Gin seems to be the new 'in' drink for Australians
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325345)
Rockingham, Australia
December 27, 2018 7:39am CST
For a while now, each day I’ve been having several tablespoonsful of gin-soaked golden raisins (sultanas). An old friend was adamant that it would reduce or delay the effects of arthritis. Although I can’t positively say it has helped, my slight twinges of arthritis have remained just that – slight twinges. So I am happy to keep on with my daily spoonful.
But now it seems many Western Australians have taken to making their own gin. Over the last twelve months one grocery store had doubled its sales of juniper berries, which are the essential ingredient in gin.
Market research says that gin consumption has grown by 50% since 2009 and is now the second-most consumed spirit in Australia.
Some of the reasons put forward for the growth in its consumption include:
• The largest consumers are women aged 20 to 35
• It’s seen as a very glamorous drink
• It can be made quite quickly (just a few hours) and drunk almost immediately
• There are very few calories in gin and it is a very clean, vegan spirit
Like craft beer, craft gin is having a popularity boom. We buy it by the litre now. Maybe I should start making my own too. What do you think?
Photo is of a fancy wine bottle holder. Although I know it’s safe, I can’t trust this holder and live in fear of it crashing and breaking the bottle. I wouldn’t mind the mess but it’s the waste of good wine that would upset me.
20 people like this
17 responses
@snowy22315 (169641)
• United States
27 Dec 18
It's funny, I noticed Starbucks was featuring a juniper beverage. It makes me curious to try it. I hate spending money on high priced drinks at Sbucks,,unless I have a deal of some kind but I have to admit that one strikes my fancy. Maybe I will turn one of my gifts from the apps into a Starbucks card.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Dec 18
I just tried their juniper latte yesterday. I have become quite friendly with my local barista (my friends say she has a crush on me, but I don't believe them). Anyway, I was asking her about the drink, and she was trying to explain the taste to me, but she couldn't quite put it into words. I told her pretty much what you said, that I didn't want to waste my money on an expensive drink that I might or might not like, and she offered to make me one for free! Of course, I couldn't resist the offer. It actually was pretty good.
5 people like this
@snowy22315 (169641)
• United States
27 Dec 18
@moffittjc Hmmm, might have to swing by and grab one one of these days. I just got something in the mail to test drive a Hyundai and get a 50 dollar gift card..so, maybe that will be my Starbucks "Juniper Latte" money.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118365)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Dec 18
@snowy22315 Now remember, just because I liked it doesn't mean you will like it! haha
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
27 Dec 18
Interesting trend - gin palaces are common here - quite a revival
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
27 Dec 18
@JudyEv yes trends are very unpredictable
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
28 Dec 18
@JudyEv yes because the mixture became questionable
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 18
@Mavic123456 People always have to try to do things on the cheap and deceive others.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 18
@Mavic123456 It's interesting that they are stopping people from drinking gin.
1 person likes this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
27 Dec 18
I don't really like gin, I am a rum drinker myself and I wonder if soaking raisins in rum would be good. 
2 people like this
@shaggin (71659)
• United States
28 Dec 18
@Carmelanirel2 if not a cure maybe a yummy snack anyway
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (94778)
• Marion, Ohio
27 Dec 18
It might be cheaper to do. I too would be scared of that bottle holder
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Dec 18
We only set the bottle holder up for the photo. Then carefully took the bottle out again.
Then carefully took the bottle out again.
@Fleura (29097)
• United Kingdom
27 Dec 18
When you say people make their own, do you mean from scratch - brewing some sort of beverage then distilling it? Distilling is illegal over here without a licence.
You can make your own flavoured drinks though - like that old favourite, sloe gin.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Dec 18
I thought Foster's was the national Australian beverage lol. Grog can be made from any old fruit and veggie scraps with some sugar and yeast added.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
27 Dec 18
Oh dear, I can't say I like gin. Figures, since it sounds healthier than other spirits. Happy it's helping with the arthritis
2 people like this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
31 Dec 18
Yeah, not sure if that thing looks very sturdy. As for gin, I have never been a fan of it personally. But who am I to judge? Interesting that gin used to be a poor man's drink, but lately it's gotten all fancied up even here in the States.
1 person likes this
@just4him (305532)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
31 Dec 18
I didn't know it was good for arthritis. Gin seems to be the drink for the Routhieaux family. People have told me it's a hard drink to get used to. I had no problem with gin back in my drinking days - six months in the Navy. My daughter likes gin too.
Enjoy your spoonful.
1 person likes this
@Swayamsiddha (4358)
• New Delhi, India
28 Dec 18
Do share a picture of a bottle having gin drink in it. I would love to see it. Also what other ingredients are required for making this drink?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 18
I don't really know how they make it but it seems they add things including juniper berries to vodka.
