Good grief. What a month it’s been. March may have begun normally enough but it couldn’t have ended more differently as we all find ourselves living in lockdown with the hospitality industry (among many, many others) facing unprecedented uncertainty.
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With drinks festivals across the country postponed, distilleries switching production from spirits to hand sanitiser, pubs and restaurants closed nationwide and up to 1 million jobs at risk, these are unprecedented and worrying times for the UK’s hospitality industry. Whether you need a stiff drink yourself, or want to do your bit to support those that make them, here are a few ways to raise everyone’s spirits during the Coronavirus crisis.
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Thanks to the success of #GinADayMay 2019, it’s back for 2020! However, these couldn’t be stranger times we find ourselves in. As we are increasingly encouraged to physically distance ourselves from one another to help limit the spread of Covid-19, social media can play an important part in mentally bringing people together again. #GinADayMay was always about uniting and strengthening the gin community but, with the hospitality industry facing unimaginable challenges in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, it is my hope that by sharing and promoting our favourite brands and businesses we can also help support them through these incredibly tough times.
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February may be the shortest month but with lots of new gin releases, and plenty of booze news, there’s loads to catch up with. And, because February 29th doesn’t really exist, I’m publishing my gin monthly a day early. You can use your extra day to read it!
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If you’ve just completed Dry January than a huge congratulations to you! I opted for a slightly damper month but, when you see what I’ve been up to, I don’t think you’ll blame me for falling off the wagon!
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2019 was yet another remarkable year for gin, which is predicted to overtake vodka as the UK’s biggest-selling spirit a mere ten years since Sipsmith, the instigators of the craft gin revolution, were granted the licence that opened the floodgates. And, with flavoured gin seeing 300% growth year on year (compared to gin’s modest 11%) – and WSTA playing catch-up with a new category definition – those floodgates are well and truly open. But amongst all that there was also innovation (in the ready-to-drink and low-alcohol markets), environmentalism (with Greensand Ridge leading from the front), fun to be had (who can forget #GinADayMay?!) and some really, really cracking gins. So, after much consideration, here are my favourites:
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As I find myself stumbling blindly into a new year (and a new decade no less) with no idea what day it even is, attempting to recall what happened last month is proving to be something of a mission impossible, but here’s my best shot… Feel free to fill in any blanks in the comments below!
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Looking for some cracking Christmas cocktails or seasonal serves?! Look no further….
November’s been a bit of a funny month for me, dominated by some big life choices I’ve decided to make. Thankfully my good pals in the gin industry have kept me well lubricated to help me face what may come so, as we hurtle relentlessly towards Christmas, let’s pause to take a little look back at what November had to offer.
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The Hayman family is, impressively, the longest serving gin-distilling family in England. And yet, despite that – and much to my embarrassment – I knew little about them before they relocated to London in 2018. Worse still, and despite them being incredibly generous to me, I have never written a full article about them. Now, as Christopher Hayman celebrates an incredible 50 years in the gin industry, it seems like the perfect time to rectify that and sing their much-deserved praises.
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