On my last few trips to the UK (way back in December) I realised quite how popular gin had become over there. Every bar I went in had an exhaustive selection of gins, there was a gin bar in my small hometown, and all of my friends and family had their own favourite bottle. I was surprised – in Germany, gin is just another spirit, for now anyway. The gin craze had passed me by and I remain a little ambivalent towards it. Don’t get me wrong, I have some on hand at all times for any martinis, or my own cocktail design, but it just doesn’t tick my boxes like a clean, crisp vodka or a smoky whisky does.
So why choose to grow my own gin? Honestly, it was a bit of a last-minute decision, but also I thought if I make it myself, then maybe I’ll enjoy the taste more than I do. Unfortunately, this isn’t the post about making my own gin, this is the post about planting the seed.
Gin is made with juniper berries, and after looking at some recipes, I see that it’s very simple to make your own blend of gin just by adding some vodka and spices. I came across a kit to grow my own gin (or the juniper berries at least) in a Paperchase shop and wanted to try it out.
Months and months ago I planted some mint seeds as one of my new things, and sadly nothing grew. I’m a bit more hopeful with the juniper berries, as this kit actually came with a pot, and some soil, and thankfully some backup seeds in case it all goes wrong. Annoyingly, it doesn’t actually say how long it will take grow, or what sort of size the plant will get to, so I’ll just have to deal with that when it (hopefully) comes.
As with the mint, I’m really excited about the prospect of new life growing, and keep checking every so often for any signs of activity. I’ve no idea how long it will take before I can have a glass of my homemade gin, but I’m looking forward to it nonetheless!
New Day, New Thing 