Ableforth’s
Although the brand Ableforth’s has been in business since 2011, it has only been known under this name since 2016. The founding name was a little longer: Professor Cornelius Ampleforth. Whether the length of the name was the reason for the change is not known. However, “Ableforth’s” is much easier to pronounce – which is a pretty big advantage when you’re drinking alcohol.
A name change always carries a risk for a young company. Luckily, Ableforth’s has earned its place in the gin market by winning countless awards. Among other things, the brand was awarded the title “Best Compound Gin” three times in a row at the World Gin Awards 2016 - 2018. And at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, the gin managed to bring home a “Quality Award” for its excellent quality.
The unusual name of Bathtub Gin
“Bathtub Gin” may be a somewhat strange name for a spirit. However, bathtub gin is actually a term for any type of spirit which was produced in amateur fashion. The term goes back to the time of American prohibition and alludes to the bad quality of the illegal alcohol that was available back then.
The spirits weren’t necessarily produced in bathtubs (distillation requires an enclosed container).The name refers to the size of bottle that was required to use the faucet on the bathtub to dilute the spirits. Additionally, a large container was needed to mix the ingredients of juniper spirits and similarly flavoured drinks – ideally something that wouldn’t raise suspicion when the police visited. A metal bathtub, which was very common back then, was perfect for this purpose.
What’s Ableforth`s Bathtub Gin?
With its Bathtub Gin, Ableforth’s has released a so-called “compound gin”. During the cold compounding process, the botanicals are first added to the gin and then filtered before bottling. Unlike other gin types, the botanicals are not distilled with the gin. Cold compounding dominated the market for a long time, especially in the lower price range since it used to be the cheapest method to produce gin.
Nowadays, most producers of cheaper gins use the double distillation method since this creates more reliable results and the production of a good compound gin is a real art – an art that Ableforth’s has certainly mastered.
What is Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin made from?
Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin is distilled in copper stills with juniper, coriander and other aromatic botanicals. After the distillation, a small part of the gin is infused with six other botanicals (orange peel, cassia, juniper, cloves, cardamom and coriander). As soon as the alcohol has extracted the aromas of the plants, the infusion is mixed with the rest of the gin. These botanicals not only give this gin its wonderfully fresh and strong aroma, but also add a little bit of colouring. This is the kind of bathtub gin moonshiners would have wished for during prohibition!
At Gustero
Would you like to try a bottle? Order a bottle of Bathtub Gin today and discover the wonderfully fresh aroma!
