Gin: A Short History

by Moses Jenkins

Uncovering the mysteries of gin manufacture and production, as well as its fascinating history, this book is a complete guide to one of the world's drinks of choice.

Gin is a drink deeply rooted in our culture. From "Dutch Courage" to "Gin Soaked," our language is full of expressions which reflect our gin-drinking heritage. In the early eighteenth century, Britain was gripped by the Gin Craze, when the drink was dubbed "mothers ruin," before becoming more respectable as advances in distilling led to a drink of higher quality and improved flavor. This led to the construction of lavish "gin palaces" in the Victorian and Edwardian era. In recent years a twenty-first century renaissance in gin drinking and craft gin production has led to the drink once again rising high in the national consciousness.

112 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2019

About the author

Moses Jenkins is an author of non-fiction based in Stirling, Scotland. He has written various books on a range of subjects, most recently Gin A Short History (Bloomsbury 2019). He is also the author of The Scottish Brick Industry (Stenlake Publishing 2018). Moses edited and contributed to Building Scotland (Berlinn 2010). He enjoys drinking coffee and broadening his horizons by carrying out research on new and diverse topics. He is currently working on his next publication.

Reviews

[Rosemary Standeven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully presented and fascinating book about Gin – tracing its history from its beginnings as a medicinal tonic, to its ubiquity among all classes of urban British society leading to it being “blamed for all of society’s ill”, through its era as a common cocktail base, the slump in the mid to late 20th century, to finally its renaissance as the spirit of choice with an explosion of new craft Gin distilleries in the 21st century.
There are three main parts to this book – each of which would make a good book by itself. Firstly, the prose is well-written and full of really interesting information. For instance, ‘Navy Strength’ as a standard for the alcohol content of gin could be tested for by mixing the gin with gunpowder, and seeing if the gunpowder could still be lit (so that gin spillages during battle would not cause problems). I was surprised to find that the only thing that all gins have in common (apart from having an alcoholic spirit base), is that they must contain juniper. As for the other ‘botanicals’, it seems that almost anything goes.
Secondly, the illustrations in the book are wonderful – photos of modern distilleries, adverts for gin and similar products, old engravings and early books, cartoons and drawings, gin bottles and cocktails. It is almost worth buying this book for the illustrations alone.
And thirdly, throughout the book are the recipes for a goodly number of gin-based cocktails (in case you get thirsty while reading the book).
Over the past three centuries, gin has slid into and out of fashion, but the British taste for the spirit has never disappeared. All its high and low points are recorded in this book. Today, any trip to a large supermarket in the UK will provide you with a bewildering array of gins – from small boutique craft distilleries to the gin giants such as Gordan’s and Tanqueray. This book will help you get a handle on the myriad varieties. And if you are already a gin fan, then this book will remind you once again, why you love gin so much.
I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review – but I will be buying a personal hard-copy.

[Clodagh · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you read this at night and don't have any tonic water - sorry, malaria medicine - in the house. :(

[Cupcake Book Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A short history of gin production and consumption..." This book is perfect for any bartenders, spirit connoisseurs, and fans of the spirit. It traverses the short history (in comparison to wine and other, longer-standing historical libations), of gin, its connection to the elixir "water of life", to what seemed to be its heyday in the Roaring 20's—through to modern times, when it is experiencing a resurgence. This is an interesting account for anyone who favors this drink, or wishes to know a bit about its history and origins, as well as how it is manufactured. A principal fact to take away for use in conversation, include a list of potential botanicals, as well as the three primary botanicals (with the main one always being juniper). This is a short, easy read about the journey "from medicinal tonic to...a crafted product of distinction," and even includes a few delightful recipes for popular drinks that you'll want to try, such as the "aviation," the "gin twist," "dog's nose," "French seventy-five," and more tantalizing recipes!

[Ron Bahar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Moses Jenkins' Gin with great interest; I love gin and I was hoping to learn more about its history. Though the book does offer an abundance of details about this delicious beverage, and though it did offer some beautiful photos of, among other things, gin cocktails, I felt that it read more as a laundry list than as a tale. Before I read it, I had in mind Tom Standage's A History of the World in 6 Glasses, which brought a historical perspective to beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola...all in a story-like manner. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Gin.

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a bona fide gin drinker. A gin and tonic is my standard bar order. When I visit craft distilleries, I always ask numerous questions about their gin: what is the base neutral spirit? what botanticals are infused? what process is used to infuse the botanicals? And I usually walk out with a new bottle for my collection.

There was so much for me to love about this book. Its full color photographs and historical reproductions were striking, and always complementary to the text. The captions to the photographs and reproductions appropriately related them to the text. There were recipes for the most popular gin cocktails - starting with the Aviation, and including the French 75, the Gimlet, and the Tom Collins - sprinkled throughout the text. The text was light, breezy, and informative.

I didn’t love this book because it read more like an advertising pamphlet than a solidly researched serious book. It was so short and incredibly easy to read that I finished it in a matter of hours. Approximately half of its 114 pages were graphics, so the text couldn’t really delve deeply into any of its topics. While informative, the text didn’t really teach me much new about my favorite spirit.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Donna-Jo Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

The name says it all! Includes a handful of recipes for cocktails. I find myself wanting to push a quarter at one of my cats and say “puss” and see what magic happens. 🤣
Obtained via interlibrary loan from Reading Public Library, Reading, PA.

[A. J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love getting my hands on a well written book about the history of something, so I was thrilled when I got this ARC from NetGalley. 

Gin is an easy read, the hardcover copy standing at about 112 pages. It follows the history of Gin, where it was first made, how it was made, different gin drinks throughout time and how it moved from being frowned upon to being an extremely popular alcohol. 


I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, though I did end up wishing it had been just a tad bit longer. I loved learning all of the different facts about gin. For instance, I had no idea that the original gin and tonic drinks were made with gin and quinine! How far we've come. 

I also liked that that the author threw in the occasional gin cocktail recipe, though I would have loved to see more. I hope to try a few of them soon as we just bought more gin.  I'll try to post a weekend cooking post about all my cocktail experiments soon! 

In the end I gave the book 3 stars on Goodreads. 

[Matthew Burroughs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gin: A Short History by Moses Jenkins examines the fascinating narrative of one of the world's most beloved spirits. Gin, at its most rudimentary description is a base spirit that's been fused with "botanicals" during its production. With so many subtle differences between the countless gin formulas across the centuries, there's probably a flavor of gin out there for everyone. The book starts with a clear and detailed description of the gin production process, going into some history of how today's gins are cleaner and produced for a more discerning palate than they have in the past. Very few pleasures in the history of human existence have ridden on the roller coaster of popularity over the course of history as gin has. From its ancient use for medicinal purposes, to the supposed ruination of society of the 18th century, and finally to the high brow craft spirit it is today, gin has been used to explain away every ill as well as the fountain of strength to the people who enjoy it. It's pretty funny how the spirit went from the cure to the cause of many diseases over the course of a few decades. Mind you, for a long time, like...a stupidly long amount of time, gin was regarded to the general public as the only "bad booze."

"Phew, thank god I stopped drinking gin. Switching to Brandy ought to cure this jaundice right up.

The author takes great pride in describing each of the different "eras" of gin consumption, providing illustrative and anecdotal examples of how society was molding itself around our love of the hard stuff.

I hate to use the term "coffee table" book as that usually sounds pejorative, but the attractive presentation and illustrations of Gin can't be overlooked. While the content is of course more detailed and thorough than your big standard coffee table book, you get the best of both worlds with Gin by also having an eye pleasing title in your living room for guests. The progression of advertisements, political cartoons and bar culture are all curated by era along with its written history, and add a lot of value to what's being discussed. The home bartender in the family will appreciate Gin as well, as the book provides numerous recipes and pictures of famous (and also fairly obscure) gin based cocktails. Eyeballing a few of these cocktails during my read-through made me want to break out my Hendrick's and my shaker ...and get busy.

Verdict: Gin A Short History by Moses Jenkins is a detailed catalog of gin history from its most elementary beginnings to its status today as a symbol of a refined strong drink for the upwardly mobile. Gin is a must have for anyone fascinated by the strange history of an intoxicating drink that needs a respectable new conversation piece. Get out the shaker, scare up some bitters, and enjoy a nice refreshing glass of world history.

An advanced copy of Gin was graciously provided by Osprey Publishing. All remarks and opinions in the review are my own.

Review to be posted on tehben.com on Wednesday 2/20/2019.

[Sharon Naylor Toris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive. I expected from the book's description to be treated to historical details, and am delighted that the book delivered such a depth of fascination. The gin equivalent of foodie readers will glean a nice variety of FYIs to pair with their bartending expertise and cocktail party conversation. I enjoyed the recipes that we tried, and recommend this book specially to my wedding couple audience who are building their home bar accessories gift lists and eager to learn as much as possible about liquors and wines. This is definitely a book for their libraries. Great photos add to the immersion here. Very nicely done.

[Cristi Marashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It isn't often that I partake in consuming alcoholic beverages, but I am a social drinker when with my friends or husband for a rare night out. In recent years, I have found myself reaching for gin based drinks more often than not. There is something so classic and sophisticated about having a French 75 or a Gimlet. I enjoyed reading about the history of gin in this book. To be honest, I didn't even know what gin was made of, only that I like the way it tastes! It was interesting to learn that it has a botanical base. The book also explores the distilling process, as well as the controversy gin has caused in the past. The book mentions brands, and sprinkles gin recipes throughout. Next up on my gin repertoire- Aviation- a beautifully lavender colored drink that utilizes creme de violette. I recommend this book to all gin lovers, or anyone looking for new drink recipes to impress their friends and company.

[Chad Alexander Guarino da Verona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moses Jenkins' Gin is the quintessential coffee table book: beautifully illustrated, accessible to pick up, and it covers an interesting subject.

Jenkins details the beginnings of gin as a medicinal drink, through its rise as a favorite of the working poor, proliferation in the market, decline after WWII, and eventual rise again through the craft industry. Jenkins peppers the history lesson with vintage pictures of ads, drawings, and cocktails from throughout the drink's history. I was thrilled to learn the origins of familiar names such as Tanqueray and Gordon's as much as looking into the botanicals that make the drink what it is.

What really makes this book thrive are the anecdotes that Jenkins throws in to the narrative. (Who can forget the detail of plague doctors putting juniper into their masks to ward off disease?) It is clear that Jenkins is interested in gin both as a historian and fan, and his zeal for the topic shines through in the book.

***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Osprey Publishing.***

[i_hype_romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was a fascinating expose on the origin and history of a much misaligned drink. It takes the reader on a journey behind the scenes, and explains how this spirit came to represent all of the ills of St. Giles and the slums of London. It highlights the evolution of gin as it became an iconic associate of glamorous Hollywood. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with social history, generate a cocktail conversation or showcase your coffee table sophistication. This was a 4 star read for me.