Selects: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gin

March 21, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant dive into the world of gin, covering its straightforward production rules, diverse types, Dutch origins, notorious British history, colonial ties, classic cocktails, and recent craft resurgence. They emphasize juniper's defining role while noting modern experiments, drawing from historical accounts and personal tastes.

Gin's Production Basics

Gin starts with a neutral grain spirit—ethyl alcohol at around 96% ABV, distillable from grains, potatoes, grapes, whey, or even old shoes, yielding a tasteless base. True gin requires redistilling this spirit with botanicals, primarily juniper berries for their piney, citrusy, peppery flavor that defines the spirit. Legally, in contrast to whiskey's strict rules, any neutral spirit over 80 proof flavored arbitrarily qualifies as gin, though purists dismiss non-redistilled versions as flavored vodka.

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What you'll learn

1 (02:26) **Episode Intro** - Hosts Josh and Chuck express excitement for gin and tease history, distillation, and laws
2 (04:43) **Gin vs. Whiskey Laws** - Contrast loose gin regulations with strict whiskey rules in US and elsewhere
3 (06:36) **Juniper and Modern Gins** - Juniper defines traditional gin taste; new gins experiment beyond it
4 (08:49) **Base Spirits for Gin** - High-proof neutral alcohol from grains, potatoes, whey, or apples enables diverse gins
5 (12:34) **Popular Gin Brands** - Discussion of Bombay Sapphire's 10 botanicals and favorites like Plymouth, Hendrick's, Tanqueray
6 (14:50) **Distillation Methods** - Steeping botanicals in pot stills vs. vapor infusion (e.g., Bombay Sapphire)
7 (19:46) **Gin Categories** - Flavored vodka vs. distilled gin; London Dry (dry, unsweetened) as classic subcategory

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Show Notes

If there's one thing we've learned about Chuck over the years it's that he loves his gin. And he loves it even more now that understands it. Pour yourself a martini and cozy up to the classic gin-cast.

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