Essential Facts About Beefeater London Dry Gin

Beefeater is one of the best and much loved around the world dry gin. The roots of this gin are from the late 1800s and the quality is undeniable. Have you ever wondered what are the Beefeater Gin ingredients that create its balanced flavor? Here are some key facts about this lauded English brand that will broaden your knowledge on what is Beefeater gin.

The Origin

The year is 1862, James Burrough buys a distillery in Chelsea for the now unbelievable £400. He started experimenting with his gin recipe the following year. Burrough dedicated most of his time to experiments with different ingredients. He soon discovered a unique blend of botanicals which are now in the core of the flavor of the gin he called Beefeater.

The Recipe

Behind the full-bodied flavor of Beefeaters alcohol lays a recipe established back in 1895. The distinguished taste is a result of the mixture of nine carefully selected botanicals: juniper, angelica root, angelica seeds, coriander seeds, Liquorice, almonds, orris root, Seville oranges, and lemon peel. Spicy and fruity notes would dance around in harmony over your taste buds. Beefeater gin ingredients haven’t been changed since and have made Beefeater London Dry Gin famous with its class.

More flavors

In 2018 Beefeater introduces new products as they become more and more popular. They launch Beefeater Pink Gin which is made using the original recipe for Beefeater London Dry Gin ingredients adding natural strawberry flavors. 

Beefeater Blood Orange Gin is another choice to spice up your experience. It is made with orange peels from Seville. Both fruity variants are great for cocktails or neat.

The Name

The distinctive name of Beefeater is a reference to the guards of the Tower of London who serve during ceremonies - the Yeoman Warders. At the time, this was a revolutionary name in comparison to all other brands that would most likely use a family name for their gin.

Sustainability

In January 2021 new improved packaging was introduced where the entire bottle was produced from recycled glass. Thinking about sustainability, Beefeater also decided to change the plastic bottle cap with an aluminum cap. 

The material of the label was also changed from non-recyclable PVC to recyclable paper. Reports claim that after the first few months of the release of the new bottle packaging 410 tons of plastic have been saved.

Low alcohol

Beefeaters alcohol varies in content and it could reach 44%- 47% vol. which for many gin lovers was too high. In 2021 a new lower in alcohol content gin was released. With its 27.5 % vol. Beefeater’s Botanics Lemon and Ginger is a flavored gin. This fresh new version is famous for no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, but the main recipe of it is still the original dry gin recipe. 

The Distillation

Beefeater is distilled in a distinct way which involves soaking all the magical botanicals for 24 hours before beginning the process. This gives enough time to the herbs and the ingredients to release most of their flavor and aroma which results in Beefeater’s rich flavor. Distillation continues for eight hours after which the spirit is ready for bottling. The bottling process happens in Scotland.

For Real Fans

Recently Beefeater’s distillery became open to the public where you can take a tour and learn the full history behind it, details around the way of distillation, and to see original stills where the gin was made. 

There is an option for an interactive experience too. For the affordable amount of £16, or about $23 you soak up facts and stories about what is Beefeater gin while sipping on a complimentary drink of Gin and Tonic.