A Q&A with the award-winning Ginologist gin
Ahead of their presence at the Bubbly & Gin Summer Garden Party & Polo
In advance of the Bubbly & Gin Summer Garden Party & Polo, taking place on Saturday, November 23 at the luxurious Val de Vie Estate in Paarl, we spoke to Ginologist, one of South Africa’s top craft gin producers who will be sampling their various flavours at the event.
They also kindly shared with us two of their favourite gin cocktail recipes to whip up at home and impress the guests!
Can you tell us the history of Ginologist?
Ginologist gin is a premium award-winning South African gin brand, manufactured by Craft Link (Pty) Ltd. The distillery was started by Matt van Wyk, Albert van Wyk and Richard Kolbe. The brand is known for its range of hand-crafted gins that are made using a unique blend of botanicals. Ginologist gins are produced in small batches using traditional methods, with a focus on quality and flavour. We offer a variety of gin flavours including London Dry, Citrus, Floral, and Orient. Overall, Ginologist is a brand that has gained a following among gin enthusiasts who appreciate the brand’s commitment to quality and innovation. Whether you are a seasoned gin drinker or new to the world of gin, Ginologist offers a range of flavours that are sure to delight taste buds.
Can you tell us more about who makes the gin
Our Head Distiller is Jacques Celliers. He has a BSc in Chemistry and a Diploma in Distilling and has been with the company for just over six years. He says: “I’ve always wanted to get into the industry of alcohol manufacture as I find the whole process and the science behind it quite fascinating. My inspiration behind the work that I do is that of creativity and excellence. Much like a chef experimenting with flavours to create an experience through taste, I love to play around with a combination of flavours to create a gin that is wholly its own thing and a unique and enjoyable experience with every sip. From my time studying chemistry I also learnt to apply scientific method to all of my experiments, and this allows me to make small adjustments until I get to a gin that I believe is truly excellent.”
How long does it take to produce a batch of your gin?
Depending on maceration and maturation decisions, each gin has a unique timeline from start to finish but here at Ginologist, a batch takes anywhere from three to five days from maceration through to filtering and being ready for bottling.
Does gin age like wine or does it have a best before date?
Gin is a high strength alcohol and therefore works as a natural preservative, giving it a long shelf life if stored properly. Unopened it can sit on the shelf for years without expiring, if the bottle or seal hasn’t been compromised. However, oxidation does still occur, and this process gradually changes the flavour of the gin over time.
How many flavours of gin do you produce?
In our Core range we have four different gin variants. We also have two gin liqueurs and a rum liqueur, four alcohol-free variants, a festive gin, two limited release gins, two unique gin variants, and then countless variants that we have produced for other clients.
What is your best-seller?
Our Ginologist Citrus Gin.
Tell us about Ginologist’s other products:
Outside of the Core range, Ginologist also produces spirit coolers in 275ml bottles (Gin & Tonic, Gin & Dry Lemon, Floral & Sugar-free Tonic, Strawberry Daiquiri, and Piña Colada) and 440ml cans (Gin & Tonic, Gin & Dry Lemon, Strawberry Daiquiri, and Piña Colada).
What will you be pouring on the day at the Bubbly & Gin Summer Garden Party?
We will be serving perfect pours of our Core and Summer Cup ranges with Alcohol-free options available on request.
Will guests be able to buy bottles of gin at the event to take home?
Yes, absolutely.
Anything else you’d like to add that you think gin fans should know?
We pride ourselves in innovation and the distillation of quality products. As a result, we produce limited edition gins that explore flavours different to our usual range including our Easter Gin: Dark Chocolate and Marshmallow and Heritage Gin: Braai Spice and Rosemary.
Finally – can you share two or three gin-cocktails that work particularly well with Ginologist Gin?
Yes sure. Here are the recipes for a Pretty in Pink, the Summer Cup Strawberry Bramble and our Alcohol-Free Passionfruit Spritz
Pretty in Pink (makes 2 cocktails)
Ingredients:
90ml Ginologist Floral Gin
30ml elderflower cordial
60ml fresh grapefruit juice
6 dashes of aromatic bitters
Chilled Prosecco, to top
Sliced grapefruit, to garnish
Edible flowers, to garnish
Method:
Top two wine goblets with ice and set aside. Add ice, gin, cordial, grapefruit juice, and bitters to a shaker, shake for a minute, and pour evenly into each glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with sliced grapefruit and edible flowers.
Ginologist Strawberry Summer Cup Strawberry Bramble (makes 2 cocktails)
Ingredients:
Ice (both whole and crushed)
50ml Ginologist Citrus Gin
30ml lemon juice
30ml simple syrup
3 strawberries, roughly chopped
30ml Ginologist Strawberry Summer Cup
Fresh strawberries (to garnish)
Sprig of mint (to garnish)
Method:
Begin by adding Ginologist Citrus Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and four whole ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to achieve the perfect blend. In a glass, muddle the chopped strawberries. Add crushed ice and pour in the gin mixture. Finish by topping it off with Ginologist Strawberry Summer Cup. Garnish with fresh strawberries and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.
Simple syrup recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
Method:
Heat one cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, ensuring it becomes hot without reaching a boil. Add one cup of granulated sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature before using or storing. Transfer the simple syrup into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Ginologist Alcohol-Free Passionfruit Spritz (Makes 2 cocktails)
Ingredients:
50ml Ginologist London Dry Alcohol-Free Gin
2 tbsp passionfruit pulp
½ cup pineapple juice
Tonic water (to top up)
Passionfruit (for garnish)
Edible flowers (for garnish)
Method:
Fill a glass with crushed ice, add the passionfruit pulp. Pour in the Ginologist London Dry Alcohol-Free Gin and pineapple juice. Top it up with tonic water and stir gently. Garnish with edible flowers and passionfruit before serving.
Other gins and bubbly producers who will be offering their products for tasting at the event include Andiamo, Beachcult, Cape Saint Blaize Gin, Champagne Taittinger, Chiaro Prosecco Spumante, Comtesse Alexia Brut Champagne, Cruxland Gin, diOxygin, Graham Beck, Gravel Junction, Hallucinogin, Haute Cabrière, House of Azari, JC Le Roux, Laborie, Paul René, Plaisir Cap Classique, Signature Cap Classique, Tempest Gin, Quoin Rock, Veuve du Vernay, WCellar and Zonn 1821 Prosecco.
- The Bubbly & Gin Summer Garden Party & Polo
- Saturday, November 23 from 13h00 to 19h00
- Val de Vie Estate, Paarl, Western Cape.
- Book at Webtickets
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