Dr. Anastasia Miller & Jared Brown - Debunking Gin History, Distillation, Early Juniper Spirits, G&T

Jared Brown and Anastasia Miller are internationally acclaimed authors, historians, distillers. They are the co-founders of Mixellany Limited, they have consulted for spirits brands and bars worldwide, contributing significantly to contemporary cocktail culture. It’s also Jared and Anastasia we have to thank for discovering the first known written reference to a 'cocktail' - from 1798

They have written quite a few books including "Shaken Not Stirred: A Celebration of the Martini" and "Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink," additionally they have reprinted classic cocktail books and distilling manuals such as the Cafe Royal Cocktail book and The dDstiller of London (which comes up in the conversation) and are the co-founders of the Museum of the American Cocktail with Dale and Jill DeGroff.

Jared has been the master distiller of Sipsmith since the distillery was built in 2009 and Anastasia was recently awarded a doctorate in brewing and distilling history - which is rumoured to be the first in history.

There most recent book is called A Most Noble Water. It’s a book about gin, which takes the established conventions of gin history head on and pretty much destroys them all.

On the episode you can expect to learn how and why tonic water was really mixed with gin during the time of the British Raj, how German and Austrian housewives factor into the story of gin, how the royal family influenced drinking culture in the 17th and 18th centuries, the most popular drinks in the Netherlands in the late seventeenth century century (hint - it wasn’t genever, but it does go in a martini), the significance of a 1639 book called The Distiller of London, why the gin craze wasn’t the gin craze, and at the end, a question about who really wrote the savoy cocktail book - plus much much more.

This is a historically dense episode, Jared and Stash are good friends and anyone who knows them will be aware of the passion and knowledge on these topics.

00:00 The Commonly Held Myths of English Gin: Dutch Courage, William of Orange, Gin Craze, Gin Acts
11:07 Gin & Tonic Mythology, Bonus Daiquiri/Cuba Libre History, Mark Twain’s Doctor, Carbonated Beverages as Medicine
21:24 The Origins of Distillation: Silk Roads, Persians, Moors, Arrival in Europe
25:05 The 15th Century Female Distillers of Austria and Germany
29:03 The Introduction of Juniper into Spirits: Biology, Distribution, Medicine, Early Distillation Manuals & Early Gin-like Drinks
39:15 Distillation Technology in the 15th Century – The Migration of Distillation Technology, Historical Research
45:40 Albertus Magnus and Roger Bacon, Arnaud de Villanueva, The Philosopher’s Stone
50:20 The Royal Families, Conspicuous Consumption, Influencers
52:50 Unlicensed Distillers of London, Molasses Spirit, Distilling Books of the 17th Century
56:26 The Trajectory of Distilling Knowledge Through Europe Italy: University of Salerno in 12th Century, Responsible Historical Research
59:40 Netherlands and the Low Countries: The Origins of Genever, Single Shot Rye Distillations, Vermouth Trends in the 17th Century
1:03:05 The Distiller of London (1639), The First English Gin, Pink Gin, ‘Sweets’
1:10:04 Measuring Alcoholic Strength Throughout The Years: Proof, Hydrometers, Bubble Tests
1:12:36 Aqua Crapulum, Recreating Aqua Fructum, Decoding The Distiller of London
1:18:43 Continuous Distillation and Neutral Spirit: Charles Derosne, Celier Blumenthal, Anaeas Coffey
1:20:51 The Economics of Distilling & Brewing in the 18th Century, Class Divide, FOMO, Female Distillers & Compounders
1:26:01 Lower Class Gin – Vitriol, Turpentine, Lime, Ethyl Ether
1:29:30 Alcohol Consumption in England in the 18th Century – Social Reform, The ‘Gin Acts’ – Sellers, Distillers, Compounders, Informants – First Reference of ‘Gin’ 1714 – The Fable of the Bees
1:42:35 The Gentrification of Gin – Cost to do Business, Introduction of Minimum Still Size – Emergence of London Dry (by 1860) & Old Tom (1811) – Purchasing Gin
1:49:25 How Gin Was Being Consumed through the Centuries – Gin Lane, Ginger Bread, Gin Cocktails
1:57:04 The Mystery of the Savoy Cocktail Book & Kokuteeru


🙏 This episode is sponsored by Fever-Tree

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📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/