Gin producers the world over will be raising their favourite gin drinks this Saturday June 14 for the sixth annual World Gin Day.
Gin producers the world over will be raising their favourite gin drinks this Saturday June 14 for the sixth annual World Gin Day, organised by Emma Stokes of the Gin Monkey.
World Gin Day was founded by blogger Neil Houston in 2009 as a day to bring his friends together and down the juniper driven spirit. At the time Stoles and Houston were the only two bloggers focused exclusively on gin.
"I have known Neil for quite a while. In 2009 it started with us getting together at bar in 2009. In 2013 Neil was taking a step back and kindly asked me to take it over. He didn't want to see it die. It isn't every day that you get a chance to take on an international day that celebrates gin," said Srokes, the founder of the website www.ginmonkey.co.uk.
Since 2009, World Gin Day has become an international event with countries around the world participating and hosting their own events. Social media has helped pave the way for an event that started in bar to become an international day of celebration.
Stokes said: "With the growth of Twitter World Gin Day became an international event. Twitter makes the world very small and my obsession with it has helped. We now operate as the hub and train, coach and support on to host their won World Gin Day in their country. We have a number of events from Japan, to the US, and Italy and the event is incredibly successful in Australia."
It makes sense the hub of gin should be located in the UK, given the history of the spirit within London and the renaissance and popularity of craft distillers around the city.
"Gin is growing massively right now. Something that can be distilled relatively quickly and can be very unique to each distiller given the botanicals they decide to use," said Stokes.
Stokes attributes the rise of craft distillers in London to the influence of craft distillers Sipsmith. Stokes said: "They helped pave the way for craft distillers in London. They were the first ones to go the councils and get the permits. Their work can't be discounted. That was followed but other great distillers including the City of London Distillery."
One of the many events that will be hosted throughout London to help celebrate World Gin Day will be a fundraising event the Gin Monkey will be hosting raising money for Malaria No More at the City of London Distillery. For more information and to buy tickets visit the World Gin Day website.
Details of the Gin Monkey World Gin Day celebrations:
When: 7pm-11pm (doors at 6:30pm), 14 June 2014
Where: City of London, 22-24 Bride Lane, London, EC4Y 8DT
Tickets: £25 per ticket