Summer is slowly but surely approaching – even though the weather doesn’t always seem to agree. That means we can start to think about endless summer evenings, spent outdoors and in good company. Especially after a Covid-themed year, we deserve a little break from it all. It’s about time to take our minds off of things, to take a trip, to end up hungover on a Saturday morning like in the good old times – although, let’s try to keep it somewhat responsible. And there’s no better drink for a successful summer evening than a classic cocktail.
Everyone has their favorite. Some prefer a refreshing Mojito, others like a tropical Piña Colada. Some like to keep it simple with a Rum-Coke, others take to bizarre combinations – a Bloody Mary, for example. Yet every cocktail connoisseur has a standard kit in stock, containing the ultimate classics. And gin definitely is one of those. Of course, you could make a Gin & Tonic, yet there’s more than that. What about an Elderflower Collins, a Negroni, a Martini or a Fogcutter, just to name a few? The options are endless and just like rum or whiskey, a bottle of gin can’t lack in your bar cart.
1. Is English always better?
But what exactly is gin? Well, the drink was originally brewed by monks across Europe, especially in France, the Netherlands and Flanders. Not that they drank cocktails all day long though – they used the alcohol as an aqua vita. The liquor is obtained through a distillation process of grapes and grains, yet the main taste comes from the juniper berries which are added. Since the Glorious Revolution, gin became widespread as a more ‘recreational’ beverage, firstly in England, then throughout the rest of Europe. And even though there are tons of gin brands out there nowadays, the British one still remains the most famous kind.
2. Gin de Namur
Yet maybe, that’s about to change. Why, you ask? Because three friends from the Belgian town Namur – Baptiste, François and Massimo – have just launched their Gin de Namur “Brewed by native Namurois”. The beverage is not only an ode to the city by its name but also by its recipe. The Gin de Namur is 100% distilled and doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or added sugars. The herbs and fruits used to make the alcohol are inspired by the plants growing on the riverbanks of the Sambre and the Meuse, and, besides, they’re produced within a radius of 20 minutes from the city. Finally, the slightly blue hue is a nod to the color of the Meuse during the confinement. An ode to a beautiful city and the perfect ingredient for all you summery cocktails? Sounds promising, if you ask us.
A bottle of Gin de Namur will cost you 35 euros, more info about the selling points can be found on their website.
