VUE

T he barrel-finished gin was the first brown spirit Asbury Park Distilling Co. brought to the market, and they're having fun inside their tasting room by using it in unexpect- ed ways like as the main ingredient in their Old Fashioned. If your go-to is a G&T, As- bury Park Distilling Co. is putting their own twist on that too using their housemade tonic, which one could argue is essential in a cocktail that only requires two ingredients. Normally tonic water can be cloying but theirs is smooth, and brown. Don't worry, the color is from the cinchona bark which they use in their tonic recipe along with brown sug- ar, lemon and orange zests. e drink comes together using Asbury Park Distilling Co.'s original gin and a slice of lime. "We're forced to be really creative," Ohebshalom explained. "We wanted to create a spirit that could certainly work really well in a cocktail, but also stand on its own independent of anything else. And it's not just about the spirit. It's every- thing—every tincture, bitter, syrup is made in-house." Just as much as distillers are embracing this era of cra spirits, bartenders are exploring new territory as well which is another reason for gin's resurgence. Gin is practically tai- lor made for cocktails because its botanical and citrus notes are the easiest to incorporate into drinks and pair well with an abundance of flavors. Asbury Park Distilling Co. refers to their product as a "gateway gin" for those who may not have enjoyed the spirit in the past. Other than introducing a wider profile of flavors and the rise of cra cocktails, societal factors play a role in why we're experiencing a "ginaissance." Ohebshalom traces the appeal back to being able to eat and drink things that are produced locally, and the increased interest in quality. Asbury Park Distilling Co.'s playful and seasonally-inspired menu is rep- resentative of the changing culture surrounding gin, with more distillers and bartenders imparting personality, char- acter and locality into their work. At the same time, New American gin is an example of the contemporary, modern day gin drinker who's interested in tasting the spirit's history, flavor and versatility. Gin isn't just reserved for the back of your parent's liquor cabinet any- more, it's consumed by people old and young and can be found in the glasses of grown-ups and millennials alike. P H O T O B Y J O H N D E C K E R S T U D I O , R E D B A N K V U E N J . C O M 117

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