Whether you’re a social media addict or a regular punter, there’s no escaping the rise of the Pink Gin phenomenon. From billboard advertising in Sydney bus shelters to Bondi Junction station domination with strawberry-scented panels, the timely activations are in full swing ahead of summer.
In this article, we examine the rise of Pink Gin and its targeted appeal to a younger demographic entering the gin category.
What is Pink Gin
Traditionally, Pink Gin refers to a simple combination of gin and bitters, a drink that had its origins in the Royal Navy. Today’s Pink Gin is far removed from the spirit-forward cocktail consisting of a good measure high proof gin poured into a glass that was swirled with Angostura bitters and finished with expressed lemon peel.
Pink Gin is as much a phenomenon as it is a product. The flavoured gin is targeted to millennials, an age group that has embraced pink as the colour of their generation. The gin is often flavoured with fruits such as strawberries, raspberries or red currents which give the spirit a sweeter profile. The methods of production vary from steeping the fruit into the gin or adding natural flavouring, colourings and sweeteners to obtain the desired taste profile.
Are All Pink Gins the Same
During the recent years, a number of brands have released pink expressions such as Pinkster Gin, Burleighs Gin Pink Edition, and Bloom Jasmine & Rose Gin. Earlier in 2018, Beefeater Pink launched in the UK with a strawberry-scented advertising campaign in London’s Oxford Circus Underground station, and around the same time, Gordon’s Pink Gin, a sweeter berry-flavoured gin was released into the Australian market.
Even mixer brands are getting in on the pink trend with Fentimans Rose Lemonade and Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic adding a pink twist to any gin.
In Australia, Husk Distillers released Ink Gin back in 2015, a dry, colour changing gin infused with butterfly pea flower petals that turn the gin pink when mixed with tonic water. Adelaide Hills 78 Degrees Sunset Gin followed with the premise of the colours of the sunset from using Australian native botanicals such as strawberry gum, bush apple, and rosella. Settlers Pink Gin in fluorescent pink marries the flavours of rose petals and raspberries.
While many pink gins lean towards the sweeter side of the flavour spectrum, Poor Toms Strawberry Gin is bone dry and much like Ink Gin, is said to be suited to a Martini. It’s made by infusing Poor Toms Dry Gin with fresh strawberries, young ginger and hibiscus flowers, the latter imparting a soft blush to the spirit.
Why Pink
But why pink? Is it to replace the dwindling popularity of Frosé which exploded on the drink scene in summertime or is it clever marketing aimed at millennials, women in particular.
We posed the question to Desmond Payne MBE, Beefeater Master Distiller during his recent visit to Sydney to launch Beefeater Pink. “It’s fashion,” he said. “In Spain, suddenly Pink Gin has become hugely popular. Brands such as Gordon’s and Larios are all doing pink, fruit-flavoured gins. And I thought, really? But why not give consumers what they want? Gin is not set in stone, and it’s not to replace classic Beefeater.”
How to Drink Pink Gin
Pink Gin is not a sipping gin to drink on its own. With many expressions sitting around the 37.5-40% ABV mark, one can see it comfortably riding the current wave of low ABV and sessionable drinking.
In a gin and tonic served in a coppa glass with plenty of ice and complementary garnishes such as sliced strawberries, it’s all about easy and approachable drinking. It can also be mixed with soda water or lemonade as a long drink for summer, or as a spritz with prosecco, lemonade and a squeeze of lemon juice. In cocktails, it favours sour style drinks that balance out some of the sweetness, such as Pink Daiquiri with strawberries served slushie style.
The Appeal of Pink Gin
There is no doubt that Pink Gin has captured the attention of the millennial audience to whom it is targeted. In the age of insta-worthy drinks and the popularity of the millennial pink, one could view Pink Gin’s appeal through instagram-filtered cynicism or a marketing success.
If you think the Pink Gin trend is aimed solely at women, Master Distiller Desmond Payne states that its appeal is non-gender specific. He refers to the London Beefeaters, all ex-military sergeant majors as having taken to “drinking it by the lorry load”. In the end, it’s about personal taste and consumers drink what they like.
Pink Gin may not be for everyone and certainly not for die-hard Martini drinkers or juniper fanatics. But if the category – or should it be called sub-category – attracts a new and younger generation of drinkers, weaning them off sugary RTDs, their palate may soon evolve to appreciate the nuances of gin in its bold juniper glory.
Photo Credit: Supplied.
