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| CANADA'S SOURCE FOR GIN HUMOUR, PARODY, AND SATIRE
DOWN SOUTH-- Many believe that Jack Daniels whiskey is probably the most popular hard alcohol beverage in the United States, but a close second in the South to the favourite Tennessee liquor is cotton gin, a dry, tasty alternative. More than a few would be surprised to learn that the fluffy white liquor has been around for almost two-hundred years.
Cotton gin was first distilled in the late 18th century. American slaves, who didn't have access to ingredients for making whiskey, developed a simple recipe using a blend of juniper berries and bits of cotton fluff that stuck to their pants, hair, and sweaty backs. Cotton was a crop that was easily available for those who worked on southern plantations. Cotton gin became a much-desired commodity, and so the slaves created an underground market from their tasty brew, bootlegging the finished gin, and trading the fluffy liquor for soap, shoes, and pottery. Soon afterwards, plantation owners or traders learned for themselves the secret for making cotton gin, and the first commercial distillery began distributing it in 1830. A working man's liquor, crude gin mixes have been known to be brewed in prisons, using yeast and denim jeans, and homemade blends have even been made using Fruit Of The Loom t-shirts. Other cotton undergarments have been used to make the spirits, but those are best not talked about in mixed company. Cotton gins have made good headway into polite society. A good cotton gin can be drunk in shirt and tie, or in casual company. There are several well-established distilleries, each claiming to have the finest product. Connoisseurs of fine liquors suggest looking for a gin that breathes well, and yet is high in fiber. The best cotton gins compare well with traditional English gins, although perhaps more earthy in aftertaste, and less likely to stick to the back of your throat. In the search for new ideas to develop market niches, some brewers have developed an organic cotton gin--suitable for those with rare pesticide allergies, as well as several gingham varieties. Today, cotton gin is made in many countries, including several in Africa, where Egyptian cotton is used to create a delicious, prestigious, and very expensive blend. Some innovators
have experimented with nylon and gore-tex gins, but none so far have the
same breathability and honest pungency of the classic cotton gin.
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