Gin: The Manual

by Dave Broom

In recent years, gin has shed its old-fashioned image and been reborn as a hot and hip spirit. The number of brands grows every day and bartenders - and consumers - are now beginning to re-examine gin as a quality base spirit for drinks both simple and complex.

Now, with more brands available than ever before, it is the time to set out what makes gin special, what its flavors are and how to get the most out of the brands you buy. With this book as your guide, discover:

How gin is made
What a botanical is and how they impact a gin's flavor
What the difference between Dutch, London, Scottish, Spanish and American gins is
How you drink them to maximize your pleasure
Whether there is life beyond the gin & tonic (yes!)

The body of the book covers 120 gins which Dave has tested four ways - with tonic, with lemonade, in a negroni and in a martini - and then scored. In addition, each gin is categorized according to an ingenious flavor camp system, which highlights its core properties and allows you to understand how you can best drink it, and therefore enjoy it.

Genres: Cooking, Booze, Nonfiction, Alcohol, Food and Drink

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2015

Reviews

[Melusina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect, this manual is full of detail, it covers all aspects of the origins of gin, its creation process, the different variations, the cocktails - and especially, the herbal ingredients in a very large selection of gin brands presented in a professional and thorough manner. It can only leave you with the wish of drinking nothing else than gin for the rest of your life, trying out every brand, hunting down the ones drunk best with tonic or as a martini... there's even the breakfast gin, which I have to try out rather sooner than later. THE gin bible for me.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author offers a quickfire history of the spirit, and how it is made before leaping into his criteria for selecting the gins in the book, divided by country of origin. Using very common cocktails (G&T, Negroni, Martini, Gin Fizz, etc) as the basis, he judges the gins based on how well they taste depending upon if they are an Old Tom, Genever or traditional type gin. The author notes which flavor camp each gin is predominately flavored so that one may choose better.

He recommends popular mixers such as Tonic Water, Sicilian Lemonade, Vermouth -sweet and dry-, and Campari. Then ends the book with a sampling of the classic cocktails, with common variations, and some of the newer cocktails created for the gin revival.

[Jorgon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea of rating four classic cocktails in terms of how well they go along with each gin mentioned here. On the other hand, there is not enough history of the drink itself here, and almost no historical anecdotes that make other booze-specific books (like Cornell's entries on beers and ales) so entertaining.

[Andy Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comprehensive survey of gin. The structure becomes reductive yet there are many nuggets of useful information to winkle out. On balance, I prefer Tristan Stephenson's 'The curious Bartender's Gin Palace'.

[Carlos Gomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bom livro para dar uma breve visão geral da história do GIN, tipos de GIN, etc. E depois fornece um bom detalhe de uma seleção de mais de 100 gins, sua história, composição e como devem ser servidos (com uma avaliação do autor).

Recomenda-se.

Em Inglês.

[Beryll Brackhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally a book about Gin that focuses on featuring different brands of Gin with detailed info on the history and flavours of the brand. Very useful.

[Suzanne Maughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely gift, this one has a fantastic catalogue of gins.

[Nicole Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting to learn the history of my favorite spirit.

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for all lovers of the juniper berry.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you don't know much about Gin like myself this is a huge help in regards to flavors and learning about Gin. I wish there was a newer version.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This…is what I want in a combo history, process, base spirits, recipe book!

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting. The first part of the book is a poorly written and somewhat convoluted history of gin; the second part is a catalog of current gins; the short third part is a handful of gin cocktail recipes. I was expecting more in the way of a freewheeling celebration of gin. It's packaged very nicely and I do have some ideas for some brands to try--and also the gumption now to make my own Negroni--but a little disappointing overall.

[Raymonds009 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you could possibly want to know about gin, including types, origins, uses and a point system for evaluation. Very detailed and gives the author's view with back-up. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially the history. A keeper.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this doesn't tread much new ground in terms of history or describing the process of making gin, the book is nonetheless an invaluable resource for tasting notes on a fair number of contemporary gins.

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro que reseña docenas de ginebras de alrededor del mundo, datos históricos muy interesantes. Tres cócteles básicos para principiantes y al final una serie de cócteles más elaborados.

Si no sabes nada acerca de la ginebra está bien para empezar, si ya sabes mucho está bien para comparar.

[Lori Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed. Comprehensive review of the different types of gin, along with descriptions of many specific brands.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my Bible.