Hardshore Original Gin
Two words: game. changer. Forget about not being a “gin person”, I sure did.
I can honestly say that when I walk into a bar, gin is probably the last thing I would ever think to order. And then I tried Hardshore.
Hardshore Original Gin comes from the Hardshore Distilling Company in Portland, ME (one of my favorite cities may I add), and was released in 2016. They pride themselves in doing things differently than the other guys (and girls), as they say so on their page, and I think that has paid off. Why blend in with the crowd, when you can stand out and shine, right?
My first encounter with Hardshore Gin was at Boston’s Jerk Fest, when Claudiane insisted that I take a double shot of it, instead of slowly sipping it on my first try. I admit that I was a little hesitant because of my love/hate relationship with taking shots (especially without a chaser).However, after I took the shot, instead of feeling that harsh, burning feeling you normally feel (you know that feeling when you try to keep a straight face but inevitably can’t), I felt a sweet, and warm sensation. I obviously had to take a bottle home.
Strawberry Fields
Last week, I had a couple of friends over for drinks and had them try Hardshore. First off, we raved about how the bottle looked. The design is very unique, especially with the cork being see-through and made out of glass. I probably would use it for decoration. I made them what is similar to a strawberry mojito, expect with the gin. I call it “Strawberry Fields”, inspired of course by the famous Beatles song. What’s better than an average gin and tonic? Gin with some fresh fruit and mint. For this drink, I cut fresh strawberries and slightly muddled them into a glass. Then I poured a little simple syrup, along with 1.5 OZ of Hardshore over ice. To top it off I filled the rest of the glass with soda water, squeezed a lime in it, and then garnished it with some mint to add a refreshing kick. Let me tell you they couldn’t get enough of it, and neither could I. The sweetness of the strawberry complimented the flavor of the gin, as well as the minty taste.
I’ve been so bored with my usual rum and coke, and vodka soda, that discovering this new easy-to-make drink came at just the right moment. Overall, I’m really impressed with Hardshore Gin and would most definitely recommend you all try it. Please go check them out at hardshoredistilling.com and follow them on IG at http://Instagram.com/hardshoredistilling