Pink gin

Pink gin is a collective name for gin with a pink colour. Regulation (EU) 2019/787, the European law for spirit drinks, has no separate category for pink gin. A bottle sold as gin must comply with the rules for gin, distilled gin or London gin in Annex I of that regulation.

The producers each choose their own path to the pink colour. Beefeater Pink Strawberry is, according to the producer, made on the recipe of Beefeater London Dry, with natural strawberry flavour and other natural flavours, at 37.5 percent alcohol. Malfy Gin Rosa from Italy uses, according to the producer, juniper, Sicilian pink grapefruit and Italian lemons, and itself calls the colour very light pink.

The colour comes from what is added to the gin after or alongside distilling: fruit, flavourings, botanical ingredients or colouring.

The European definitions of gin (category 20) and distilled gin (category 21) contain no ban on colourings. For London gin (category 22), the ban is stated explicitly: London gin is not coloured. A pink bottle can therefore be gin or distilled gin, but not London gin in the legal sense.

Also look at the alcohol percentage. Gin must have at least 37.5 percent alcohol. According to the regulation, a pink drink with less alcohol may not be called gin and is then listed on the label as another spirit drink.

Regulation (EU) 2019/787 distinguishes three types of gin, each with a minimum of 37.5 percent alcohol. Gin is agricultural alcohol flavoured with juniper berries (Juniperus communis); only flavourings and aromatic preparations may be used, so that juniper remains dominant.

Distilled gin is made by redistilling alcohol in the presence of juniper berries and other natural botanical ingredients. Gin made solely by adding essences or flavourings to alcohol does not count as distilled gin.

London gin is distilled gin with stricter requirements: the aroma comes exclusively from distillation, the distillate has at least 70 percent alcohol, no colour may be added and at most 0.1 gram of sweetener per litre. For gin and distilled gin, the word dry may only be used with that same limit of 0.1 gram per litre.

Pink gin and tonic is pink gin topped up with tonic. Producers give their own guidance for it. Beefeater recommends pouring the Pink Strawberry over ice, topping up with tonic or lemonade and finishing with slices of fresh strawberry. Malfy shows its own Gin Rosa Gin & Tonic with Gin Rosa.

The name Pink Gin is older than the pink bottles. According to Angostura, the original Pink Gin originated in the mid-1820s in the British Royal Navy, as a combination of gin and aromatic bitters. That drink was traditionally served without ice and undiluted, and Angostura calls it the grandfather of the gin and tonic. Anyone who sees Pink Gin in a cocktail book may therefore find that this classic is what is meant.

The shop stocks 26 bottles of pink gin, from England, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Scotland. Well-known names on the shelf are Beefeater London Pink, Gordon's Pink, Greenall's Pink, Gibson's Pink, Bosford Rose and Malfy Gin Rosa. There are also bottles from J.Rose, Bloom, Pink 47, Filliers Pink Dry Gin 28, Gin 1689 Authentic Dutch Pink Gin, Kompel and Mermaid.

That way you can compare bottles that get their colour in different ways, and see on the label which category they fall under: gin, distilled gin or another spirit drink.

Not sure which bottle suits your tonic or occasion? Feel free to call or drop by ’t Bockje at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.