WORLD GIN DAY
Every year on the second Saturday in June, World Gin Day celebrates this distilled alcoholic spirit. Gin is also known as a juniper spirit since it is made from juniper berries.
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. Some believe a Dutch physician named Franciscus Sylvius invented gin in 1550. He did so for medicinal purposes.
When the English were in Holland for the Thirty Years’ War, they discovered the drink. The English drank 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 became so popular that employers paid wages with it.
Gin was also still being used for medicinal purposes. In fact, gin was often mixed with quinine, an anti-malarial 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. His desire was to get together with his friends in Birmingham, England, and drink gin. 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
11 June 2022
10 June 2023
8 June 2024
14 June 2025
13 June 2026
12 June 2027
10 June 2028
9 June 2029
8 June 2030
