Gin · Explainer
What is pink gin?
Pink gin is not a separate legal category. Originally it was gin with a few dashes of aromatic bitters, which turn the drink pink. Modern pink gin is usually gin with red fruit and sugar. If the alcohol content stays at 37.5 per cent or higher, it may be called gin; if it drops below that, under European rules it is a liqueur.
In brief
The key figures
| Legal status | Gin is category 20 in Regulation (EU) 2019/787; pink gin is not listed separately |
|---|---|
| Minimum for gin | 37.5 percent alcohol |
| Minimum for liqueur | 15 percent alcohol and at least 100 grams of sugar per litre |
| Classic preparation | Gin with two dashes of aromatic bitters, stirred cold |
| Modern pink gin | Gin flavoured with red fruit, usually sweetened |
| Origin of the colour | Aromatic bitters or fruit, not a separate raw material |
| Sugar on the label | Not required for drinks above 1.2 percent alcohol |
| Age limit | NIX18: geen alcohol onder de 18 jaar |
What makes a gin a pink gin?
Pink gin is made by colouring gin, with aromatic bitters or with red fruit. It is a version of gin, not a legal category of its own.
The European rules for spirit drinks include a gin category, but not pink gin. So what is in such a bottle is shown on the label: the alcoholic strength by volume and the legal name together tell you what you are buying.
The colour itself says nothing about the sugar content, the strength or the way it was distilled.
How do you make the classic pink gin?
The classic recipe is gin with two dashes of aromatic bitters, stirred cold with ice and then strained into a small glass.
The bitters turn the gin pale pink. The amount is small, as aromatic bitters are measured in dashes. According to the maker of the best-known aromatic bitters, this recipe dates back to the 1820s, when gin was drunk with bitters and nothing else.
So anyone who wants this version buys two things: a dry gin and a small bottle of aromatic bitters. A pink bottle is not needed.
When is pink gin no longer legally called gin?
If the alcohol content drops below 37.5 percent, the bottle no longer meets the legal gin category and the label must say liqueur.
Regulation (EU) 2019/787 sets a minimum for each category. For gin that is 37.5 percent alcohol. For liqueur it is 15 percent alcohol and at least 100 grams of sugar per litre. Many sweet pink bottles fall into that second category, and then carry a name such as gin liqueur or simply liqueur.
So look at two things at once: the percentage and the word after the brand name.
How much sugar is in a pink gin?
The sugar content is usually not on the bottle, because a nutrition declaration is not compulsory for drinks with more than 1.2 per cent alcohol.
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 governs this. For spirit drinks, no list of ingredients and no nutrition table are required on the label. What is always on it is the alcoholic strength by volume and the legal name.
If you still want to know how sweet a bottle is, look at that name. If it says liqueur, it contains at least 100 grams of sugar per litre. If it says gin, at most it has been rounded off with a small amount.
What should you look for when buying a pink gin?
Check two things on the label: the alcohol percentage and the legal name. Together they tell you whether you are holding gin or liqueur.
If it says 37.5 per cent or more and the word gin, it is a gin that has been given colour and flavour. If it shows a lower percentage, or the word liqueur, you are buying a sweetened drink that mixes differently and keeps differently.
Voor de klassieke pink gin hebt u een droge gin en aromatische bitters nodig. Vraag er in de winkel gerust naar. NIX18 geldt onverkort.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which pink gins are there in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 12 pink gins from 9 different brands from 4 countries. Prices range from € 18.49 to € 48.99. The alcohol content ranges from 37.5% to 47%.
- Beefeater London Pink Gin 37.5% · 70 cl · England
- Filliers Pink Dry Gin 28 37.5% · 50 cl
- Filliers Pink Dry Gin 28 37.5% · 50 cl · Belgium
- Gibson's Pink Gin 37.5% · 70 cl · England
- Gin 1689 Authentic Dutch Pink Gin 38.5% · 70 cl · Scotland
- Gordon's Pink Gin 37.5% · 70 cl · England
- Greenall's Pink Gin 37.5% · 70 cl · England
- Kompel Miner's Finest Garden City Pink Gin 40% · 70 cl · Belgium
- Mermaid Pink Gin 38% · 70 cl · England
- Pink 47 London Dry Gin 47% · 70 cl · England
Related questions
What are botanicals in gin?Which garnish goes with which gin?Which gin do you use for a gin and tonic?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Is pink gin the same as pink-coloured gin?
- In Dutch, both terms are used interchangeably. The label decides what it is: gin from 37.5 percent, liqueur below that.
- Where does the pink colour come from?
- From aromatic bitters in the classic version, or from red fruit in the modern version.
- Can you drink pink gin with tonic?
- Yes. Choose a neutral tonic if the gin is already sweetened, use plenty of ice and stir briefly.
- Can pink gin be sold to anyone under 18?
- No. The Dutch Alcohol Act prohibits supplying alcohol to anyone under the age of 18.
The reasoning
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union (accessed 2026-09-05)
- The Pink Gin, Angostura (accessed 2026-09-05)
- Alcoholwet (Dutch Alcohol Act), article 20 (age limit 18), Overheid.nl, wetten.overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-05)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine and spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 7 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.