Tag Archives: Gin

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Insight Brewing’s Summer Release: Crazy Aunt – A Gin and Tonic-Style Ale

A new beer release from Insight Brewing launches Wednesday (5/3) and it will set the bar high for new and creative offerings from Minnesota brewers this summer. Crazy Aunt, a gin and tonic-style ale, shows off flavors similar to a cocktail, a departure from the typical wheat-centric patio beers of summers past.

Insight’s Ilan Klages-Mundt has only recently realized his fondness for the cocktail that inspired the newest beer in their lineup. “I had my first gin and tonic in June of last year. Now it’s one of my favorite cocktails,” he said while joking about how long it had taken to try one. When asked about the difficulty of creating such a recipe, “I like a good challenge and this was a challenge.” It took seven test batches to get it right.

Crazy Aunt’s gin and tonic-like flavors come from similar ingredients as the cocktail: juniper, lime juice, coriander and tonic water.

Crazy Aunt - Gin and Tonic Beer - Insight Brewing

The 16 oz can pours a pale, straw-like hue with a witbier-like opaqueness underneath a fluffy white head. The aroma is citrus and spice, reminiscent of a lime shandy. Bright lime and mild acidity dominate the first sip and quickly transition into lemon, subtle pineyness and grapefruit pith. The unique quinine bitterness of tonic scrubs your palate clean and leaves little lingering aftertaste. At 6% ABV, alcohol contributes to its full flavor without the slightest hint of warmth.

Uniquely, Insight will also provide four cocktail recipes using Crazy Aunt as an ingredient and will host a competition later this summer for bartenders to submit their own recipes.

In addition to 4-packs, Crazy Aunt will be served on draught in the taproom and will be distributed in half and sixth barrel kegs from May through August.

No word on whose aunt may have been the inspiration for the name.

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Du Nord Craft Spirits releases Fitzgerald Gin, asks Minnesota to decide final recipe

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Fitzgerald Gin hits store shelves, begins Du Nord’s community feedback program to decide “Minnesota’s Gin.”

 

Just in time for the late summer season, Du Nord Craft Spirits is releasing Fitzgerald Gin, Formula No. 1. Fitzgerald Gin, Formula No. 1, is a classic London dry style gin. Like any London dry style gin the lack of sugar lets the botanical elements impart most of the flavor and aroma. The traditional juniper flavor stands front and center in Fitzgerald Gin, Formula No. 1. It is supported by flavors of citrus, angelica root, and licorice root. The result is a gin that stands on its own, but is equally tasty in a bright summer cocktail. Gin and Tonic, anyone?

Fitzgerald Gin Du Nord craft SpiritsFitzgerald Gin, Formula No. 1, kicks off Du Nord’s unique quest to discover “Minnesota’s Gin.” Du
Nord will release three gin formulas for consumers to taste and judge. Each gin formula will be a different style. Formula No. 1 is a obviously a classic London dry. Formula 2 will be a new-world style that focuses more on herbs than Juniper. Formula No. 3 promises to be wild. Nothing is set in stone, but in co-owner Shanelle Montana says it may include hop oil. Visitors to the soon-to-open Cocktail Room will be able to sample each formula and vote for their favorite. The winning formula, to be chosen in spring of 2015, will be forever known as “Fitzgerald Gin” making Fitzgerald the first gin to be chosen by its consumers.

“We want to get the community involved,” said co-owner Chris Montana, “gin drinkers are particular about their style; what better way to find out what Minnesotans like then by letting Minnesotans choose?”

The release of Fitzgerald Gin, Formula No. 1, comes on the heels of L’etoile du Nord Vodka – Du Nord’s
first product – winning a Triple Gold Medal for taste at the 2014 Microspirits Awards in Beverly Hills. Like L’etoile du Nord Vodka, Fitzgerald Gin is hand crafted in small batches in the Minneapolis distillery, using grain from co-owner Shanelle Montana’s family farm in Ivanhoe, Minnesota.