A Conversation for Gin
OriGIN of the word GIN
Kes Started conversation Jul 5, 2000
(Sorry about the title- too good to resist). 
The London & Plymouth manufacture was an attempt to improve the balance of alcholic foreign trade. A clear, juniper-flavoured high-octane drink was very popular in England, introduced across the Channel in "stone" (= pottery) bottles (so you couldn't see how clear it wasn't) and named after its town of origin - Geneva. It was called Geneva or Genever, which (after a couple of drinks) became "Gin" . In Europe you can still find similar drinks identified as "Genever".
OriGIN of the word GIN
Grayhame Posted Jul 6, 2000
Odd.... I always thought it was Dutch for 'juniper'.
OriGIN of the word GIN
Cupid Stunt Posted Sep 21, 2000
Thinking about it, the old french word for Gin was Genievre, so I think it could go wither way. Unless geneva was named after Gin of course.
OriGIN of the word GIN
Shorn Canary ~^~^~ sign the petition to save the albatrosses Posted Oct 17, 2000
You didn't mention this in your very excellent article on gin so I wonder if you have different information to me. I believe junipers and sloes are one and the same fruit. Both fruit of the blackthorn bush in fact. Just wondering. 
I love gin - well I'm very fond of it at least.
OriGIN of the word GIN
Cupid Stunt Posted Oct 18, 2000
"junipers and sloes are one and the same" Do you ever see them together? NO! It all fits!
OriGIN of the word GIN
Us Posted Sep 4, 2003
We've been gathering the 'fruits of the forest' today, specifically sloes and elderberries. Ran out of time before we got to the lovely plump blackberries (so no apple and bramble pie tonight)! Came home and did a bit of searching online for recipes (Elderberry Wine and Sloe Gin) and found an article here for the latter, which then led us to this article about gin.
Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn, plentiful in British hedgerows over the next couple of months. We'll let you know how the sloe gin turns out at Christmas.
Juniper berries are actually the 'cones' of the juniper, one of only three conifers native to the British Isles. There's an interesting article here: http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.mythjuniper.html
We're not overly fond of gin but apparently sloe gin is delicious. We'll have to wait a bit longer for the elderberry wine, so maybe next Christmas!
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