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G&T's have become one of the most popular drinks on the market, but how is the spirit evolving? It's sophisticated reputation and delicious flavours create the ideal cocktails, as well as becoming the perfect confidence booster BFF:

"You should go to the dancefloor and show off your hip moves, you're such a great dancer" – as said by Hendricks, overheard in Coppers in October 2018. Hendricks was later proven wrong.

There's no doubt about just how much gin has grown in the world of spirits, with Scottish gin especially undergoing a massive revival.

According to the Irish Times, the on-trade gin market in Ireland is now worth at an all-time high of €50 million. It's image has become transformed from a seemingly 'mother's choice' to a millennial's favourite. 

We've put together a list of gin trends for 2019, so you can prepare your livers for the changes due to come in next year for the gin world. Get yourselves ready for relentless gin puns throughout, you have been warned.

1. GINcredible flavours 

Gin flavours are KILLING the game right now, and they're showing no sign of slowing down.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Cocktail Society  (@aboutdrinksandbars) on

Botanical delights such as berry pink gin, plum and cinnamon, pomegranate and rose, lemon drizzle, rhubarb and ginger to passionfruit gin liqueurs, salted caramel flavour and even a bubblegum taste, the flavours of gin available are GINfinite (sorry not sorry).

Copeland Spirits, based in Co. Down, specialises in 37.8% flavoured gins. Aldi Ireland stock its GINSANELY good Rhuberry flavour, naturally infused with local fruit, as well as its new, limited-edition infusion Spiced Apple and Blackcurrant.

Founder of Copeland Spirits, Gareth Irvine has recently spoken about the journey which gin flavours is currently on, saying that a shift in what's popular is incoming:

“Flavours to date have been quite seasonal or trend-led and associated solely to summer, or unicorns, or crazy colours and not veer too much away from berries. Over the coming months, we’ll see the flavour ideas get more adventurous incorporating spices, herbs, exotic fruits.

“Often-times, trend-led flavoured gins are of poor quality and are full of syrups, additives or sugar, rather than real fruit. In addition, the volume is generally around 20% and so a liqueur as opposed to a gin."

Hmmm, this is heart-breaking news. Some of our fave flavah's are legit just sugar and syrup…but this is changing. Thank GOD. We get enough sugar as it is.

Gareth predicts that consumers will start to focus more on quality, just like we saw with unflavoured gin and this will catapult flavoured gin into a category all of its own. Noted, Gareth.

2. GIN-vironmentally friendly

With the introduction of plastic-free consumer goals, especially in terms of straws in bars and restaurants, it's no surprise that gin companies are noticing this important trend. The 'waste not/want not' ideology is spreading fast, with bartenders becoming more aware of the value of not throwing away unneccesary food and drink waste.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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“We’re thinking first and drinking second. We’ve noticed cocktail menus are changing slightly as bartenders consciously look for ways to minimise food waste." according to Gareth.

When it comes to garnishes such as lemon wedges, egg yolks and limes, the amount of fruit that is thrown away or used needlessly purely for the same of appearance is pretty shocking.

Rather than sweeping these used garnishes into to the bin, some bars have making what is becoming known as ‘closed-loop’ cocktails, where excess fruit is used to create natural syrup or saved for pitchers.

Bars becoming conscious about their eco-footprint is imperative, especially since spirit companies rely heavily on the land to create their infused gins.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Copeland Gin (@copeland_gin) on

3. GINcrease in gin brands

Wait, you mean… we're going to see even more gin? YAS. 

More brands will be arriving on the scene next year, with supermarket-owned brands such as Aldi helping to increase access to the category.

Gin-lovers in Ireland are a passionate bunch of people, and brands are taking that passion seriously. As more and more brands come on the scene, people will only connect with the ones that have strong values, for example supporting the environment or raising talent through graduate programmes.

Brands will be providing a quality product that is conscious of price and quality. Amen to that.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gin Lovers (@gin_lovers) on

4. GINnovation

Brands in 2019 hope to focus on some brand new categories, many of our favourite brands which have risen in the last three years didn't exist prior to the gin renaissance. These brands, whose journeys are only really beginning, will be competing to adapt in the long-term industry pool.

Gin and spirit companies will begin experimentation with distilling and flavours which will likely benefit gin, and those who drink it, i.e. us.

We predict that experimentation will lead to some unreal new flavours and tastes, we also volunteer as tribute to test these new tastes. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bethany gale (@bybethanygale) on

For the moment anyway, we're heading straight to Aldi Ireland to grab Copeland’s Spiced Apple and Blackcurrant Gin for just €29.99, see you there gals.

With Christmas around the corner, this new flavour is perfect for winter.

Can someone please le Santa know that a gin advent calendar is on our present list? Just in case he doesn't know…

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Did you have a heavy weekend on the booze?

Was the couch, a chicken fillet roll and a vomit bucket your best friend for the following day?

As we surface with a hangover from hell, a study has discovered that our alcoholic beverages continues to impact our abilities to function the next day. 

The study showed that as hungover humans, we have poorer attention, memory and psychomotor skills such as coordination and speed when compared to our sober selves.

We believe it; ever attempted to person once the fear hits after a big night out? – Scary stuff.

However, being hungover could potentially have serious repercussions, according to the study.

They found that drivers who use their vehicles whilst they're hanging could have impaired cognitive processes required to navigate the road safely – even if all the alcohol has left their bloodstream.

Additionally, anyone who has been hungover in work knows just how difficult it is to get through the day. 

Researchers have now warned employers to reconsider their policies surrounding alcohol and the next day effects after a drinking session, particularly from safety grounds. 

The study which was published in the journal Addiction from psychologists at the University of Bath, suggested that employees should be aware of the real impacts a hangover can have on your work.

Senior author Dr Sally Adams said: "Our findings demonstrate that hangover can have serious consequences for the performance of everyday activities such as driving and workplace skills such as concentration and memory."

Leader author Craig Gunn of the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath added: "In our review of 19 studies we found that hangover impaired psychomotor speed, short and long term memory and sustained attention. 

"Impaired performance in these abilities reflects poorer concentration and focus, decreased memory and reduced reaction times the day after an evening of heavy drinking. Our review also indicated limited and inconsistent research on alcohol hangover and the need for future studies in the field," he said.

The researchers are now turning their attention towards examining the true health and economic costs of a hangover and the associated risks with the next day effects of heavy drinking.

The study reminds us to think twice about our plans for the next day before heading out to get hammered.

It's probably best to leave your car behind the following day and attempt to bum a lift from a sober friend or family member.

Additionally, the safest place for you to nurse a hangover is in a dark room, under the covers in your bed – so prepare ahead of time if you decide to go hard on the alcohol. 

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It seems we are fond of our drink.

Our cheeky glass of wine or night out with the gals have earned us a reputation of drinking more daily, than our male counterparts on an international scale.

A study conducted by the University of Washington, says Irish women are consuming three alcoholic beverages a day. 

Whereas the lads aren't so thirsty – having around four and a half drinks a day.

In fact, Irish men don't even make it into the top ten for male drinking on a global scale.

However, we are now seventh in the world for our daily consumption of alcohol.- Opps.

The Global Burden of Diseases study was completed by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), warns us to watch our wine.

The study said our habit of having a cheeky glass of wine could be very deceptive.

Unbeknownst to women, instead of having one measure we could actually be pouring ourselves three measures in one glass of wine. 

The scientists compiled figures from 694 data sources and 592 studies to gather information on 195 countries from 1990 to 2016.

The countries with the biggest death rates associated to alcohol among 15 to 49-year-olds in 2016, were Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Mongolia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Burundi, and the Central African Republic.

Kuwait, Iran, Palestine, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, the Maldives and Singapore had the lowest rates of death in the same year.

According to their findings which was published in the Lancet journal, even one daily drink could potentially increase the chances of contracting 23 alcohol-related health problems.

Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disease burden worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 percent of global deaths among populations aged 15–49 years, says the study.

In 2016, 2.8 million deaths were attributed to alcohol use and it was ranked as the seventh leading risk factor for premature death and disability, according to the report.

“The health risks associated with alcohol are massive,” said Dr Emmanuela Gakidou of the IHME and the senior author of the study.

“Our findings are consistent with other recent research, which found clear and convincing correlations between drinking and premature death, cancer, and cardiovascular problems.

"Zero alcohol consumption minimises the overall risk of health loss.”

Currently, most alcohol guidelines says there are health benefits associated with consuming up to two drinks per day. 

However, the researchers insist that their findings show that the safest level of drinking is none.  

“There is a compelling and urgent need to overhaul policies to encourage either lowering people’s levels of alcohol consumption or abstaining entirely,” she said.

“The myth that one or two drinks a day are good for you is just that – a myth. This study shatters that myth.”

Kiss goodbye to the naggins, shoulders and bottles of wine.

If this study is to be heeded: It's time we clean up our act or it could lead us to some serious health problems.

And to make matters worse: the weekend is only hours away.

 

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It's time to get your sesh cap on.

The bar of the year 2018 has been revealed and we can't wait to give it a try.

Cork is not only Ed Sheeran's favourite place to gig, but now it's home to the best bar in the country.

Cask Cocktail bar in the city was crowned champ, beating out some stiff competition. 

Last night, the bar claimed the top prize as judges assembled in the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road to announce all the winners.

For months, a panel have been on an epic nationwide pub crawl, grading and rating bars and pubs in a number of areas – and they seem to be impressed with this year's standard.

Despite the amount of great places, there could only be one winner.

One judge, Rafael Agapito gave Shemazing all the details and it was sickeningly close.

"Picking the winner was definitely the toughest part, the standard has improved so much, we had to return to some venues for re-evaluation.

I can’t disclose the runner up, but it was a matter of one mere point." 

Ah here lads, that's just too close!

That being said, Cask is a worthy winner.

The hospitality consultant said since the bar has opened, they have been "stacking up awards."

"Their talented team led by Andy Ferreira is always innovating and pushing boundaries. What impresses me the most is the attention they give to non alcoholic creations," Rafael said.

Since the bar is renowned for their cocktails, we asked Rafael what cocktail we should try out.

His reply was the Fine and Dandy – and it looks like perfection in a glass. 

Now if cocktails ain't your jam – don't worry.

The judges were marking establishments for a whole host of categories, which include the best bar for gin and craft beer.

For us gin lovers, this is a place you need to put on your list.

Photo credit: Gin Library

So who was the lucky winner, I hear you cry?! – it was the Gin Library at Galgorm Resort & Spa in Antrim that snatched Gin Bar of the Year.

"The library at Galgorm Resort has a great selection, and the bartenders are always at hand to help you pick the best suitable gin for your palate," said Rafael.

Take notes now, as the judge explained that quantity doesn't mean quality.

"When picking a category winner, we look for expertise rather than quantity. The bar with most gins on offer is not necessarily the best gin bar," he added. 

As for the best craft beer, a Galway bar sealed the deal and it's not hard to see why. 

From their Instagram alone, the newly opened bar, Caribou seems to have it sussed.

Commenting on the win, Rafael said:

"Caribou in Galway has also made the craft beer scene more inclusive and exciting, by offering a world class selection of beers in a fun and relaxed atmosphere."

 

Delighted #devitts #devittspub #dublinpubs #baroftheyear2018

A post shared by Devitts Pub (@devittspub) on

As for the best pub in the capital, Devitts on Camden Street claimed top dog for the scoops.

Now you have no excuse to venture out and try some seriously wonderful Irish pubs and bars.

It's only Tuesday, but we are already living for the weekend to try out these places – Sláinte!

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We've all been there – you eventually make it home after a big night out, snuggle into the covers and prepare yourself for the glorious lie-in that awaits, only to be rudely awoken by some kind of drunken mystic force at 8am. 

Maybe it's our bodies trying to get back at us? Or perhaps it's the universe trying to turn us into functional human beings? Either way, it's annoying AF and it's time to get to the bottom of it. 

Just like all out little bodily quirks, science has a big role to play. Speaking about the phenomenon, As Dr. Aaron White, a senior scientific advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, explained to Buzzfeed: 

"Alcohol tricks you into thinking you're sleeping better because you pass out a little faster but it's actually very disrupting and prevents you from getting a restful, deep sleep."

So, not only does alcohol make you lose all inhibitions and convince you that you're more than able to flirt with the hunky man at the bar, it also completely messes with your sleeping pattern – Great! 

What's more, once the alcohol wears off in the middle of the night, our bodies enter into REM sleep, making it much easier to wake up. 

Fan-bloody-tastic! 

The only way to prevent this is to take it easy on the G&Ts and stop drinking a little earlier in the night. 

You win some, you lose some. 

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Gin and tonic has become the go-to drink for practically half the country. The popular beverage has exploded in popularity over the past few years, and we’re not surprised.

As much as we love a G&T, we have to admit that we feel quite overwhelmed when we go to order one at the bar. What gin should I ask for? What type of tonic am I in the mood for? Will they add fruit? Or glitter?

We are spoiled for choice these days, but picking the perfect drink is tricky. Luckily, the Irish Gin and Tonic Fest is here to help.

They have just released Ireland’s best gin and tonic, which is bound to make your nights out that little bit easier.

This year’s festival ran across the 32 counties of Ireland with a total of 132 venues taking part and 16 GIN events throughout the country.

The 2018 edition featured 26 Irish gins that hail from every province in Ireland and are made with a huge variety of both farmed and wild Irish ingredients.

The festival asked the public to vote for their favorite #IrishGnT on Twitter and Instagram or by posting on the Great Irish Beverages Facebook page, and the results are in.

Ireland’s best gin & tonic in 2018 is…

Russell's Saloon & Gin Emporium, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Bar manager of Russell’s, Jean McGuinness was thrilled with the result: “Everybody is so curious about Irish gin these days and they were excited to meet the distiller of our festival gin.”

“Our choice of using fresh pear with the blueberries went down a storm with our customers as they said the garnish really brought out the fruit in the gin and the bitterness in the Fever Tree tonic."

We love the sound of Russell’s pear and blueberry gin. We’ll certainly have to visit them this summer!

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It's Friday ladies, and we cannot wait to cheer to the weekend with our friends with a nice G&T or a tasty glass of Prosecco.

But this week, we will make it extra special thanks to the help of one of Ireland’s best-loved chefs, Kevin Dundon. 

When we talked to the SuperValu ambassador this week and asked him about a nice summer drink, let's say that Kevin delivered.

"Get some strawberries, or use the ones you have that are getting bruised, take the stems off, place into a blender with a sprig of fresh tarragon, a little bit of honey, and pulse until you get a lovely puree. You can use it with gin, place a little bit of that puree at the bottom of your glass, add ice, some gin, tonic, and garnish with a strawberry. You can use that same puree with Prosecco, it’s gorgeous!"

For those who don't want alcohol, the chef recommends to add some vanilla ice cream and a little bit of milk to the puree to get a lovely strawberry shake.

And now we are drooling. 

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Ladies, it looks like you'll have to wave goodbye to wine, gin and cocktails in the run-up to your period because a study has found that alcohol worsens the symptoms of PMS.

The authors of the study revealed that women who consumed alcohol in the week before their period experienced more symptoms, including food cravings, tiredness, tender breasts and mood swings.

Out of the 47,000 participants, 45 percent said they noticed a ‘moderate' increase in symptoms after consuming alcohol.

Women who drank excessively stated that they noticed a substantial difference in the severity of their symptoms, especially with food cravings.

The team stated that many PMS cases are linked to a woman’s alcohol intake, “Heavy drinking may be associated with four percent of the PMS cases in the world and over nine percent in Europe.”

It is understood that six in every 10 women consume alcohol with 12.6 percent classed as heavy drinkers.

“If this association is of causal nature, eliminating heavy drinking in women would then prevent one in every 12 cases of PMS in Europe.”

Dr Bahi Takkouche, who is the study’s senior author, explained to Reuters Health, “We believe that alcohol increases PMS risk by altering the level of hormones, such as gonadotropin, during the menstrual cycle.

He advised women to cut down on their alcohol intake in the week before their period to reduce symptoms.

Some of the physical symptoms of PMS include bloating, headaches, tender breasts and backache.

Other women may experience emotional symptoms including anxiety, feelings of sadness, mood swings, sleep problems and have trouble concentrating.

Luckily, there are ways to manage these symptoms from reducing your salt intake to exercising more, and from taking painkillers to cutting out alcohol in the run-up to your period.

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In a milestone moment yesterday, the Dáil passed legislation which will allow pubs to serve alcohol on Good Friday.

For 90 years, pubs and off licenses have been barred from selling alcohol meaning that the good folk of this country have been forced to stock up on Holy Thursday with all the fervour of people facing a siege.

The decision to remove the prohibition after almost a century has, unsurprisingly, been the talk of Twitter since the news broke yesterday afternoon.

From suggesting the move could help facilitate the creation of new drinking games to drawing comparisons to the Repeal the 8th debate, the good folk in the Twitosphere haven't held back.

Take a look at these…

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With Christmas just around the corner, it's safe to say that there'll be a few sore heads knocking around over the next few weeks.

Between office parties and catch-ups with friends, the festive season can leave even the most responsible of drinkers feeling a little worse for wear.

However, that could all be about to change because according to an Imperial College professor, hangover-free alcohol could be a reality in as little as 10 years.

Speaking to The International Business Times UK, Professor David Nutt predicted that the next generation wouldn't drink booze as we know them. 

“In another 10 or 20 years, Western societies won’t drink alcohol except on rare occasions,” he said.

Instead, they will drink a synthetic alternative with fewer harmful side-effects.

Apparently it'll be called 'alcosynth' and it's what we'll on be drinking in 2028.

“Alcosynth will become the preferred drink, in the same way that I can see — almost within a decade now in the Western world — tobacco and cigarettes will disappear as they’re replaced by electronic cigarettes.”

Sounds good to us!

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At this stage, we're all well aware of the negative effects a poor night's sleep can have on our mind and body.

Concentration levels are at an all time low, irritability is through the roof, and what was once a routine daily task now seems like impossible feat.

According to a new study, a lack of sleep can actually produce similar effects on the brain as alcohol consumption.

It seems that both states of being cause neurons to respond more slowly, meaning brain signals are slower and weaker.

For the study, researchers examined 12 tired epileptic patients who had electrodes implanted into their brains to pinpoint the origin of their seizures.

According to The Independent, Professor Itzhak Fried, from the University of California at Los Angeles, said: “We discovered that starving the body of sleep also robs neurons of the ability to function properly.”

“This paves the way for cognitive lapses in how we perceive and react to the world around us.”

She also argues that regulations should be put in place in order to stop over-tired drivers from getting behind the wheel.

“Inadequate sleep exerts a similar influence on our brain as drinking too much. Yet no legal or medical standards exist for identifying over-tired drivers on the road the same way we target drunk drivers.”

Participants were asked to stay up all night in order to trigger an epileptic episode before undergoing surgery.

They were then tasked with categorising a selection of images as fast as possible while implants recorded their brain activity.

Results showed that a lack of sleep caused the neurons to respond to visual stimulus at a much slower place, while transmissions were found to drag on longer than normal.

What's more, scientists also discovered that some sections of the participants brain were still in a sleep-like state, even while the rest of the brain appeared to be awake.

“Slow sleep-like waves disrupted the patients' brain activity and performance of tasks,” said Prof Fried.

“This phenomenon suggests that select regions of the patients' brains were dozing, causing mental lapses, while the rest of the brain was awake and running as usual.”

Night-night, ladies!

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John Mayer has taken to Twitter this week to celebrate the fact he has been alcohol-free for the past 12 months.

In a move which ignited a reasoned and thoughtful conversation on Twitter, the singer revealed that his decision has made an incredible positive impact on his life.

"One year ago today, I decided to give drinking a break," he wrote in a post which has been liked 48,000 times in just two days.

"A very personal thing for everyone. For me, a constant return on investment," he added.

John explained that his reason for sharing the anniversary is to remind his fans and followers that abstinence is an option for everyone.

"I post this because I want people to know that “that’s enough for now” is on the menu, so to speak," he explained.

John has been inundated with support since the upload, with one person considering the impact the post will have on those who come across it.

"I’d like to think that someone out there is one day away from their 1 year and saw your post today and will now make tomorrow happen!"

"I'd like to think that someone read this and is going to start their 1 year today," added another.

John's post acted as a catalyst for followers to discuss the various ways sobriety effected them, with one writing: "I learned that I didn't need alcohol to cope with my problems or chronic back pain. There are other healthy ways to do that."

"Counselling helps — I'd recommend it. Working out at a gym or going for a walk when you have an urge to drink. It's not easy but worth it," she added.

During the summer, John revealed that alcohol rarely satiated him, telling Rolling Stone: "Drinking is a f*cking con. How much is enough?"

"Every time I drank, I was looking for some sort of regulated amount. It always feels wrong for me. I always feel like I went overboard. ‘I said two, now it's three, now we're at four."

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