How to make pink gin

What is pink gin?

Pink gin is a contemporary variation of the classic gin spirit, infused with a blush hue and often boasting a subtly spiced flavour. Traditional gin relies solely on botanicals during distillation for its colour and flavour, but pink gin goes through an additional step. Combining the classic spirit with red and pink berries, spices, and bitters gives pink gin its signature rosy colour and flavour.

Gin making is a fascinating blend of science and artistry, transforming simple ingredients into a complex and flavourful spirit. Here are the steps to make the perfect pink gin:

It is important to choose a good quality clear and colourless gin made with premium botanicals. A classic gin with a smooth and clean taste will enhance the final flavour and depth of your pink gin. Filey Gin is a perfect, high-quality base for making pink gin.

Pink gin is traditionally infused with Angostura bitters. You can also add other ingredients to your gin to get the specific flavour you're aiming for. The most popular choices are herbs like lavender, thyme, or rosemary, or berries and citrus fruits. These will give a more complex taste to your pink gin, however, traditionally, only Angostura bitters are used to create a pink gin.

How much angostura bitters you add to your gin depends on your desired level of intensity, but a few dashes will be enough for a 70cl bottle of gin.

Combine the angostura bitters with the gin along with some ice cubes in a mixing glass and mix well. The angostura bitters will infuse with the gin, and the ice cubes will cool the mixture. Once mixed, strain the mixture into your tumbler glass or favourite gin glass, using a fine mesh strainer to remove the ice and small particles. Serve either neat, the traditional way with a splash of cold water, or as a base for your favourite cocktail.

To spruce up your drink, add some complimentary garnish such as a twist of citrus peel, a slice of fresh fruit (Raspberries, Oranges, or Strawberries work well), or a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Due to its boom in popularity in the 2010s, many have the misconception that pink gin is a fairly recent invention. However, Pink Gin dates back to the 1800s, when the British Navy brought Angostura bitters back to English bars, and the Pink Gin cocktail was born!

The calorie content of pink gin can vary depending on the alcohol content, and the additional mixers and garnishes used. Gin itself is not very high in calories compared to other alcoholic beverages such as beer and sugary cocktails, and the angostura bitters added to gin to make pink gin are low in calories themselves. A standard shot of pink gin contains around 97 calories. However, mixing the gin with tonic water or fruit juices is what will add significantly to the calorie count.

Pink gin infused with berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranates give the drink a natural pink tint. Artificial or natural colour extracts are also sometimes added to enhance a pink gin’s colour, this could be by adding beetroot, cranberry juice, or an artificial colouring agent.

If you would like to see for yourself how we make our artisanal spirits, join us on a captivating gin-tasting guided tour. Learn the secrets behind the process and flavours that define our award-winning gins.