July 6, 2006

The Perfect Gin to Tonic Ratio?

Have you been lying awake nights, obsessing over just what is the correct proportion of gin to tonic in your cocktails? Don't worry, we have too. Luckily, we've just found an article from the Canton, OH Repository (our only real source for liquor advice) outlining an experiment performed by 200 mixologists on behalf of Miller's gin.

It's all very scientifical (percentages and everything!) so it should lay the problem to rest, shouldn't it? If only all of life's crises could be handled by getting hundreds of bartenders into the same room.

The bartenders overwhelmingly chose ice cubes over crushed ice, but were more divided on the question of best tonic, choosing Schweppes (33 percent), followed by Seagrams (23 percent), Canada Dry (22 percent) and Perrier (5 percent).

As to proportions, 44 percent of the bartenders said the ideal drink is 1/3 gin to 2/3 tonic, but 24 percent said to go stronger, with 40 percent gin and 60 percent tonic. When asked to choose how to garnish the perfect G&T, the slice (half a wheel), came out on top (48 percent), followed by the wedge (21 percent), the twist (16 percent) and the full wheel (9 percent).

via CantonRep.com - Perfect summer sipper

The article goes on to outline a few other tweaks you can make, like substituting the lime (fresh mint, orange twist) or even adding other types of mixer (Sierra Mist, Fresca, Orangina or frozen limeade and club soda). We're not sure about a Gin and Fresca, but it takes all kinds. Oh, and we're sure the folks at Miller's Gin would be beside themselves if you made your libation using their spirits, but of course, that's up to you.