Mother's Ruin, Mother's Day gin tasting - Sunday 11 May '25 - Mean Doses Taproom
Mother's Ruin, Mother's Day gin tasting
Hogarth's Beer and Gin Street
A brief history of gin - aka Mother’s Ruin
Gin is predicated by the use of juniper and it is the monks of the 13th century who we have to thank for this. These guys were distilling sharp, fiery, alcoholic tonics (aqua vitae) with juniper believing it to have medicinal qualities.
In fact the medicinal use of juniper in doctor’s kits has a long history dating through the centuries; for example, the Romans were using it for purification and the Plague doctors of the 1300s stuffed the beaks of their plague masks with juniper to supposedly protect them from the Black Death.
The Dutch and Belgians took it to a commercial level with the creation of the drink Jenever. The earliest known written reference to Jenever appears in the 13th century encyclopaedic work Der Naturen Bloeme (Bruges), with the earliest printed recipe for Jenever dating from 16th century, using malt wine, juniper berries and herbs.
It was the Brits who then took it to the next level and the word Gin is an anglicism of Jenever. It is thought that the term Dutch courage stems from the use of Jenever for its calming effects before battle by English soldiers in the Eighty Years’ War.
Gin craze of the early 1700s in England
William of Orange became king of England in 1688 and gin surged in popularity as an alternative to Brandy which had been restricted through law due to political and religious disputes with the French.
At the same time affluence was on the up - as the price of food dropped and income grew meaning that people had more disposable income to spend on drinking.
By 1721 however, Middlesex magistrates were already decrying gin as "the principal cause of all the vice & debauchery committed among the inferior sort of people".
Daniel Defoe (who wrote Robinson Crusoe and was known as novelist, journalist, merchant, pamphleteer and spy) commented - "the Distillers have found out a way to hit the palate of the Poor, by their new fashion'd compound waters called Geneva, so that the common People seem not to value the French-brandy as usual, and even not to desire it".
'Mother's Ruin' - As more women became hooked on gin between 1720 and 1757, this led to the mistreatment of their children and a rise in prostitution. Women became more addicted to gin than their male counterparts – gaining the juniper-based spirit the nickname 'Mother's Ruin'.
Daniel Defoe (who had originally campaigned for the liberalisation of distilling) later complained that drunken mothers were threatening to produce a "fine spindle-shanked generation" of children.
The Gin Acts of 1736, 1743 and 1751 were passed to try and restrict the consumption of gin.
A licence to sell and make gin was increased to around $8000 - but this just forced the movement further underground. The 1736 act also made it illegal to sell gin in quantities less than two gallons and increased taxes pushing up the price and anyone caught breaking the law could be fined, whipped, or imprisoned.
Captain Dudley Bradstreet, an enterprising Irishman, identified loopholes in the law: authorities couldn't forcibly enter private residences, and informers needed to know the identity of the seller to report illegal sales. Exploiting these gaps, Bradstreet set up a clandestine gin dispensary in a rented house, which became known as the Puss & Mew vending machine (a world first). This took the form of a large cat into the mouth of which a coin could be slipped. The purchaser would ask "Puss, do you have any gin?" and If the cat meowed, the coin would be accepted and then gin would emerge from a tube in the cat’s paw.
York Gin: During the COVID-19 pandemic, York Gin recreated the Puss and Mew concept using a Perspex screen and tube system to serve samples safely, blending historical homage with modern needs.
Puss & Mew - gin vending machine
The Act of 1751 dropped the licence price and required licensees to trade from premises rented for at least £10 a year. This, and merchants requiring a license to sell, brought the drink into a slightly more reputable phase and consumption began to decrease.
The modern gin boom - we are just coming out of a massive gin boom. The global industry grew from $7.88 billion in 2012 to $16.7 billion in 2024 - more than doubling in just 12 years.
Gin Making 101
There are a few different techniques for making gin. These are the most common…
Pot Distilled Gin - A base spirit is distilled with botanicals in a pot still.
Column Distilled or Continuous Distilled Gin - Neutral spirit is redistilled with botanicals in a column or Carter-head still. A carter head still has a vapour basket suspended in the middle of the still which hold the botanicals and exposes them directly to the alcohol vapour. With this technique, the botanicals can also be soaked in the spirit before distillation.
Cold Compounded Gin (a.k.a. Bathtub Gin) - Botanicals are added to neutral spirit without redistillation (like steeping tea). Can’t legally be called gin in the EU and UK.
The classic botanicals of Gin
Juniper Berries (mandatory by law - piney, resinous, slightly citrusy).
Coriander Seeds (citrus-spicy, slightly nutty).
Angelica Root (earthy, musky, dry).
Orris Root (from iris flowers - floral, powdery, woody).
Citrus Peel (typically bitter orange, sweet orange, and/or lemon - bright, zesty, sometimes bitter.
Cardamom - floral and resinous.
Awildian - Coromandel Dry Gin, Blue Edition, NZ
Awildian is the acclaimed gin brand produced by the Coromandel Distilling Company, a boutique microdistillery located in Thames, New Zealand. Founded in 2019 by scientists and conservationists Paul Schneider and Daniela Suess, the distillery embodies a deep connection to nature and a commitment to craftsmanship
Awildian has achieved remarkable recognition on the international stage. At the 2024 World Gin Awards, the distillery secured five gold medals, more than any other distillery worldwide, across diverse categories
Each small batch typically yields around 130 bottles and undergoes a16-hour maceration and slow distillation, followed by a three-week maturation period to enhance flavour complexity.
Botanicals - Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, Seville orange, lemon thyme, hibiscus, Thames lemons, blueberry, lemon myrtle, rose petal, cubeb pepper, butterfly pea flower.
Butterfly pea flower contains natural pigments called anthocyanins, which are pH-sensitive colorants (universal indicators). They change colour when the pH drops (as the tonic is added).
Never Never - Ginache Gin, Australia
Never Never Distilling Co. is an acclaimed Australian gin producer based in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Established in 2016 by George Georgiadis, Tim Boast, and Sean Baxter, the distillery has quickly garnered international recognition for its innovative gins and commitment to bold, juniper-forward flavours.
Botanicals
The Ginache gin is made using the flagship Triple Juniper Gin as a base. This gin employs a unique three-stage juniper infusion process:
Juniper berries are steeped in Australian wheat spirit for 24 hours.
The steeped juniper, along with fresh juniper, is added to the still for distillation.
Additional juniper is placed in the vapour basket to capture fresh and floral notes.
Ginache is then steeped with McLaren Vale Grenache grapes for up to a month to extract colour and develop flavour. The result is a gin with a deep raspberry red hue that turns bright hibiscus pink when diluted, offering flavours of fresh raspberries, tinned plum, and plush tannins.
Peddlers - Rare Eastern Gin, China
Peddlers Gin Company is a pioneering Shanghai-based distillery, renowned for crafting China's first artisanal gin. Established in 2016 by a group of Kiwi and Chinese friends, the company set out to create a spirit that encapsulates the rich tapestry of Chinese botanicals and the dynamic spirit of Shanghai
Botanicals
Sichuan Peppercorns: Sourced from Qingxi in Hanyuan County, these peppercorns impart a signature "mala" (numbing and spicy) sensation, adding depth and complexity.
Buddha’s Hand: A fragrant citrus fruit from Yunnan, offering bright, floral notes reminiscent of lemon zest.
Lotus Flower: Collected from Gansu province, contributing subtle floral undertones.
Chinese Mint: Introduces a refreshing, aromatic layer to the gin's profile.
Angelica Root: Adds earthy, herbal nuances.
Xinjiang Almonds: From the Tianshan Mountains, these almonds provide a hint of sweetness and nuttiness.
Liquorice Root: Sourced from Guangdong, offering a sweet, woody flavour.
Coriander Seed: Contributes citrusy and spicy notes.
Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice.
Juniper Berries: Imported from Hungary and Italy, providing the classic gin backbone.
Osmanthus: Infuses a delicate, sweet floral aroma.
Gracias A Dios - Agave Gin, Mexico
Gracias a Dios is an artisanal mezcal brand based in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico, often called the Mezcal Capital of the World. Founded in 2010, the brand was created by a group of friends passionate about mezcal, including maestro mezcalero Oscar Hernández. Gracias a Dios specializes in small-batch, handcrafted mezcals made using traditional methods, including underground pit roasting, natural fermentation and copper still distillation.
Botanicals
This is a recipe inspired by the diversity of Oaxaca, the capital of mezcal production in Mexico.
The base is Gacias a Dios agave spirit, which is macerated with eight botanicals: Juniper and seven botanicals from Oaxaca, including avocado leaf, yerba santa, cacao and Oaxaca tangerine. This is then triple distilled.
Don’t forget the mystery gin - somewhere in the line up and a Mother’s Day gin cocktail to wrap things up!
