WORLD GIN DAY

WORLD GIN DAY

Every year on the second Saturday in June, we celebrate the distilled alcohol spirit on World Gin Day. Join us as we learn some brief history and facts about this juniper berry spirit.

#WORLDGINDAY

Many gin lovers throughout the world reside in Great Britain. For this reason, some think that’s where this drink originated. However, the origins of gin begin in Holland, where a Dutch physician named Franciscus Sylvius invented it in 1550 for medicinal purposes.

History tells us when the English came across the drink while in Holland for the Thirty Years’ War. The English would gin to calm their nerves before going into battle against the Spanish. The soldiers brought the newly discovered juniper spirit back to England. The drink became popular with Londoners when William of Orange encouraged the distillation of gin during his reign in the late 1600s. Gin was so popular during this time, that many employers paid wages with it.

Gin was also used for medicinal purposes. In fact, it was often mixed with quinine, an antimalarial agent. Quinine became a key ingredient in tonic water, which formed the basis for the "Gin & Tonic." Thanks in part to its affordability, gin eventually became known as the most popular spirit in the world.

HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldGinDay

The best way to celebrate this day is to gather with friends and drink some gin. If you have never tried gin before, today is the perfect day! Here are some more ways to participate:

  • Try to make your own gin.

  • Watch a movie that features gin, such as The Great Gatsby, Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Meet the Parents.

  • Learn about famous people who like gin including Sylvia Plath, Queen Elizabeth II, Michelle Obama, Ernest Hemingway, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

  • Host a gin party and invite guests to play gin rummy.

  • Besides Gin & Tonic, try other gin cocktails, like a Tom Collins, Gimlet, Martini, or Singapore Sling.

Share this day on social media with #WorldGinDay.

WORLD GIN DAY HISTORY

Gin lover Neil Houston created World Gin Day in 2009 as part of a get together with his friends in Birmingham, England. In 2010, Emma Stokes (aka Gin Monkey) brought World Gin Day to London. Since 2013, Stokes has been running the annual event. Currently, about 200 million gin lovers in over 30 countries around the world celebrate the day.

DATES
14 June 2025
13 June 2026
12 June 2027
10 June 2028
9 June 2029
8 June 2030