are the perfect accompaniment to a well deserved end of day drink. Interestingly you can’t taste the alcohol in the added gin but the botanicals amplify the zesty flavours of the lemon and orange. But be careful as these are totally addictive! Ingredients: ⅓ cup good quality olive oil […]
Change up the traditional Sunday roast by adding some sloe gin. Slow roast whole lamb leg or shoulder joint with red onions and glazed with sloe gin is the perfect end to a weekend. Ingredients: 1 x 1.3kg lean traditional lamb leg or carvery shoulder of lamb 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint 2 large red […]
If you like a citrusy gin then you will love this cocktail. It’s key ingredient is Cape Byron Brookie’s Dry Gin which is made in the beautiful Northern Rivers region of Byron Bay. An impressive 25 botanicals are steeped into this gin, of which 17 are from the local area and include Byron Sunrise finger […]
Whether you are a lover of pink gin or not, you need to try this gin-credible cake that is laced with this pretty spirit. As an ingredient, pink gin brings it’s fruity, berry flavours making it ideal for sweet treats. Of course we recommend using one of the pink gins that Australian craft gin distilleries […]
We enjoyed a fabulous World Gin Day last weekend thanks to Jess at the Gin Palace and all the gin enthusiasts who played along at home. Jess stepped us all through how to make the perfect G&T three ways, a dry martini, two types of Negronis, how to sip gin neat and so much more. […]
It wasn’t so long ago when the only garnish used in a G&T was the trusty lemon slice. Then the oh-so-exotic lime hit the scene. We are all so excited to have a second option. Now we are totally spoiled for choice. The gin garnish options seem endless with fruits, herbs, spices and all sorts […]
There is no doubt that pink gin is growing in popularity, especially amongst the 20 – 30 somethings crowd. It wasn’t so long ago that you had to go to a big chain to find a bottle of pink gin, but now every bar and liquor store has their own section of pretty bottles filled […]
Wait….you can cook with Gin? Oh yes, you sure can! With its complex flavour, numerous botanicals and versatility, gin makes an excellent baking ingredient – and not just in a G&T when cooking dinner. One of my favourite sweet treats is a lemon tart and this one from the creative team at delicous. is lemony […]
Gin is many a splendored thing! Not only is it universally loved but it is also known to be good for you. It’s a win:win! It might surprise some to know that gin has some health benefits – when drunk in moderation, of course. In fact, as early as the Middle Ages gin was used […]
What couples spring to mind when you think of legendary pairing? There’s Fred & Ginger, Bonnie & Clyde, Bert & Ernie and we can’t forget Brangelina…although that one didn’t end well. Way more legendary and destined to be together forever are the much adored Gin & Tonic. The ultimate beverage IT couple. With every great […]
Getting back to nature to get to the future of Aussie Gin As soon as the days get shorter and cooler some of us embrace the change of season…think footy and open fires. While others look to the north for warmer weather and the feeling of sand underfoot. So when a girl’s weekend in Byron […]
To celebrate World Cocktail Day, our great mate Phillip Jones aka the Martini Whisperer is taking over the Gintoncia page to give us the 101 on cocktail mixers….and we aren’t taking tonic or soda. The unsung heroes of any cocktail are the actual vessels used to make them. The very notion of a ‘cocktail’ seems […]
We have created the ultimate Gintonica Mother’s Day gift guide just for her. See our recommendations which will guarantee you being crowned “favourite child” on Mother’s Day!
How did you end up becoming a Distiller? I consider myself a producer or a maker, not a distiller just yet. Our base gin is still made in collaboration with another distillery, but Great Ocean Road Gin; the company and concept are my business. With a sea change in 2017 also came a career […]
How did you end up becoming a Distiller? Initially I wanted to be an Air Traffic Controller (ATC), I even applied to go to air traffic control school (along with 3000 other people) and was lucky enough to be offered one of the 10 spots they had available. At that time, my eyes were […]
How did you end up becoming a Distiller? I stepped in to Bass & Flinders to work with my father in 2016, but prior to that I would help him out here and there with some bottling, labeling or lemon zesting and could see how much passion he had for the business. My background […]
The Martini is the simplest and most elegant of cocktails, but so many things can go wrong when crafting one. So here is my take on getting it right. If you do one thing by the book it is this: chill your glasses and mixer in the fridge an hour before cocktail hour, and place […]
We’ve rounded up some of the best books, garnishes, glasses, and, of course, our favourite gin tasting packs that are sure to make your gin lovers wish list this season. If you know they’re a fan of gin, these ‘ginnny’ gift ideas will be a winner. 1) Australian Martini Cocktail Pack An ideal gift for […]
For the Raspberry Simple Syrup 1 cup raspberries 1 cup water 1 cup sugar For the Cocktail 50ml Pink Gin, preferably a Sloe Gin Prosecco 40mls raspberry simple syrup How to…. Place simple syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, […]
50ml Pink Gin 30mL lemon juice 15mL sugar syrup 5mls Grenadine Soda water How to… Combine the first four ingredients in a G & T glass over ice. Stir well then top with soda water Garnish with a few slices of dragon fruit and mint.
50ml Pink Gin 15mls elderflower liqueur Dash rose water 10mls lemon juice 10mls lime juice 15ml simple sugar syrup 1 egg white How to…. Mix ingredients in shaker. Dry shake profusely. Add a few ice cubes and shake some more. Strain into coupe and garnish with a dried or fresh strawberries
‘The Golden Egg’ 50ml Australian Craft Gin 20ml Licor 43 15ml Chambord 20ml Lemon Juice 1 Egg White Mix all ingredients (except for the egg white) together over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake to chill. Discard ice, add egg whites and shake again. Strain into a festive glass and garnish with chocolate shavings.
Kristy has distilling in her blood (her parents are Bill and Lyn Lark who founded the Australian spirits industry.) She founded Killara distillery in 2016 and it is one of the few distilleries world-wide to be owned and operated by a female. 1.) You started Killara distillery in 2016 making Single Malt Whiskey, Apothecary Gin […]
Grandma’s Bar 275 Clarence Street CBD. Under the guitar sign, in the basement. The mounted moose head above the stairs is a great intro to this eclectic bar. With mixed furniture, washed out brick walls, tropical wallpaper, and a wide variety of framed pictures add personality to the small bar. Grandma’s Bar has a full […]
It’s never too early to countdown to Christmas, especially when gin is involved. Treat yourself to a very merry Christmas with the Gintonica Aussie Gin Advent Calendar, with a gorgeous Gin Deco design. The silly season can get heavy on the wallet so we have made it easier to spoil yourself. When you pre-order our […]
During the last two years researching and writing The Guide to Australian Gin (due out in October), I have met many interesting and friendly distillers and their teams. Many have revealed to me the whys and wherefores behind launching their enterprise. It turns out that they generally fall into a limited number of categories. Here […]
*Photo courtesy of Beneath Driver Lane. London has been known for its cosy speakeasy bars for several years now. Head to Breakfast Club on Artillery Lane and whisper to the staff “here to see the Mayor”, get the OK from staff (in case it’s full) who will then direct you toward a SMEG fridge. The […]
My trip to Junipalooza in London this year was a ginuine assault on my palate, so much so I am even considering dry July (except for Friday). My personal stand out was Dorset’s Pothecary Thai Blend Gin (46% ABV). It wasn’t just the mango, coconut and pineapple, or the tilia flowers and turmeric, or the […]
There are few things as comforting and warming to the cockles of the heart as a Hot Toddy in winter, with many claiming the warm and spicy cocktail can help ward off the common cold. Celebrate Christmas in July and serve up these winter warming gin cocktails to keep you cosy as you open your […]
On the 19th of June each year, Martini lovers around the world celebrate Martini Day (as if we needed an excuse!)
Distilleries, bars, and fellow gin lovers host events all over the world to celebrate World Gin Day! Here are some of our wish list events for Saturday, June 8, 2019.
There is nowhere we won’t travel for our love of gin. With the craft gin movement starting to emerge in South America, we felt the pull to explore, sample and take notes.
Shene Estate and Distillery wins big at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits competition, winning Double Gold for the third year in a row.
As the seasons change, we find ourselves looking to warmer, more citrusy combinations, and these are our top three gin cocktails for autumn.
It’s official. The results are in and we got to see it all from front row from the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards (ADSA) in Melbourne. There were many worthy contenders, some of which won Gold, Silver and Bronze.
The Beginner’s Guide to Gin Garnishing Do you add a slice of lemon to a gin and tonic or, like our American friends, a slice of lime? Easy, but a little boring! There are lots of way you can spice things up. There are different tonics of course. A touch of the many bitters available […]
Can cannabis gin give you wings? What about chocolate cravings? The answer (sadly) is no. CANNABIS…. what exactly is it? Is it marijuana? The answer is yes and no. The sister hemp is also a strain of the flowering plant Cannabis sativa, however one major difference is that hemp hasn’t enough THC – the psychoactive compound in marijuana […]
Where did the Australian Craft Gin movement come from? The booming Craft Gin market over the last five years started with the Australian Craft Whisky movement of the 1990’s and 2000’s. There are now over 80 Craft Gin Distilleries in Australia and it seems like a new couple each month.
Gins are no longer the type that are hidden away in grannie’s grog cupboard (sorry Gran). Those Gins are nearly all imported. They are full of “London Dry” botanicals like juniper, coriander, cardamom, angelic root and citrus. Boring?
There are London Dry Gins, Australian Botanical Gins, Old Tom Gins and so many more. But “a Gin by any other name will taste…..like Gin”. Right? Wrong!
Gin could simply be described as vodka with plant flavours (botanicals) added, which must include juniper characteristics.
As mentioned, some Australian Craft Gins have London Dry Gin taste profiles. Those Gins mostly have the classic botanicals and they lead with strong juniper. The Australian Craft Gin distillers who are producing London Dry Gin taste profiles might call their gins “Classic Dry”, or just “Dry” and they might have a native botanical or two, but what do we call them? Honestly, I have no idea.