How to take advantage of hopped gin?

September 4, 2014 10:37 AM

So I've been gifted a bottle of some hopped gin. What would be a great use of it? What to drink with it? I like gin, and I like hops, so I'm hoping something that makes it special. I'm just feeling like it would be a waste with just tonic. I'm not an amateur, so don't worry about complexity or technique.
posted by General Malaise to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

Best answer: Really depends on what type of hops were used... they vary from bright/citrusy to astringent/piney to almost musky/funky. I'd probably pour a little bit of it over some ice, let it chill down for a few minutes (to dull the harsh, alcohol-y qualities), then sip it and make note of your scent/flavor impressions.

Ah! I clicked the link: they're Cascade hops, which I always imagine as bright, crisp, sunny, "light" hops. Anything lightly lemony/citrusy will complement them well. I think green tea might also be a good complement. Since the hops themselves AND the juniper they use have some bitter/astringent notes, I'd try to keep any additions light, just to temper those notes, rather than compete with them.
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:08 AM on September 4, 2014

Is there a cocktail that mixes whiskey and gin? Thinking malt and hops...
posted by sixpack at 1:34 PM on September 4, 2014

Best answer: Hopped gin is really a very West Flemish thing, translated into Dutch as hoppige jenever. Living in Flanders I've only ever seen tourists sniffing it cautiously, distinguished wrinkly locals drinking it slowly and neat, and local kids taking shots of it in jenever pubs next to flavors like cactus jenever and strawberry - never mixed with anything. Your miles may vary. Nicer jenever is traditionally served room temperature in a small tulip glass, and older folks sometimes want some sugar and a little spoon to stir it with. Cheaper stuff is served cold in a shot glass, and if you chased it with a lager that would be a traditional Flemish duikboot.

I'd just drink that neat and room temperature but so long as those are cascade hops, if you're inclined, it might be good to rub a lemon slice along the rim of the glass before serving. Hops also makes for a really good sweet flavor, hard candy made from hops is fucking awesome, and adding a little sugar might also add quite a bit.
posted by Blasdelb at 1:50 AM on September 5, 2014

Response by poster: Hm, I like the green tea idea. I'll give it a try this weekend.

Isn't Dutch gin significantly different (and more easily drinkable) than this, which I assume is London gin? I've tasted it, and it's a little dry for mere sipping, but maybe with some sugar and/or citrus it would perk up.

Thanks for the ideas so far!
posted by General Malaise at 8:23 AM on September 5, 2014

I'll be sure to bring some nice hoppige jenever to a meetup the next time I'm in DC to compare!
posted by Blasdelb at 4:53 AM on September 7, 2014