Cheers to World Gin Day: Saturday, June 11

world-gin-day

There’s a holiday for just about everything…this is especially true for foods and beverages. This year, the 8th Annual World Gin Day is set for Saturday, June 11. A time for Gin novices and connoisseurs alike to celebrate all things gin.

Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavor from juniper berries, dark bluish-colored berries full of fragrant pine-scented oils which are known to grow wild in Michigan. Its earliest notations are as an herbal medicine as it was noted to improve digestion as well as aide as an antioxidant, antifungal and antimicrobial. Yet, savoring it in a cocktail is much more enjoyable, don’t you think?

According to Wikipedia, “Gin was developed on the basis of the older jenever, and became popular in Great Britain, when William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Republic, occupied the English, Scottish and Irish thrones with his wife, Mary.”

Considered one of the broadest categories of spirits, gin is represented by product of various origins, styles and flavor profiles that all revolve around juniper as a common ingredient. Although several different styles of gin have evolved over time, it is legally differentiated into four categories:

In Michigan, nearly two dozen different gins are produced from almost as many craft distilleries. To find out which ones are making gin, visit our list of member distilleries below and then share your favorite gin cocktail recipes on our MiSpirits Facebook Page.

American Fifth Spirits

Capital Gin

Bier Distillery – Michigan Beer Cellar

Mum’s Ruin Gin

Civilized Spirits

Civilized Gin

Coppercraft Distillery

Coppercraft Gin & Coppercraft Genever

Detroit City Distillery

Railroad Gin

Grand River Distillery

Grand River Gin

Grand Traverse Distillery

Peninsula Gin

Gray Skies Distillery

Barrel Finished Hopped Gin

Journeyman Distillery

Bilberry Black Hearts Organic Gin & Bilberry Black Hearts Barrel Aged Gin

Long Road Distillers

Long Road Gin

Mammoth Distilling

Old Dam Gin

New Holland Artisan Spirits

Knickerbocker Gin, Knickerbocker Barrel Gin, Brixx Barrel Gin & Blue Haven Gin Aged on Blueberries

 Red Cedar Spirits

Red Cedar Gin

 Sanctuary Spirits

Sanctuary Spirits Gin

 Two James Spirits

Old Cockney Gin & Barrel Reserve Old Cockney Gin

 Valentine Distilling

Liberator Gin & Liberator Old Tom Gin

For a list of our entire membership, click “Craft Distillers” on the right hand column.

#MiSpirits