Gin Tankage?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Gin martinis -- with olives -- have been my father's daily cocktail hour ration since at least since I was a small child, and probably since before I was born, and still are to this day (he's 94). He used to give me the soused olives to eat after he finished his drink, when I was little. Probably my first exposure to alcohol.
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Thanks to whoever revived this excellent thread. Reminds us that cruising is, first of all, about LIVING, and all the various joys attendant to that.

I also subscribe to the amount of vermouth your father prefers: drops .

Originally Posted by Wotname

Re the olives and the martini, someone please educate me -
What is the preferred olive?

Here we have many different olives to choose from so what is the goto olive or is it a case of using the nearest olive?

My favourite are big green Castlevetrano olives or the smaller intensely flavoured black Kalamata olives, but I accept whatever is available, preferably with an extra dish of them on the side .

SWL

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Wotname

WTF - some places never cease to amaze me!

Or disappoint

[MicHughV]

What's gin ???

[MicHughV]

Sadly, in all my years afloat, I have to reluctantly admit, no gin has ever passed my lips...I must be missing something after reading all these rave reviews...

I do like olives though...that's a start...

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Sadly, in all my years afloat, I have to reluctantly admit, no gin has ever passed my lips...I must be missing something after reading all these rave reviews...

I do like olives though...that's a start...

Most of the posters here will tell you that olives taste much better after having soaked in gin for a while. They taste even better when they are the third batch that have soaked in successive martinis

But I prefer a lemon twist

[MicHughV]

I've always thought of rum as being a sailor's drink.

The admiral likes her olives soaking in vodka.

But gin...no...I've never once tried it, but will give it a shot.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I've always thought of rum as being a sailor's drink.

The admiral likes her olives soaking in vodka.

But gin...no...I've never once tried it, but will give it a shot.

Rum is certainly a sailor's drink. But a good gin and tonic is definitely on the list as well. For me, they're one of the few drinks I really enjoy in hot weather.

[carstenb]

WEll as the old adages go:

Gin makes you sin
Tequila makes your clothes fall off

Now all we have to do is find some amiable ladies who want to go for an evening cruise

[MicHughV]

Well, in the old days, British Admiralty gave sailors a tot of rum at the end of the day...

I can't see where a tot of gin would have done much to quieten a bunch of rowdy sailors.

Having said that, being a diehard Heineken drinker in my early years...I never drank rum either, but was introduced to it in the islands.....and, well....one thing led to another.

But I don't know any gin drinkers, so this acclaimed beverage has passed by my bows unseen and untasted..

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, in the old days, British Admiralty gave sailors a tot of rum at the end of the day...

I can't see where a tot of gin would have done much to quieten a bunch of rowdy sailors.

Having said that, being a diehard Heineken drinker in my early years...I never drank rum either, but was introduced to it in the islands.....and, well....one thing led to another.

But I don't know any gin drinkers, so this acclaimed beverage has passed by my bows unseen and untasted..

I think gin as a sailing drink originated more with the yacht club crowd.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Well, in the old days, British Admiralty gave sailors a tot of rum at the end of the day...

End of the day?! Up spirits was at lunch-time. Really couldn't continue that when sailors were required to operate machinery in the afternoon...

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I think gin as a sailing drink originated more with the yacht club crowd.

I think it goes back to the Royal Navy and pink gin - a cure for seasickness apparently.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

End of the day?! Up spirits was at lunch-time. Really couldn't continue that when sailors were required to operate machinery in the afternoon...

In the very old days, the rum was 180 proof and the sailors were drunk on their butts every day.

Admiral Grog ordered that the rum be watered down to around 80-90 proof which the sailors did not approve of (for some strange reason).

As a result they derisively began calling this watered down rum "Grog"

a little nautical trivia for those who are interested

[MicHughV]

Yes, I can see gin as a bar drink...not necessarily a shipboard drink...I just don't see olives as part of the ship's food storage bin...

Does one have to hold one's little pinky finger in the air when imbibing gin..or is that just a tea thing... ???
Seems to me, that drinking gin is a British thing, but that is a wild guess, as I really don't know the first thing about gin. The greeks have their ouzo, and other countries have their own particular aperitif.

Do you have to sniff it first, twirl the olives around in a certain way, or can you just chug it down....enquiring minds want to know.

I've got a lot to learn here....

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by carstenb

In the very old days, the rum was 180 proof and the sailors were drunk on their butts every day.

Admiral Grog ordered that the rum be watered down to around 80-90 proof which the sailors did not approve of (for some strange reason).

As a result they derisively began calling this watered down rum "Grog"

a little nautical trivia for those who are interested

It was over-proof, but not 90% alcohol - more like 100 proof.
The Grog contained the same amount of rum (1/2 gill) but had water added to it. This apparently sterilized the water, ensured the sailors remained hydrated, and also discouraged keeping the rum for later, as diluted, it would spoil. Before Old Grogram had his way, sailors apparently would save a bit of their daily ration until they had enough for a good bender, which is never a good idea at sea

[MicHughV]

I believe 1/2 gill is about 2 shots of rum by American standard shot glass, enough for a light buzz, but not necessarily enuff to get you blitzed....I like 1 1/2 shots of rum in my drink...but on occasion, 2 shots.

However, one drink, invariable leads to two...throw in some fellow cruiser camaraderie, and two grows quickly into four or more..