05.23.09
How to Make a Gin & Tonic Properly
When I tell people I have the recipe for the greatest Gin & Tonic, most people look at me like I’m insane. “Gin…. and tonic… on ice… right?” they say full of haughty skepticism. “No, there’s more to it than that, and you’re a douchebag,” I then reply. There are techniques and volumes and tricks that go into making the perfect Gin & Tonic, and with the heat of summer upon us, I’m going to share them with you now.
This recipe was actually taught to me by a TV weatherman in Anchorage, AK of all places. (I’ve lived an odd life to be sure…) They were and are the best Gin & Tonics I’ve ever had. Though I was barely able to say my own name after the party where he taught me this drink, I hold onto the recipe he showed me like it was a cherished family heirloom.
What follows is a step-by-step photo display of how to make this awesome summer cocktail properly.
 First off, the ingredients: 1. A glass filled 2/3 with ice cubes 2. Tanqueray Gin - cold (I’m picky about the brand here, and I think Tanqueray is the best.) 3. Tonic Water (I’m not too picky on brand here - Schweppes does me fine.) 4. Lime - one wedge, not the whole lime… 5. Something long enough to reach the bottom of the glass, like a spoon |
 The first departure from the traditional method, and we’re only at step 2. Squeeze the lime wedge over the ice cubes before you add anything else. Let the lime wedge drop in on top of the ice cubes. |
 Next, in goes the gin. So, you’re looking to fill the glass to the halfway point here, but I’m NOT advocating a 1:1 ratio of gin:tonic. You’re filling the lower half of the glass, and it’s full of ice. So when the gin line reaches the halfway point, you’re hardly at 50% gin. In fact, since the glass was 2/3 full of ice, the line of gin shouldn’t be above the ice cubes. |
 Of course, we follow this with the tonic. Fill the glass until the bubbles reach the top, then fill again when the bubbles settle, so the glass is almost totally full. |
 And now for the part one might almost consider to be tricky. You don’t “stir” the drink. In a James Bond-esque move, you simply take your spoon (or whatever) and simply push the lime wedge to the bottom of the glass. |
 Get it all the way down there to the bottom, and mash it a little against the bottom. This is all the stirring you do. Remove the spoon, and enjoy! |
OK, so now you’re ready to go with your perfect Gin & Tonic! Sure, maybe I have more love for a margarita given that adventure, but this is a fabulous drink to beat the heat of the summer.
I also want to note that I was NOT paid by Tanqueray to write this post. This is really how I do Gin & Tonics, and I just thought I’d share! (And I wasn’t paid by Schweppes either, but seeing as how I didn’t promote them much, it’d be pretty silly if they had…)
And of course, please enjoy these in moderation. I can speak from experience that too many of these can have you up until 3 AM playing Road Rash 3 on a Sega Genesis in the middle of Anchorage, AK. And that’s something I wouldn’t wish on anybody…
Stumble it!
Jacob said,
May 24, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Have you tried any of the more traditional tonics with more quinine on the market now? (Fever Tree, Q, maybe Fentiman’s though I haven’t tried that one yet.) They add a whole new dimension to the drink. As does making your own tonic from cinchona bark if you really want to get hardcore about it.
Chef Matt said,
May 24, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Jacob - No, I have not tried these tonics actually. Like I said, I don’t have a preference in Tonics simply because I have not sampled the market. But hey, if I ever do, I’ll be sure to update the post if I find something really great to add to it!
SK said,
May 25, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I’m not a big Gin & Tonic drinker but this is a great step by step guide. Something to try this weekend!
Niki said,
May 26, 2009 at 8:58 am
G&Ts are my go-to brunch drink since I’m not into mimosas or bloody marys.
Chef Matt said,
May 26, 2009 at 4:56 pm
SK - Well hopefully I’ll be able to convert you, and I’m glad you liked the format. Maybe I should do it more often!
But at the end of the day, even though this is the best way to make a G&T, it is still a G&T at the end of the day. So no promises you’ll like it given your proclivity towards the drink, but here’s hoping. Let me know how it goes!
Niki - I too am not a Bloody Mary person, but I do love me a good mimosa. The problem is that too much champagne makes me into a total jerk. (More so than usual anyway…) So I agree, a Gin & Tonic is the way to go for an extended brunch in the summer.
Chris said,
May 28, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Re G&T’s, you should buy your tonic in the small wasteful bottles. That liter bottle needs to be either finished in one sitting, or thrown out.. even if refrigerated its noticeably weaker a day or two after opening.
Re Road Rash 3, the crow bar is the best weapon.
yer bro said,
May 28, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I agree that real quinine tonic is much better. And it has the added benefit of giving you a leg up in the eternal struggle against malaria! And you are right, too many G&T’s might lead to 2 AM renditions of White Wedding in a West African karaoke bar Nigerian businessmen.
Chef Matt said,
May 28, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Chris - you raise a good point that it is true even the next day tonic water really does flatten out. But thankfully Gin & Tonics are a social drink, so fortunately most of the time you are taking down all the tonic anyway.
And while the crowbar delivers a fun “clang” sound, it is the nunchucks that deliver the hollow coconut sound, and do more damage, thus making them the best weapon in Road Rash 3.
John - I know that you know of whence you speak with the fight against malaria, so I will take your word for it, and your vote for more quinine is noted. And I think your Gin & Tonic story is better than mine as well. God I love that song!
Pete said,
July 25, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Just found your blog and came across this post. I’m a huge Gin & Tonic fan. It think you might like the summertime version I created a few years ago when my favorite cucumber flavored gin was no longer available. Check it out here, on my blog http://waywardchefadventures.com/2009/06/19/summertime-gin-tonics/