For a long time, gin drinkers have been able to pick out the subtle flavors of juniper and citrus in their drinks. But now there’s another flavor that people are starting to recognize- pine needles.
And with good reason: some gins contain pine needle extract! Read on for tips about how you can make your regular gin taste more like pine needles.
Pine Needles in Gin
Some gin distillers add the extract of pine needles to their products. This gives their gins a distinctive flavor that you can recognize immediately. You will probably be able to pick out the notes of pine and citrus, along with the juniper.
Even if your favorite gin doesn’t contain it already, don’t worry: this isn’t something you have to wait for any special orders or anything like that! With relatively little effort, you can make your usual gin taste more like pine needles too.
There are several ways you can do this with the botanical ingredients you generally use with your favorite brand of gin- juniper berries, citrus peels, etc. Or, there are even some tips on how to make your plain old gin taste more like pine needles with the flavors you’ll already find in it.
What botanical ingredients are used in gins that taste like pine needles?
To start, you should know what ingredients are generally used in gins containing pine needle flavor. Juniper berries are the most common, but there are other possibilities. The various types of citrus- lemon, lime, grapefruit- can also be included. Other popular choices include sage and thyme.
There are several ways to make your usual gin taste more like pine needles: add some actual pine needles to your botanical mix when you make your gin, add a few drops of an essence made from pine needles (available online), add a sprig of fresh rosemary (it has a pine needle-like flavor), steep some pine needles in boiled water and use that water instead of plain old tap water when making your gin.
Or try adding one or more of the botanical ingredients that are common in gins with a pine needle flavor to the mix when you’re making your gin at home.
How do you make a gin and tonic with a pine needle flavor?
To make a gin and tonic with a pine needle taste, try using gin with juniper berries, rosemary, grapefruit peel, sage, or thyme.
Juniper Berries
One of the most common ingredients used in gins that have a pine needle flavor is juniper berries. Add one or two juniper berries when you’re making your gin, and it will have an extra piney taste that’s perfect for spring!
Lemon or Lime Peels
The peels of lemons and limes are also good choices for adding more of a mineral flavor to your favorite gin. When you’re making your gin, just add the zest (the outermost colored part) of either lemon or lime. You can also use both at once.
Lavender Buds & Rosemary Sprigs
Both lavender buds and rosemary sprigs contain pine needle-like flavors… so why not include them both? Add them when you’re making your gin, or steep dried lavender and rosemary in boiled water (separately) and use that liquid instead of plain old tap water.
Rosemary Sprigs
These sprigs also make a good garnish for your gin, along with one or two juniper berries.
Grapefruit Peel
When you’re making your gin, try adding the peel of half a grapefruit. The citrusy taste will blend well with the pine needle flavor.
Sage
You can also add fresh sage leaves to your gin when you make it. Sage is often included in gins with a pine needle flavor, and it makes a great addition to your botanicals mix. To add more of the pine needle-like taste of sage, steep some dried sage in boiling water before using it to make your gin.
Thyme Leaves
Finally, some distillers use thyme leaves when they’re making their pine needle-flavored gins. These are another good choice for adding some more herbal flavors to your favorite brand of gin.
Gooseberries & Elderflower
Another alternative is to add either gooseberries or elderflowers to your botanical mix. When you’re making your gin, just include the chopped fruit of these plants as well as your usual ingredients.
For an, even more, pine needle-like taste, replace some of the liquid in your recipe with elderflower cordial and/or gooseberry juice and pulp.
You can also add some fresh sprigs of pine needles to your glass- or experiment by adding things like fennel seeds or muddled citrus peels for more of that distinctive pine needle flavor.
Is there a way to modify the taste of regular gin to make it taste more like pine needles?
Yes! A great way to do this is by making your flavored tonics. This gives you complete control over what goes into your drink.
Try infusing the simple syrup with some dried lemon peel for an extra kick of citrus flavor. For added complexity in tastes, try infusing your dried rosemary or sage into the syrup as well!
You can also experiment with adding a few bay leaves, some simple herbal tea, or even a drop of pine-needle extract.
Make sure you have fun experimenting and finding out what works best for you! Or find mixers that already have those pine needle flavors in them if you just want to mix it up easier.
Either way, now there’s more than juniper berries at work when it comes to gin- so open up your palate and see how many different notes you can pick out from those botanical ingredients.
Are there any specific production methods that give gin a pine needle flavor?
In general, no. Gin- especially contemporary gins- can have a range of flavors depending on the primary botanicals added at different stages during production. The result is usually determined by how much juniper is included in the taste profile, but other things can contribute to a gin’s flavor as well.
This means that the proportion of pine needle extract added to a bottle of gin will depend largely on the distiller’s recipe and methods for creating their special twist on this popular liquor.
All things considered, it’s not hard to see why so many people are considering gin as their next favorite drink. If you’re one of those people who has been intrigued by the idea but is still unsure about how much pine needle flavor they want or need, try experimenting with different methods and ingredients until you find a combination that suits your taste buds best!
