h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has a gin and tonic ever saved you from one of those close afternoons that clings wherever you hide, refreshing your muggy brain from the inside? Even if it hasn't, you will want to check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A564356

Hello,

Well, I always like a Loonytunes entry on Liquor, although I try not to read them before noon. This is another fine example. However, I'm a bit unsure about its status relating to the already existing entry on Gin. While it's about ostensibly about Gin & Tonics, there is history, other recipes and such, and it almost seems to me like this could be merged with the other entry to make a truly amazing entry on Gin. What do you think? And pass the bottle this way please.

Yours,
Jake

Mr Cogita, thanks for your kind remarks.

I believe the two articles complement each other. My one uses fleeting references to gin as an introduction to the guts of the yarn, the relationship of tonic water to gin. The references to punch and slings are included to round out the piece for the benefit of h2g2's discerning readers (drinkers).

Another problem with combining this one with the existing entry on gin is that h2g2 currently has no decent seamless system set up to accomplish this.

Loony

Does this entry relate in any way to the h2g2 University project "Use and Abuse of Gin" at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A493300

or shouldn't it?

Great article, obviously written while being sober

Hallo Looneytunes:

First, let me say you actually made g-n-t *sound* appealing, which is very high praise coming from me, because

Second, while I can think of no more noxious liquid in the world than gin (save possibly tonic), the flavour of which would be improved by the addition of absolutely ANYTHING,
I can also think of no more noxious liquid in the world than tonic (save possibly gin), the flavour of which would be improved by the addition of absolutely ANYTHING,
and yet, somehow, gin+tonic is like adding infinitely negative numbers, and the result is infinitely WORSE.

So, you made this vile concoction, which I wouldn't apply topically to disinfect a filthy, smelly, dog I didn't like, sound *sparkly*, and *refreshing*, and fraffly English indeed! Nice job. Good piece.

I specially like the colours and the visuals: the yellow label, the sunny, cool marble verandahs of Indjah (well, all right, those came from my memory), the moisture condensing on the bottles... I think you did actually mention yellow labels. I'd like to see a little more of the picturesque imagery, of which you have just enough to make a person thirsty for more. If you have not actually *been* to India, I'd be happy to rhapsodise a bit at you, and you can use bits and pieces.

Juniper berries -- you did not actually mention them. Perhaps you should, since you do with the species of nasty they use to make 'tonic'. Isn't that what flavour gin is supposed to be?
Really, very nice piece. The first recipe looks pretty good, too, except for the bits involving gin, and of course, the ones involving tonic.

Thanks for that. Put me right off my supper, it has.


Arpeggio, for LeKZ

Thanks for the kind comments people

Bossel, I will let the University people know about my yarn. They may want to link to it.

Arpeggio, I have deliberatly veered away from the origins of gin (and most other gin-related matters) because there is an existing article covering gin. With this article I wanted to concentrate on that world-wide favourite tipple, gin and tonic.

Re your coments about condensating moisture, you may want to check out my yarn about milkshakes

Cheers, Loony
Glug

Good yarn 'bout a great drink! That stuff gives me the worst hangovers, but tastes too good for my own good. As for the Gin / Singapore Sling: I ordered that in a Cocktail Bar in Melbourne once. Or at least tried to. I had to give them the name thrice and then they still had to look the recipe up! I ended up with something quite, but not entirely unlike a Gin Sling. Speaking of that, how about adding a sentence referring to DNA's "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" chapter 24 about the gee-N'N-T'N-ix and things.

Cheers!

Tube

Hey Looney, that was great. Unlike some above, I luurve a good G&T - this is a lovely entry - this should go in the guide

Orcus

Splendid - and Orcus, welcome to the 'infamous' world of Scouting

Why thankyou

Is it scouting or ACEing that's infamous these days?

Congratulations Loony - this entry has been recommended and selected...blah blah - I'm sure you know the score

Pour's a large to celebrate

This thread is now closed.

Editorial Note: This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review forum because this entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

If they have not been along already, the Scout who recommended your entry will post here soon, to let you know what happens next. Meanwhile you can find out what will happen to your entry here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/SubEditors-Process

Congratulations!

Thanks Orcas, you're a legend.

Here's a tip. Don't say a thread has been closed - it hasn't - it has only been moved. Occasionaly people add important last-minute information to moved threads. This often improves the article. The sub editor can incorporate it into the finished yarn.

Loony

Fair enough, noted

Everyone seems to ignore the comment anyway mind

Not me.

JTG

... both decent and seamless.

JTG

Gin and Tonic is a great hangover cure. Also if you are part way through a huge binge and start to feel bad then a gin and tonic will sort you out. You can't have more than one. Having more than one makes you feel worse. There was an article about this in the new scientist a few months back confiming these points. I think it was in the Q and A section on the inside back cover but I could be wrong. You might be able to find the article on the website. I would go and look for it myself but as URLs cannot be posted here I shall not bother.

Yes they can... that rule is no longer in force

(unless the URL is outrageously commercial or something)

See- people do ignore the thread closed comment!

Not the bit I was meant but it is similar:

Alcohol inhibits the release of ADH, so for any given water intake we excrete more of that water in the urine.

Homer Smith (author of The Kidney: Structure and function in health and disease, Oxford University Press) reckoned that 1 millilitre of ethanol inhibited ADH to the extent that we lost an extra 10 millilitres of water in urine. Using this calculation we can roughly calculate that if your gin and tonic consists of 9 per cent gin, your kidneys will be neutral as far as water balance is concerned. But because you still lose water via non-kidney routes you will actually make a net loss. Drink wine, which is generally greater than 9 per cent alcohol by volume, and you are even worse off.

Most beers are about 5 per cent alcohol by volume, so you benefit if that is your tipple, although switching to whisky late in the evening—as many drinkers may be tempted to do—is not a good idea.

Light beer or a gin and tonic made up to less than 2 per cent alcohol will generally provide a net gain of water. Outside on a hot day, however, all bets are off because sweating increases our water loss by a large amount. The tip to drink water to offset such losses, especially before bedtime after a heavy evening, is a good one.